Financial Comparisons
The simplicity of a natural burial means it does not need to be expensive. The costs for a natural burial are significantly less expensive than a traditional burial. Many of the conventional expenses, including embalming and elaborate caskets and headstones, have been eliminated.
A traditional burial with embalming costs an average of $8,000 and up, depending on services and location.
A natural burial at Cool Spring ranges from $2,800 for two cremation burials to $8,350 for one natural burial. Here are some examples of the costs you will find at Cool Spring Natural Cemetery, with advance planning discounts:
- $2,800 for a cremation plot in the Woodland Rest, opening/closing, and one engraved memorial river-stone. ($3,000 if purchased at the time of need.) This is equivalent to as little as $1,400 per person, as two interments are permitted on cremation sites.
- $4,750 for a single natural burial in the Woodland Rest and engraved memorial river-stone ($5,250 at need).
- $8,350 for a single natural burial in the Circle of Silence and engraved memorial river-stone ($9,150 at need).
Be sure to investigate all costs, including services that are not provided by the Cemetery but instead are offered by funeral homes. In particular, when comparing the cost of cremation to natural body burial, note that cremation service is not provided by Cool Spring Natural Cemetery and cremation costs can vary widely.
Advance Planning
For peace of mind, we recommend making provisions in advance. This will relieve your loved ones of the distress that comes from making difficult, often costly, decisions during a time of grief. A 10% Pre-Need discount also applies to site fees paid for in full before the time of need.
Prices
(as of August 2014)
Circle of Silence
$8,000 – Natural Burial Site (10’x5′, one burial per site)
$4,000 – Cremation Burial Site (5’x3′, two burials per site)
Blue Ridge Meadow
$6,000 – Natural Burial Site (10’x5′, one burial per site)
$3,000 – Cremation Burial Site (5’x3′, two burials per site)
Woodland Rest
$4,000 – Natural Burial Site (10’x5′, one burial per site)
$2,000 – Cremation Burial Site (5’x3′, two burials per site)
A 10% Discount applies to all sites purchased Pre-Need.
Interment fees, Memorial Stone, and other costs vary based on your needs. These range from $500 – $1,500.
Opening and closing of a grave: $650
Opening and closing of cremation plot for the two interments permitted: $500
Memorial Stone: $500 (or $250 plus engraving costs, typically an additional $250)
Cremation services are not provided by Cool Spring Natural Cemetery and must be purchased elsewhere.
Other reminders
Scheduling Funerals: while funerals may take place any day of the week, the monks encourage you to plan a day other than Sunday if possible. No interments are permitted on New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, July 4th, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
Disinterment: disinterment service is not offered by Cool Spring Natural Cemetery.
Be sure to review the Rules for more information before purchasing your site.