Funeral Pricing in the Greater Rochester Area

Why is there such a big difference in the price of funerals? Most of the difference can be attributed to two main factors:

1) The specific arrangements (or Plan) selected.
2) The funeral home employed to provide those arrangements.

Six major types of arrangements with a description of each are listed below. Two prices are shown for each Plan to demonstrate the big difference in prices among funeral homes for the same type of funeral.

The lower prices shown for each Plan are typical of the prices charged members of the FCAGR by some of its cooperating funeral homes. The higher prices are those charged the general public by some Rochester area funeral homes for the same type of funeral.

The public is invited to use these prices as a "yardstick" to comparison shop. Plans 1 through 4 are listed in order of increasing cost. The cost of Plan 5 depends on where death occurs.

What do you get for your money?
All Plans include the following Basic Goods, Services and Use of Facilities (BGSF):
• Removing the body from the place of death
• Using the preparation room for embalming and/or casketing
• Filing the death certificate
• Obtaining the burial/transit permit
• Transporting the body to the cemetery or crematory
• Placing a notice in the newspaper and counseling the family regarding death benefits.


PLAN OPTIONS

PLAN 1: Direct Cremation
$565 - $2,500

Included:
• BGSF using an alternate container.
• Returning the cremated remains to family, if requested.

Not included:
• Embalming
• Using the funeral home for visitation or service

PLAN 2: Direct Burial
$1,000 - $2,800

Included:
• BGSF using an alternate container.
• Providing a caveproof outer interment receptacle.

Not included:
• Embalming
• Using the funeral home for visitation or service.

PLAN 3: Cremation after visitation and funeral service
$2,200 - $5,850

Included:
• BGSF plus embalming
• Using the funeral home for visitation (4 hours) and a service.
• Using a casket instead of an alternate container.

Not included:
Clothing, hairdressing.

PLAN 3R: Cremation after funeral service with rented casket
$2,200 - $5,850

Included:
Same as Plan 3 except that a rental casket is provided for visitation and for the service. An alternate container is used for cremation. (Not offered by all funeral homes.)

PLAN 4: Burial after visitation and funeral service
$3,000 - $8,800

Included:
• BGSF plus embalming
• Using the funeral home for visitation (4 hours) and for the service
• Providing a casket and a caveproof outer interment receptacle.

Not included:
Clothing, hairdressing, limousine, motorcycle escort.

PLAN 5: Donation to the U of R Medical Center
$360 - $980

Included:
• BGSF (Applicable only if removal is made from a private home or outside of Monroe County. If death occurs in a hospital or nursing home within Monroe County, a funeral director on the Medical Center staff will, at no cost to the family, transport the body to the U of R and complete the necessary the paperwork.)

A wide range of prices is given for cemetery lots: the higher prices are generally for city or suburban cemeteries; the lower prices are for rural cemeteries. Approximate costs for some of these additional items are:

1) Cemetery plot (single) - $450 to $1,600
2) Cemetery plot (double) - $900 to $3,200
3) Interment of casket - $435 to $590*
4) Bronze or granite marker - $480 to $1,300
5) Granite headstone - $485 & up
6) Crypt in mausoleum (single) - $2,640 & up
7) Crematory - $220 to $265**
8) Columbarium niche - $330 to $3,250
9) Cemetery plot for cremated remains - $100 to $675
10) Urn - $200 & up
11) Certified copies of death certificate - $30 each
12) Honorarium for clergy - $50 to $150
13) Newspaper death notice (depends on the newspaper)

* Required for earth burial
** Required for cremation