How does it work? What does it cost?
The process starts when you provide us details of your family research. You may also want to add a list of records you have already consulted. It's no use looking up the same information twice. You explain your problems and your wishes in full. It makes no sense holding back information as this will only prolong the search time. It is very important to know at least some names, dates (see exceptions) and names of villages. The information you provide will be read and analyzed. An initial thourough scan of available archives, databases and many other sources will be made free of charge.
We don't spend our time and your money on a project we can't handle, or search for information we know that is not there, or is too difficult or illegal to access. Only if we find that we will actually be able to help you we will advise you the expected success rate, and based on our estimated time and expertise offer you to pay a customized lumpsum price. Even then, you must be aware that although we do our very best we may not find "enough" for your expectations. In some cases that is due to a limited time you allow us, or to the fact that there is simply no data to be found, or not enough initial information to start with.
You can always ask questions at no cost and decide on hiring us later.
Please contact us free of charge for an initial advice (see Contact Form).
Only if you decide to hire us and have us perform actual research you will have to decide what your budget is. You can hire us per hour, but most choose to pay a lumpsum.
Balance in full is due before the actual research starts and before the end report is sent.
Payment can only be accepted using PayPal or by a bank transfer if your bank is in the SEPA zone.
All fees include Research, Basic Translation, Reporting, Scanning
Extra costs are not included and will be charged extra.
However, we will always ask your permission before purchasing/spending extra on:
We don't spend our time and your money on a project we can't handle, or search for information we know that is not there, or is too difficult or illegal to access. Only if we find that we will actually be able to help you we will advise you the expected success rate, and based on our estimated time and expertise offer you to pay a customized lumpsum price. Even then, you must be aware that although we do our very best we may not find "enough" for your expectations. In some cases that is due to a limited time you allow us, or to the fact that there is simply no data to be found, or not enough initial information to start with.
You can always ask questions at no cost and decide on hiring us later.
Please contact us free of charge for an initial advice (see Contact Form).
Only if you decide to hire us and have us perform actual research you will have to decide what your budget is. You can hire us per hour, but most choose to pay a lumpsum.
Balance in full is due before the actual research starts and before the end report is sent.
Payment can only be accepted using PayPal or by a bank transfer if your bank is in the SEPA zone.
All fees include Research, Basic Translation, Reporting, Scanning
- We are located in Belgium so we perform research in Belgium and possibly also in The Netherlands and France.
- The text contained in an original record can provide a lot of hints and details like birth time, occupation, address or place of origin, godparents, related witnesses, legitimized children, previous marriages, notes about military service, illiteracy, and even original signatures of your ancestors. It is therefore important to know that we can read and understand every word of what is actually written in the records. Therefore we provide basic transcription / translation from Dutch, French, Latin (*), and German into English.
- Final report in English in PDF format. You can ask us for an example.
- Scans of all kinds of documents are added: parish records, vital records, local census, military records, newspapers, maps, pictures, etc.
- Intermediate reporting; we will keep you informed about the progress by email at all times.
Extra costs are not included and will be charged extra.
However, we will always ask your permission before purchasing/spending extra on:
- Travelling time & mileage, only if needed;
- Official fees for obtaining recent records from authorities (minicipal, national, provincial, military, see exceptions);
- Photographing if requested;
- Postage & packaging if needed;
- Hire/purchase of microfilms if necessary;
- Photocopies if scanning or photographing is not possible on the spot;
- Entrance fees, membership fees if needed;
- Hiring a translator to deal with records in other languages than those listed above;
- Phone calls if any.
Important notes and exceptions
Example report: |
Translations Our reports will be in English of course, but you can also contact us for translations of any parish and civil records, newspaper articles, military papers, and personal letters you may already have in your ancestry files. Rates depend on the readability (especially the handwriting and the quality of the scan or picture) and the volume to be translated into English. As you know, Belgium has three official languages: Dutch, French and German. Old records may be in old versions of those languages, or even in Latin. We will offer you a lumpsum. |