Funeral Burial Caskets: 5 Things to Consider When Making a Selection

After a loved one passes away, one of the most difficult things to do is choosing a casket.

The task of finding a casket can be an emotionally taxing experience for anyone, but it’s also a very important task.

A casket is a way to honor your loved one. It’s a tribute to your loved one and may serve as a reflection of how they were in life. However, a lot of thought needs to be put into choosing the right casket, and during this difficult time, you may not know what to look for.

Here are a few things that you should consider when choosing funeral burial caskets to make this process a bit easier for you and your family.

1. What is the cost of the casket?

The cost is a major deciding factor when choosing funeral burial caskets. On average, the cost of a casket can range from anywhere between $2,000 and $5,000. You may get swept up with customization options for the casket, so you should consider setting a budget for yourself and your loved one’s family when picking a casket.

When you’re heading out to choose a casket, you should consider bringing a family member or a close friend with you. It can be easy to make erratic decisions when you’re grieving, so having someone to support you when you’re picking out a casket may help you keep a clear head when making decisions.

Also, you should consider the material the casket is made of as this will directly affect the pricing. For example, steel caskets are cheaper than copper and bronze ones. As for wooden caskets, the price may vary based on the type of wood it’s made of.

2. Where are you buying the casket from?

Along with the cost, you need to consider where you’re going to buy your casket. One thing you can do is look for reputable casket sellers online and pick out the ones that are in your locality.

However, the more convenient option would be to work with professional funeral services. Also called funeral homes, they may offer a selection of caskets in addition to planning and carrying out your loved one’s funeral for you.

But if you’re adamant about getting the casket from a seller, as per your loved one’s wishes or otherwise, you can still use this casket even if you’re working with a funeral home. Due to the rules of the Federal Trade Commission, the funeral home will accept any casket that you did not purchase from them for no additional charge.

3. What are the features and size of the casket?

Even though funeral burial caskets are usually kept very simple, you may still personalize the casket with features that symbolize your loved one. For instance, you can have engravings of your loved one’s favorite poem on the casket lid or include the logo of the sports team they were a part of.

Other features you can include are handles, half-couch or full-couch lids, and corner decorations, and you can decide on the color of the casket’s interior and exterior.

Size is also an important consideration that’s often overlooked. When picking out a casket, you need to consider its size and decide whether it will be the appropriate size for your loved one.

4. What are the cemetery requirements?

Some cemeteries may have burial requirements such as burial vaults. These are concrete containers that the casket will be placed into before it’s buried.

The weight of the soil may cause caskets to deteriorate over time, so these burial vaults are there to help keep your loved one’s casket intact for years to come.

However, if you don’t want to invest in a burial vault, some cemeteries do not require burial vaults so make sure to speak about this with your local cemetery in advance.

5. Should you rent a casket instead of buying one?

If you’re limited by your budget, you may choose to rent a casket instead of buying one. The casket will contain the body of your loved one during the funeral service, and will then be placed into a different container for burial, after which the rental casket will be returned to the seller.

Rental coffins may be a good choice if you plan to cremate your loved one after holding a traditional funeral service in their memory. Since there will be no burial, that is if you choose not to bury the ashes, the casket will only be needed for the main funeral service, so renting a casket would be more cost-effective.

Also, the money you save from renting a casket can be used for other aspects of your loved one’s funeral, such as holding a memorial service to celebrate their life and who they were as a person.

Think carefully when choosing funeral burial caskets

Walking into a casket shop to purchase one for your loved one’s funeral may be one of the hardest things you’ll do in life. At this time, you’ll be going through a cascade of emotions, making your decision very difficult and sometimes confusing.

To make the process of choosing a casket easier, make sure to take your time and talk it over with your loved one’s family. You want to choose the perfect casket for your loved one, but remember—it’s also important to consider your feelings to ensure that your mind is clear and you make the right choice.