Funeral Costs

keavebm

davo10 wrote:

The costs of funerals have always been relatively expensive and is a worry for the elderly, however, I would assume it is also a relatively costly service to provide as making a coffin is a skilled and time consuming process. Plots cost money, as do funeral homes and staff. I would assume the grave surround and headstone is a matter of choice for the family.

Making a coffin isn't skilled. They are usually made out of the cheapest wood possible not like 20 years ago coffins were made to a high standard but now their like chipboard

L1011

There's far eastern made "wooden" (MDF, coated) coffins from $55 on Alibaba. By the time you get charged in an undertakers here, after the middle men, duty, shipping etc - but most importantly their margin - that'll be at least 10x I'd imagine.

Cabaal

keavebm wrote: »

Making a coffin isn't skilled. They are usually made out of the cheapest wood possible not like 20 years ago coffins were made to a high standard but now their like chipboard

There's a massive selection of coffins, from wood, to cardboard (wood effect) to wicker etc. Also I believe the law changed a few years back, you can now bury somebody in a shroud

witchgirl26

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

For the death notice? I know our undertaker didn't charge for sorting it out for us. Just included the exact amount (along with receipt from the papers) in our bill for everything.

coylemj

Cabaal wrote: »

There's a massive selection of coffins, from wood, to cardboard (wood effect) to wicker etc. Also I believe the law changed a few years back, you can now bury somebody in a shroud

All muslims are buried in a shroud so the coffin (if any) material is not a matter of regulation,

The law cares more about where you are buried (relative to the local water table) and at what depth. Provided you are buried in an approved burial place and the hole is deep enough, nobody cares what type of box or cloth they use.

lookyhere

I too wish there were some regulations in effect for the funeral industry. It's very difficult to find out what typical cost are supposed to be as typically people do not discuss what they paid. It seems to be taboo. And people are at their most vulnerable at the time and don't question anything ... happened to me a few months ago with funeral of a family member.

Undertaker said "we'll take care of everything" including offering to priest. Told me priest had a fixed charge of €350. I didn't argue but seemed odd as usually family give an offering directly to the priest. When arranging month's mind (something he told me he'd also take care of) found the priest had not been given anything. Also billed for choir - but longtime choir member says they never receive anything.

Metroid diorteM

This industry is a bloodsucking leech. Shroud or cardboard and no embalming. Can we get some competition here?

Who the hell has a few grand lying around these days?

I've let my next of kin know to go for the cheapest as possible for me but I wish the current generation of elderly would speak up as this is a painful and unnecessary burden for vulnerable people to face.

cml387

Appropriately, the thread has be disinterred

littlevillage

I think any decent undertaker will give you a list of the costs upfront.....and cheaper options etc.

You can get a cheaper coffin, you don't need to bother with Radio death notice etc.

All in funeral is between €4-5k in Co. Galway.

Not including cemetry plot where price can vary wildly.

silver2020

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117792015#Comment_117792015

I think the thread has risen from the dead!

Many funeral homes are family concerns and the skills are passed down though the generations. Its not just the embalming and coffin. It about the people from the funeral home too and how they manage all aspects of the funeral.

Whilst I'm sure there are no funeral directors on the breadline, they are also not known to have extravagant lifestyles.

as for the radio announcements - after the weather, "did you hear who died" is a very popular point of discussion in rural areas. And not having an immediate response would have the tongues wagging, hence it is essential listening for the gossips

coylemj

The OP said this in his first post....

The Irish Funeral Directors Association has a code of conduct which its members must adhere to, but other funeral directors who are not members are, therefore, not regulated.

Which is totally not correct. There is no regulation of the funeral trade in Ireland. Membership of a trade association may give the appearance of 'regulation' when it is no such thing.

Dial Hard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/117794006#Comment_117794006

Given he posted that five years ago, I very much doubt he cares.

whippet

I buried my dad about two years ago and the cost was about €7k .. he was cremated rather than buried and that cost included a space in the columbarium wall.

The radio announcement was something i'd never considered - however it was announced locally and from where he was originally from (moved out 60 years previously!!) .. and the amount of people who contacted us after hearing the RIP notice from his hometown was very surprising and it was the only way they would have known about his passing. I found it really comforting having old school friends who hadn't seen him in decades pass on some really nice messages and little stories.