What types of things should a person consider when selecting a plot?

Mostly, it is whatever you feel comfortable with. Do you want an above- or below-ground burial, the inside or outside of a mausoleum? Do you want to be cremated or have a casketed burial?

How does that work?

It happens when people get married or move. Maybe they decided they want their ashes scattered.

Sometimes we will buy back the unused plots, but it isn’t usual. And it will be for what the family paid, not what the plots are selling for now.

Some people will advertise to sell the plots to a third party. A lot of people will donate them to a church or the VFW or some organization to be used for a needy person.

What does the cost of the burial plot include?

You are paying for the right to be buried there. It’s not your real estate, or your piece of land. It is just a place to be buried.

One of the things people complain about is that they can’t plant anything on the plot. They will say, ‘That is my space. I can do what I want.’

No, you bought the rights to the space.

How many people purchase their burial plots in advance?

Probably 95 to 98 percent. The high, high majority have at least their spaces prepaid, and some have everything prepaid. Every once in a while you will get someone where nothing is paid for. It’s pretty unusual, unless it is for a young person who was killed in an accident.

What other costs are involved?

For a burial, you still have the vaults to pay for, the interment fees (opening and closing the grave) and the headstone.

For a mausoleum, you have to pay for the lettering on the crypt front, the physical crypt front itself and the entombment fees (opening and closing).

When taken as a package deal, the prices are comparable.

Ask yourself
• Does the cemetery provide perpetual care?
• Do I want to be buried in a traditional cemetery or a park-like setting?
• If a loved one dies on a weekend, will I be able to contact someone at the cemetery to make arrangements?
• What are the cemetery’s rules and regulations, such as policies on plantings or the removal of withered flowers?
• If I choose cremation for myself or a loved one, what do I want to do with the remains?

Remember
• Cemeteries sometimes run promotions. Treat this like a business and look for a good deal.
• Feel free to shop around and ask questions.
• Get it in writing.
SOURCE: David Ison, president of Kansas Cemetery Association and vice president for Penwell-Gabel Cemetery & Mausoleum

What it costs

Costs for burial plots vary widely, with some cemeteries offering a set fee and others a range or prices. The following figures cover the cost of plots, or space, at select cemeteries in the Topeka area.

Mount Hope Cemetery Co.,
4700 S.W. 17th St.
Range: $500 to $1,200
Average: $700 to $800
Multiple space discount: No

Topeka Cemetery,
1601 S.E. 10th St.
Single: $400
Double: $700

Penwell-Gabel Cemetery
& Mausoleum
Cremation: $250 and up
Ground: $575 to $1,000
Mausoleum: $4,900 to $10,300

Note: The mausoleum price includes the space, container and outside marker. The variance is based on several factors, including whether the crypt is single or double, and where it is located.

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