Are You Ready To Learn Your Family’s Story?
Do you have gaps in knowledge about your family that you’d like to fill? Perhaps the older generation in your family has passed on, or perhaps no one talked about the generations that came before you.
Perhaps you have unknown biological parents or grandparents.
Perhaps you want to build a family history legacy for your children and grandchildren.
Whether you want to explore a single ancestor, solve a research problem, find unknown parents, or reveal multiple generations, we would be happy to design a research package for you.
Sample Genealogy REsearch Services
The packages below are popular client projects. However, all genealogy projects are unique, as all families are unique! All projects are custom-designed for you. As a guideline on rates, our hourly rate is $85 per hour, and we generally have a 15-hour minimum for new projects.
The Solve a Problem Package is designed for those who have researched for a while but have a “brick wall” problem. We’ll start with a strategy session to review existing work. We’ll augment with additional research, and strive to solve the problem or to uncover new paths forward. This package is great for those who want to work closely with a professional to learn new techniques for solving genealogy problems. Pricing is about $2125-$2975.
Q. If I do my own research, when is the right time to get help from a professional genealogist?
When you have been researching for many years and are stuck—often it is determining an ancestor’s parents before 1850.
When you’d like to have a professional confirm accuracy of your work.
When your research needs to be organized into a cohesive proof argument—often to submit to a lineage society.
When you need help with unfamiliar geography or record types.
Q. Can a professional help me find information I couldn’t find on my own?
Yes, possibly. Especially for a credentialed genealogist, many years have been invested in a variety of record types, many of which are complex, not online, and difficult to locate. We’ve solved many brick wall problems with a combination of probate, analysis of deeds, and potentially DNA.
Document and preserve your family’s history with the Family Legacy Package. This package goes back in time to reveal your great-grandparents. You will learn who they were, where they lived, and key facts that bring them to life. Includes an extensive research report (usually 50+ pages with all documents) and a simple family tree. We can provide options for creating a book or a tree suitable for framing. Pricing is custom to your specifications but generally ranges from $3000 to $4500.
Q. How much time and effort will be required on my part when working with a professional genealogist?
It depends on the services you are hiring a professional genealogist for. Many genealogy projects are “done for you,” so you may not need to plan for time beyond the initial kickoff call and the call at the end to discuss the project. This describes most of the projects here at Heritage Bridge.
Biological Family: Are you adopted or have unknown parents or grandparents in your tree? This package uses DNA plus traditional research to explore your DNA matches and determine where you fit in their tree. Pricing is generally $2500-$4000, depending on the “closeness” of your matches. Most individuals born in the U.S. fall near the lower end of the price range.
Q. I am an adoptee. What should I consider before hiring a genealogist to find my biological family?
Prepare any information that you already know or suspect. Take DNA tests at the major sites. Obtain your original birth certificate if it is possible to do so—some states have opened their records. If you have preparation questions, you may certainly contact us first. We often advise individuals to allow us to review your DNA test results to see if a project is feasible (meaning: you have large matches to biological family) before we would contract with you for research. Learn more about finding your biological parents or grandparents.
WHAT OUR CLIENTS SAY
“I found that working with Heritage Bridge was a delight. I had spent ten years on a family request to prove that our family could be members in a particular lineage society with tough entrance requirements. Direct proof of one of the generational changes necessary to prove descent simply could not be found in any single document. By taking a holistic approach to the problem, they brought together land records, census records, maps, probate records, board membership, a well-known speech and multiple other factors and wove them into an airtight case that met the rigorous conditions for entry into that society. ”
WHY HERITAGE BRIDGE IS DIFFERENT
You’ll have a highly-skilled personal genealogist from the Heritage Bridge team working with you. Our research team includes an Accredited Genealogist® and a Certified Genealogist® who oversee all projects, plus four other professionals with advanced education and experience.
We are one of the few genealogy companies that isn’t a single genealogist and isn’t a large company. Think of us as “right-sized,” not too big, or too small. We don’t add a lot of extra cost to the project, unlike larger companies where you are paying for sales teams and project managers. You will benefit from having a small team to work with you because we can put the person with the most relevant experience on your project—and we do support each other with tough research problems!
For your convenience, we use electronic contracts and accept credit cards.
You will hear from us throughout the project. At the end, we will present the report in a video call so you can ask questions and learn what the next steps might be.
Your Benefits From Hiring a Professional Genealogy Team
Saves your time
Ensures accuracy in your tree
Reveals information you might not find on your own
Captures your family’s story for future generations
Creates your personal connection to the past
Have more questions about working with a professional genealogist? Read our FAQ or check out our blog, or contact us.
Ready to Get Started? We Make It Easy.
The first step is to request a complimentary consultation.
After our call, we’ll prepare a custom proposal for you, based on your objectives and budget.
Once you are satisfied with the plan, we’ll follow up with a research contract and retainer invoice.
If applicable, we’ll ask you to share your previous work, online tree, and DNA results.
We’ll keep you updated along the way!
Once the project is delivered, we’ll schedule a meeting with you and the researcher who worked on your report, so you can ask questions and be able to understand the results!