But, which funeral home is the best fit for the needs of your family and fallen loved one? The trust you must place in them is significant as they will be caring for your loved one’s remains. Will they treat them with the respect and dignity that they deserve? These thoughts and questions are worth considering as you evaluate which funeral care provider will best serve you.

Criteria to Consider Before Hiring

As you interview potential funeral homes, there are several important details you should consider before hiring them for help. We suggest you review the following in your search:

Pricing: Funeral care providers are required to publish their service pricing in a general price list. This information must be made available to the public upon request. You’ll find that different funeral homes will have slightly different prices for the services they provide. Many of the services will be similar in nature, but may include or exclude different elements. If you know what services you’re looking for, you’ll be able to evaluate the value of that service for each provider’s asking price. This is a helpful way to determine the cost of care in the marketplace, and which funeral home can offer the best value for the money to be spent on care.

Services: Funeral homes all tend to offer similar care. They set themselves apart in how they provide the services they offer. You’ll want to understand which services those are, and what they may or may not include, such as funeral and casket burials. There are, of course, different services that are unique to a funeral home. For example, some care providers can provide cremation or aquamation care on-site. Other homes need to outsource these services when a customer requests them. That may change the cost of care. Some families and individuals may not think it appropriate to transfer their loved one’s remains to a third-party location for outside services. As a measure of respect, they prefer the deceased to remain at rest in one location until care has been completed.

Experience: Funeral homes are operated by professionals that are trained in mortuary science. They must meet a professional level of competence before they are licensed to practice. They work in their field for years to develop their expertise. Like all businesses, the level of experience and expertise will vary. Ongoing on the job training and volume of work can impact how good they are at funeral care. The community they serve can also shape their experience. If your family needs a funeral home that provides excellent service for a particular culture or faith tradition, be sure to ask whether the home has the experience to do it well.

Funeral Venue: For those families that intend to utilize a funeral home and cremations center in Parkland, WA as the place where services and gatherings will be held, it’s a good idea to tour the building beforehand. You should evaluate several details, including:

     • Floor space and chapel seating

     • Venue location and convenience of access for attendees

     • Appropriateness of ambiance and décor for intended services

     • Audio-video technology and support, as needed

     • Kitchen and dining area, if needed for a family meal or refreshment

Personalization: Many of today’s families are not interested in a one-size-fits-all approach to funeral care. They are looking for unique and personalized services that reflect the life of their fallen loved one. You can ask the funeral home what they do to help families to personalize funeral services. Without it, funerals are often cold and unfeeling in nature. Family and friends who attend may come away without any feeling of comfort in their loss. You can make the occasion a bittersweet experience by planning a celebration of life in the manner of your choosing. Some families will even create a reception of the occasion.

Funeral Goods: You can buy most funeral products directly from the funeral home. They do not require you to purchase these items from them, but it is a convenient way to meet the need. As a point of evaluation, walk through their display room and look over their inventory. Do you see products, such as caskets, urns, grave markers, keepsake jewelry, etc. that you like? If not, you can always purchase elsewhere and bring it in.

Experienced Funeral Home and Cremations in Parkland, WA

Weeks' Dryer Mortuary understands the importance of the work we do. If your family is searching for a caring funeral home and cremations provider in Parkland, WA, call on us for help. We’re located at 220 134th St S Tacoma, WA 98444. Call today: (253) 537-0253.

Funeral & Cremation FAQs