7 Steps to Hire the Right Funeral and Cremation Provider in North Huntingdon Township, PA

When you need to hire a funeral home for the care and support of a deceased loved one, there are seven steps you should take. These steps will help you to stay within your means, get what you want, and find a funeral and cremation provider in North Huntingdon Township, PA that will best serve your needs. Here’s what you need to know:

1. Budget First: Funeral care can be inordinately expensive. But it doesn’t have to be. Service providers understand that families have to consider their finances and need to keep costs in check. Be sure to decide what you can afford to spend on services, and stick to it. A quality funeral home establishment will help you find service options that will help you to stay within your budget.

2. Prioritize Want: Discuss with your family what you most want from a funeral or memorial service. What are your priorities? What kind of service do you want to hold? Are there any customary observances of faith, tradition, or culture that you wish to include? Is there a preferred location or venue? Do you want a particular style of funeral home services?

3. Decide Disposition Type: How you choose to care for the body of the fallen is important. Think about whether you wish to bury or cremate their remains. If the deceased individual made their preference known in life, use this information as your guide. Otherwise, the decision is a personal family matter. Traditional services may include embalmment, viewing, funeral, and burial. Green burial is an alternative option that many choose. Memorial services may include cremation and other memorial services of your choosing.

4. Get Pricing from Local Providers: You can call and obtain pricing from area providers. If possible, call 4 to 5 funeral homes and request their prices for the general type of care you’re wanting. This exercise will inform you of market pricing in your area, giving you a sense of the service value and price competitiveness. Once you have list pricing in hand, choose 2 or 3 funeral and cremation in North Huntingdon Township, PA to visit for further evaluation.

5. Visit Funeral Homes: Going to a funeral home facility can be helpful in the selection process. You’ll get more information about the firm and how they operate. Conversations with the funeral team will help you understand who they are and what they offer to the public. Your visit will allow you the chance to check out any funeral goods they sell in support of funerals and memorial services. Items may include caskets, urns, vaults, headstones, flowers, jewelry, etc. If you’re thinking about holding services at the funeral home, you’ll also be able to review the venue itself. Evaluate the size and seating capacity of the place, as well as floor space and amenities.

6. Get Quote for Service: For each funeral firm you visit, request them to itemize a quote with detail of each cost item. You don’t want to sign any commitment for services just yet. You’re still in the gathering information stage, comparing prices among providers that you may be interested to work with for the funeral needs at hand. Take all quotes and do a careful comparison of each one, looking for the pros and cons of service value and prices. Remember that value is as much of an important consideration as price.

7. Decide Which Firm: Once you have reviewed formal quotes for the services you want, you need to make your final decision. Once you’ve selected the firm you wish to work with, call them immediately to let them know. They will provide you with additional guidance and instruction on how they will need to proceed.

Your Rights as a Consumer

Remember that as a consumer of funeral care, you have a special set of rights, set forward by the Federal Trade Commission’s funeral rules. Historically, the urgency of need after a death has created an opportunity for price gouging among providers. These rules are intended to protect you and your options for service when someone you love has passed on. Your rights include being able to:

• Get telephone pricing.
• Get a published general price list from each firm. 
• Get a written services statement before paying. 
• Buy only those goods services you wish to purchase. 
• Opt-out of embalming services. 
• Choose not to buy a casket for cremation. 
• Provide outside funeral goods for use by the funeral home. 

Professional Funeral and Cremation Service in North Huntingdon Township, PA

Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is a full-service provider in the vicinity with our own crematory. Call on us for funeral and cremation care in North Huntingdon Township, PA for either at-need or pre-need arrangements. Our local funeral home is at 700 Linden Ave East Pittsburgh, PA 15112. Call us today at (412) 824-8800 for a conversation about how we can serve your family.