We are going to be working together for a while. We may never meet – we may not even be on the same continent – but I will do my best to develop a friendly but professional relationship.
To start off with, I will ask one fundamental question:
“What do want me to do for you?”
Each person will have a different requirement.
Here are some examples:
- “I need a full family tree going back five generations.”
- “Information about one particular person.”
- “I need you to pop into the local archives to copy an extract from an old Parish Register.”
- “I need a photo of Grandmother’s old cottage.”
- “I need you to translate the writing in this old document.”
- “I would like to contact an friend (or relative) who I lost contact with thirty years ago.”
- … etc., etc.
Prices
- I charge at an hourly rate of £30 per hour.
- If I have to order any certificates to prove any research findings, I charge for these at cost. (For example UK birth/marriage/death certificates = £9.25, UK probate and wills = £10, etc.)
- Directories for recent addresses cost about £5 per search
- Printing, postage and stationery are charged at cost.
- Travel costs over 10 miles or 1 hour charged at £30 per hour.
Spending Targets
- I usually recommend that we agree an initial spending target so that I will check back with you that you are happy with progress.
- For example we might agree to set an initial upper limit of £150 (that’s about 4 hours of research and 3 certificates).
- If there is still more to do, then you can choose to carry on to the next check point.
Payment
- I will provide you with an itemised invoice, to give you transparency of the costs.
- Payment can be by cheque or by BACS transfer directly to my bank account.
- Overseas customers, please ask for alternative arrangements.
The Usual Deliverables
- I will send you, by email, a report on my findings.
- This will usually be in the form of a “narrative” text file, a family tree and copies of certificates, newspaper clippings, etc. Please note that this can sometimes take quite a lot of time to pull together into a useful format.
- A “hard copy” can be prepared and posted at the hourly rate quoted above.
- Of course, there may be other things to deliver. In different projects I have delivered : a set of replica World War One medals, a family tree mounted in a picture frame, the address of a missing beneficiary to a Will, etc.
What I Need From You
- As much information as possible!
- ALL names, dates, locations, occupations that you already know about your ancestors.
- Copies of any certificates, wills, photos, letters, books, existing family trees …. paperwork of any kind that might provide clues in my researches.
- Family rumours, legends, scandal, gossip!
- It’s amazing how often a seemingly insignificant piece of information can lead to a major breakthrough.