Funeral Parlour or Void Deck Funerals?

Contemplating between holding a funeral wake at a funeral parlour or a void deck? There are various factors to consider when deciding between the two and we will break them down for you in this article in the hope that these information will help you to make a more informed decision with regards to the venue to hold a funeral wake in Singapore.

1) Religion

Funeral Parlours in Singapore can be categorised as religious and non-religious. For Christians and Catholics, some churches allow funeral wakes to be held in their premises. Even so, some Catholic Churches allow only baptised Catholics to hold wakes at their premise. For Teo Chew funeral parlour, the decedent has to be either free-thinker, Buddhist or Taoist for his/her funeral wake to be hosted there. For non-religious funeral parlours, they allow the decedent of any religion to be have their funeral hosted at their premises.

2) Cost

Non religious funeral parlours charges start from SGD650 per day and can go up to SGD3,000 per day depending on which parlour is chosen. Churches charges start from SGD550 per day. Toilets are included in these rates but refrigerators are usually additional charges. The cost for erecting a tentage is about SGD1,400 for three days. If you compare strictly, even the most cost effective option for a funeral parlour would be about SGD1,950 for three days and it would comparatively be higher than having a funeral wake at the void deck with the tentage erected.

3) Location

Void decks are usually the most conveniently located for the bereaved families and it feels closer to home for the decedent. Neighbours of the decedent would also be able to visit the funeral wake without traveling too far and this is especially beneficial if the neighbours of the decedent are of a certain age. Void deck funerals have the added advantage of allowing family members the option to head upstairs back to their home should they need a rest. If you choose to hold the funeral at a funeral parlour, you would have to make your way down to the funeral parlour and stay throughout the entire day before making your way back home. Do remember to bring everything with you that you need to avoid making a trip back home unnecessarily.

4) Attendance

Void deck funerals require someone to stay vigil throughout the wake duration since there are items placed at the wake venue subjected to being misappropriated. Most funeral parlours can be locked up should the family members head home. All churches would have a closing hour which means that everyone including family members of the decedent have to head home by a certain time should the funeral wake be held at a church. If the main reason of not wanting to hold the funeral wake at a void deck is because there is no one to tend to the place at night, consider hiring a Nightguard to keep vigil in the night instead. This is a very popular and affordable option.

5) Air-conditioned Premise

Void deck funerals are oftentimes not air-conditioned. You can choose to instal portable air conditioners at void decks with the proper transparent shields to keep the cold air within a confined space. However, prices are usually steep for such an option. Funeral parlours can be non-air-conditioned, semi-air-conditioned or fully air-conditioned.

6) Venue Size

Void decks are oftentimes bigger in size compared to funeral parlours when hosting a funeral. However, when hosting the funeral at a block instead of a multipurpose hall, there are pillars that would potentially obstruct the erection of the tentage. Aesthetically, it might not be as pleasant compared to if the tentage is erected in a big open space like a multipurpose hall.