You can help families commemorate the life of a loved one by creating
beautiful headstones. A tombstone business is perfect for the person who
is creative and empathetic to other people. Those who are grieving need
someone who is kindhearted to help them choose the perfect memorial for
the person they are burying. With the proper equipment, engraving
headstones is much simpler than you might think.
Step 1
Learn the fine art of engraving. Take classes that specifically teach how to engrave granite. You can find local classes through engravingclasses.com, or you could study under another headstone engraver willing to mentor you. Once you've learned the basics, practice as much as possible on your own until you've perfected your skills.Step 2
Locate granite suppliers. Memorial marker businesses utilize much more granite than the typical consumer might purchase. Contact local stone quarries to find out which ones have the lowest prices. You could also use a supplier directory such as Slab Market or Graniteland to locate suppliers around the country and compare prices. Don't forget to add in delivery charges to the overall cost.Step 3
Find an office location in the area you would like to supply with headstones. If you can locate an office near the funeral home or cemetery, that would be ideal. However, any location that is easily accessible will work. Seek a building that has a small front yard where you can display some sample headstones for those driving past to see your work. You also want a workshop area that is separate from your front office area.Step 4
Purchase equipment. In addition to granite slabs, you will need to purchase a Hoyer lift to move the stones around in your workshop and also onto your delivery truck. To shape the stones, you need a stone cutter for shaping and sandblasting machine for smoothing rough edges. You will also need an engraving machine. Most modern engraving machines are laser and controlled by a computer program. However, a few headstone businesses that still engrave by hand. This is not the most efficient way to create tombstones.Step 5
Lay out your workshop so that the lift can take the granite piece from the first stage to the last in an orderly fashion. Be sure there is enough room for several people to move around the shop at one time during the busiest work days.Step 6
Acquire business permits. Contact your secretary of state for a business permit. This will allow you to collect taxes. Also, your local health department may require an inspection since you will have a workshop area with equipment and dust particles released into the air during the engraving process. It is a good idea to contact them for a pre-inspection to avoid later having to make major, and costly adjustments.Step 7
Plan your grand opening. Plan a small party with local entertainment, snacks and samples of your work. Invite funeral home directors and cemetery managers to introduce your services. These are the people most customers will contact first and they can refer business to you, so you will want to develop a good relationship with them. Send news releases to local media and try to secure interviews to get the word out that you are open for business. Put tombstones in front of your building to show off your work.Tips
- Add headstone cleaning and restoration to your services to increase your potential income.
- A newer trend in headstones is photographs of the deceased loved one etched into the tombstone with a laser.
Warning
- Pay close attention to detail and make sure the information, spelling and dates are written down and engraved carefully.
References (3)
Resources (3)
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