Following the cremation, there are different available options to preserve your loved one’s ashes. Although some people prefer to disperse the ashes or keep them in an urn at home, a columbarium is the perfect place for a common memorial space. Yves Légaré funeral homes tell you all there is to know about the columbarium, how much it costs and how it works.
What is a columbarium?
A columbarium is a structure that contains niches. These are alcoves that are specifically crafted to welcome cinerary urns containing the deceased’s ashes. It is a common memorial space where all those who are grieving can gather to pay their respects. A columbarium is an interesting option for those who wish to have a significant resting place for their loved one’s ashes.
A columbarium can be placed in a mausoleum, or not. Moreover, both terms are often used interchangeably, but for informational purposes, a mausoleum is a large funeral monument that can also welcome coffins or caskets. A columbarium is reserved to ashes.
A columbarium is a structure that contains niches. These are alcoves that are specifically crafted to welcome cinerary urns containing the deceased’s ashes. It is a common memorial space where all those who are grieving can gather to pay their respects. A columbarium is an interesting option for those who wish to have a significant resting place for their loved one’s ashes.
A columbarium can be placed in a mausoleum, or not. Moreover, both terms are often used interchangeably, but for informational purposes, a mausoleum is a large funeral monument that can also welcome coffins or caskets. A columbarium is reserved to ashes.
Different Types of Columbaria
Columbaria can take on several different types of designs, materials, and locations. There are interior columbaria, for example in funeral homes or mausoleums. It is also possible to choose an exterior columbarium, which is integrated into the cemetery.
There are also different types of funeral niches. They generally come in sizes ranging from 9 to 12 square inches, and they can be for an individual urn or welcome multiple urns.
The façade can be made from different materials, like granite or bronze, for example, where there can also be engraved inscriptions or a commemorative plaque. Niches with a glass façade are quite popular, and will allow you to display the urn, a picture of your loved one and a few small commemorative objects, thus becoming a sort of memory box. Glass façades are only available on interior columbaria.
Purchasing a Niche in a Columbarium
If you would like to display your loved one’s cremation ashes in a columbarium, you must first purchase the concession. A concession gives you burial rights for a designated space in the cemetery, which in this case is the cremation niche. The person who owns the burial rights is known as the concession holder; it is possible to purchase a family columbarium or an individual one. This concession can be sold by the cemetery or by a funeral home.
Depending on the terms stated in the contract, the concession is granted for 99 years or less. You will have the right to display a picture in a preapproved frame, along with other small souvenirs like jewelry. Visits are permitted during the viewing space’s opening hours.
Once the concession contract has expired, the cemetery will contact the concession holder with the possibility of renewing the contract, and renewal will be possible within 60 days following the end of the contract. In this case, you will be able to renew the concession for the columbarium at the current rate.
Why Choose a Columbarium?
Maximize Space
One of the major advantages of a columbarium is the fact that it helps maximize space. A burial requires much more space, and it can sometimes even be challenging to find a burial plot given how limited they are. A columbarium displays cinerary urns vertically, thus maximizing the amount of available space, while also offering a respectable commemorative place to honour a deceased loved one’s memory.
Moreover, given that it is not necessary to purchase a piece of land for the burial plot, the price for an individual columbarium is much more affordable.
Simplicity and Access
A columbarium is a simple option that also releases you from the need for maintenance. Columbaria are also generally located in areas that are easily accessible to everyone, ensuring that each bereaved individual can visit freely to pay their respects. The interior columbarium, for example, offers even easier access, including to people with physical limitations or to those who would like to visit even during bad weather.
Rather than displaying only one person’s urn, a columbarium offers a dedicated commemorative space, no matter if it is in an interior setting or a lush garden. Commemorative rituals can also help overcome the different stages of grief.
Factors That Affect the Price
Location
Depending on where the columbarium is located, prices can fluctuate significantly. In fact, prices are subject to the value of the land, which varies from one city to another, one neighborhood to another, and other factors.
When we refer to location, it also includes where the niche itself is located. Placing an urn at an eye-level height is generally more expensive than one that is located on the ground, for example.
Size and Type of Urn
The larger the niche, the more expensive it will be. An individual niche in a columbarium will also obviously cost less than a family niche or a larger niche.
Don’t forget to take into account the price of the urn itself. It is also important to mention that some types of urns might not be accepted, including biodegradable and wooden urns, which could deteriorate due to surrounding levels of humidity.
Additional Costs
When you purchase a concession, you might want to customize the columbarium so that you can honour your loved one by creating a space in their image. A marble surface, for example, might be accentuated with an engraved inscription or a customized commemorative plaque. Special lighting could also lead to additional costs.
Finally, some added benefits can allow you to improve the space, like those giving you access to a commemorative area where people can gather, for example. When calculating your budget, costs for customizing the commemorative final resting place should be taken into consideration.
Average Cost of a Columbarium
In average, a niche in a columbarium has an estimated cost of $ 1,200. This means that it is a less expensive option than a concession for a casket, which is around $ 2,500 in average, plus the cost of the casket itself.
How Much Does a Niche in a Columbarium Cost?
Although the average price is around $ 1,200, a niche can cost between $ 350 and $ 5,000. As we have mentioned, this will depend on its size, capacity and location, but also the duration of the contract.
The price of the concession will be clearly indicated in the burial contract. It is also possible to plan for this purchase by opting for funeral prearrangements.
Our Cemeteries and Columbaria
Yves Légaré offers luminous and peaceful commemorative spaces. You can display your urns in the Saint-Christophe Mausoleum Columbarium in Longueuil, which includes a place to gather and pay your respects. Exterior niches are also available in the Près du Fleuve Cemetery, a large piece of land with trees and flowers. The Papineau Cemetery and the Du Ruisseau Mausoleum also offers interior and exterior mausoleums in Laval.
Yves Légaré funeral homes in Pierrefonds, Anjou, Châteauguay and other locations, adapt to your needs and preferences with empathy and deep levels of respect for all different cultures and beliefs. You will have the opportunity to choose among a columbarium or burial vault, or a traditional funeral service with burial if this is your wish. Take a look at our different funeral ceremonies to find out more.
