At Abraham’s, we believe in open, honest communication—especially when it comes to funeral costs. Every farewell is unique, and the cost of a funeral can vary depending on personal choices, the type of service, and external charges such as council burial fees. Our aim is to help families make informed decisions that reflect their values, needs, and budget.
A funeral account is typically made up of two parts:
Our professional fee is the main fee that allows us to provide the care, coordination, facilities, staffing, administration, and professional support required when arranging and carrying out a funeral.
Every funeral involves a considerable amount of work behind the scenes. Some of this is visible to families, such as meeting with you, preparing for the service, coordinating the funeral day, and caring for your loved one. Much of it is less visible, but just as important — including legal documentation, compliance requirements, staff coordination, after-hours availability, transport logistics, preparation of facilities, administration, and post-funeral support.
The professional fee helps recover the fixed costs of operating a funeral home, including staff wages, vehicles, buildings, insurance, compliance obligations, equipment, training, technology, and the ability to respond when families need us.
A funeral service is not made up only of the time spent on the day of the funeral. From the moment a person comes into our care, there are many steps that need to be completed carefully, respectfully, and correctly.
Our professional fee allows us to provide a high level of care while ensuring that all legal, practical, and personal details are managed properly. It also enables us to maintain the facilities, staff, vehicles, systems, and availability required to support families at what is often a very difficult time.
These are costs we pay on your behalf with no markup, for example:
Please note: burial or cremation fees are additional and may vary depending on location and service provider.
There is no single right way to farewell a person who has died. Every family is different, every relationship is different, and every grief journey is different. For some, it feels right to gather the wider community in a more traditional funeral setting. For others, a smaller, quieter, or more personal farewell feels more natural and more manageable.
What matters most is not whether a farewell is public or private, formal or informal. What matters is whether it gives people the opportunity to acknowledge the death, express grief, honour the life that has been lived, and receive the support they need. These moments can play an important part in a healthy grief journey for family, friends, and the wider community.
At Abraham’s, we guide families through these choices with care, wisdom, and practical experience. Whether you want something traditional, something simple, or something more personal, we will help you create a farewell that feels right for your person, your family, and your circumstances.
A Public Farewell is often chosen by families with strong ties to their community, where friends, neighbours, workmates, club members, and extended family all want the opportunity to come together and pay their respects. For many people, this is the shape a funeral has always had, and there is comfort in that familiarity. It creates a shared space where grief can be expressed openly, support can be felt clearly, and a life can be honoured in full view of the community that surrounded it. For families who would feel the absence of that gathering, a public farewell can bring reassurance, connection, and the sense that this important leave-taking has been properly marked.
This option includes the essential professional services needed to arrange and lead a public farewell, together with care of the person who has died, an appropriate casket, and catering.
A Family Farewell is often the right choice when a smaller, more private gathering feels more true to the person who has died, or more manageable for those closest to them. Sometimes this reflects the wishes of the deceased. Sometimes it reflects the needs of the family, especially when large crowds, public attention, or constant expressions of sympathy feel overwhelming. In a smaller setting, people often feel more at ease to grieve honestly, speak more freely, and be fully present with one another. There is less pressure to host a crowd and more room for closeness, tears, reflection, and remembrance. This kind of farewell can support a healthy grief journey by creating safety, comfort, and space for the people who matter most.
This option includes the essential professional services needed for a smaller farewell, together with care of the person who has died and an appropriate casket. Catering can be added if desired.
A Quiet Goodbye offers a simple and intimate opportunity for close family and friends to gather, spend time together, and say their own personal farewells in a relaxed and informal setting. It is often chosen because it is more affordable, but its value is not only financial. For many families, the quietness of the room allows something deeply meaningful to happen. Stories are shared. Tears come more naturally. People can sit, reflect, and speak in their own time without the structure or pressure of a formal service. Though smaller and less ceremonial, a quiet goodbye can still play an important part in grief by creating space for acknowledgement, memory, connection, and comfort among the people who knew and loved the person best.
This option includes the essential professional services needed for a private gathering, together with care of the person who has died and an appropriate casket or presentation option. Catering can be added if desired.
For some families, direct cremation is the simplest and most practical choice. It may reflect financial considerations, or it may honour the clearly expressed wishes of the person who has died. We understand that some people say they do not want a funeral at all. Even so, we do not believe grief should be treated as something that can simply be bypassed. When direct cremation is chosen, we see it as the beginning of a wider conversation about how family and friends will acknowledge the death and find their way forward. That may include a private goodbye beforehand, time spent with the person before they come into our care, or a memorial gathering later on. In this way, even the simplest option can still hold meaning, dignity, and support for the grief journey.
This option includes the essential professional services for direct cremation, care of the person who has died, a cremation container, and the cremation fee. Additional opportunities for private goodbyes or a memorial service can also be explored.
A Personal Farewell is for families who want to honour a life in a way that feels less traditional and more reflective of the person themselves. It may be held at home, on a farm, in a woolshed, at a club, by the beach, at a favourite restaurant, or in our chapel. What matters is creating a setting and atmosphere that feel natural, welcoming, and right for the people gathering. This kind of farewell might begin with a drink on arrival, shared food, photographs, music, and conversation before a more formal welcome or time for stories. It gives people permission to grieve, remember, and celebrate in a way that feels genuine rather than prescribed, while still creating an important moment of connection, acknowledgement, and community support.
This option includes the essential professional services needed to plan and coordinate a more personalised farewell, together with care of the person who has died, an appropriate casket, and catering.
These starting prices are designed to give families a helpful guide, while recognising that every farewell is different. All options include professional funeral director services, care of the person who has died, and an appropriate casket or cremation container for the type of farewell chosen. From there, each service can be changed, upgraded, simplified, or personalised to reflect the wishes of the person who has died, the needs of the family, and any budgetary considerations.
Some costs, such as burial or cremation fees, venue choice, catering, flowers, notices, mileage, presentation, and other personal touches, may vary depending on what is chosen.
At Abraham’s, we have a no-surprises policy. Before any final decisions are made, we will provide a clear estimate so you understand the likely cost. If you have budgetary constraints, we will work with you honestly and respectfully to adjust arrangements so they remain meaningful and manageable.
We understand that financial considerations are important. Our team is here to help you explore options to create a meaningful farewell within your means. There are also financial support options available depending on your circumstances.
For a detailed, no-obligation quote or to discuss which option might best suit your needs, please get in touch with our team. We’re here to guide you every step of the way.
Prices accurate as of 1 July 2024. All prices subject to change.