Explaining Service Charges

PROFESSIONAL SERVICE CHARGES

We are pleased to provide you with a full disclosure of our Professional Service Charges.

To help you understand Funeral Costs we have prepared an outline of the categories that make up a funeral account. There are basically four sections that make up the total funeral account: Casket and Merchandise Selections, Professional Service Charges, Cash Disbursements and unfortunately the government imposed taxes on applicable items.

To aid consumers, legislation mandates that all funeral homes must provide an itemized price list of all of their related Professional Service Charges as well as casket and merchandise charges. This list must be available at consumers' request without cost or obligation. 

We pride ourselves on always being one of the most reasonably priced funeral homes in the area, although many expect our charges to be much higher given the level of professionalism, quality of facilities and ethical standards. Consumers and families finally can learn first hand that there is a difference and families need not fall into the trap of traditional loyalty many funeral homes attempt to count on. Today, being good is not good enough.   We trust that this service will give you one more reason to give  Evan J. Strong Funeral Services serious consideration when seeking a funeral home that is pro-actively working towards providing you the highest standards of services and facilities while offering sensible and affordable solutions. 

CASKET AND MERCHANDISE SELECTIONS

This section is specific to the merchandise that a family selects. All of our caskets and merchandise are priced in a package, however just as the professional services you will get a cost breakdown of all the merchandise you purchase. Some of the other types of merchandise you might find in this section of the funeral account are: caskets, burial vaults, cremation containers, cremation urns, and stationery packages. Some other funeral providers may have drastic mark-ups on their merchandise, sometimes being 200%. At Evan J. Strong Funeral Services we believe it is fair for you to pay the lowest possible price for our merchandise.

CASH DISBURSEMENTS

Cash Disbursements are as they imply. To aid the families we serve, we will cover third party expenses and place them on our account as a convenience to the family.

Strict legislation ensures that these items are not marked up and only the exact "cost" is included on the funeral account. Typical cash disbursements might include:

• Newspaper Notices 
• Clergy, Musician and Church Honorariums
• Floral Tributes
• Provincial Death Certificates 
• Reception Catering
• Cemetery Opening and Closing Charges

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES

Professional services encompasses all of the services performed by the funeral home in preparation for the burial or the cremation.  Professional services will include the following:

• Funeral Directors on call and available 24 hours per day
• Transfer of decedent from place of death to funeral home
• Obtaining necessary permits to proceed with burial or cremation
• Arrangement conference to obtain necessary vital statistic information and other required details
• Co-ordination with clergy, cemetery, crematorium operators, and other parties as applicable
• Staff services and equipment for services
• Facilities for storage, offices, etc.
• Preparation of deceased and / or cremation of deceased as applicable