Human emotions run high when dealing with a loss or when you need to make necessary arrangements for when that day comes. After cremation has been chosen, planning must begin.
Once you start searching for “cremation services near me,” you will need to speak with the funeral home or mortuary about your needs. Knowing what services you want and how much you can spend before these consultations will help keep the conversation on track.
Let’s look at how you can prepare for cremation planning and what four questions you need answered before hiring someone for cremation services.
Prepare for Your Cremation Service Consultation
Before you go and meet with someone for your cremation service needs, there are two important things you must do beforehand:
- Pick a budget with a low end and a high end. This will make sure you stay on track while discussing which services to go with.
- Decide on what type of memorial you want with your cremation service and any must-have options.
Having these two things decided on will really help you move through the difficult task of making final arrangements.
Get the Answers to these 4 Questions Before Hiring Cremation Services Near Me
Knowing the answers to these questions will help you choose the cremation service company that’s best for you. Sometimes, outside agencies are more efficient than funeral homes or mortuaries because they focus on the communication part of the business. Often they can get better pricing with their nurtured relationships with the businesses doing the actual cremation.
1) Which Memorial Options Do They Have?
Did you know you can still have a live viewing when you choose cremation services? A body can be prepared with embalming, and a casket can be rented so the family and friends can have a traditional viewing service. Afterward, the body will be taken back to the facility and cremated.
You can also choose to do a viewing service with an urn display instead. This is where the body will be cremated before the service and placed in a nice container called an urn. There are also services where the body or ashes aren’t present at all.
Some choose to go directly to a location like a cemetery to secure their loved one’s ashes in a safe box called a niche that’s stored inside a columbarium full of other niches.
Knowing which memorial options can be accommodated by the company you’re working with and what you might need to do in participation is one of the most important steps.
2) What is the Cost Breakdown for the Services You’re Interested In?
Usually the cost of cremation services is around 25% of what it costs to do a traditional burial. More people have turned to this type of afterlife services for its eco-friendly benefits and cost efficiencies.
Still, you need to know exactly what you’re paying for. There may be service options that you don’t need, and removing them can save you money. Ask for an itemized breakdown of the services you want, and ask questions about any charge that doesn’t make sense.
3) Do They Offer Any “Forever” Memorial Tributes?
Nowadays there are additional services where a loved one can be memorialized for generations to come. Ash can be blown into glass displays or other sculptures. There are a lot of necklace memorials or smaller jars for those who also want to share in an urn tribute. Cremation ashes can also be made into fake coral that can be added into a nature revival zone to help encourage natural coral growth!
However, you don’t need to pay for an additional memorial tribute. Planting a tree or a garden can be a beautiful way to remember someone. Simply add the ashes of your loved one into the planting hole of a favorite plant or tree. Anytime someone wants to pay their respects, they have a beautiful place to do it.
4) What are their availability and additional resources?
Finally, make sure to find out what their availability is. If you have additional questions, how long will they take to respond? Are they available on the weekends?
It’s also a good idea to find out if they have any additional resources. Informational pamphlets on grief or links to support groups can be extremely helpful during these times.
You Do Not Need to Plan Alone
Honorable cremation service companies will help you during this difficult time. Now that you have an understanding of how you can prepare for cremation planning and what questions you need to ask, you can find the right company for you who provides “cremation services near me”.