Think of the best location for your loved one (near the house, near the family rose garden, near a favorite tree).
Take note of the soil. If it is sandy or rocky, both will limit how deep you can safely dig.
Take note of the measurements of the body and the container it will be buried in (if any), to determine the correct size of grave. It can be helpful to measure a string or small rod to the proper size; this can be hung or laid down into the grave to ensure the depth and width are accurate.
Consider whether a backhoe will fit in the space needed to dig the grave or if the grave required must be dug by hand.
If the grave must be dug by hand, more than one worker is helpful. An active, healthy worker could dig a 4 ft. grave within 3 hours. A bucket is helpful to exit from the hole after completing the job.
Always shore up the first 2 ft. of the grave so mourners can stand by it safely.
Leave a mound atop the grave after the burial so the ground can settle flat.
Many underground utility lines and some water lines run shallow in residential neighborhoods. For your safety, and the safety of your neighborhood, plan ahead.
Most counties require a 2-day advance notice to locatethese lines for you, and mark them, so you can dig safely. For instance, if you're planning a home burial for Wednesday, you should call on Monday. (However, please check with your local county for exact advance notice requirements prior to digging.)
Calling your county for utility markers (locates) is important to ensure your safety as well as the safety of your neighborhood.
Below is an example of typical street locates.
The below image shows typical utility flags used to mark underground lines in lawns and gardens.
People find emotional meaning in the rituals of touching, watching, and sitting with the body.
People find comfort in not outsourcing the death care of loved ones to professionals. When death care is not outsourced, these strangers are not intruding into the privacy of the family at such an important time.
Home burial saves on fees normally paid for burial land in cemeteries or for cremation.
Home burial frees one from restrictions of a normal cemetery (grave markers, flowers, plantings, grave liner).
Transportation
Families should obtain the death certificate and burial transit permit so the body can be transported legally. Some state require this transit permit to remain with the body at all times.
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