A full-service funeral home has the knowledge, equipment, and the personnel to fulfill the requirements of any family's choices, regardless of the location. The most common choices are earth burial, above ground entombment or cremation. Most funerals in North America conclude with earth burial, which is burying the remains contained in a casket into the ground. Selections for this option generally include a casket, an outer burial container, a grave, a headstone, gravemarker or memorial. Above-ground entombment is provided in mausoleums, buildings designed and maintained to house human remains.
Mausoleums are especially popular in certain regions of North America.
The availability and price ranges of mausoleum crypts vary depending on geographic location. Another choice is cremation. People choose cremation for a variety of reasons, including environmental concerns, personal preference, religious beliefs, changing family traditions and the fact we are living in a more transit society. Cremation is not intended to replace the elements of the traditional funeral, but is simply an alternative to earth burial or entombment. Accompanying funeral services can range from the most traditional with visitation and a funeral service to a cremation with a memorial service or a direct cremation.