A Guide To Different Burial Options – Mausoleum, Plot, And Cremation

When planning for end-of-life arrangements for a lost loved one, you will come across the need to pick the right burial option. The Abbotsford cemetery you select would usually offer a few common options to consider. They include mausoleum crypts, burial plots, and cremation burials. If you have no idea what option to select, feel free to read on. We will share the pros and cons associated with each method and help you decide the right way forward.

Mausoleum Crypts

 A mausoleum is an above-ground structure that contains multiple crypt spaces lined side-by-side and stacked on top of one another. Each private crypt is a resting place for the casket or urn burials. Mausoleums are typically constructed of granite, marble, or limestone. They can be outdoor free-standing structures or part of a larger building complex.

Advantages

• Protection from elements – Being enclosed within a building shelter crypts from weather and ground deterioration over time. This allows preservation of remains. 
• Lower maintenance – There is less groundskeeping needed than burial plots. Mausoleum exteriors require occasional cleaning and sealing.
• Controlled access – Mausoleums have locked entryways preventing unwanted access. This provides security and peace of mind.

Disadvantages

• Higher cost – Purchase of a mausoleum space ranges from $8,000-$35,000 on average. Some estate lots with ornate custom designs can reach over $100k. Ongoing care & maintenance fees also apply.
• Limited legacy – Unless you purchase a full family estate lot, the right to inter additional family is restricted in a shared mausoleum.
• Potential water damage – Condensation or small cracks in crypts may allow moisture inside over decades. This accelerates the decomposition of remains.

Burial Plots 

The most traditional option is an in-ground burial plot dug into cemetery grounds. The depth accommodates a vault holding the casket. After lowering into place, plots are covered again with soil & grass. Graves may also later accommodate urns holding cremated remains. This is the most common option for Muslim burials because of the cultural traditions. Hence, you need to check if burial plots are offered when searching for a Muslim cemetery near me. 

Advantages

• Wider availability – Burial plots are the most abundant method allowing resting places in preferred cemeteries.
• Legacy building – Multi-grave family lots allow generations to be buried together. Headstones preserve lineage. Only Bakerview Memorial Cemetery allows this since most other cemeteries are full in the lower mainland. 

Disadvantages

• Expense over time – Though initial purchase cost may be less, ongoing plot care quickly adds expense. Families pay for landscaping, and headstone repair over decades.
• Deterioration – Buried caskets face moisture, corrosion, and crushing weight of soil above. This accelerates the breakdown of remains and mementos over the long term. However, this will not be an issue at Bakerview Memorial Cemetery, as it has concrete liners to stop soil from crushing the remains. 
• Limited control – Public access to cemetery grounds makes vandalism, theft, and disrespect possible.

Cremation 

With cremation, intense heat reduces the body to bone fragments. These remains are then pulverized and placed into an urn. Loved ones may keep urns, scatter or inter them in urn burial plots, mausoleum niches or columbarium.

Advantages

• Lower cost – Direct cremation services average under $2,000 as of 2022. This makes memorial expenses more manageable. Urn plots & niches are also less than full burials.
• Flexible memorials – Cremated remains allow creative interment like scattering in nature or division between multiple urns. Keepsakes hold symbolic amounts.
• Limited waste – Cremation conserves land and lowers carbon footprint compared to casket burials. This appeals to environmentally conscious families.

Disadvantages

• Emotional difficulty – Some cultures & religions still frown upon cremation. The process also permanently alters remains, making an open casket impossible.
• Urn vulnerability – Interred urns face risk of breakage or rising to surface over decades. Scattered remains may become lost.
• Storage responsibility – If remains are not permanently placed, the family accepts the ongoing duty of safe storage. Forgotten urns sometimes turn up in real estate sales.

Final Words 

Based on this, you can now figure out the best way to plan the end-of-life arrangements of your lost loved one is. Once you decide, get in touch with a graveyard near me and proceed with the next steps. Though this life stage comes with emotional turmoil and difficulty, planning mindfully together as a family helps ensure peace. With over 100 years of combined experience, the staff at Bakerview Memorial Cemetery can help you navigate these challenges. Feel free to get in touch with the team today and discuss your burial options in detail.