FAQ
With so many changes in the funeral industry right now, we feel it is important to answer some of the questions that you may have. If your question isn't listed below, please feel free to call us and ask your question directly.
Some people believe that funerals are 'way too expensive'.
Before listing the typical costs associated with running a funeral company, I will say that not all funeral homes are created equal.
Many funeral providers have very high overheads and offer a luxurious or highly specialised experience for their clientele, which may include using top of the range European vehicles and/or horse drawn carriages etc, along with state of the art venues or having an abundance of staff present at every service.
Meanwhile others offer a more grass roots service – don't have any real estate, vehicles or staff and use interstate crematoriums to reduce their fees.
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Our offering falls between the two extremes. We believe that every family and every service is different and so we start with a professional fee that includes all necessary elements required to conduct a funeral service then add other costs depending upon each family's specific requirements. This way, you only pay for what you need in order to create a fitting farewell for your loved one.
It is important to remember that while funerals may be expensive, you do only have one opportunity to lay your loved one to rest. It's worth considering the following information before selecting a funeral director. If you choose solely on price without considering the level of service you will be provided, you may be disappointed.
But when you consider the infrastructure required to be able to provide professional funeral services, it can put things in perspective.
A brand new hearse may be just a modified Commodore or Ford, but today even a regular 'Aussie' style vehicle can cost around $250,000 to purchase new. An older vehicle, perhaps 10 - 15 years old, can still cost the funeral company $100,000 to purchase.
Hearses can be hired (with a driver) as a one off or on a more regular basis if a hearse is in for repairs, and the cost of hiring vehicle and driver is quite high as well. The town car, or limo also needs to be available to transport family members to and from funerals if required. Horse drawn carriages can also be hired and these third party costs are passed on directly to the family without any loading from us.
Families can choose from a wide variety of local venues and locations, and pay the exact cost charged by the venue operator. This helps to make the funeral service more meaningful and tailored to suit each individual being farewelled.
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Venues range from local community halls to yacht clubs and everywhere in between. Our preferred local venues typically cost less than $300 per event.
Our professional service fee is lower than any other provider in our region, which allows our client families to spend what they want on a venue of their choice, including their own church if applicable, rather than use a funeral director's chapel.
We provide a 24 hr on-call service, every day of the year, including weekends and all public holidays.
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Directors; Andrew or Julie will personally answer your call and offer advice and guidance every step of the way.
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We come to your home or invite you to visit our premises in McCrae or Dromana.
We and our staff care for your loved ones as we would want to be cared for ourselves.
To better serve our local community, we built our own dedicated care facility, viewing room and offices in Dromana.
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Families will know where their loved one is at all times and can visit for private farewells – at a time to suit them – not just on the day of the service.
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If a 'No-Ceremony' funeral is chosen, family members still have the opportunity to say their private good-byes by visiting their loved one.
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Our new clinical care unit is stocked with the very best resources and equipment.
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Cemeteries have many overheads including cost of hiring staff to provide ongoing upkeep of the cemetery and grave sites and operating their crematoriums.
With limited space available in many cemeteries a new lawn grave can cost upwards of $3500. Rural Cemeteries vary more, but many are around $2000-4000.
Other elements that may contribute to a more personalized, memorable and comfortable service, include:
choosing the right celebrant for your family
audio/visual systems; live streaming, DVD and recordings
professional catering
printing of orders of service etc.
newspaper tributes (can cost b/t $50–$100 per cm)
floral tributes
urns or scatter-tubes
adequate staff for large funerals and burial services
A loved one has been collected by another funeral director – are we obligated to use their services?
You are certainly welcome to choose your preferred Funeral Director.
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If your loved one is being cared for in a nursing home or hospital, it's wise to think about who you'd want to have arrange their funeral should the need arise – and to request that staff document your chosen funeral director's name and phone number on the patient's file.
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If a death occurs, and you have not been present or contactable, the care facility may call their usual funeral home to arrange collection of the deceased person without your consent or awareness. If this occurs, you are free to request that your loved one be transferred to your chosen funeral home. Be aware that you may be charged an extra transport fee for the relocation service.