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The law protects consumer by allowing you to purchase funeral items, such as caskets, from a source other than funeral home. Funeral home cannot:
1. Refuse to accept a casket or related funeral merchandise that has been purchased elsewhere.
2. Charge the family a fee for accepting the casket.
3. Increase the service price, which are itemized on their written price list.
4. Treat you or your family any different than if you had purchased a casket from the funeral home.
For additional information, please contact Board of Funeral Services (Ontario): 1-800 387 4458 or visit www.funeralboard.com. other province please see the contact list click here
Some funeral homes are now REQUIRING you to Purchase THEIR casket in order to receive a discount on their service fees. THIS IS A SHAM DISCOUNT! Not only are they restricting your choice, but attempting to penalize you for exercising your choice.
This is simply another way for them to charge their high casket prices. The FTC already has ruled that you can NOT be penalized or charged a fee for selecting your casket elsewhere. When faced with these funeral homes, many consumers are refusing to do business with them.
These families simply inform them of their Right to receive the same price, and the same treatment regardless of where they have purchased the casket. Most of the time, there is another funeral home who does not practice this form of a Sham Discount, and provides their services for even less money.
They are also more than happy to serve you, along with supporting your right to purchase from an outside source such as Casket Outlet.
"Sham Discount Packages" A discount where you don't save any money! Some funeral homes are attempting to eliminate consumer choice with a thinly disguised penalty for consumers who wish to save money by buying a casket at a casket store. They raise their service prices (TRUE Example, from $4000 to $6,000.00) then claim to offer a "Package Discount" to consumers who buy a casket from a funeral home. (Discount equals the increase, CAREFUL!).
Example: Inflated Price $4,000, you get a $1,500 discount, brings price back to $2,500.00) The only one who pays inflated price (penalty) would be a person who does not buy a casket at the funeral home!!! The "Sham Discount Package" is designed to negate ANY savings a consumer WOULD have realized by purchase of product at a retail store. It also forces a consumer to either buy a more expensive funeral home casket or pay for it anyway.
To avoid this Greedy Scheme: Shop around first if possible. Otherwise do NOT let a Funeral Director pick up the Deceased until you get a General Price List (GPL). ALSO, the funeral rule requires funeral directors to give a GPL when you ask for one in person, if you happen to visit them. Furthermore, they must have one on their person when they come to your home (hosp) prior to picking up the body, explain all costs and give you that GPL with other paperwork. Be clear and ask a lot of Questions.(LESS COST = see a casket retailer for funeral product!!)
Sham Discount Packages is an anti-competitive scheme, do not fall for it!
All prices are wholsale price, we are factory direct, not distributors, we do not have much profit, just to make a reasonable profit. Supply affordable casket, urn and funeral products is our purpose. Help you Save on Funeral Costs.
All materials are imported from North America and South Africa. We have our own unique technology and brand. Our product's quality is as same as the others.
They have different loading capacity, interior, polishing and metal parts. Some caskets had waterproof. All similar products used the same wood material.
Cremation urns come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and with so many options one may wonder what is the appropriate size cremation urn for their loved one. In deciding on the right size urn to purchase there are a couple of considerations to be made.
Displacement of Cremated Remains
First and foremost consider the displacement of the cremains (cremated remains) of the person the cremation urn will be for. The displacement of cremains varies from one person to another and may not be relative to a persons body weight or height, yet here are some guidelines that may help with your decision.
Adults: Typically most of our cremation urns will be able to accommodate the entire cremains of an adult. When the crematory returns the cremains to the family they are contained in what is referred to as a "temporary cremains container" or "temporary cremation urn" which is usually made of plastic, rectangular in shape and has a hinged lid on the top from where the cremains are placed. The most common dimensions for this type of container are approximately 8" tall x 4-1/4" deep x 6" wide. The capacity of a container with these dimensions is about 200 cubic inches give or take a couple of inches depending on the thickness of the container walls.
The best way to determine what the displacement of an individual's cremains are is to open the top of the temporary cremation urn (or if you feel uncomfortable doing this have a close friend or relative do it) and measure the distance from the very top edge of the container to the top of the cremains (usually stored within a plastic bag in the container to prevent separation). For every inch of distance between the top of the cremains and the top of the temporary cremation urn that distance translates to approximately 25 cubic inches and should be subtracted from the total volume of 200 cubic inches to arrive at the approximate displacement.
This figure may vary if the temporary cremation urn's dimensions are different from the ones given, but most temporary cremation urns fall within the dimensions provided.
Infants & Children: Infants and children usually require far less space than an adult. Typically an infant 1 year and younger will displace under 30 cubic inches. With children it varies due to the size of an individual and can be determined using the method prescribed for adults. Placement of a Cremation Urn in a Columbarium or Niche
A columbarium or niche is modular in design consisting of many compartments or niches which open from the front and measure just large enough to accommodate one or two cremation urns and a few mementos. Usually located on cemetery grounds the columbariums can have marble, granite or even glass fronts for viewing the cremation urns.
If placing the cremation urn in a columbarium or a niche within a cemetery one must also consider the interior dimensions of the niche. Some of the urns we carry may not fit in every niche, it is important to make that determination prior to purchasing one as to avoid any returns. Every one of our urns has the dimensions and cubic inch displacement information provided on the product pages.
Cremation Urns
The traditional choice for containing the ashes of a loved one,cremation urns are a container usually made from a wide variety of materials. They are used for both indoor and outdoor use. There are many styles and types of urns. From decorative to theme based urns and religious to sculpted urns there is a diversity of choices to suit any need.
Urns can be displayed in one’s home or in a glass front columbarium niche within a cemetery mausoleum. They can also be stored in an outdoor columbarium niche or even buried in a burial plot within a cemetery garden. Some urns are made from biodegradable materials for the environmentally conscious which can be placed in water or buried in the ground.
Cremation Memorials
Cremation memorials generally refer to any outdoor memorial designed to hold the ashes of a loved one. These can be a grave marker, cremation bench or memorial rock. Each of these memorials has an integrated repository which can hold the ashes of one or two persons.
Cremation memorials are versatile enough to be placed either in a cemetery or a private garden.
Cremation Jewelry
This type of jewelry has been around for just over a decade, yet it has created quite an impact. Cremation jewelry pendants look just like a normal piece of jewelry, but have a small repository for storing a tiny bit of ashes. The repository is usually accessible by removing a screw or plug in which the ashes can be placed. Cremation jewelry gives one the opportunity to have their loved one close to their heart. Cremation jewelry is available in many styles, shapes and metals and they are discreet enough so that only the owner knows what it really is.
This type of jewelry is the perfect choice when several family members wish to keep a portion of the ashes. It allows them to store the cremated ashes in a cherished keesake.
Keepsake urns, by design, are made to hold a small portion of the cremated remains and serve as a memento. They come in numerous styles and materials and can be purchased as a single urn or in a set. Keepsake urns provide the opportunity for all family members to share in remembrance the time spent with a loved one who has passed away. In many cases they can serve as a starting point for each family member to find their own path to closure.
Why a Keepsake Urn?
Keepsake urns are used to meet an assortment of needs. One of the most common needs being that if several family members want to keep a portion of the ashes, then a keepsake urn will fill that need. This is very important especially for large families that were close to the loved one who passed away. They can also be used to keep a portion of the ashes at a separate location such as your office. Another situation is when the main urn is placed in a cremation niche at a cemetery and a surviving family member wishes to keep a small portion for themselves at home. The same applies when the ashes are scattered and a portion is kept for a keepsake memorial.
Most cemeteries regulate the headstones placed on graves within their grounds. Cemetery Rules and Regulations, as they are known, stipulate such attributes as material, size, and type of headstone.
Before you order a cemetery headstone for your loved one, it is very important to become familiar with the requirements set forth by the cemetery. They can and will refuse any headstone that does not meet their requirements.
What You Need To Know
Here are questions you may want to ask when inquiring with the cemetery about their restrictions of cemetery headstones. If at all possible get a copy of the cemetery rules and regulations for your own records.
Questions to ask:
What type of cemetery headstones are allowed? Example: Upright headstone, flat bronze grave marker, flat granite grave marker, side by side companion, double interment grave marker, individual, infant, or veteran's marker, etc.
Regarding a companion memorial, which side is the husband and wife on? Traditionally the husband is on the left and wife on the right, that is when viewing from the foot of the graves
What are the minimum and maximum sizes allowed for cemetery headstones? A cemetery usually has a range of sizes they allow for the headstone. Make sure the size you purchase is within their range.
Is a flower vase allowed? Some types of cemetery headstones are available with a flower vase in bronze or granite. Make sure your cemetery allows a vase before selecting this option.
Are there any granite color restrictions? While most cemeteries do not regulate granite color, a number of them will stipulate the color of granite allowed, especially for bronze markers with a granite base.
If they allow bronze markers, do they restrict the bronze coloring? Some cemeteries refer to the bronze coloring as oxidation. Most cemeteries allow any bronze coloring, but a few will restrict the color to dark or light brown. Make sure you know what colors are allowed before selecting this option.
What other particular specifications do they require? A few cemeteries will have specific requirements such as lawn mower proof edges (for the granite), specific size requirements for the granite base, or that a Christian symbol be incorporated into the memorial design (Catholic cemeteries). It is wise to be aware of any particular requirements before finalizing a headstone order.
Is any paperwork required for the placement of a cemetery headstone? Cemeteries often have special forms such as a permit or authorization that need to be filled out for the placement of a cemetery headstone. These forms often require the signature of the lot owner(s) or next of kin before they accept a headstone for installation.
Is there an installation fee applicable to cemetery headstone? If the cemetery will install the headstone then there is most likely an installation fee. This is normal as they are performing a service.
Once you have the answers to the questions above you can start pricing headstones from monument dealers in you area or even online.
Required Cemetery Paperwork
Many cemeteries require some sort of documents to be filled out for placement of a cemetery headstone on the grave. These documents normally call for information regarding the specifications headstone and sometimes require a drawing. They may also request information about the monument dealer who is selling the headstone to you. Finally the lot owner or next of kin may need to sign the form authorizing the placement of the cemetery headstone.
In many cases the company in which you are purchasing the headstone from will assist you with this paperwork. They should be able to complete the forms and provide most of the required information pertaining to the cemetery headstone.
Know Your Rights
One important thing to understand is your rights as a consumer. Specifically where you want to purchase the cemetery headstone from. While most cemeteries operate in an honest manner, some will resort to unethical tactics to try and discourage a customer from purchasing cemetery headstones from an outside dealer.
A cemetery may flat out say they do not accept cemetery headstones from outside sources, or they may say that an installation fee will be levied if you purchase from another dealer, but not from them. According to the FTC this is considered illegal by federal law as it is restrictive of free trade.
Prepare to be Discouraged
Although the majority of cemeteries operate in a fair and ethical manner, there are some that may not. Here are some of the things that may be said by the cemetery personnel to keep you from purchasing from another source.
- You may be told that if you purchase from an outside dealer there will be an additional fee. The truth is this may be illegal as they are penalizing you for purchasing elsewhere.
- They may say they are not responsible for cemetery headstones purchased from an outside dealer. This is the most popular statement we hear. While they may not be responsible for damage caused by damaged incurred during delivery, acts of nature or vandalism, they certainly are responsible if it is damaged due to worker negligence after they accept it.
- They may try to question the quality of the cemetery headstones sold by outside dealers. The fact is many monument dealers such as Casket Outlet purchase cemetery headstones from the same sources that cemeteries do.
- You may be flat out told that they do not accept cemetery headstones from outside dealers. As long as the cemetery headstone meets their requirements they are supposed to accept it.
If you feel you are being treated unfairly by the use of scare tactics simply tell the cemetery representative that you will report them to the Federal Trade Commission and the local Better Business Bureau. In most cases this will usually keep them from pursuing it.
Cemeteries throughout the country vary in how they operate and deal with gravestones purchased from outside dealers. Therefore, it is imperative that the monument dealer you use contacts the cemetery to verify that the gravestone meets the cemetery requirements before putting it into production. In addition here are some facts to consider regarding certain delivery situations.
Cemetery Applications, Setting Permits and Authorization Forms
These are various forms one of which may be required by your cemetery for the placement of a headstone on the grave. These documents normally call for information regarding the specifications of the gravestone and sometimes a drawing. They may also request information about the monument dealer who is selling the headstone to you. Finally the lot owner or next of kin may need to sign the form authorizing the placement of the memorial.
If your cemetery requires one of these documents your monument dealer should acquire it from them and fill in the details pertaining to the memorial specifications and monument dealer information. Monument dealers should have no problem taking care of this type of paperwork since they deal with many of the cemeteries on a regular basis.
Catholic Cemeteries
Catholic cemeteries are maintained by the Catholic Diocese. These cemeteries typically require an application/permit to be submitted for the installation of a memorial. Their rules are usually stringent and almost always require a Christian symbol such as a cross, image of Jesus or a saint to be presented on the gravestone.
Rural Cemeteries
These are cemeteries in outlying towns and rural areas. Most of these cemeteries do not have a business office and are not maintained by a full time grounds crew. If you are ordering from an out-of-town monument company such as Casket Outlet, then an alternative point of delivery may be necessary .
Business Deliveries
If the cemetery is not capable of receiving the shipment, the headstone may be delivered to a local business. It is important that the business accepting the delivery is capable of receiving the shipment from a freight truck. This may necessitate having a loading dock or fork lift to offload the heavier types of gravestones. Many of the smaller gravestones can be offloaded by hand, that is two sets of hands one being the truck driver's.
Bronze is a metal alloy that has been around for thousands of years. It was around 700 BC that the Romans advanced the use of bronze for many applications including weaponry, armor, furniture, cooking utensils and statuary used to memorialize the likes of gods, athletes and heroes. Over the centuries bronze has been phased out for many of these applications except for memorialization and art. A natural characteristic of bronze is that upon oxidation, it forms a greenish patina that is most desired among artists. Durability and the ability to weather well make it an ideal choice for cemetery memorials.
Many of the cemeteries and memorial parks across the country are moving toward requiring bronze memorials as the only form of memorialization allowed in the cemetery. They reason it is to preserve the look of the landscaping and it is easier to maintain the grounds when all cemetery memorials are at lawn level.
Benefits of Bronze
Outside of the cemetery requirements, there are some real benefits to using bronze as a memorial to mark the grave of a loved one.
First – the casting process allows intricate details and fine artwork to be incorporated into the designs. Most bronze memorial manufacturers have pre-designed templates from which you can add lettering, dates and emblems to personalize the memorial. All of these templates allow for a future date of death to be added in the form of a bronze death date scroll if it is for a companion memorial and one of the persons is still living.
Second - bronze is a very durable alloy. If you have ever seen centuries old public statuary made from bronze, you will observe that they remain virtually unchanged except for the coloring. Bronze is very good at maintaining its shape for centuries and therefore makes an excellent medium for cemetery memorialization.
Third - current manufacturing techniques have made bronze an affordable option for memorialization. Additionally, recent technology now makes it possible to take photographs and create a bronze memorial that is a collage highlighting key moments in one’s lifetime.
Types of Bronze Memorials
While the application of bronze for memorialization is in wide use, there are not too many different types of memorials made from this ancient alloy.
Bronze Plaques – consist mainly of a plate made from bronze in which a design, lettering, dates and some sort of inscription are cast on the surface. In most cemeteries the plaque is secured to either a granite base or in some cases a concrete foundation. Many bronze plaques are secured to a vertical surface such as an upright monument, statue pedestal or mausoleum crypt front. Versatility is a key factor in their wide use in cemeteries, architectural applications and signage.
Statuary – for centuries having been made from bronze, offers excellent testimony to its ability to withstand the elements of time and Mother Nature. In many of the greatest historical cities around the world, you can witness some truly amazing works of art showcased in museums and outdoor public places. Bronze statues can be seen in many cemeteries across the country. They are usually cast in the likeness of the person they are memorializing.
Cremation Urns – are made utilizing some of the very same techniques used to produce bronze statues. Bronze urns come in a wide variety of shapes and styles. Some are made as small statues with a hollowed out portion to contain the cremated ashes, while others are made from sheet bronze welded together creating geometric shapes.