Funeral Homes and Funeral Services in Sonoma County serving Agua Caliente, Alexander Valley, Annapolis, Asti, Bloomfield, Bodega, Bodega Bay, Boyes Hot Springs, Camp Meeker, Cazadero, Cloverdale, Cotati, Duncans Mills, El Verano, Eldridge, Fallon, Fetters Hot Springs, Forestville, Fort Ross, Freestone, Fulton, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Graton, Guerneville, Guernewood, Healdsburg, Jenner, Kenwood, Lakeville, Larkfield, Lytton, Mark West, Monte Rio, Occidental, Penngrove, Petaluma, Petaluma, Rio Nido, Rohnert Park, Roseland, Russian River, Russian River Mdws, Salmon Creek, Santa Rosa, Schellville, Sebastopol, Sheridan, Sonoma, Stewarts Point Rancheria, Temelec, The Geysers, The Sea Ranch, Two Rock, Valley Ford, Villa Grande, Vineburg and Windsor

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How to Find the Best Funeral Home in Sonoma County, California

When a loved one dies, grief can overwhelm the survivors. Arrangements for funeral, cremation, interment or memorial services must be carried out by those who may be ill-equipped to manage such events. Many details surrounding death certificates, obituaries and other necessary services often fall to the overwhelmed relatives, who will more than likely seek the assistance of a high quality, low cost funeral home. Let the Prime Buyer's Report help you choose a funeral home, mortuary, or crematorium. more »

How to Find the Best Funeral Home in Sonoma County, California 

If you are in need of a funeral home, memorial, wake and the like, you need help fast. Funeral services in Sonoma County include classic memorial services at funeral homes where family and friends can gather to remember and honor their loved one. Arrangements for transportation of the body to the funeral home, and subsequent transportation to a final resting place are easily handled by these professionals. In addition, personnel at top rated funeral home are generally available 24 hours a day, and have a wealth of information about floral tributes, churches, cemeteries, cremation and crematoriums and any funeral-related issues.

Funeral Homes in Sonoma County Perform a Variety of Services
There is so much to consider when choosing a funeral home. Depending on how large or small of a service you are seeking, the choices and prices can vary widely. Planning a funeral or memorial service requires coordinating myriad services, filling out paperwork, contacting friends and family, scheduling, gathering of relevant and necessary documents and more, all while in the process of grieving. To top it off, generally your window of planning is very short-typically under two weeks. It can be overwhelming. A high quality funeral home can help. Do you want a service at the funeral home, or somewhere else? Will there be a burial or cremation? Do you want music, a particular clergy, flowers, catering, speakers, photos of the deceased to display, an obituary printed in the newspaper, limousines or something else? What is legally required?

A funeral, according to the Federal Trade Commission, can be one of the most expensive purchases a person makes over their lifetime. A traditional funeral with casket or vault can easily run $6000. As you add extras it's not uncommon to see prices in the five-figure range. Many feel, as they experience intense emotions of grief and loss, that discussing money is callous or that somehow spending more is a reflection of their love for the deceased. To avoid having to make difficult decisions during a time of great stress and emotion, many are now pre-planning memorial services. Many funeral homes offer discounts or locked-in prices for making and paying for funeral arrangements ahead of time. Should you choose this, it's a good idea to review your decisions every few years and revise them accordingly.

It is not generally known that you are not legally required to use a funeral home to plan and conduct a funeral. If you choose to use the services of a funeral home, it pays to shop around. During a face-to-face visit, the funeral home is required by law to give you a general price list itemizing the cost of items and services the home offers. If this list does not show the costs of caskets or urns, the law requires the funeral director to show you the price lists for those items before showing you the items themselves.

Another myth is that embalming is required by law. Some homes require embalming if there is to be a viewing, but if the body is buried or cremated shortly after death, embalming is not necessary or required.

The Funeral Rule
While most funeral directors and/or providers have the best interests of their clients in mind, others may try to inflate prices or foist undesired services on their clients during their time of need. There is a federal law, known as the funeral rule, that helps prevent this. Among other things, the funeral rule states that:

*You have the right to choose the funeral goods and services you want (with some exceptions).
* The funeral provider must state this in writing on the general price list.
* If state or local law requires you to buy any particular item, the funeral provider must disclose this on the price list, with a reference to the specific law.
* The funeral provider may not refuse, or charge a fee, to handle a casket you bought elsewhere.
* A funeral provider that offers cremations must make alternative containers available.
* A funeral provider may not provide embalming services without permission.
* A funeral provider may not falsely state that embalming is required by law.
* A funeral provider must disclose in writing that embalming is not required by law, except in certain, special cases.
* A funeral provider may not charge a fee for unauthorized embalming unless embalming is required by state law.
* A funeral provider must disclose in writing that you usually have the right to choose a disposition, such as direct cremation or immediate burial, that does not require embalming if you do not want this service.
* A funeral provider must disclose in writing that some funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing, may make embalming a practical necessity and, if so, a required purchase.
* A funeral provider must not tell you that state or local law requires a casket for direct cremations, because none do.
* A funeral provider must disclose in writing your right to buy an unfinished wood box or an alternative container for a direct cremation.
* A funeral provider must make an unfinished wood box or other alternative container available for direct cremations.

Look for Funeral Homes in Sonoma County County That Do More Than the Bare Minimum
A funeral home should do more than just hand you a list of services and wait for you to choose and cut the check. For the best experience when dealing with funeral homes, seek out those that are accredited, licensed and have received favorable reviews from previous clients or industry organizations. Check these things in our article, "Key Consumer Resources for Funeral Homes and Services in Sonoma County County."

 

 

Choosing the Right Funeral Home in Santa Rosa for you 

Know What You're Looking For
Hopefully, when you find yourself needing the services of a funeral home, you will have some idea of what you are looking for. Do you want the funeral home to handle paperwork and other arrangements? Do you want an expensive casket or something more affordable? Do you want burial or cremations? Some funeral homes specialize in different aspects of funeral services. Some offer alternative choices such as scattering the remains in unique places or ways. Some offer "green" funerals in which the remains are not embalmed and are buried in caskets that biodegrade quickly. Much of this can be researched on the Internet and other sources.

Use the list of questions below to help narrow your search.

How long have you been in the funeral home/undertaking business?
What are your fees, broken down by individual services?
Can you provide the forms for a newspaper obituary?
Can you provide a viewing without embalming?
Do you provide services such as flowers, clergy, music, catering, etc.?
What are my options regarding cremation, burial and final disposition?
If the body is donated to science, can their still be a service?
Who does the embalming?
How long after death is embalming necessary?
Is an obituary in the newspaper required?
What are my options regarding time of service?
Do you have suggestions for personalizing my service?
Can you help with social security or veteran's death benefits?
Can I make payments to pay for the funeral service?
 
It's very important that you work with a funeral home that you feel you can trust and makes you feel comfortable. Consider your first impression, beginning with the first phone call. Did you get a person, or an answering service?  Was your initial impression that you were dealing with competent professionals?  Did you feel respected and accommodated?   If you were offered a consultation, did you feel at-ease with the funeral director/provider?  Were you able to speak freely with him or her?

Probably one or two names will rise to the top of your list after you have considered these things.

First Impression
A good funeral provider will listen carefully to what you're saying and will ask relevant questions. If the employees at a funeral home seem to only want to get you in the door, or try to make you sign an agreement without hearing something about your needs, choose someone else. You are not obligated to hire the first funeral provider you talk to.

When you've selected what seems to be the most suitable funeral home for you, make sure you understand the terms of your agreement. Check for any consumer complaints from the Better Business Bureau orState Department of Consumer Affairs.

 

 

Consumer Resources for Funeral Homes in Sonoma County 

Associations & Licensing

BBB Better Business Bureau (www.bbb.org)
California Department of Consumer Affairs (www.dca.ca.gov/)
AARP (www.aarp.org)
Funeral Consumers Alliance (www.funerals.org)
Diamond Certified (www.diamondcertified.org)
Cremation Association of North America (www.cremationassociation.org)
International Cemetery and Funeral Association (www.icfa.org)
International Order of the Golden Rule (www.ogr.org)
National Funeral Director's Association (www.nfda.org/resources)
National Funeral Directors and Morticians Association (www.nfdma.com)
Federal Trade Commission Facts for Consumers (www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/services/funeral.shtm)

The Prime Buyer's Report provides information for funeral homes in Sonoma County within the following zip codes. 94922, 94923, 94927, 94928, 94931, 94951, 94952, 94953, 94954, 94955, 94972, 94975, 94999, 95401, 95402, 95403, 95404, 95405, 95406, 95407, 95408, 95409, 95412, 95416, 95419, 95421, 95425, 95430, 95431, 95433, 95436, 95439, 95441, 95442, 95444, 95446, 95448, 95450, 95452, 95462, 95465, 95471, 95472, 95473, 95476, 95480, 95486, 95487, 95492 and 95497

The Prime Buyer's Report provides information for funeral homes in Sonoma County within the following cities. Agua Caliente, Alexander Valley, Annapolis, Asti, Bloomfield, Bodega, Bodega Bay, Boyes Hot Springs, Camp Meeker, Cazadero, Cloverdale, Cotati, Duncans Mills, El Verano, Eldridge, Fallon, Fetters Hot Springs, Forestville, Fort Ross, Freestone, Fulton, Geyserville, Glen Ellen, Graton, Guerneville, Guernewood, Healdsburg, Jenner, Kenwood, Lakeville, Larkfield, Lytton, Mark West, Monte Rio, Occidental, Penngrove, Petaluma, Petaluma, Rio Nido, Rohnert Park, Roseland, Russian River, Russian River Mdws, Salmon Creek, Santa Rosa, Schellville, Sebastopol, Sheridan, Sonoma, Stewarts Point Rancheria, Temelec, The Geysers, The Sea Ranch, Two Rock, Valley Ford, Villa Grande, Vineburg and Windsor

 

 

Tips for Dealing with Funeral Homes in Sonoma, Healdsburg, Sebastopol, Rohnert Park, Petaluma and Santa Rosa 

Try to Have a General Sense of What You Want or Require.
Despite the stress of grief and limited time, if possible, it's a good idea to have some idea of what sort of service you are seeking, what you wish done with the remains, e.g. burial, cremation, where you might like to hold the service, how many people might be attending and anything else that may affect the price or timing of the service.

Write it Down.
Before meeting with a funeral director, write down the considerations from the exercise above. By writing everything down you don't have to try to remember everything in the heat of the moment. Also, you can add to the list as other things come up.

Get Several Separate Quotes From Several Funeral Homes.
There are distinct differences in the services and prices available at different funeral homes. It's best to speak to several, if possible, to help get a base line for prices and options. Take the list you made specifying your needs so that each can provide a quote using the same parameters and you can compare apples to apples.

Choose a Certified, Licensed and Recognized Funeral Home.
Make sure the funeral home you are considering has proper licensing, not only for the home itself, but those individuals who work there, including the funeral director (there is a license for this) and the person doing the embalming, if you choose that service. Also, look for funeral homes that go the extra mile, those that have earned accreditations, membership or kudos from industry groups or consumer watchdog groups. Ask for referrals.

Choose an Experienced Funeral Home and Funeral Director.
Make sure the funeral home you choose has the experience and knowledge to handle your needs. This doesn't necessarily mean hiring the one that's been in business the longest, but it does mean finding a funeral home that has experience in all aspects of funerals, including cremation, burial, paperwork, ceremony arrangements and more.

Ask Questions.
Knowing what to expect is always the best way to feel comfortable. Sometimes people are unsure and afraid to ask the hard questions-questions about price, guarantees and so on. This is a difficult time, but you need to protect yourself by asking whenever you are unsure about any part of the process.

Know Your Rights.
Although it can be difficult to know whether or not a funeral home has acted in bad faith,  there are resources available if you feel a funeral home or funeral director has acted unethically. Reference the California Department of Consumer Affairs Web site to learn more. (See our article, "Key Consumer Resources for Funeral Homes in Sonoma County" to learn more.