Commissioning new work

How to commission work
Once contact has been made, Caroline will suggest meeting you to discuss the proposals and to establish a clear brief. This can take place either on site or in the workshop, where samples of work and materials can be seen. A sketch or scale drawing and an estimate for the work will be sent to you following the initial briefing. The design is of course open to discussion at this stage. However should you decide not to proceed further a small fee will be charged to cover Caroline's design time for the initial drawings.

Terms
Caroline will ask for an advance payment (approximately one third of the value of the commission) once the design has been agreed. A further payment may be requested before carving begins to cover the cost of the materials. The final balance is payable on delivery or once the work is in place.

Completion
The time taken to complete a commission will depend on the size and complexity of the job, the availability of materials and the number of commissions already in progress in the workshop. The time could vary from one month to a year. It is important to bear this in mind if the work is needed for an event or an anniversary.

Headstones & memorials

Headstones & memorials can be carved in a variety of British limestones, sandstones and slates or even wood. The choice of material will depend upon the location of the stone, the amount of lettering and decoration and the preference of the client. Caroline likes to design a letterform for each inscription that is appropriate to the words, the meaning and the 'feel' of the piece.

When commissioning a gravestone, cremation stone or memorial it may be helpful to have the following information:

A headstone will usually cost between £2500-£5000

Once a design has been agreed it may be necessary to obtain permission
from the relevant authority. Headstones and cremation stones require
permission to be granted from the Vicar of the church. A churchyard fee
may also be requested; this is usually paid direct by the client

Some memorial inscriptions may need a Faculty, granted by the church
authorities. This will require a full-size drawing to be submitted to the
Diocesan Advisory Committee for approval which can take some time

If a burial has taken place it is advisable to allow the ground to settle
for about a year before putting a memorial in place

All designs are copyrighted to Caroline. No responsibility can be taken by the Caroline for any errors in a text or drawing that has been approval by the client, nor for the deterioration or weathering of the inscription once it is in place.