HOW MUCH DOES A PRIVATE INVESTIGATOR COST IN DELAWARE?
Introduction
When hiring a Private Investigator, one of the first and most important questions which arises is – How much is this going to cost me? Admittedly, it is very difficult to find a definitive answer on-line. There is a good reason for this information gap. In this industry, there are federal regulations which address the practice of price-fixing, so precise costs are not generally published. You will find that general ranges of pricing are available publicly. The general hourly fee charged for investigations typically runs in the range of $45 - $250.
Why such a broad difference, you may ask. Typically, on the low end of the scale, you will find those investigators who are entry-level. Maybe they just graduated from college with a Criminal Justice degree and landed their first job with a larger PI firm in a metropolitan area, such as Wilmington, Delaware. They are often working under a license-holder and are “cutting their teeth” in the profession. They may be gaining investigative experience before moving on to establish their own firm. Conversely, on the high end of the scale, you will be paying more for more extensive or specialized experience. These are typically investigators who have many years of investigative experience or have a very specialized investigative niche, which calls for rarely-encountered special skills or knowledge.
When analyzing where on this scale, you want your private investigator to cost, you must take into account the old adage: “You get what you pay for.” The entry-level investigator may be more economical for you, but he or she may not be familiar with all of the “tricks of the trade” or does not have a well-developed work plan and flow. Yes, they will likely get the job done for you, but they may lack those little nuances that enhance the outcome of their efforts and thus, the results you, as the client, will receive. Contrast this with the more experienced and more expensive investigator. The experienced investigator will have a well-developed work flow process and will know how to maximize the results of their efforts and produce quality outcomes for their clients.
Let’s face it, if you are considering hiring a Private Investigator, there is something very important going on in your life. If it is important enough to hire a PI, then will you want to skimp on what you invest in this effort? Once again: “You get what you pay for.”
How Does PI Pricing Generally Work?
Let’s delve more into the fee structure for Private Investigators. In the first section, we addressed the hourly fee approach. Another fee approach used by some investigators in some circumstances is a flat fee. Typically, flat fees are used for more simple and repetitive investigative tasks. These tasks involve a replicated workflow with a consistently projectable input of time and effort. One type of investigation which often involves flat fee pricing is the Background Investigation. Taking it a step further, there may be different levels of flat fees, which are dependent on the depth required of the inquiry. Examples would be Basic, Intermediate, and Comprehensive. More complex investigations will usually fall under an hourly fee structure.
Now, let’s address the Retainer Agreement. A Retainer Agreement is a legal document that provides guidance and an understanding between the Client and the PI. It identifies the parties to the agreement, outlines the scope of the investigation or project, specifies the cost of the provided services, and provides guidance on behavior during the engagement. Further guidelines are often provided through another accompanying legal document, known as “Terms & Conditions.” What does “scope” refer to? Scope in the agreement refers to specific investigative tasks both parties have agreed upon to be completed during the engagement, typically accompanied by a timeline for those tasks to be completed.
In conjunction with the Retainer Agreement, often there is a need to establish a Retainer Fee, which is a pre-paid amount posted by the client to enable the investigation to move forward. In this arrangement, the client pays ahead of time for services to be rendered. As investigative tasks are completed, the investigator will invoice against the retainer fee. If all agreed-upon tasks are accomplished prior to exhausting the retainer fee, then the remaining balance is refunded to the client. If the balance is exhausted prior to completion of case objectives, an additional retainer fee may be posted to carry the case through completion.
What factors affect the cost of an investigation?
There are several factors which influence the cost of an investigation. These include type of investigation, case complexity, travel distance, number of investigators required, and urgency of the case. For example, a basic Process Service case typically costs less because it is a short-term engagement and fairly straightforward. A typical Background Investigation is priced out at a bit more than a process service, as it requires a bit more investigative time and effort. A typical Surveillance assignment will usually be more expensive. This is due to the time-intensive nature of this type of assignment and the unpredictability of when results will be achieved.
Some surveillance assignments may require multiple investigators to properly execute. Greater travel distances to and from assignments also add to the cost of the task. Many investigators assess additional charges for emergency cases, which involve case initiation on short notice, such as within 24-48 hours.
What other costs may be involved?
The investigative fees cover the investigator’s time, effort, and expertise in conducting the investigation. During the course of an investigation, other expenses may be incurred and invoiced to the client. One of these frequent expenses is mileage. This covers wear & tear on vehicles, fuel costs, and maintenance costs. Other expenses one could encounter include:
printing / reproduction of documents, photographs, or video
parking fees
highway or bridge tolls
air or rail fares
overnight travel expenses, such as lodging accommodations, per diem, or additional travel time fee, when necessary
When an investigator must appear at a hearing, deposition, trial, or special appearance to testify about their investigative actions and findings, there are typically additional fees involved for Testimony.
Often overlooked by clients is the expense of documenting investigative actions and findings. Typically, investigators charge their regular hourly fee when writing reports. This is also an area which tends to be time-intensive because it often takes longer to describe actions than it takes to accomplish the actual action. Have you ever noticed, when you watch those action-packed police or private investigator TV shows, they never show the hours of paperwork that occurs afterward? That is the mundane, but very critical component of the job.
Is it worth it?
As I mentioned previously, if you are considering hiring a PI, then you must have something important going on in your life. Do you want to stake the outcome on a lean budget approach or do you want to get the best quality effort you can afford in order to optimize your results? Take a Criminal Defense case, like one I worked in Pennsylvania last year. The client may be facing decades of incarceration in prison. What is the value of a quality investigation in cases like those?
In a Civil Litigation case, such as you may find in the Delaware Court of Chancery, thousands or millions of dollars may be at stake in those cases. In Child Custody cases, such as you find in Delaware Family Court, parental rights over your children are at issue. In Protective Details, your very life may be at risk. In these typical situations which Private Investigators address in Delaware and elsewhere, what level of quality are you seeking to resolve these impactful issues? If your issue lands you in a Delaware court with a judge/jury, do you want an investigator gathering and presenting evidence which will hold up in court and to which the investigator can present effective and credible testimony? What are you willing to risk in these high-stakes scenarios?
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If we cannot help you with your specific case, we will try to point you in another direction for assistance. We maintain a network in Delaware and throughout the world of other available options you may be able to tap into. We want you to get effective and efficient assistance with the current life challenge you may be facing. We aim to be ON TARGET!
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