FAQs
When it comes to organising a funeral, the amount of information available online can sometimes be overwhelming. We have put together some Frequently Asked Questions to help guide you with the answers.
FAQ
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1. How much is a funeral?
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Our funerals start from £1,595 for an unattended and start at £4,074 for our personal funeral. We don't offer funeral packages, we create a bespoke estimate for you based on what you have requested. We can work within a budget if necessary, and will recommend ways to bring the cost of the funeral down if required. You should always receive a like for like quote when comparing to other funeral directors, to ensure the price they claim is the price you end up paying. For more details on prices, please see our price list and funeral options.
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2. Do you offer a pricelist and can it be sent by email?
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Our pricelist is available on our website and displayed within our premises. Our team are happy to send you a copy of the price list and/or a detailed estimate or breakdown of prices on request. You will find our standardised price list here.
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3. How long does it take to arrange a funeral?
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We are currently advising the earliest date for a funeral to be 12 working days from the date of death. As of September 2024, new procedures came into place, which are causing delays in receiving the necessary paperwork and preventing faster turnarounds.
There are exceptions, please speak to one of our team to discuss further.
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4. Who will be looking after you and the person that has died? Will it be the same person making the arrangements throughout?
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As a flexible family funeral director based in Llandudno, we will support you in all aspects of the funeral. Letting you choose to be as involved as you wish.
At Tom Owen and Son, one of our team will support you throughout the arrangements, on the day of the funeral and beyond. We believe it is important that you and your family have a recognised familiar face at every stage of the funeral arrangements, although our team is small and you are likely to encounter us all at various stages of the process.
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5. Can you accommodate funerals on specific dates/times?
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We will always do our best to work with you to find a suitable date and time for the funeral. We are able to avoid dates and can typically accommodate requests. We are also able to accommodate religious requirements.
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6. Can you come to our home to discuss the funeral arrangements at no additional cost?
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We aim to work with you, visiting you at your home or wherever you are most comfortable. Our offices are based in the centre of Llandudno and are clean and comfortable. We have on site parking should you prefer to meet with us here.
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7. What crematorium do you use?
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Wee offer the use of 3 local crematoriums; Colwyn Bay Crematorium, Denbighshire Memorial Park and Crematorium and Bangor Crematorium; we are happy to arrange funerals at other crematoria if requested.
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8. Can you work with us to make the funeral service special and personalised?
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We pride ourselves on providing the right funeral service for everyone we care for; working with you to understand what is important and offering support, guidance and ideas to ensure that the result is everything it should be. In future blogs we take a closer look at what that means at each stage of the process.
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9. Does Tom Owen and Son recommend embalming of the deceased?
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We avoid embalming unless absolutely necessary; while it is sometimes required, it is an intrusive and non-environmentally friendly process that we do not turn to without good reason. We would also always seek your written permission to do so if embalming was required.
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10. Does a burial cost more than a cremation?
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Funerals with a burial in a new grave will typically cost £500-£1000 more than a comparable cremation due to the purchase of the grave.
Funerals with a burial in an existing grave will cost a similar amount to a comparable cremation, with interment costs at similar levels to the cremation costs.
There are exceptions, such as natural burials and smaller cemeteries with differing fees.
Costs for an ashes burial plot, if desired, will cost more than the £500-£1000 difference noted above; this makes a funeral with a cremation, followed by an ashes interment the more expensive option.
Headstone costs are separate to the above and vary significantly based on the type of memorial. Please speak to one of our team for more details.
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11. Do you offer alternative coffin options?
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Our coffin and casket options are diverse, we aim to cater to everyone’s tastes, budget, and personality. Whether that is a traditional coffin, eco-friendly wicker or cardboard casket, or a custom printed, personalised coffin. Talk to our team and they will help you find what’s right for you. You can see the coffin options here.
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12. Can you provide alternative transport to take the coffin to the funeral?
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We can offer alternative transport to take the person that has died to the church, graveside or crematorium. Please talk to one of the team to learn more about the options available from hearse to horse drawn carriage, motor bike and side-car and more.
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13. Are there any restrictions to visiting the deceased and extra costs for this?
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We offer access to visit your family member in our visiting room at any time, including out of hours. This is included in our pricing, other than within our direct and simple funeral options, for which an additional fee would apply. There is no limit to the number of times you can visit your loved one in our visiting room.
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14. Do I need to register the death within 5 days?
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We will take care of arranging and coordinating all of the paperwork, in conjunction with the GP's, Hospital Bereavement Teams or coroner, in order for you to be able to register the death of the person that has died. Sometimes this can take longer than the 5 days noted within the bereavement booklet or online but you can only register once the Registrar has received the paperwork they need. We will keep you updated daily as to progress with this and will provide your contact details to the Registrars based in Conwy, Gwynedd and Denbighshire for them to contact you as soon as they are able to arrange an appointment.
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15. Does Tom Owen and Son Funeral Director belong to a trade association, such as the National Association of Funeral Directors (NAFD) or Society of Allied and Independent Funeral Directors (SAIF) or any other recognised independent body such as The Good Funeral Guide?
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Both of the funeral trade associations hold their members to a high set of standards that aims to ensure a level of trust and reliability.
We are also a recommended member of The Good Funeral Guide, which is the UK's only independent not-for-profit organisation that exists to support, empower and represent the interests of dying and bereaved people living in the UK. We are proud to be the only Funeral Director within North Wales to have received this recognition.
We pride ourselves on holding ourselves to the highest strict standards and codes of practice and continually look to improve our standards.
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16. Is Tom Owen and Son family run or part of a larger chain?
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Tom Owen and Son Funeral Director are an independent, family run team with a host of experience from over 90 years in the industry. We were established in 1930 and have been committed to serving the local community ever since.
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17. Can I help to wash and dress my relative within your mortuary?
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At Tom Owen and Son, we encourage you to get as involved as you wish to be, whether that is helping to paint nails, wash and dry hair, helping to dress your relative or dying their hair. You will be assisted by our mortuary manger, Vicky, who will look after you every step of the way to ensure the experience is beautiful.
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18. How do I pay for a funeral bill?
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At Tom Owen and Son, we will pay for all of the disbursements on your behalf, then issue you with a full funeral bill once the funeral has taken place. You can then take the funeral bill to the bank of the person that has died for it to be paid from their estate.
We can also help with DWP Funeral Expense Payment claims if required.
Alternatively, you can pay for the funeral yourself, we accept payment by card, BACs or cheque.
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19. Can I have a funeral on a Saturday?
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Most funerals within Conwy are held during the week, however there are options to having a funeral on a Saturday. Please get in touch to discuss the date and time options with your funeral director.