Unfortunately, many of our important decisions in life are made based on financial considerations alone. This appears to be true when it comes to choosing cremation; today more families are opting for low-cost cremation services than ever before – usually in order to save money. We often get asked "how much does cremation cost?" and the answer varies depending on many factors.
Without doubt, the cost of cremation is much lower than those related to traditional casketed burial. Yet, one has to ask: is saving money more important than providing the highest quality end-of-life care for a deceased family member?
Let’s not forget this well-worn wisdom: you get what you pay for. This can be especially true when your goal is to find a cheap cremation service provider. In the following paragraphs, we’ll examine the key factors you want to look for when choosing a cremation services provider. And while the cremation cost is important, in our opinion, it’s not the most important factor. When it comes to end-of-life care for someone you love, we believe the quality of care they receive is paramount.
If you do an Internet search for cheap cremation the search engine used will return thousands of results, some of which will offer what are described as "low-cost" cremation services. We know the prices quoted by the cremation societies and “third-party cremation providers” will be enticingly low.
But, as you probably already know from experience, there’s always a relationship between cost and quality of service. What does that mean when it comes to cremation? When you make arrangements on behalf of a family member, you want assurance there are clearly-defined, and strictly-adhered to procedures, such as:
A clear chain of custody: Throughout the cremation cycle – from the moment your loved one’s physical remains are transported from the place of their passing, to the time when their ashes are returned; you want to know exactly who is responsible for your loved one’s physical remains. A documented chain of custody is your guarantee of greater peace-of-mind.
Verification of identity: Very few, cheap cremation providers require a positive means of identification prior to cremation. This is not the case with the crematories we work with, where there are strict verification procedures in place. You can be confident the ashes you receive are, indeed, the cremated remains of your relative (and not those of someone else).
Who will pick up my loved one’s body, and how will he or she be transported? When you come to Vander Plaat-Vermeulen Memorial Home for the cremation of a loved one; a trusted, named member of our staff will escort them–individually–to our facility (or directly to the crematory if you have requested a direct cremation). Unlike cheap cremation providers which often pick up more than one body at a time; we give your loved one the respect and dignity you’d expect from funeral service professionals.
Where will it be taken? The answer to this question is important: do you want your deceased relative to be warehoused prior to the cremation in an unknown location? Of course not; that’s why (unless your request is for direct cremation); your loved one’s body will be under watchful eye at our funeral home facility until it’s appropriate to escort them to the crematory.
Which crematory will you use? Cremation societies exist primarily to process bodies in quantity at minimum cost, often through sub-contracted (and therefore unknowable to you) facilities. That is not the case when you come to Vander Plaat-Vermeulen Memorial Home; our transparent business practices require us to be candid about the crematories we use (currently we partner with the crematory located at Rosedale Cemetery).
Do you verify the identity of the deceased prior to the cremation? We cannot stress the importance of clearly-defined verification processes enough; you are guaranteed a clearly-defined verification process, shared by both the licensed staff of Vander Plaat-Vermeulen Memorial Home and the specific crematory we have contract with to perform your loved one’s cremation.
When will I be able to receive the cremated remains? Third-party cremation providers or cremation societies cannot always specify how long it will be before you can receive your loved one’s “ashes”. This is not the case for you when you come to Vander Plaat-Vermeulen Memorial Home; we’ll be very clear as to how long the cremation process will take and when a designated family member will be able to pick up the cremated remains.
Even in the best of times, no one wants to purchase inferior products or services. This is especially true when it comes to cremation; we don’t believe anyone should make their decision based solely on the cost of cremation. Instead, he or she should look at the overall quality of the services provided. Asking the right questions; not only about the cost of cremation, but about verification procedures and operator certification; is the best way to get the facts you need. Why not start by calling us at 201-891-4770? We’re confident you’ll be impressed by the quality and cost of our various cremation options.