how much does it cost to remove a headstone

mercedes125
mercedes125 Posts: 402 Forumite
in Marriage, relationships & families
How much does it cost for removal of a headstone and engraving then to have the headstone put back.

Thankyou
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Comments

  • pigpen
    pigpen Posts: 41,152 Forumite
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    edited 29 April 2011 at 5:13PM
    it depends on what you want putting on it.. most charge about £3 per letter. Some do it by hand in situ but not many. Most will lift it and carve by machine and resite which is usually about £150-£300+ lettering depending on size and the stone it is made of.
    LB moment 10/06 Debt Free date 6/6/14
    Hope to be debt free until the day I die
    Mortgage-free Wannabee (05/08/30)
    6/6/14 £72,454.65 (5.65% int.)
    08/12/2023 £33602.00 (4.81% int.)
  • mercedes125
    mercedes125 Posts: 402 Forumite
    It is being removed for the grave to be reopened, someone said to expect a bill for about £2000 for removing it having it engraved and putting it back, it does seem a lot if thats what they charge.
  • pattycake
    pattycake Posts: 1,580 Forumite
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    My mother passed away just over two years ago. She was buried in the grave which contains my nan. The bill from the stonemason to remove the headstone, put on my mother's details and replace was around £350.

    The stone mason actually took the headstone back to his yard for safe keeping when it was removed rather than leaving it lying in the churchyard.

    They have to wait about 6 months before the stone can be put back. This is to allow the earth to settle after the burial.

    We have room on the stone for my dad's details. Hopefully, that will be some time in the future. At that time we will probably have the lettering from my nan regilded as it is slightly faded.
  • pigpen
    pigpen Posts: 41,152 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    Most new headstones (in the last 10 years or so.. maybe a bit less) are on a concrete plinth buried in the ground and dowelled on, this is not disturbed when removing for lettering so unless it is a very old one it will be done and back in a couple of weeks. We had my uncle added to my nannas at 'mates rates' that was £150 all in.

    But £2000 is a disgusting price.. it should be about a quarter of that.
    LB moment 10/06 Debt Free date 6/6/14
    Hope to be debt free until the day I die
    Mortgage-free Wannabee (05/08/30)
    6/6/14 £72,454.65 (5.65% int.)
    08/12/2023 £33602.00 (4.81% int.)
  • mercedes125
    mercedes125 Posts: 402 Forumite
    pattycake wrote: »
    My mother passed away just over two years ago. She was buried in the grave which contains my nan. The bill from the stonemason to remove the headstone, put on my mother's details and replace was around £350.

    The stone mason actually took the headstone back to his yard for safe keeping when it was removed rather than leaving it lying in the churchyard.

    They have to wait about 6 months before the stone can be put back. This is to allow the earth to settle after the burial.

    We have room on the stone for my dad's details. Hopefully, that will be some time in the future. At that time we will probably have the lettering from my nan regilded as it is slightly faded.

    Ok thankyou, i thought £2000 seemed a lot, thats not too bad so when the funeral director says the headstone will be removed do they just leave it in the grave yard if so i might get a stonemason to collect it. Also we had an anchor fitted 2yrs ago do you know if we wll have to pay for another one.
  • pigpen
    pigpen Posts: 41,152 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    They should be able to reuse the same anchor or it may be sited differently. Different councils have different rules so it is worth ringing to speak to the council what their policies are.. some only allow certain types of stone, some only allow certain metals and paint to be used in lettering for example.

    There are no secure places on the grave yards usually so the unfixed stones are not allowed to be left and have to be taken to the yard.. if you are having lettering done as well then it will most likely be done by machine if it is a monumental masons and they will take it to their workshop anyway.
    LB moment 10/06 Debt Free date 6/6/14
    Hope to be debt free until the day I die
    Mortgage-free Wannabee (05/08/30)
    6/6/14 £72,454.65 (5.65% int.)
    08/12/2023 £33602.00 (4.81% int.)
  • geminilady
    geminilady Posts: 1,922 Forumite
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    I have a similar question on this subject.Does someone actualy have to be buried there to have their name added?My mum is buried in a catholic cemetry as this was important to her sister and my mum never expressed a wish either way.I do not want to be buried there as not really a believer but would like my name added as a gravestone is actualy a memorial to a person who has died and i was very close to my mum
  • pigpen
    pigpen Posts: 41,152 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    geminilady wrote: »
    I have a similar question on this subject.Does someone actualy have to be buried there to have their name added?My mum is buried in a catholic cemetry as this was important to her sister and my mum never expressed a wish either way.I do not want to be buried there as not really a believer but would like my name added as a gravestone is actualy a memorial to a person who has died and i was very close to my mum

    No, but you need permission I believe of the person who 'owns' the plot. Just have it 'in loving memory of geminilady' that kind of thing?? the records office have details of people buried in the various places and obviously you would not be added to that but the stone is your property and you can have on it whatever you wish.
    LB moment 10/06 Debt Free date 6/6/14
    Hope to be debt free until the day I die
    Mortgage-free Wannabee (05/08/30)
    6/6/14 £72,454.65 (5.65% int.)
    08/12/2023 £33602.00 (4.81% int.)
  • geminilady
    geminilady Posts: 1,922 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 1,000 Posts
    pigpen wrote: »
    No, but you need permission I believe of the person who 'owns' the plot. Just have it 'in loving memory of geminilady' that kind of thing?? the records office have details of people buried in the various places and obviously you would not be added to that but the stone is your property and you can have on it whatever you wish.

    Thnks very much i own the plot and that is the kind of thing i was thinking of having just need to let my boys know where the papers are then.
  • pigpen
    pigpen Posts: 41,152 Forumite
    Part of the Furniture 10,000 Posts Name Dropper Photogenic
    We had the dogs name added to my grans when my uncle was added..
    LB moment 10/06 Debt Free date 6/6/14
    Hope to be debt free until the day I die
    Mortgage-free Wannabee (05/08/30)
    6/6/14 £72,454.65 (5.65% int.)
    08/12/2023 £33602.00 (4.81% int.)
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