GENERATE PROFIT WITH A COLUMBARIUM
By Paul Pinigis, Architarium, COO
October 16, 2008

I was the chair of my church’s financial committee for a number of years. The questions asked at most meetings are:

• hat methods exist to raise money?
• Can we be successful with these methods?
• How much effort will it take?

A columbarium, seen as a capital expenditure, can actually generate a substantial profit. With a basic columbarium insert, a basic masonry wall and a low niche price point of $1,000+, you may be able to achieve a 100% return, approximately. Let’s look at this more closely:

• Architarium’s basic columbarium insert is flat. Architarium also offers convex and concave configurations which require more engineering, thus more money.
• A basic masonry wall estimate is $250 per linear ft. But there are many factors that may affect the price; ex. material, contractor expertise, complexity, and even geographical location.
• The average price range for a niche that accommodates two urns is $1,000 to $2,000. But we have seen outliers as high as $10,000 per niche in urban areas with high demand.

Adding to this equation are on-going costs like engraving, administration and maintenance. Since Architarium’s columbarium requires very little maintenance, I am referring to upkeep of the surrounding area.

Subtracting from this equation are funding sources like pre-sales and donations. Donations may range from a single, large benefactor from smaller amounts resulting from fundraising activities and events. Donations may also come in the form of gifts of materials and labor from your community.

Additional related potential sources of income include:

• Urns: most families will appreciate this convenience
• Commemorative items: families may want something to leave in the niche or to take home
• Services: niche sales usually do not include a viewing or a funeral service
• Stipends for annual remembrance of the interred.

Some of the profit from the columbarium can be used to perpetuate the columbarium as a source of continued profit.

Please contact me personally to discuss how a columbarium can work for your financial committee to make a profit for your community’s other needs.