How it works and how much will it cost
We can help you to arrange a funeral anywhere within the Adelaide metro region and the surrounding areas.
We can help you put together a celebration of a life that is meaningful and relevant to you and your family; from a simple ceremony, a traditional style funeral or a custom designed personalised celebration of life.
We offer a range of packages to help making planning a funeral easier to understand. Guided by our down to earth friendly team, you can add extras to ensure the funeral fits your needs and expectations. We won't try to sell you anything you don't want or need as we want to ensure the funeral works for you.
1. Professional services
Our service fee includes the following as a standard:
A telephone consultation to ensure we are the right funeral director for you.
An arrangement meeting with you to discuss all aspects of the funeral. One of our funeral directors will meet you in the comfort of your home or our office where we'll talk everything through. Please call or email to make an appointment.
Completion of all the necessary paperwork.
Arranging the transfer of the person who has died within metro Adelaide.
Depending on circumstances a transfer fee of between $125-$375 may apply.Our sensitive and gentle care of the person who has passed with a number of mortuary care options available.
Support and guidance to carry the coffin yourself (if a burial) if you wish to do so, or we can arrange for pallbearers to be provided (at cost).
Arranging all required medical certificates
Collection of information for the Certified Copy of Death Certificate
Basic service fee $1,200
(This is generally included in our service packages)
2. Cremation or burial ?
The cost of cremation or burial is considered to be a disbursement - a third party cost. These costs generally do not vary between funeral homes.
Cremation Fee
The cost of a cremation varies in metro Adelaide.
Fees vary from $400 - $700. Extra fees apply for witness of the cremation and weekend cremations. A cremation fee and location is generally included in our packages.
Doctors Fees (cremation only)
It is a legal requirement that the usual treating doctor will complete a Medical Certificate Cause of Death. A second independent doctor will then complete what is known as a Form 4 Cremation Certificate. These documents are used to authorise a cremation and must be provide before any preparation of a body or cremation can go ahead. If the coroner is involved, this is not necessary.
These certificates (if provided by a private GP practice cost between $220-$330
Burial Fee
The cost of burial varies widely depending on the cemetery you choose. There are three fees which make up the burial fee:
- The licence / or grant fee - The right to a site for a nominated number of years
The interment fee - the digging of the grave and filling in
The setup fee - the equipment provided graveside such as matting, canopies and lowering device
A typical new grave including interment fee for 50 years ranges from $7500+
Cemetery setup is usually about $500
3. What type of ceremony ?
For full service funerals (which have a eulogy and are held in a chapel/church) there are a number of locations and options to choose from.
Civil Celebrant
We can recommend a civil celebrant to work with you to create a unique and highly personalised funeral that reflects the life of the person who has died.
From $400
Religious Service Fees
We have experience infunerals from many different faiths and cultures and can also facilitate multi-faith funerals. We also work with a European Specialist Funeral Home for services are are not experieinced with.
Church and Clergy Fees From $600 - $1000
Family/ Friend Led Services
Funerals don't have to follow a structure or format. You also dont have to use a funeral celebrant. You can lead the funeral service yourself or ask a friend or relative to do so. You can do most things yourself or we can provide a staff celebrnat to open and close the service and you can do everything in between.
Alternative Venues
There are few rules stating where a funeral must be held. Football Clubs, function centers or historic houses may be a consideration providing that they will allow the coffin to be present. Otherwise a memorial service may be an option. You can even hold the funeral at home indoors or in your garden.
Public spaces will require permission which may take a number of days and access is always important to consider.
4. Choose a coffin
We have a large range of coffins available. Please see our coffin and caskets page for options.
5. Other products and services that fit your needs
Flowers
We work with Mayfair Florist who will be able to create beautiful floral tributes to your specifications.
Memorial Cards
Custom designed by our team. We can also arrange bookmarks.
Memorial cards are $2 each (no setup fee) or laminated bookmarks are $3 each for low volume.
Photo Frames
We can arrange for a framed photo to be on the coffin. You can then take it home to keep forever. All you need to do is choose the photo and email it to us.
From $50, subject to size and quality of the frame.
Funeral Photographer/ Video Recording/ Livestreaming
We work with IMP SA and Digiflix who can record and livestream funeral services.
Prices range from $525 for recording to $625 for livestream (with a hard copy of the service)
Carrying the coffin
We can provide support and guidance in carrying the coffin yourself, or we can hire in cemetery staff for assistance.
$95 per bearer
Duel Service Funerals
If the funeral is held at multiple locations, such as a church or another venue, the cortege then travelling a distance before the cremation or burial, an additional fee may apply. An example is if the service is held in a crematorium chapel and then we were to travel to a hills or country location for the burial.
$400
Weekend Funeral
We charge a weekend supplement to cover additional team costs at weekends.
Saturday - $600
Sunday - $1250
This fee does not include an additional fees charged by the venue.
Own coffin
If you supply your own coffin, we may charge a handling fee to cover the costs of receiving the delivery, insurance and legal preparation of the coffin.
$220
Embalming
We don't embalm unless a body is being repatriated overseas. In the event of this happening we will appoint a qualified embalmer.
$895
Mortuary Care
We only use water based soaps and hair products in the preparation of the deceased. We also have non-invasive mortuary methods when appropriate to aid in respecting all persons in our care.
Collection from outside the Adelaide metropolitan area
We can arrange to transfer a person who has died from anywhere in Australia. An additional fee will apply.
Please inquire as it depends on location/distance.
Our promise to you
We pride ourselves on presenting our information clearly and working transparently. All of our services and prices are clearly listed on our website.
During the funeral arrangement we will talk through the options available and then clearly provide the cost or a reasonable estimate on the contract or quote form. We'll do everything we can to ensure you understand the range of services we offer and how much the funeral will cost including any known disbursements ( fees to be paid on your behalf to doctors, churches, cemetery or any other third parties).
Our complaints procedure
We hope that you will have a positive experience with us but if you have any concerns or problems we have procedures in place to ensure your concerns are addressed to your satisfaction. Please contact us at assist@thenaturalfuneralcompany.com or on 08 8311 3991 initially and we will do our best to address your concerns.
Payment terms
For direct cremations and services under $2500 we ask that payment is made in full before the funeral takes place. We can accept payment by bank transfer, cheque, credit or debit card or cash. Funeral expenses can also be paid from the estate of the person who has died by submitting the funeral invoice to their bank.
For all other services we request a deposit of 50% be paid with the balance due within 7-10 days.
Please call to discuss as other arrangements can often be made.