Choosing a funeral home in a grieving state can be very difficult. Once you begin thinking about funeral arrangements then a funeral home and funeral director are one of the best places to start. They are there to deal with every part of the funeral for you, to take the pressure off you, at an already highly stressful time. When you are selecting a funeral director you need to be asking them many different questions and here we have listed the top questions to ask when choosing a funeral home.
It is recommended that you interview more than one funeral director to make sure you find the right one for your requirements, rather than just settling for a funeral homes near me type search process. You will then be able to compare expenses, personal styles and also the services they offer, before you make your final selection. At this time it would be a good idea if you had another family member with you or even a close friend so that they too can offer their opinions and be there as moral support for you.
Top questions to ask when choosing a funeral home:
1. What are the basic funeral costs?
Funerals can be quite expensive and while you may not want to compare different prices when it comes to funeral directors it’s highly recommended that you do. You could end up saving a lot of money. There is a basic service fee that covers many things including the funeral planning, death certificates, permits, preparation of the death notice, storage of the body and also making arrangements with the cemetery, crematory and also other providers.
When it comes to the basic fee, you can’t refuse to pay it and you must make sure you are fully aware of all that’s included in the fee. Cost is a very important factor in choosing a funeral director and prices will vary. This is why it’s one of the top questions to ask when choosing a funeral home.
2. Are there any other costs?
After the basic service fee there are additional costs for other services and goods. The funeral home must provide you with a list of additional services that they offer and the prices.
These additional costs could include taking your loved one’s remains to another funeral home, receiving your loved one’s remains from another funeral home, the immediate burial of your loved one, taking your loved one’s remains to the funeral home, the direct cremation of your loved one, the use of facilities and also the staff for viewing of your loved one, the use of the hearse or limousine, the use of the facilities at the memorial service and staff, the use of the equipment and staff at the cemetery and funeral ceremony. The funeral director must also show you the prices of caskets and other burial container prices.
As you can see the list of additional expenses can quickly add up to large sums of money. This is why it’s so important that you interview more than one funeral director to get the best deal that you can.
3. What are the choices available for laying the body to rest?
Obviously a funeral director will mention the most common, for instance, the more traditional earth burial, but they can also help you with other options too. These could include cremation or donating the body of your loved one to a medical school. Just mention to them your thoughts and see if they can help you. They are there to help you in any way that they can.
4. Can I get financial assistance?
Some funeral directors do offer financial assistance while others don’t. Again, this is another reason to compare different funeral directors, to get the best deal for you, that will suit your financial circumstances.
5. How long have you been a funeral director for?
This question is very important and really is worth asking. Generally, the longer a funeral director has been in business proves that they offer good services and are highly admired in what they provide. If you’re looking for a dependable service with highly trained staff that you can trust, with a long list of satisfied clients then look for a funeral director that’s been in business for a long time and who has a good reputation. When you’re thinking of the top questions to ask when choosing a funeral home, definitely ask this one.
6. Do other providers offer their services to you?
Some funeral directors carry out every single detail of the funeral arrangements themselves and they pride themselves on that. Others, however, may have to use the services of other providers when it comes to embalming, refrigeration, cremation and also the use of vehicles to provide the transport. This may slightly increase the costs, so again, check this out and see if the costs will rise if they do use other provider’s services. Always make sure you are aware of the services that the funeral director offers and the prices for each service.
Final Thoughts
Losing a loved one is a truly devastating time. There are so many questions that need answering and this puts even more stress on you. Funeral directors are there to take this pressure away from you but you must make sure you are happy with the funeral director and therefore funeral home you have chosen. Hopefully our top questions to ask when choosing a funeral home has helped you, at what for many people is an already difficult and stressful time. To see our directory of recommended funeral homes, click here. If you can’t find local funeral homes near me, let us know we may be able to help.
