• Choose a location that is crane accessible, visually appealing, and well-integrated into the existing landscape.
• Consider sun/shade, visitor flow, snow clearing, and future expansion.
• Remember: Sales increase in beautifully landscaped areas. Benches, pathways, and gardens are not extras—they’re essential for creating a welcoming, profitable space.

A columbarium should enhance the property and invite reflection, not just serve as functional storage.

• Invest in a columbarium design that adds artistic and emotional value to your grounds.
• Well-designed structures encourage families to choose placement over cremation scattering.
• Style sells. Thoughtful architecture and finishes help create spaces people want to be part of.

Columbaria that feel like sacred spaces inspire both visitation and purchases.

• Avoid overbuying. Too many unsold niches means cash tied up in unused inventory.
• Aim to sell the columbarium’s niches within 3 to 4 years.
• Use tools like the Columbarium USA ROI Calculator to plan niche count and match local demand.
• Remember, higher columbaria and double-sided models lower your cost-per-niche.

Inventory planning is a balance between future vision and today’s sales reality.

• The two most expensive parts of a columbarium are the roof and base.
  • The more niches you can fit between these two components the lower your cost per niche
• Two-sided columbaria are more cost-efficient than single-sided models.
• Cylindrical designs without decorative domes or moldings can help to lower costs
• Columbaria that are 5- or 6 niches high typically offer better ROI than a 3-row version.

Smart structural choices directly affect your profitability per niche.

• Niche size matters. The old 9″x9″x9″ standard is too small for today’s urns.
• Even 12″x12″x12″ niches often can’t comfortably fit two upright urns.
• Columbarium USA recommends a 12″h x 12″w x16″d niche for flexibility and modern urn sizes.
• Custom niche sizes are possible should you wish to match existing inventory or wish to create larger family niche sizes.
• Creating smaller single niche sections within a columbarium structure can reduce niche options and restrict families choice.
• Benefits of Double Interments in a Columbarium Niche:
• Cost Efficiency: Reduces the per-interment cost by sharing a single niche between two urns.
• Space Optimization: Maximizes use of available space within the columbarium structure.
• Family Connection: Allows loved ones to remain together in a shared, dignified resting place.
• Simplified Memorialization: A single plaque or engraving honors both individuals in one place.
• Increased Market Appeal: Offers more choices for families looking for value and closeness.

Ensure your design is future-proof with appropriately sized niches.

• The bottom row is the hardest to sell due to lower visibility and perceived lower status.
• Columbarium USA’s Ascension Niches solve this by transforming low-positioned niches into a premium product by extending the niche and angling the shutter for easier visibility.
• Elevate low niches visually and symbolically—they’ll become your fastest sellers.

What’s least desirable can become your most profitable with the right design approach.

• Don’t overlook the foundation—it’s not typically included in a columbarium quote
• The foundation can be a significant part of your overall columbarium investment
  • Account for these costs up front
• Ground conditions vary considerably from one site to another.
• Costs vary by region, so budget for soil testing and foundation design early on.
• Ensure compliance with local cemetery bylaws and accessibility codes.

A strong foundation—literally and figuratively—is essential to a columbarium’s structural integrity.