Most cemeteries require a cement foundation for your marker, or, will charge you a setting fee for installing a marker when a cement foundation is not required.  The purpose of the foundation is to prevent the marker from heaving with  frost or settling over time.  Although Michigan law does permit you to install your own foundation, with the cemetery charging a reasonable fee for oversight, we recommend that you allow the sexton/cemetery to install the concrete foundation so that if any problems surface the cemetery has the responsibility to correct it.  As part of our full service to you, we typically include the cemetery/sexton charge for the foundation, or setting fee, as a separate line item in your cost.  We will communicate the marker size to the cemetery and forward your payment to them when appropriate.  

Regarding setting fees; normally flush markers have setting fees because they do not use cement foundations.  Although the cemetery's cost can seem extreme for simply cutting the sod and placing the marker in the ground, one must remember that those fees help pay for the cost of maintaining the cemetery.