Memorial Headstones

[Brigade77]

My Grandads grave is looking a little tired & trying to get a price for re gilding the letterring is like trying to get an answer from the great man himself.

Has anyone ever had this done?

Is it possible to be done in situ or must it be lifted back to a workshop?

 

[conny]

Best people to contact would probably be a stonemasons business who specialise in Memorial Stonework.
I'm sure you could find a local one on Google/Yellow pages.

 

[nauseous]

Can't you do it yourself with some gold paint?

 

[Brigade77]

Can't you do it yourself with some gold paint?

I think that's why it needs doing now. Gilding or gold leaf should last a lifetime.

 

[Mottie]

Pretty sure it can be done in situ as my son used to go out with a girl who's father had such a business and she used to do a lot of work to headstones on site.

 

[Brigade77]

Pretty sure it can be done in situ as my son used to go out with a girl who's father had such a business and she used to do a lot of work to headstones on site.

We've approached quite a few memorial masons so far & all we seem to get is indifference. I can't work out what the problem might be, it's a straight forward re-furb of an existing headstone, we have the £cash & we're not in any particular hurry. Yet no one seems to be interested in the job.

 

[nauseous]

I think that's why it needs doing now. Gilding or gold leaf should last a lifetime.

Ok. How many characters are on the hs? Could be a lengthy job with all the prepping, cleaning all the recesses out etc as there's probably more work involved than doing it from new. I'm guessing about £500 what with removal and resetting an all. There may be cemetery fees on top, idk.

 

[Brigade77]

A family member has been tipped the wink on another forum that it might be down to what exactly is a 'memorial mason' these days.

Seems they buy in headstones from abroad & use CNC machinery to engrave the inscriptions !

In which case it all makes sense, they're not actually capable of re-furb'ing.

 

[Ian H]

So they are salesmen rather than tradesmen? That’s quite sad, I like to walk through the cemetery near us and there are lots in there that could do with some maintenance.

 

[securespark]

Don't know about this company, but may be worth a shufty.

https://www.memorialgroup.co.uk/additionalservices.asp

 

[vinty]

A family member has been tipped the wink on another forum that it might be down to what exactly is a 'memorial mason' these days.

Seems they buy in headstones from abroad & use CNC machinery to engrave the inscriptions !

In which case it all makes sense, they're not actually capable of re-furb'ing.

That is a good point, it could open a gap in the market for someone to supply this service.
I imagine there are a lot lot of People who will pay to have the graves of their loved one's looked after.

 

[333rocky333]

I am getting work done soon for a family member, but because it is stone, they are taking it away as they need to skim mine first, then its about £1.50 a letter, but thats for what they call Cut and Black letters, there is also a charge for a permit from the cemetery.
Also you have to be what they call the "Owner" of the grave, that is the only person allowed to authourise the work, without that a Permit wont be issued and no one will touch it.

They sent someone to look at it free of charge then gave me a breakdown cost of each part of the process.
They were Turners Memorials based in Forest Gate, East london, same premises for over 50 years, very helpfull, but said they have nearly a years waiting list before they can start..