Ad offers free funeral for construction work

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Talk about planning ahead.

A New York funeral director is offering a free funeral to someone who will undertake a construction job at his Manhattan home in exchange.

"It may sound like a laughable barter transaction, but consider the average cost of paying for a funeral. ... Ask someone that recently had a funeral what they paid!!!" wrote funeral director Peter Dohanich, 51, in a listing posted on the online classified service Craigslist.com last week.

Dohanich said he is looking for a builder or contractor to do some remodeling for a new patio but did not have the cash on hand for the project. "Someone told me, if you're looking for services, look on barter," Dohanich said.

So far, Dohanich said he has gotten a few calls from prospective takers but has not yet filled the job.

The idea makes sense because the estimated cost of the construction work, at $6,000 to $10,000, is similar to the cost of a funeral, he said.

The average cost of a funeral in the United States is about $7,300, according to the National Funeral Directors Association, which said it was not aware of any precedent for bartering funeral services.

(Reporting by Rebekah Kebede; Editing by Ellen Wulfhorst and Todd Eastham)