Choosing a Funeral Director
You should never feel pressured into choosing a funeral director. Any good funeral director will allow you time and space to think about your decision.
You may choose Tom Owen and Son as your funeral director, to take care of your loved one and to make the necessary arrangements for the funeral. All funeral directors are different, so it is important to choose someone who feels right for you.
FAQ
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1. Who will be looking after you and your loved one? Will it be the same person making the arrangements throughout?
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As a flexible family funeral director, 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
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2. Does the company 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 trade associations hold their members to a set of standards that aims to ensure a level of trust and reliability.
We are also however 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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3. Is the company family run or part of a larger chain?
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We 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.
Questions you should consider when choosing a funeral director are:
1. Who will be looking after you and your loved one? Will it be the same person making the arrangements throughout?
As a flexible family funeral director, 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.
2. Does the company 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?
Both of the trade associations hold their members to a set of standards that aims to ensure a level of trust and reliability.
We are also however 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.
3. Is the company family run or part of a larger chain?
We 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.
4. Would the funeral director come to your home to discuss the arrangements at no additional cost?
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.
5. Do the company recommend embalming of the deceased?
We avoid embalming unless absolutely necessary; whilst 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 permission to do so if embalming was required.
6. Do they offer a pricelist and can it be sent by email?
Our pricelist is available on our website and displayed within our premises. Our team are happy to send you a detailed estimate or breakdown of prices on request.
7. Are there any restrictions to visiting the deceased and extra costs for this?
We offer access to see your loved ones at our chapel of rest at any time, including out of hours. This is included in our pricing, other than 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 chapel of rest.
8. Can they accommodate funerals on specific dates/times?
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.
9. Can the company provide alternative transport to take the coffin to the ceremony?
We can offer alternative transport to take your loved one to the ceremony. 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.
10. Do they offer alternative coffin options?
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.
11. How can they work with us to make the funeral service special and personalised?
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.
12. What makes that company right for us?
We hope that the above information has helped give you an idea for what to look for when choosing the right funeral director. It should feel ‘right’ when you talk to them, you shouldn’t feel like another number. Does their website appear to be updated regularly? Do the Funeral Directors appear online and approachable? Do the company have genuine current Google reviews you can read? Do they have any awards or accreditations that are independent?
