What Is A Mausoleum?
A Mausoleum is typically an above ground building used to hold caskets. Mausoleums can be public but in most cases are owned by families. Instead of family burial plots some choose to use a mausoleum. People may choose to use them in large cities where burial plots are harder to obtain. One benefit of the use of a mausoleum is you can layer caskets on top of each other, opening up available space, and allowing more individuals to be placed in a smaller space. Another reason often sited is tradition. Families wishing to establish a visiting area for there lost ones may want to get a mausoleum.
What is a mausoleum used for? As stated above a mausoleum is used as an above ground burial chamber for caskets. It is desired for the environment it provides for visitors. Instead of walking cemetery grounds looking for tome stones and being forced to stand in the elements. Mausoleums provide an inside spot to sit and reflect and visit with lost loved ones.
Difference Between A Mausoleum And A Columbarium
The primary difference between a Mausoleum and Columbarium is the storage of the remains. Mausoleums are used mainly for caskets; Columbarium are meant to only hold urns. Another key difference is most Columbarium’s are public buildings holding many family urns placed inside vaults. Whereas mausoleums are mainly held in private hands and used only for direct family members. For more information on Columbarium, check out this post.
What Is The average Cost Of a Mausoleum?
The average cost of a mausoleum vary greatly. If you want a single crypt space in a public mausoleum they cost on average $6,000-$8,000. Where as a privately built single person space will start around $25,000. The type of stone used as well as décor and whether the space includes inside or outside seating will change the price by tens of thousands. Below is a chart showing average sizes of Mausoleums with cost.
| Mausoleum Size | Cost |
| Private One or Two person (non walk in) | $25,000-$60,000 |
| Public One or Two person (non walk in) | $6,000-$8,000 |
| Private One or Two person walk in (uncommon) | $40,000-$250,000 |
| Public One or Two person walk in | $8,000-$14,000 |
| Private Six person walk in | $85,000-$250,000 |
| Private Six person (non walk in) | $45,000-$90,000 |
| Private Nine person Walk in | $225,000-$1,500,000 |
| Private Nine person (non walk in) | $180,000-$450,000 |
Mausoleum Customizing With Cost
You can make many customizations to a Mausoleum. You can choose stone color and style. Special engravings, seating areas, and statues. Here are 5 Custom options for mausoleums with average cost.
| Mausoleum Option | Cost |
| Engraving | $500-$2000 ($25-$30 Per Character) |
| Granite Memorial Bench | $1,300-$4,800 |
| Ceramic Photos | $265-$550 |
| Granite vases | $170-$1,200 |
| Stone Statue | $1,400-$14,000 |
Considerations When Buying A Mausoleum
Location: Private or in a cemetery. A little less common today but not unheard of is building a mausoleum on a family property. If you own a home that you are certain will be in your family for generations you can consider building there. If you wish to build in a cemetery you will need to contact them to discuss cost of plot for the building to be placed and any rules about placement. You will also want to consider drive times and cemetery conditions to insure the mausoleum is placed in a location family can easy access it. We go over what to look for when considering a cemetery in this post.
Cost: Cost is unavoidable; ensure you have funding fully accounted for before building. You do not want to be in a situation where you are cutting corners to stay under budget.
Number of family members: How many family members will be placed in the mausoleum? Adding casket slots later can be costly if not impossible. So carefully consider the size of mausoleum you intend to build before moving forward.
Wishes of the family: Check to see who might be interested in being buried in the mausoleum. Cremation is quickly become a preferred method of burial. Adding a few cremation vaults may be needed if a member wishes to be cremated instead of placed in a casket. You may also wish to purchase in ground plots near the mausoleum for future generations wishing to be buried with the family.
Walk-in or stand alone: Choosing a walk-in mausoleum adds a significant amount of expense. Consider whether the added cost is worth the Walk-in feature. Often beautiful seating areas outside can be arranged for a small portion of the cost to add an inside addition.
Time: We don’t often have the foresight to address these issues before being faced with them. However if you have the ability to plan ahead you can save money and have a greater say in what yours and others resting place will look like. If you are expecting that you will need a mausoleum for your family within the next 1-5 years, working with a planner now may be your best option.
