Costs

"How much does it cost?"

In the course of everyday living this is the question that we are constantly confronted with regardless of what we are purchasing. With trends and society changing, funeral consumers have become more cost conscious than ever before. Funeral costs are no secret but can be misleading, especially when they are not fully explained at a time when it is difficult for families to understand.

There are 3 basic factors that constitute the cost of funerals:

• Services (professional services, staffing, equipment. & facilities, automobiles, other overhead related items)
• Merchandise (caskets, vaults, urns, reg. books, cards, etc.)
• Cash Advances (services provided by others i.e. obituaries, grave
  openings, honoraria & gratuities, and administrative fees)

SERVICES

There exists a level of service and overhead that is factored into our prices that we must charge each family, commonly referred to by funeral directors as a 'service charge.' We must first respond by making an initial transfer from the place of death to our funeral home. We will meet with family members to help decide what arrangements will take place and we coordinate services with family, clergy, military, florists, cemeteries/crematories and assist with composing and submitting obituaries. We secure, complete and file necessary documents, provide necessary care and handling of the deceased (including embalming if necessary). We offer facilities, equipment and staffing for visitations, arrangements, gatherings and ceremonies and will make transfers to the church, cemetery or crematory. (Included in providing these services are insurances, taxes, licensing, compliance with regulatory agencies, facility & vehicle maintenance, utilities, office and inventory expenses, etc.) These are all items that we refer to as 'overhead' and are incorporated into our 'service charge.'

MERCHANDISE

Merchandise usually includes the cost of caskets, vaults, urns, shipping and cremation containers, register books, burial clothing, memorial and acknowledgement cards and any other goods that may be provided.

CASH ADVANCES

These are items that usually appear on an itemization and are paid for by the funeral home as a convenience to families but are not services the funeral home provides. They are services that are provided by a third party. Examples would be, clergy & musician honoraria, grave opening, certified copies of death, permit fees, weekend cemetery and vault charges, crematory charges and obituary costs.

PRICING

Below are some possible 'package' services that are complete and serve as a suggested service. These are services that are frequently chosen and reflect a 'total' price. It is important to keep in mind that Kiley Funeral Home makes every effort to customize services according to the wishes and needs of each individual family and makes adjustments when items are added or declined. These prices are quoted assuming weekday services and that some additional cash advance items may be added if chosen. (Please refer to our Merchandise display to view specific caskets, urns or vaults)

• Funeral service with visitation and local burial

Initial transfer to funeral home (local), services of staff, embalming & other preparation, viewing - visitation, ceremony at funeral home or other location, transfer to cemetery, necessary cash advances including, grave opening, clergy honorarium, obituary, B/D permit and 5 certified copies with the selection of one of the following (complete display and inventory is available):

• Funeral service with visitation and cremation

Initial transfer to funeral home (local), services of staff, embalming & other preparation, viewing/visitation, ceremony at funeral home of other location, transfer to crematory, necessary cash advances including, crematory charges, grave opening, clergy honorarium, obituary, D/T permit and 5 certified copies with the use of a solid hardwood cremation 'rental' casket and a cultured marble urn:

• Simple Cremation with memorial or graveside service

Initial transfer to funeral home (local), services of staff, transfer to crematory, facilities & equipment for holding period and ceremony, necessary cash advances including, crematory charges, grave opening, clergy honorarium, obituary, D/T permit and 5 certified copies, and one of the following urns (complete display and inventory is available):

• Simple Cremation without ceremony

Initial transfer to funeral home (local), services of staff, transfer to crematory, basic facilities, for ceremony, necessary cash advances including, crematory charges and permits. All optional items chosen are additional (urns, certified copies, obituaries, ceremonies, etc.):

These packaged prices offer some suggestions and serves as a starting point for determining the cost of services. You may contact us via e-mail at garryg@roadrunner.com, by telephone at (207) 862-3660 or by mail at Hampden Gilpatrick Funeral Home, PO Box 310, 45 Western Avenue, Hampden, Maine 04444-0310, to ask any additional questions that you may have.

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