Grave Liner or Burial Vault Fees and Services

The grave liner or burial vault fees and services that accompany the costs of laying a loved on to rest can fall within a rather wide range. If the grave simply needs a liner your costs will be lower. If a burial vault is required, the fees will be higher. This is not an application required by law. Yet, the cemetery is likely to require it because it protects the grave from issues with settling dirt, caving, and issues related to the elements. It's important to make sure that you understand what you need in order to provide the proper burial for your loved one.

What are Grave Liner and Burial Vault Fees?

The grave liner and burial vault fees are part of the traditional Earth burial service fees. The purpose of each is to maintain the integrity of the ground. Without these basic structural reinforcements, over time the casket would deteriorate and the ground would start to sink. There are some cemeteries that at one point did not require these reinforcements and thus the sunken ground has had to be maintained by the staff. Sometimes you can see that older graves are slowly caving in and are in need of attention and the weight of the dirt continues to push the casket flatter.

This is generally not something that most of us wish to face at the grave site of a loved one, and thus we need a structural reinforcement that will help prevent these events. A grave liner is the less expensive option of the two and is usually crafted of cement. Some cemeteries simply pour a cement casing along the sides and on top of the casket before closing the grave. Other cemeteries will build a cement liner that encompasses the grave and then pour a layer on the top of the casket before burial is completed. This can all be done before the casket arrives and is not part of the service.

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A burial vault may also be made of concrete but can also be made of other materials. It encompasses the entire grave, including the bottom. It is more structurally sound than the grave liner and is often guaranteed to prevent any type of dirt settling.

Are Grave Liner and Burial Vault Fees Required?

Grave liner and burial vault fees are almost always required. It is not considered to be acceptable to the cemeteries to have sunken grave sites. In some cases, it can eventually lead to unsanitary conditions, and while state laws do not govern this aspect of burial, the cemetery that you choose will have its own requirements.

For instance, many cemeteries will not bury multiple caskets on top of each other without a burial vault. A grave liner is often only an option for a single plot burial. Many cemeteries that permit stacking caskets within a grave require the burial vault to be installed at the time of the burial of the first casket, as the integrity of the casket may or may not be in the appropriate condition to move to add the vault to the bottom of the grave upon the burial of the second individual.

Do the Grave Liner and Burial Vault Fees Prevent Decomposition?

Decomposition is a natural state of the end of life. While it might not be pleasant to consider, this is the state that most of us return to after death. The grave liner and burial vault fees do not cover such aspects as preventing water from entering the grave or preventing the natural state of decomposition from taking place. Eventually, all caskets will wear down and succumb to the elements, the pressure of the dirt, and the natural cycle of life.

If your funeral director indicates or the cemetery indicates that there is a state law in place requiring a burial vault, you may wish to consider another alternative funeral director. If the funeral director or the cemetery indicates that the grave liner and burial vault fees protect your loved one's casket from eventual deterioration and prevent decay or the natural elements from entering the grave, you are in fact being misled.

It's unfortunate that the attempts to create a beautiful service for your loved one can be littered with monetary gains like talking you into a vault over a liner based on a false statement.

It is required by law that you are permitted to see a grave liner and burial vault fees list prior to being shown any of the outer protective arrangements offered through the cemetery. In many situations, the less expensive option is to purchase the necessary structural reinforcement from an independent supplier and have the cemetery install it prior to burial. Understanding what is the law and what is not the law will help prevent you from over reaching on your budget and saving money where it is possible.

*  Grave liner and burial vault fees are standard for most cemeteries to help preserve the integrity of the site but it is still important to understand what is required and what each can do before making a final decision.