Burial

Yes. There are many companies who purport to save consumers money by selling them caskets online or over the phone. However, the quality of such caskets is often unpredictable, and coordinating shipping and delivery can be another headache at a time when life is already overwhelming. 

We typically recommend people purchase their casket through the funeral home they are working with for other aspects of the burial. If your funeral home is unable to provide something at your chosen price point, use another funeral home. The biggest benefit of purchasing through the funeral home is that any problems are the funeral home’s to worry about, not yours. If the casket arrives damaged, or is late, the funeral home typically has an established relationship with their provider and will able to find a way to solve the problem without having to delay services. These caskets also tend to have more predictable quality, as most funeral homes will not carry caskets known to have issues. 

A vault, outer burial container or grave liner, is a protective enclosure that surrounds the casket or coffin in the ground. It is designed to provide additional structural support and prevent the collapse of the gravesite.

These devices are often made of concrete or heavy duty plastic. They can be lined with plastic, fiberglass, steel, copper or bronze as well, in order to help protect against water intrusion. 

It is important to note that some cemeteries require the use of a grave liner, while others consider it optional. Some cemeteries sell grave liners, some require them to be purchased from the cemetery.

Cemeteries charge what is called an opening charge. This is the cost for digging the grave, all of the associated paperwork and permits involved, as well as closing the grave afterward. This is not an optional charge. 

Depending on the cemetery of your choice, perpetual care may be offered as part of your grave purchase, or for an additional fee. Perpetual care is typically the maintenance of the ground around the grave forever, such as mowing grass. Individual cemetery rules will determine whether things like maintenance and repair or grave stones or markers is included. 

Laws vary widely from state to state and even by county or town. It is important to confer with a local expert to ensure compliance if this is something you are considering. 

In places where this is legal, it’s important to note that rules may prohibit the sale of land once a burial has taken place. Do not do a home burial on land you plan to some day sell, or which you may not have the resources to keep!