Buyer’s Guide

Every day more people are enticed by slick websites with lots of images and the perceived convenience of purchasing a memorial through an on-line vendor that has a "Shopping Cart" button. In almost every case they would have received superior work and at a lower price by purchasing from a local reputable monument builder. Most of these websites show images of standard "off-the-rack" memorial designs available anywhere.

However, many reputable monument builders have websites these days simply to showcase examples of work that their companies have actually designed and carved. That is the sole purpose of our site as well. The majority of our work represents a unique collaboration between us and our customer. We offer a highly specialized form of memorial art, not just grave markers. Therefore you will never find a "Shopping Cart" button on our site and we would strongly advise you to avoid any memorial business that has one on their site.

We, like other ethical professionals in the monument industry, realize that there is a certain amount of interaction which must take place between the customer and the memorial craftsman to assure good results. This may not be the quickest and easiest way to sell memorials, but we are most concerned with producing high-quality, personalized memorials for satisfied customers.

Consumer Alert !

If there has been a recent death in your family, there are companies that may be contacting you and wanting to sell you a monument. Don’t let them pressure you into making a decision before you are ready. No memorial purchase should be made immediately.

A monument is the one visual and lasting tribute that you can give to your loved one. You should take your time with this selection and buy only when you feel ready.

You should know that you are not obligated to purchase a monument from any funeral home or cemetery. In fact there is strong argument that this decision should not be rushed into. Remember that by law, this purchase cannot be forced upon you in the purchase of other funeral arrangements.

Unfortunately there are those that will telephone you at home shortly after your loss, and try to set up an appointment for a salesman to come into your home. Remember that the best time to purchase a memorial is when you feel ready, not when some salesperson tries to pressure you into buying.

Giles Monument Company has a 40-year track record of customer satisfaction and standing behind our work. When you feel comfortable with this decision, visit our indoor showroom and see the many different colors, types and styles of memorials that we offer.

If you are located far away from Waxahachie, we will help you locate a reputable monument company in your area.

Planning Ahead

Today, more and more people are choosing to select their monument and cemetery lot in advance of need… Why wait until there is only part of the family left to make the decision?

There is wisdom in pre-planning for the future. It relieves an emotional burden and a financial burden from your loved ones.

By planning ahead, you can select the style, size and color of granite that you prefer. You can select the options that are important to you and design a monument that reflects who you are, rather than have your family confused over what you would have wanted.

A personalized design, which you can help to create, can reflect your beliefs, values, or whatever is important and meaningful to you. What do you want to tell future generations about yourself and your family?

Advantages of pre-planning:

• It relieves this emotional burden from your loved ones.
• Lower cost today as compared with future prices.
• You can select the style, size and color of granite that you prefer
• Peace of mind.
• This is your opportunity to make your personal statement for history.

Why Buy?

Man is an instinctive monument builder. Since the beginning of human history, men have always built monuments for one basic reason… they want to remind present and future generations of the accomplishments of generations past.

The great civilizations of the past, ancient Egypt, Greece and Rome, are today mostly remembered through the many monuments that they built. When tourists travel to Washington DC, one of the main things that most people want to visit are all of the great monuments that have been built there to honor our nation's history and leaders.

The very word "monument" means "to remind" or "to remember." It is a tradition that goes back for countless generations, deep into our past. We care about those who have gone before us and building a permanent, lasting memorial is a special way to acknowledge the importance of their life.

The way we want to be remembered is a matter of personal preference; however, history has proven the "need to remember" is universal.

When the time comes to commemorate the life of someone very special, or perhaps to plan ahead for yourself, many factors should be considered. You will be purchasing something that, quite literally, will last forever. The monument you create may very well serve as a source of historical reference for future generations. It is a purchase that should be made unhurriedly, with great care and consideration. Don't let yourself be pressured into making this decision until you are ready.

We understand that your memorial should signify more than just a grave location. It should also help reflect a story that must be told… Monuments are built because someone lived, not because someone died. Their purpose is to inspire reverence, faith and hope. The cemetery memorial should be a source of consolation to the bereaved and a constant inspiration to all who visit the cemetery. When the memorial is properly inscribed with the appropriate symbols and thoughtful epitaphs, it will convey a meaningful story and compel us to pause and read.

The Giles family has been helping families create tributes of respect and honor for over 40 years.