For sale: Coffin - cheap as chipboard

Noel Fraser reckons he might be on to a good thing - making cheap coffins.

Nobody has yet bought the one the 80-year-old Rotorua man whipped up for himself before deciding he might be able to make a dollar or two selling his design.

But he has a plan if business is slow. "I'll put up a sign out the front saying 'El cheapo coffins, free measure and quote'."

He came up with the idea after his wife Tam died last year.

She didn't want a fuss. The 86-year-old made her husband promise there would be no funeral and no tears and she insisted he buy the cheapest coffin possible for her cremation.

Despite his best efforts, Mr Fraser ended up paying $2800 in funeral directors' fees, which included an $800 coffin.

It got him thinking there must be a cheaper way.

"I decided I was going to make my own coffin. I'm not going to have the damn funeral director making money out of it."

Mr Fraser bought himself some gib board and glue - at a cost of $80 - and knocked up a simple coffin that will do him when his time is up.

He is also doing away with a funeral director for his farewell, organising a mate to "throw" his hand-made coffin on the back of his ute and drive him to the crematorium.

Mr Fraser figures he isn't the only one who balks at the cost of coffins, so has decided to test the market and see if there might be a demand for his cheap alternative.

Last week, he advertised in the Daily Post to sell the coffin he'd made for $150. So far no one has bought it but he reckons it's early days. "One bloke rang about it and asked if it would fit two bodies. It's a bit of a stupid question. I don't expect to hear from him again."

Although taking a little cutting and gluing time, Mr Fraser said the coffin was relatively easy to make.

"It's not tapered towards the feet. That's only complicating the making of it."

If he sells it, he will make up another for himself.

"I've been in that one. It's a good fit. I had to try it for size."