Business Plan
Business Plan admin February 6, 2021

Columbarium Business Plan

At Sunset Memorial & Stone, we believe we cannot achieve full customer satisfaction until we are assured that you are making a profit from your columbarium purchase. To this end, we try to provide prospective customers with as much supporting information as we can, to help them create a realistic and persuasive plan that they can present to their boards, organizations, or communities to turn concept into reality. The process is composed of 5 simple steps.

Sunset recognizes that many of our customers excel at serving people, but may not have the financial background to be able to create a strong financial assessment of their columbarium proposals.

To assist potential customers with this skill, we have created the Sunset Memorial & Stone Financial Calculator that leads customers step by step through a spreadsheet that does all of the financial calculations for them. After inputting the required information, the calculator will tell potential customers their:

  • Return on Investment (ROI)
  • Number of Years to Payback
  • Net Present Value (the total profit you would make in today’s dollars)

The calculator will even advise clients if they could be buying too large of a columbarium to suit their needs! Call a Sunset representative, or click to request this extremely helpful tool.

Sunset Memorial and Stone Ltd. Columbaria Business Plan

Sunset Business & Financial Plan Information

Getting Started

How to put together a plan

Getting Started

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Financial Plan

Planning your future with the ROI Calculator

Financial Plan

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5 Step Process

Planning and Assessing the Market

5 Step Process

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ROI Calculator

Get your ROI Calculator

ROI Calculator

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Columbarium Business Plan – Getting Started

Know your Market

First and foremost, the financial feasibility of a columbarium needs to be supported by historical statistics, current population statistics and forward projections of how each community embraces cremation interment. Knowing the market and understanding the surrounding cemetery rates of interment need to be fully understood in order to identify that the going rate of interment meets community expectations and is also moving with the cost of inflation.

No cemetery wants to operate at a loss. In addition to the annual cemetery operations budget, the “Perpetual Fund” also needs to be considered, as cemeteries adapt to more forward financial planning. The pricing of each niche must address these financial considerations in order to effectively meet the cemetery’s future financial needs. One strategy to consider when deciding on the pricing of a columbarium niche is to divide the cost of each niche into thirds. The first third is applied towards the payment of the initial columbarium, the second third goes towards the payment of the Perpetual Fund and the third is applied towards the purchase of the next columbarium. Eventually all future columbaria purchases will be self-financed by previous niche purchases.

Although the trend of scattering ashes outside of cemeteries exists, there are also urns sitting on mantels and in closets awaiting interment in a different commemorative space. The columbarium can provide an interment option that may appeal to this specific group of individuals. Identifying the market need in your community is essential. Through public engagement and easy online surveys cemeteries can better understand the needs of the surrounding community and help guide a collective vision for future generations.

5 Step Process

Sunset Stone Assessment Plan. The process is composed of 5 simple steps as shown in the figure below:

Sunset Memorial and Stone 5 Step Assessment Business Plan

Cemeteries are also a place for the Living

Creating an inviting landscape and beautiful setting can have a powerful impact on cemetery utilization and columbarium niche sales. Sunset Memorial & Stone has tremendous respect for the innovative architectural firms and “in house” cemetery landscape architects that create notable spaces for commemorating life and enjoyment of cemetery gardens.

Landscape architectural planning should be considered prior to purchasing a columbarium.

Knowledge of foliage species relationships, site lines, visual perspective, shape, design and color is all encompassing and can directly influence columbarium appeal.

A well-designed columbarium plan anticipates future projects and plans for complimentary pieces that will enhance the existing space. Foresight and good planning are essential.

Financial Planning For Columbariums

Understanding the financial feasibility of a columbarium for a cemetery can be a daunting task. Every cemetery has its own unique needs. Budget, interment trends, space allotment, landscaping considerations and local markets are all forces that affect the cost, size and complexity of the columbarium.

Affordability and Value

Sometimes it does not pay to buy the cheapest. What initially seems like a “great deal” may come at a cost further down the road. What should be paramount in every purchase is quality craftsmanship and sound engineering. When deciding on a columbarium that needs to stand the test of time and the elements, investing in the highest quality product is imperative.

At Sunset, we are confident that our product is one of the best-engineered structures on the market. With our 100% granite exteriors, corrosion resistant materials such as Aluminum and Nylene and our concealed security hardware system, Sunset’s quality is exemplary.

With over 20 years experience and a solid reputation in the industry, we will be happy to share references from our many satisfied and loyal customers.

Columbaria Affordability from Sunset Memorial and Stone Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta
Custom Design Does Not Have To Be Expensive

As a custom manufacturer, each columbarium can be artistically or structurally modified in order to create that unique piece that will enhance any cemetery’s creative vision. We can customize through granite selection, roof design, artistic engravings, laser etching, interior niche configuration sizes and Aluminum or Nylene niche interior options.

We have a Sunset Columbarium that can meet your budget. Sunset delivers the highest quality and one of the most secure designs on the market to date. Our models are engineered with the latest in technology and built to accommodate North America’s extreme weather conditions. Our smaller base entry models are timeless. Cost efficiency can be found in our Nylene interior niche option, but also by effectively utilizing the columbarium footprint to its greatest advantage. We are happy to share these and other financial savings strategies with every customer.

Columbaria Benefits at Sunset Memorial and Stone Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta
Return on Investment Calculator
To alleviate this calculation stress, Sunset Memorial & Stone has created an easy to use calculation tool designed to assist our customers with their future columbarium purchase and when presenting business case models to Civic Council or Cemetery Boards. Our calculator will help determine how many columbarium niches the cemetery can support annually. Cemetery Management can use this tool to help forecast future revenue possibilities. Our ROI calculator provides financial projections based on historical statistics and future interment estimates. We offer our ROI calculator free of charge to all Sunset Memorial customers. Simply complete the following with your contact details and cemetery or funeral home, and we will gladly forward our calculator to you. Feel free to contact Sunset Memorial & Stone directly or come by our office and visit our showroom.
Columbaria Return on Investment Calculator at Sunset Memorial and Stone Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta
Benefits of a Columbarium

Columbaria provide interment and economic options for those in the community who have chosen cremation. Statistics show that two in five people choose cremation for either economic reasons or concern for land use and the environment.

Columbaria maximize cemetery real estate and extends the life of the cemetery. Areas not zoned for traditional or full-body burials, due to area size limitations or geotechnical conditions, are now usable due to columbaria.

Our Sunset Columbaria creates an economic avenue to assist with operation and maintenance costs so the cemetery can work toward self-sufficiency.

Columbaria Economic and Environmental from Sunset Memorial and Stone Ltd. in Calgary, Alberta

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