1. How are you different from other cremation providers?

a. A Basic Cremation costs only $739.50 plus tax, which is up to 80% cheaper than most funeral homes, depending on where you call. A Basic Cremation is privately owned by PRESTON WEBB and family, unlike other cremation-only providers, who use words and phrases like "simple cremation, we come to you, come to us and save, an affordable cremation, lowest cost cremation guaranteed, no service by request, family-owned, arranged directly or deal directly with the crematorium, when that's all you need, because that's all we do and just " in their names and ads.

b. Unknown to the public, they are actually either owned by or affiliated to traditional funeral homes who practice 2-tier or "double-standard" pricing. The price depends on whether you call the "parent" funeral home number or their cremation-service only number and sometimes on whether you go to their office or they go to you. Their funeral home price typically starts from two to three times as much as their cremation-only price and they may charge quite a bit more just to go to your home!

c. Some of these "parent" funeral homes will actually offer to"match" any lower price such as ours, but all that really means is that they just tried to take advantage of you in the first place, since they actually CAN do it for a lower price after all! Think about that for a minute instead of being fooled into thinking you just got a GREAT DEAL from them! It's "double-standard" pricing! Why didn't they just quote the lower price in the first place?

d. At A Basic Cremation we have only one basic price and we will meet you anywhere in Greater Vancouver that is convenient to you, to make the arrangements. We will first come to make the cremation arrangements and subsequently to deliver the ashes and Death Certificate(s) to you in about a week after the arrangements are made.

e. Alternatively you can make these arrangements by fax or email - all you need is a printer and a scanner or fax. You DON'T EVER have to step into a crematory or funeral home unless you choose to.

We are also different from other cremation providers in that:

i) We do not use flimsy cardboard containers to cremate your loved one's remains in. These containers are just that - flimsy cardboard boxes, which show no respect or dignity to your loved one. We ONLY use rigid wood based cremation containers which will not collapse or even bend when your loved one's remains are placed in them. Please note that these containers are good for up to 300lbs (136kg). In excess of this weight we have to use a heavy-duty container at a nominal extra cost.

ii) We do not require or demand "payment up-front" or even a deposit when making the arrangements, as most of our competitors do. In fact, we actually prefer that you not pay us until we complete everything and return your loved one's ashes and the Death Certificate(s) to you back at your home or other location convenient to you. You are entrusting the care of your loved one to us, surely we can trust you to pay us when we return!

2. Where are you located?

A Basic Cremation's registered office is in Coquitlam but you don't have to worry about coming to us  because we will meet you ANYWHERE in Greater Vancouver to make the arrangements and to deliver the ashes and Death Certificate(s) when they are ready. The arrangements comprise of completing A Basic Cremation contract, the Cremation Authorization and where applicable, the CPP/OAS Notification of Death, taking about 30 minutes of your time.

3. Where do you take our loved ones' remains to?

Your loved one's remains are transferred to the crematorium to await documentation and scheduling for cremation. The cremation can only be done after 48 hours have passed from the time of death and all the necessary documentation is in place. However the remains will be transferred to the crematorium as soon as practically possible.

4. How long does it take?
Under normal circumstances, we deliver the ashes and Death Certificate(s) to the family in about a week from the day the arrangements are made. Occasional delays such as a late hospital release or difficulty in reaching a physician for the medical certificate of death or a Coroner's investigation into the death can sometimes extend this delivery period slightly, though this is rare.

5. What are the costs?

A Basic Cremation costs $739.50 plus HST for everything, including one Provincial Death Certificate and Consumer Protection BC's Admin Fee. (See Our Basic Package). Optional extras such as the purchase of an urn, additional Death Certificates, viewing, dressing, witnessing the start of the cremation, transfer from a private residence in the case of a planned home-death, after hours transfer (6pm to 8am, Monday to Saturday or anytime on a Sunday or Holiday), heavy-duty cremation container or permanent scattering/sea scattering of the ashes do incur optional additional fees, but $739.50 plus HST is a FAIR PRICE and we will meet you ANYWHERE in Greater Vancouver, so why pay more?

6. What if we want a viewing or to witness the start of the cremation?

This can be arranged with sufficient notice and only in this instance would you have to go to the crematory, which currently levies additional fees for a viewing or witnessing the start of the cremation. Viewing does involve some additional work and the use of their viewing room and witnessing the start of the cremation does interrupt the crematorium's busy schedule. In a short time we will have our very own, centrally-located crematory which will eliminate these additional fees.

7. What if we don't want the ashes back?

You can authorize us in writing during the arrangements to scatter the ashes permanently on your behalf, for a very nominal fee as this is an optional, extra service. The ashes will be scattered in our own time, in an undisclosed location.

8. What about burying or shipping the ashes?

We will provide you with a list of local cemeteries and you will deal directly with the cemetery of your choice. As an extra service we will deliver the ashes directly to any cemetery in the Greater Vancouver for you at no extra charge. In the case of shipping, we will package and ship the ashes for you pre-paid. All shipping, packaging and handling costs are extra.

9. What if we want to have a service?

A Basic Cremation is for families who either do not wish to have a service or who prefer to arrange a Memorial Service or celebration gathering directly with a church or other facility or just have friends and family gather in their home or a local community hall, rec hall or favourite restaurant for a reception and Celebration of Life. We can suggest a church or reception facility in your area and you would arrange the service or reception directly with them. We can also recommend a Minister or Celebrant for the service.

10. What about newspaper death notices?

In our experience most families prefer to phone, fax or e-mail these in directly themselves. Remember to have your credit card number ready when you contact them.

11. Why aren't you a member of the BBB?

A Basic Cremation replaces any funeral home and is fully licensed and regulated by Consumer Protection BC. If you need to confirm our legitimacy and license status please contact Consumer Protection BC since they are ones who license and regulate the cremation, funeral and cemetery industry.
The BBB neither licenses nor regulates us or our industry and we do not agree with the fact that the other cremation providers mentioned in Question 1 above are also members of the BBB "in good standing", who charge unnecessarily high prices and some of them practice 2 tier pricing and price-matching.