Dan Kantar & Associates
Established in 1989
Every family has different needs and their own set of circumstances to consider before they start to think about their memorial options. Only you and your family will know when you feel ready to begin this step. At that time, your family will naturally want to make an informed choice without any outside pressure.
Our role in helping your family is that of a teacher. We are here to help guide and make you aware of the options you have in making this important decision. It can be very hard to know where to turn, and which company to consider. The fear of choosing poorly can be overwhelming. The main advice we can offer you is not to rush or make any decision that is not well thought out.
Our goal is to help you step by step at your own pace, to learn about your memorial options. We want to provide you with more information, not less. We don’t want to tell you what to spend. Only you know what is right for you.
Taking a few moments to read this information will help you and your family begins the journey of creating a tribute based on your taste and budget. The following information should answer some of the most common questions you might have.
There is a difference in memorials...
Choosing a memorial really involves only two main decisions:
The first is choosing a style, color, shape and finish you and your family like, in a budget range you feel financially comfortable with. This is the physical part of the decision.
The second part is choosing the lettering, carving and design you and your family like; this is based on the memories and meaning that you want to convey. This is the creative part of the decision.
The most important reason for a memorial can be summed up as our internal need to remember. The size or color of stone is not as important as the thoughts and memories that you want to convey.
Most families have the impression that if you personalize your memorial it is going to cost more. That statement is not true when working with our company. We have invested heavily in technology and manufacturing methods in order to give you more value. You have freedom to choose from many carving, lettering, and designs with no additional costs. We believe that freedom of choice provides you and your family with the real value of creating a memorial.
What determines price? Price is determined by three main factors:
Color - The color of granite varies the price of a memorial by more than any other factor. You can double the price of a memorial just by changing the color. The color of granite that you choose will depend on your personal taste and your budget. All our granites are guaranteed to last forever. However, darker and finer grain granites have better contrast and therefore will emphasize your lettering, carving and special features.
Size - Size is based on your taste and budget. If you double the size of a memorial you don’t double the price. For example, if you make a monument only half the size, your price goes down about 70%. Changing to a larger size simply allows us more design area. The larger the memorial, the more we are able to make the lettering and carving more legible. If you go smaller, sometimes it is like putting a semi truck in a single car garage. It just won’t fit.
Finish - Finish is related to the time and effort put into the physical aspects of the stone. A polished surface has more time and workmanship involved than a natural rough surface. Straight cuts are easier than curved. However, technology today has made changes in shape or finishes very affordable. The style, shape, and finish you choose are also based on your taste and budget.
In summary, in selecting and personalizing your memorial we find that you should not make a decision based on what the “Jones†family does. You and your family only do this once. Do it right, don’t overspend, but don’t under spend either. We usually suggest you initially base your decision just on your tastes and the memories you want to convey. Then, if the memorial is out of your budget range, you just change the color, size, or finish until the memorial is in a price-range that you and your family feel financially comfortable with.
What determines what goes on the memorial?
Lettering - The lettering or wording you choose is up to you. You could put on an important date, children’s names, or a favorite poem. You are really only limited by your imagination and creativity.
Design - The design and carving options for your memorial are limitless. You could put a golf scene, religious design, or sunset, just to name a few. Again, you are really only limited by your imagination and creativity.
Our life is a tapestry of memories. You will want to remember and reflect on which memories are important. You will want to make sure you don’t forget something personal and unique for the memorial. Any of your memories can be personalized through the use of design or wording. The choice is yours.
Please see our Contact form to request our "Memories in Stone" brochure. This brochure illustrates just a few of our more popular memorial designs.
Designing your memorial is very creative and easy. There is no right or wrong way to do it. Often times, sitting down as a family and relating to us what you want to remember is the easiest. We will take your ideas and give you some suggestions in return. This creative process will conclude with you being presented a scale color computer sketch showing you what your memorial would look like before we begin manufacturing. We never produce anything without your approval. You can change the designs or lettering until you feel the memorial is just the way you want it. The best part is this process does not cost you any extra. Both you and our company reduce the risk of making a mistake by participating in this process. Your memorial is done right, the first time.
Only you will know when you and your family feel ready to begin this next step. We would be honored to help you learn more about this important step at a time and pace you feel comfortable with.
Our goal is simple: "We want to provide you with the best quality, service, and value in the business. We want you to make an intelligent decision in a comfortable time frame. We want to treat you the same way we would want to be treated." We guarantee you will notice the difference.
Dan Kantar & Associates
3007 Atwood Dr
Hopkins MN 55305
Tel: 952 935-0097
Fax: 952 935-0953
E-mail: dkantar@qwest.net
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