4 Important Questions to Ask Before Selecting a Funeral Home

Following the loss of a loved one, you may feel stressed or lost as you search for the best funeral home. Many families may not know the right features to look for to ensure they’re getting the best value and trusted care.

For many, the following funeral home features may be considered: 

• Location
• Family owned
• Past experiences
• Price
• Package options
• Accommodations 

To ensure you and your family are getting the best service and value, read the four questions below to ask as you decide on the best funeral home.

1. What price points do you offer?

Whether your loved one requested they be buried or cremated, the funeral home should offer you a wide variety of price points. Many families are on a budget when planning, and may need to understand where they can save money. 

Look for a facility that offers a comprehensive selection of products across price ranges and tastes. For example, some homes offer families on-site centers, complete with memorial, burial, funeral and cremation offerings. Options may include: 

• Urns
• Caskets or burial vaults
• Flowers
• Bereavement and sympathy gifts
• Veteran services and memorabilia 

With this sort of on-site center, your family is able to browse through different price points and understand how the offering will look and feel at your loved one’s funeral or memorial service. Plus, these on-site centers offer one-stop convenience where you can verify that products are quality and fit your budget without driving to several stops to get all necessary items for the memorial or funeral service.

Also, ask the funeral home of your choice if they handle all necessary outside expenses on one bill. For example, some funeral homes pay outside vendors like cemeteries or honorariums first, and then have the family pay directly on one, organized bill.

2. Can I add personal touches like photos, video or music?

A funeral or memorial service should be a celebration of life. What better way to truly honor the life of your loved one than with personal touches throughout their memorial service or funeral?

When selecting a funeral home, ask what personal touches you and your family can add. For example, if your loved one had a favorite song, inquire if the funeral home has AV equipment to accommodate playing music. Or, it’s popular for families to create photo slideshows of their loved one to broadcast during the service. Ask if your funeral home has tastefully appointed technology and televisions that support video slideshows that are in a good area for viewing.

3. How will you accommodate the needs of my guests? 

The funeral home of your choice should take into account all of your deceased loved one’s and guest’s needs. Always inquire about the funeral home’s accommodations before deciding on a location.

Accommodations should make the entire experience as comforting and organized as possible for you and your guests. Ask about features like: 

• On-site parking to ensure your guests have a close place to park.
• Technology features like WiFi to meet technological needs.
• Elevators, ramps and restrooms for handicapped guests entering the building or traveling to different floors.
• On-site catering options to keep traveling to a minimum and remove an additional planning step.
• Updated interiors, pleasing aesthetics and comfortable areas for family members to talk or express emotions.

4. What makes you different from other funeral homes in the area?

For many families, funeral homes options may be abundant in the area. Instead of choosing a funeral home based off of strictly location, ask the home to prove how it stands out from the competition in the area. 

When comparing funeral homes on a location-by-location basis, look for standout features like:

• 24-hour access to support or questions your family may have.
• If you choose cremation, an on-site crematory to ensure your loved one never leaves the home’s care.
• Past family testimonials that vouch for the home’s service.
• Resources for grieving or support before or after your loved one’s service.

When comparing funeral homes in the Cleveland area, you’ll find that Busch Funeral and Crematory Services is superior. We offer seven convenient locations across the Northeast Ohio area, many of which feature on-site Remembrance Centers, on-site catering rooms and state-of-the-art technology equipment.

Busch also offers an on-site crematory with a 10-step guarantee process, and a supportive, caring staff that is available 24/7 to meet your needs. Contact us at any time for more information.

 Photo credit: Pixabay, CC0 Public Domain