Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/23/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  ***, 2023 to 12, ***************************************************** March, 2023. In December it was delivered to the cemetery and installed on his plot. By February, 2024, the stone had sunken. I called to complain. Cindy said that the cemetery told her she did not need a foundation. Cindy admitted that it needed a foundation. She wanted to charge me $1100+ to redo it and lay the foundation. She said that $499 of that needed to pay the cemetery. ***** at the cemetery said the $499 was to find the plot. We already did that so the $499 was not due. Cindy wanted $611 to come out and put the footer in, which she admitted needed to be done in the first place. I want Cindy's company to go back out and reset the stone the way it should have been done. I told her I would pay the $245 she originally wanted to set the stone. When I contacted Cindy, she was ready to go on vacation for 2 weeks.

  Business Response

  Date: 06/18/2024

  Reference ** ********
  This letter is in response to the complaint filed by **** ****** ****** on May 23, 2024 regarding the sinking of her husband’s flat granite memorial in Chartiers Cemetery.

  Attached is a copy of the original order dated 5/13/23 as well as a copy of the invoice showing all transactions relating to the purchase.  The cemetery charge of $443.00 includes the layout fee that the cemetery charges as well as the cost for the installation of the foundation ($0.85/ sq. in.).  Chartiers cemetery is owned by Mt. Lebanon Cemetery and their layout charge at the time of the order was $199.00.  A week or so after **** ****** placed the order, I called the cemetery and spoke to a woman there to obtain the section and lot number of the grave.  During that conversation, she told me that no foundation was necessary for the flat granite marker and confirmed the cemetery charge of $199.00.  I questioned the woman about the need to have a foundation for the monument, but she insisted that no foundation was needed.  My husband was present during this conversation.  She said the cemetery would place an orange cone on the grave where the memorial was to be placed.   I subsequently called **** ****** to tell her what the Cemetery had said and that I would deduct the cost of the foundation as shown on the invoice.  
  
  Contrary to what **** ****** stated regarding the payment of $499.00 for finding the plot, a check to Chartiers Cemetery was sent on June 1, 2023 in the amount of $199.00.  The check was cashed on June 15, 2023 by the Cemetery, as shown in one of the attachments, indicating their acceptance of the layout charge.  Although I have not confirmed it, I suspect that the Cemetery’s layout charge must have increased to $499.00 sometime during the past year.
  
  Since I was instructed by the cemetery not to install a foundation, I had to follow what I was instructed by the cemetery and could not on my own install a foundation.  Had I not followed their instructions and went ahead and installed a foundation, I could have been barred from doing further business in the Cemetery.  Therefore, when the monument was placed at the grave, it was placed on the ground as per the Cemetery’s instructions.  If the monument settled, the issue lies with the Cemetery, not me.  Years ago, the Queen of Heaven Cemetery in McMurray, PA stopped installing concrete foundations for a period of time, but when memorials started to shift/sink, the Cemetery itself accepted full responsibility and corrected the situation.  This is what Chartiers Cemetery must do now!
  
  There are two options to correct this situation.  First, the Cemetery can contract with someone to install the foundation.  The cost for this would be whatever **** ****** can negotiate with the Cemetery.
  
  The second option is that my installer Gaydos Monument can install the foundation. When **** ****** notified me in April 2024 that the monument had settled, I immediately contacted Gaydos Monument to obtain a price to correct the situation.  The quote dated April 25, 2024 can be found in one of the attachments.  I told **** ****** that I was leaving for vacation on April 26 for two weeks.  In the interim, **** ****** called Gaydos Monument several times, but I am not aware of the details of their conversations. For Gaydos to correct the situation, they would have to make two trips to the cemetery, one to dig and install the concrete foundation and a second trip to reset the monument on the foundation.  There is no way to get around this. Personally, I feel the Cemetery should accept the original layout payment $199.00 since they cashed the check on June 23, 2023 which indicates their acceptance.  If the Cemetery would agree to this, Gaydos’ Charge would be $616.00, which would only be $374.00 more than the $244.00 originally charged.  
  
  Personally, I believe the Cemetery is the entity totally responsible for the current situation.  Again, I am not permitted to do anything other than what I am instructed by the Cemetery.  Had they allowed me to install a foundation prior to installation of the monument, I would have done so and this never would have occurred.  Gaydos will gladly correct the situation for $616.00, but **** ****** must first convince the cemetery to waive the remainder of the layout fee.  There is nothing else I can do in this matter as I have fulfilled my contractual obligations with **** ****** and abided by the Cemetery’s instructions.
  
  Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions.
  
  Sincerely,
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/19/2024

  [A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
  
  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********* and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me. 
  
  
  
  Regards,
  
  
  
  ****** ******