Consultation
- Not separately charged
- Confidential intake and service-fit guidance
- Used to confirm whether the service package fits before service hours begin
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Clear Pricing, Before You Commit
When home already feels uncertain, pricing should not add more fog. This page is here to show you the structure plainly, explain what is included, and help you understand how the budget is usually shaped before any paid work begins.
Consultation
Service Pricing
Report writing is billed separately at $150 per hour. Next-day reporting is not included in the service package. Confirm the reporting scope and delivery timing before work begins.
Review the service terms and privacy policy alongside the package rules before approving paid work.
Service Package - $1,500
- 10 Service Hours
- $150 Expense Credit
Package Rules and Surcharges
Service Hours
Service hours can only be purchased as part of the 10-hour service package.
Unused service hours expire 1 year from the package purchase date. If additional packages are purchased, the expiration date for all unused service hours resets to the new package expiration date.
Expense Credits
If expense credits are depleted, additional expenses are charged at cost.
Unused expense credits expire 1 year from the package purchase date. If additional packages are purchased, the expiration date for all unused expense credits resets to the new package expiration date.
Travel Time
Travel time is deducted from the available service hours in 1-hour blocks.
Travel to and from the service area counts against the package so you can see how many hours remain for investigation work.
Preparation Time
Preparation time is deducted from the available service hours in 1-hour blocks.
Document review, pre-surveillance planning, client background checks, and similar setup work count against the package in those 1-hour blocks.
Same-Day and Alternative Scheduling
A 1-Hour Same-Day Service Surcharge applies to any service and/or travel time scheduled on the same day the service starts.
A 1-Hour Alternative Scheduling Surcharge applies when a booking is scheduled via call, text, video, or in-person conversation instead of through the online booking system.
Same-Day Reporting and Holidays
A 1-Hour Same-Day Report Surcharge applies when a client requests delivery the same day service and/or travel is completed.
It adds a 30-minute buffer per 60 minutes of scheduled service time and starts immediately after service ends, or after all travel is completed when travel is part of the booking. A 20-Hour Holiday Surcharge applies to New Year's Day, Independence Day (day of and day after), Thanksgiving Day (day of and day after), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day (day of and day after), and New Year's Eve.
High-Risk and Stackable
An 80-Hour High-Risk Surcharge applies to service and/or travel provided in locations affected by war, civil unrest, terror attacks, natural disasters, industrial disasters, infrastructure failures, and public health emergencies.
All surcharges are stackable, and all surcharges are deducted from the available service hours.
Washington County and Budget Planning
The authoritative package and all billing rules remain on this page. Washington cases can span 39 counties; routing, hearing deadlines, service combinations and attorney coordination determine the agreed scope. These planning factors do not create another fee schedule.
Pierce County Travel
Tacoma and Pierce County work may need less travel from the office, depending on the actual locations and schedule. Local travel and preparation still consume service hours in 1-hour blocks; no field-hour allocation or savings is guaranteed.
King County Adds Routing and Time Pressure
Seattle-area work is well within reach, but traffic, scheduling windows, and the size of King County can change how efficiently a plan is used.
Kitsap, Snohomish, and Thurston Shift the Plan Differently
Ferry or bridge routing, north-south distance, and longer return windows all affect how time is paced when a file reaches beyond Pierce County.
Some Files Need a Statewide View From the Start
When the issue is already crossing counties, tied to an attorney, or moving toward a hearing, the budget usually needs to be built around the bigger picture instead of one local stop.
Washington family-law investigations move through 39 counties and very different local court rhythms. Understanding what actually drives cost makes it easier to build a service plan that fits the facts instead of guessing.
| Factor | Why It Changes Cost in Washington | What Usually Keeps It Clearer |
|---|---|---|
| County travel and routing | Cross-county work changes travel time, scheduling windows, and how much activity can realistically be covered in one package. | Being clear up front about where the case actually lives and which locations matter most. |
| Urgency tied to hearings or filings | Temporary orders, protection-order issues, and modification deadlines can force faster planning and reporting. | Sharing the real deadline and current case stage early so expedited work is planned, not reactive. |
| Multi-service combinations | Some matters need surveillance, research, digital evidence support, and witness work together, each with its own time demands. | Separating the must-have work from the nice-to-have work and phasing the budget accordingly. |
| Attorney and court process | Attorney-directed files often need more structured reporting, coordination, and communication discipline. | Being plain about whether the matter is client-led, attorney-directed, or already near a court event. |
| Seasonal and calendar pressure | School-year changes, summer schedules, and holiday conflicts can create sudden timing pressure in parenting cases. | Planning ahead of known high-conflict periods instead of waiting until the window narrows. |
Does statewide Washington work always cost more than Tacoma work?
Not always. The biggest difference is usually travel, timing, and whether the file needs multi-county coordination rather than one local activity area.
Can one package cover a file that moves between counties?
Often yes, but sometimes the better answer is to pace the work in phases so the budget stays tied to the facts that matter most first.
Where are the base prices and Washington planning factors?
The base package, travel rules and surcharges are on this pricing page. The Washington sections on this page explain county movement, routing, hearing deadlines and attorney coordination. The fee schedule is the same; scope and logistics determine the time required.
How does attorney-directed work affect Washington pricing?
Attorney-directed engagements may involve more formal reporting structure, privilege-aware communication, and coordination time. The goal is to account for that in the plan instead of surprising you later.
What if my case starts local but expands statewide?
The service scope can be adjusted as the facts develop. If a Pierce County case grows into King County or beyond, the scope and budget are updated plainly before that broader work begins.
Tacoma and Pierce County Budget Planning
The package price is shared. Local does not mean free travel, included reporting or guaranteed same-day availability. Confirm the actual task, deadlines, purchased-hour allocation and any move into King, Kitsap or Thurston counties before approving broader work.
How Local the Work Stays
Homes, schools, workplaces and exchange points close to Tacoma may reduce driving for some assignments. Confirm actual routes and timing. Travel and preparation still consume service hours in 1-hour blocks; being local does not guarantee more observation hours.
Pierce County Timing Pressure
Hearing dates, protection-order issues, and GAL-related planning can speed the work up quickly. Knowing the next real deadline helps shape the budget more honestly.
When the Matter Stops Being Local
Once regular work extends into King, Kitsap, or Thurston counties, the broader Washington pricing view usually becomes more useful than a purely local one.
How Focused the Plan Can Stay
A narrow local surveillance plan budgets differently from a file that also needs background work, witness development, digital evidence support, or court-ready reporting.
Being based in Tacoma can reduce travel for some Pierce County assignments. Actual costs depend on locations, timing, preparation, service hours, expenses, reporting and applicable surcharges.
| Advantage | How It Affects Your Budget |
|---|---|
| Minimal travel overhead | Some Pierce County assignments require less driving from Tacoma. Actual locations and traffic determine travel deductions; travel and preparation still consume purchased hours in 1-hour blocks. |
| Faster urgent response | Local proximity can simplify urgent scheduling, subject to availability and lawful scope. Same-day service is not guaranteed and any applicable same-day surcharge remains in effect. |
| Local court familiarity | Organize agreed reporting for counsel against current Pierce County instructions. Report writing is separately billed at $150 per hour; organization does not guarantee admission or a result. |
| Established area knowledge | Familiarity with Tacoma neighborhoods, schools, common exchange points and routes can assist planning. Actual reconnaissance, preparation and travel still count under the shared billing rules. |
Is Tacoma pricing different from Washington pricing?
The base package and billing rules are the same. Local proximity may reduce travel for a particular task, but actual locations, preparation, availability and applicable surcharges determine the service-hour allocation. Response time and savings are not guaranteed.
Should my budget be planned locally or across Washington?
Use the Tacoma and Pierce County sections when the work stays local, and the Washington sections when it spans counties. The base package and published billing rules are the same. Travel, preparation, reporting, expenses and applicable surcharges must be considered before agreeing to the scope.
What if the Tacoma matter spreads into other counties?
The service scope adjusts transparently. If a Pierce County matter grows into King County or Thurston County, the scope and budget are updated before that broader work begins.
Do local Tacoma cases cost less overall?
Not necessarily. Less driving can leave more purchased time available for other work, but actual travel, preparation, service scope, expenses, separately billed reporting and applicable stackable surcharges determine the budget. Agree the allocation before work begins.
Confirm locations and the budget through Washington consultation for cross-county work or Tacoma consultation for local work. Consultation is not separately charged.
Related Evidence and Planning Guides
- How investigation costs are planned in Washington: Compare package hours, travel, preparation, expenses and reporting rather than hourly rate alone.
- Scope, fees and deliverables in a PI agreement: Confirm what work is authorized and how changes will be handled.
Pricing FAQ
Do you charge separately for consultation?
No. Consultation is not separately charged. We use it to understand whether investigation support and the 10-hour service package fit before service hours begin.
What is included with the service package?
The service package includes 10 service hours and a $150 expense credit. Next-day reporting is not included. Report writing is billed separately at $150 per hour.
How is report writing charged?
Report writing is billed separately at $150 per hour. Next-day reporting is not included in the service package. Confirm the reporting scope and delivery timing before work begins.
When do package hours and credits expire?
Unused service hours and expense credits expire 1 year from the package purchase date. If an additional package is purchased, the expiration date for all unused service hours and expense credits resets to the new package expiration date.
How is travel time charged?
Travel time is deducted from the available service hours in 1-hour blocks.
How is preparation time charged?
Preparation time is deducted from the available service hours in 1-hour blocks.
When does the alternative scheduling service surcharge apply?
The 1-Hour Alternative Scheduling Surcharge applies when a service booking is scheduled via call, text, video, or in-person conversation instead of through the online booking system.
When does the same-day service surcharge apply?
The 1-Hour Same-Day Service Surcharge applies to any service and/or travel time scheduled on the same day the service will start, from 12:00 AM through 11:59 PM.
How does the same-day report surcharge work?
Report writing is billed separately at $150 per hour. Requested same-day delivery carries a 1-Hour Same-Day Report Surcharge deducted from available service hours. This surcharge does not make next-day reporting an included package benefit. Reporting scope and delivery timing must be confirmed before work begins. The same-day scheduling buffer is 30 minutes per 60 minutes of scheduled service time and starts immediately after service ends, or after all travel is completed when travel is part of the booking.
When does the high-risk surcharge apply?
The 80-Hour High-Risk Surcharge applies to any service and/or travel time provided in locations affected by war, civil unrest, terror attacks, natural disasters, industrial disasters, infrastructure failures, and public health emergencies.
Which holidays trigger the holiday surcharge?
The 20-Hour Holiday Surcharge applies to New Year's Day, Independence Day (day of and day after), Thanksgiving Day (day of and day after), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day (day of and day after), and New Year's Eve.
Can surcharges stack?
Yes. All surcharges are stackable, and all surcharges are deducted from the available service hours.
Need help sorting out what budget fits the facts?
Tell us what is happening, what feels most urgent, and how much help you think the situation may need. We will help you understand the likely pricing path before investigation work begins.