A mausoleum is an above-ground resting place, built from granite, that holds remains in sealed crypts rather than in the ground. A private family mausoleum is built for one family on its own site, ranging from one and two crypt structures to a walk-in building with room for several generations. A community mausoleum is owned by the cemetery, and families purchase individual crypts within it. Either way, most designs also make space for cremated remains alongside.

A mausoleum is closer to a small building project than to setting a stone. It needs a site the cemetery approves, a foundation engineered for the weight, and a design worked out in detail before any granite is cut, so the timeline runs in months rather than weeks. Families who plan ahead have the most room to shape it, which is one reason many mausoleums are commissioned years before they are needed.

Whether you're planning ahead or making arrangements now, we'll walk you through what your cemetery will approve, the sizes and designs available, and what drives the cost, before you commit to anything.

If you already hold a crypt in a community mausoleum and need the name and dates added, that is lettering work rather than construction. See our final date and crypt lettering page.