Does the cost of a funeral always reflect the quality of the service you’ll receive?

If you’re concerned about the recent spikes in the cost of living, you probably won’t be surprised when you also see the cost of dying. 

Not only is death as inevitable as taxes, but these days the cost of a funeral can be almost as big a financial shock as your tax bill.

Funeral costs vary widely, with the overall price ranging from a few thousand dollars to well over ten thousand, but the cost of a funeral does not necessarily reflect the quality of the service you’ll receive. 

Let’s take a closer look at why funerals have traditionally cost so much and how Funerals By Design offer compassionate and personalised services that respect both your wishes and your budget.

All funeral homes are now required by law to display price lists

In 2020 the NSW government introduced new rules for the funeral industry to ensure greater price transparency after an investigation by consumer advocate Choice revealed that opaque pricing, upselling and misinformation were common in a funeral industry dominated by large, profit-driven businesses.

These new laws help customers to make more informed choices and to encourage more competitive business. 

All funeral directors now need to clearly show information about the goods and services they offer for burial and cremations, including a price list, as well as provide you with a cost-itemised quote before you enter an agreement to carry out their funeral service.

However, what they don’t tell you is which services are necessary, which services are optional extras, what their mark-up is on items such as flowers and coffins, as well as what their professional services’ fees include.

Why have funerals traditionally cost so much?

Here are the five main reasons why many funeral homes get away with charging too much for a funeral.

1. Hasty Decisions are Made During an Emotional Time: The emotional stress of losing your loved one can lead to hasty decisions being made without fully considering all costs and options.
2. Overwhelming and Expensive Optional Extras: Funeral homes often offer a plethora of additional services and products that can be overwhelming and expensive and are often not needed or wanted.
3. Lack of Transparency About Mark-Ups and Costs: Pricing on funeral home websites is often not transparent about the hidden mark-ups on their basic services and products and unclear about costs for optional extras.
4. Knowledge of Funeral Laws: A lack of understanding of funeral laws and rights can leave you thinking you must include and pay for services and products you don’t legally need.
5. Reduced competition: With two companies owning one third of all funeral homes In Australia, reduced competition allows for higher prices to be charged across the board. As these companies are ASX listed their commitment is to delivering profits to shareholders, rather than providing affordable funeral services to their clients.

How to ensure a high-quality funeral without unnecessary cost

What is most essential to you when planning the funeral of a loved one? 

Is it an expensive coffin with gold handles and a silk lining? Or is it the thought and care put into honouring your loved one and ensuring their farewell is personal, truly reflecting who they were?

Whether you decide to farewell someone you love with a funeral, cremation, burial, memorial service, wake or a celebration of life, at Funerals By Design we are here to help you make sure the funeral is truly a reflection of the person whose life we are celebrating.

Funerals by Design founder, Karin Slade, is passionate about helping you to say goodbye in a meaningful way that is all about the life you are celebrating… reflecting their style, personality and story in so many ways with personalised touches.

We offer alternatives to farewelling your loved ones with either a formal, traditional service held in a church or an impersonal, “cookie cutter” service rushed through a crematorium.

And we don’t charge you for services you don’t want or need. You get to decide what items you would like included. 

Compassionate and highly personalised funeral services that respect both your wishes and your budget

At Funerals by Design we are passionate about providing authentic, compassionate, affordable and better ways to say goodbye.

Here’s how we offer a range of packages to suit different budgets, all while maintaining a high standard of care and service. 

✔️We are an independent, family-owned funeral director.

✔️We are committed to making funerals affordable by only charging you for items and services you need.

✔️We itemise all of our services and products so you know exactly what you are paying for.

✔️We don’t try to upsell you services and products you don’t need or want.

✔️We give you the time you need to make decisions without pressure.

✔️By carefully selecting each element of the funeral and working with trusted partners, we ensure that even our most affordable options provide a dignified and memorable service.

✔️We simply charge you the cost price for each item, add 35% to the final bill (this is our profit margin) and then we donate 5% of our service fee to a charity of your choice.

If you have any questions or need assistance with funeral planning, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help you every step of the way.