What's The Difference? - Paradise Monument Company, Inc.

Q: Are all monuments and other stone products the same, regardless of where they are purchased?
A: NO!

STONE QUALITY

Granite and other stone material come out of the earth in varying quality grades. The quality grade (i.e. A, B, C grade, A being best) is determined by several factors. Some of these factors include the stone's overall appearance, color and pattern consistency, mineral content, and density. It is a fact that most consumers purchasing a monument do not know the grade of the stone they are purchasing. Sadly, neither do many monument dealers. This is because many dealers do not have direct buying relationships with quarry/manufacturers. These dealers buy their materials from brokers or middlemen distributors, and may not know with certainty
where the stone came from or what its quality grade is. This has resulted in many a well-intending, ethical monument dealer retailer unknowingly selling a substandard stone to an unsuspecting, trusting customer. We are saddened that there are dealers who knowingly sell substandard grade monuments without revealing it to the buying public. Thankfully, we believe these dealers represent the extreme minority of all monument dealers. But, whether done intentionally or not, when a poor quality stone is sold to an innocent consumer, the result is the same: someone got far less than they paid for.

A stone of lesser quality should result in a lower price. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. Many people pay premium prices and receive substandard quality. This is because in most cases it is almost impossible to detect there is a problem when the monument is new. Usually the first indication a family has that something is not right with a stone is a gradual discoloration. This usually means that some imperfection exists in the stone. At Paradise Monument Company, we have direct buying relationships with suppliers. We know who quarried the stone and we know of its quality. Every memorial we sell is completely guaranteed to be made of
the finest material available in the market. You can buy with confidence that your family memorial will be a sound investment and that its beauty will stand the test of time.

CARVING QUALITY

Many monument dealers do their own stone carving and lettering. A number of years ago, this was very common. Stone quarriers/manufacturers would supply a monument dealer with blank stock for inventory. The dealer would then sell from this stock and then carve whatever design their customers desired on the stone and letter it as well. In today's more modern era of monument manufacturing, most quarriers/manufacturers employ their own stone carving specialists, who have been working at this trade most of their adult lives. These years of experience, coupled with the manufacturer's ability to invest in the latest technology and then train their people in the most progressive techniques of stone cutting and lettering, results in what we believe is a monument far superior in appearance to what a local dealer could provide. This why we at Paradise Monument Company have made the business decision to not carve and letter our own monuments. We rely on the expertise of our
manufacturer to provide the high quality monuments our customers deserve.

For example, the roses below best illustrate our point. The one on the left was carved by a dealer doing their own work. It is commonly referred to in our industry as a flat carved rose.


Flat Carved Rose Click for larger image	Shape Carved Rose Click for larger image

The rose on the right is one carved by one of our suppliers. It is known as a double process, shape carved rose. Most people will readily recognize the dramatic difference in these roses. And, when given a choice, most will select the shape carved rose. As one can see, the carving method used does impact the overall beauty, and resulting value, of a monument. This shape carve versus flat carve issue alone significantly differentiates us from other dealers who carve their own stock and who use only flat carving in their process.

STONE SIZE

It stands to reason that the smaller the stone, the smaller the price. As simple and obvious as this sounds, every day people are taken in by low, low prices quoted by monument dealers, only to find out when the stone is set in the cemetery that it looks much smaller than they expected. Buyer beware! If someone is quoting unbelievably low prices for a monument, insist that the size of the monument be documented. One must compare "apples to apples" for a true comparison. Then, and only then, can a sound buying decision be made.

These are just a few of the most common factors that prove that a consumer can not trust that all monuments are the same, regardless of the dealer. By asking a few questions, consumers can become educated enough to make informed decisions regarding a monument purchase.

We would consider it a privilege to talk with you further about your memorial needs.