Adding a Year
Just the four digits of passing.
TypicalCarving "2026"
4 digits≈ $360
When the headstone already has the name and the first date carved, and you need the second year added. The most common cemetery lettering job.
Learn more →Cemetery Lettering · Adding a Name
Adding a name to an existing headstone.
When a husband or wife passes and the headstone is already in the cemetery, we add the new name and the dates. The stone never moves. The pricing formula is published.
$300+$15per letter
Typical · MARY CATHERINE 1942; 202623 letters × $15 + $300≈ $645
- On site work in the cemetery
- Font, depth, and finish matched
- Layout proof before any cutting
- Cemetery permit handled if applicable
- Same day photo of finished work
Free. No obligation. Reply within 24 hours.
What's Involved
The full inscription, added to a stone that was waiting for it.
When the first spouse passed, the stone was almost always carved with both names; leaving the surviving spouse's death date as a blank line, ready to be added when the time came. Sometimes, though, the stone was carved with only the first name and dates, and the second name was never added. Both situations call for the same work: we add what's not there yet.
That includes the full name, both dates, and any small detail you'd like (a middle initial, a different ordering, a slightly different epitaph layout). The new letters need to match what's already on the stone; same font, same character height, same carving depth, same finish. That's the craft. We pattern match from your photos before quoting, mock the layout up, and send you a proof. Nothing gets cut in the cemetery until you've approved the proof in writing.
The pricing is one formula: $300 plus $15 per letter. The $300 covers our attention to your particular stone; the drive to the cemetery, reading the existing carving, matching the font, handling the paperwork. The $15 per letter is the carving itself. A typical name and dates runs 20 to 30 carved characters, which puts the total in the $600 to $750 range. We send you the exact letter count and total in your written quote.
The Process
Three steps. Six weeks. One on site visit.
- 1
You send us a photo
Use our quote form to add a photo and send your request. One or two clear phone photos of the existing headstone. Tell us the new name and dates. Tell us the cemetery.
2 minutes - 2
We send a written quote and layout proof
Within 24 hours. The exact letter count, the total, and a layout proof showing where the new inscription will appear. We file the cemetery permit on your behalf.
24 hours - 3
We carve on site and send you the photo
Portable engraving equipment in the cemetery. The stone never moves. Same day photo emailed to you when the carving is done.
3 to 5 weeks out
Common Questions
What families ask us most.
- How much does it cost to add a name to an existing headstone?
- At The Stonesmith, every cemetery lettering job uses the same formula: $300 plus $15 per letter. A typical name plus both dates runs about 25 letters, so the total comes to roughly $675. The exact number depends on how many letters are in the inscription you want carved. We send a written quote with the letter count and total within 24 hours of receiving your photo.
- What counts as a letter?
- Every carved character: capital letters, lowercase letters, numbers, hyphens, apostrophes, periods. Spaces between words are not charged. So "MARY CATHERINE 1942; 2026" counts as 23 carved characters even though there are spaces between the words.
- Does the headstone need to be moved or removed from the cemetery?
- No. Almost every name add is performed on site, in the cemetery, with the stone staying exactly where it is. We bring portable engraving equipment to the grave. Only in rare cases (severe damage, very ornate carving) does a stone need to be removed, and we tell you up front if that's the case.
- Will the new letters match the old ones?
- Yes. We match the original font, character height, carving depth, and finish. For most stones from the 20th century, the original engraver used a small number of common fonts at standard sizes; we pattern match before cutting and proof the layout to you before any work begins in the cemetery.
- How long does it take?
- Six weeks from order, April through October. Off season orders are scheduled in writing for the first spring window; typically the first or second week of April depending on the year and weather.
- What if my spouse's headstone is in another state?
- We serve Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Maine. If your cemetery is outside our service area, we'll tell you honestly and recommend a local letterer.
Our Services & Pricing
A clear price for the work you need.
Lettering is $300 plus $15 per letter. Cleaning is $450 per stone. Restoration is custom quoted after we review your photos.
Lettering
$300 + $15 per letterAdding a Name
A new name and dates next to the original.
TypicalAn example inscription with 25 carved characters
25 carved characters≈ $675
When a spouse passes and the full new inscription, including the name and both dates, needs to be added to the stone that's already in the cemetery.
Learn more →Full Inscription
A complete new carving from scratch.
TypicalA full layout with epitaph and symbol
~50 letters≈ $1,050
For a stone with no existing inscription, or where the whole inscription is being designed from scratch. Names, dates, an epitaph, religious or memorial symbols.
Learn more →Stone Care
Restoration by custom quote · Cleaning $450 per stoneRestoration
Care for weathered stones and inscriptions.
Custom quoteStart with a photo of your stone
Quoted for the work your stone needsCustom quote
Every restoration is different. Send a photo so we can assess the condition, discuss the work, and prepare a custom quote.
Learn more →Headstone Cleaning
Lichen, moss, weathering removed.
PriceOne stone, one visit
$450 flat, per stone$450
A dedicated cleaning visit at the cemetery, with the approach chosen for the stone's material and condition.
Learn more →For lettering, a panel extension to create additional space on the stone costs extra. Cemetery permit fees, if your cemetery requires one, are passed through at the cemetery's actual cost (typically $50 through $200) and disclosed in writing on your quote before any work begins.
A photo. A name. A flat formula.
Send us one or two photos of the existing headstone, tell us the new name, and we'll send a written quote within a day.
Get a Written Quote