How to Choose a Funeral Home

Guide to recognizing a great funeral home regardless of your location, budget, and needs.

Whether you are starting to think about funeral pre-planning or your family is in immediate need, choosing a funeral home you can trust is essential. But how exactly do you find the right funeral home to work with? Like most services, people in need of a funeral home often turn to the internet and perform a Google search for a term like “funeral homes near me.” From there, they might browse the first few results before picking one and contacting them.

But is that the best way to find a quality funeral home?

How much research did you put into your last major purchase? Think about that for a minute. When buying a new vehicle or planning a vacation, consumers often spend hours, days, or weeks researching the different options available. A funeral service should be no other. 

According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the average funeral cost is slightly over $7000. If you or your family will be spending that much money on the service, the decision process should involve more than a great-looking website that ranked near the top of Google.

As you search for a quality funeral home, here are some things you may want to consider. 

Honest and Transparent Pricing

There are many decisions to be made when planning a funeral service. When you speak to the funeral home, ensure they are honest and transparent with you. At our firm, we publish our general price list online. 

This means you can look at the different services we offer and the fees included. Arranging a funeral requires you to make many important decisions. 

It’s vital to ensure the funeral director can answer your questions, address your concerns and discuss the process in detail. 

Experienced

You want to ensure that you work with an experienced and reputable funeral home. Take some time to read reviews online and see what others have said about the funeral home. Do they offer grief support resources? Were they attentive? Did they do anything extra for the family? These are all things to consider when comparing funeral homes. An experienced funeral home can offer you care and service far exceeding the burial or cremation package you select.

Facilities 

It’s important to make sure that the funeral home you select has the facilities and resources to meet your needs. It can be hard to judge a location based solely on pictures. 

We recommend contacting the funeral home to arrange a tour and see firsthand if the space can accommodate your service. 

For instance, when we tour families through our facilities, we highlight our private family lounge, a children’s room, and large and welcoming chapels. 

During the tour, you can discuss your needs with the funeral director and make sure that the firm has everything you need.

Accommodating

Not every funeral home is created equal. For instance, some firms specialize in certain religious services, while others specialize in celebrant services. If your family has any special requests for the funeral service, make sure the funeral home can accommodate them. As an all-faith funeral home, we’ve helped thousands of families from various cultures, religions, and backgrounds honor their loved ones. 

Reputation

When it comes to decisions like choosing a funeral home, having the direct recommendation of people near you is always a starting point. Besides checking the reviews online, if it's possible for you and the time allows, try to ask people you know about their choices. Most people choose a funeral home based on the service's price and availability. However, taking the time to pre-plan services and ask directly for suggestions can save you from a bad experience. 

Discover Our Options in New York

Westchester’s Trusted Funeral and Cremation Service Provider

For more than five generations, Westchester Funeral Home has proudly served the communities of Eastchester, Bronxville, Yonkers and the surrounding areas. Over the years, our caring and knowledgeable staff has helped families say a meaningful goodbye with quality and affordable funeral and cremation services.

No matter your family’s background, our funeral home in Eastchester would be honored to help you say goodbye and celebrate a life well lived. As one of the oldest family owned funeral homes in New York, we’ve continued to offer complete care for more than 186 years. From the first call until long after the service has ended, your family can trust ours to help you give your loved one the goodbye they deserve.