Firstly, we discuss your project and define your research goal. I ask you to provide me with whatever information you can about your family before I begin so that I do not reproduce the information you already have. We will discuss the project's scope and your objectives, the time involved and the costs, and I will ask you to sign a contract and provide payment for the first phase of the research. I will report to you about my progress periodically, usually weekly or after expenses have reached a certain point. You are free to extend or end the project at any time.

 

The initial half-hour consultation is free. I charge a flat hourly rate plus reimbursement for expenses. Packages have a fixed rate. Expenses can include certificate fees, copying, postage, microfilm rental, repository entry fees, and travel costs. I charge only the actual costs and provide receipts.

 

No competent genealogist can guarantee that the information you seek will be found for projects of any depth or complexity. I always expect to find information, and I usually do, but I want my clients to understand that they are paying for my time and knowledge and not for guaranteed results. The records you seek may have been lost, destroyed, or misplaced. Older records may no longer exist or may never have been recorded. Mistakes are surprisingly common in records, resulting in names, dates, locations, and other details that may remain hidden. Even the longest-standing family stories from the most trusted of relatives can have errors that take the research in the wrong direction. My job is to use my training, resources, skills, and experience to conduct a thorough search and to think ‘outside the box’ when records are absent.

 

The more you can tell me about your ancestors, the better. Names, dates, and locations are important pieces of the puzzle, and family stories, heirlooms and documents can help fill in the picture.  I will give you a family history questionnaire and ask you to provide me with information and any goals you may wish to achieve. Firstly, I want to start off on a solid foundation, so if you have information, it will jumpstart the research and help the search to be more focused. Secondly, I do not want to waste your time or money by searching for the information you already have. But if you do not have much information, I will use whatever you can give me and go from there.