So, you’re looking for a private investigator? You must be worried about the rates – however, neither services nor articles talk about the actual rates. All they do is beat around the bush, saying this and that. But that’s not us, we deliver what we promise, and for today that’s what the private investigators in Los Angeles rate their services for.
What Do the Investigator Do?
Private investigators are exactly what you imagine them to
be – minus, of course, the satirical long coats and fedoras. Some of the common
services offered by private investigators are:
·
Missing person searches.
·
Spousal Investigations.
·
Corporate Surveillance.
·
Background Checks.
·
Asset Assessments.
·
Data Recovery.
·
Malware Detection and Prevention.
Types of Fee Structures
Structuring their billing practice around those of lawyers
the private investigators of Los Angeles offer the following fee categories:
·
Hourly Rate (ranging from $40 to $100).
·
Flat Service Fees (lump sum payments).
·
Retainers (monthly payments of around $1500).
Cost by Service
While hourly rates and retainers are pretty straightforward
and consistent, flat service fees tend to be all over the place. So, let’s take
a look at how much the private investigators of Los Angeles rate their services
and why.
Missing Person Searches
Depending on the particulars of you the case, the flat fees
of a missing person search can be anywhere from $300 to $600. However, such
rates are only applicable if the missing person is non-hostile and within the
state’s boundary. For searches regarding a dangerous person or those who
might’ve escaped to another state, the cost can be as high as $1000 to $1200.
Spousal Investigations
Despite its melancholy, a spousal investigation is among the
most common reason for employing a private investigation service. Given this
particularly high demand, the service is also among the most expensive offered
by private investigators. The typical cost of a low-profile spousal
investigation project is around $400, while the cost of a high-profile project
is usually $1500.
Corporate Surveillance
Flat fees are calculated based on the average time the
agency takes to complete a similar project. However, given the depth and
complexity of corporate surveillance, the private investigator of Los Angeles
can’t rate accurately. To combat this potential discrepancy, private
investigators in Los Angeles rate their services pretty high – around $800 at
least.
Background Checks
Due to their simplicity, background checks are among the
cheapest services offered by private investigators in Los Angeles. However,
instead of depending on the difficulty of the project, the rates are incumbent
on the employer’s profile. On average, a complete background check will cost
you around $200 to $300.
Conclusion
As promised, here are the average rates of private
investigation services in Los Angeles. However, no such discussion will be
complete without a recommendation – so here’s ours:
1.
Avoid hourly rates unless you’re sure that the
project won’t take much time.
2.
If the nature of your project is such that it’ll
require continuous work, hire an investigator on a retainer. Otherwise, go with
a flat service fee.
3.
Lastly, make sure to sign a formal contract
ensuring confidentiality and no miscellaneous charges.