It is difficult to quote a cost for services rendered without seeing the item(s). Nonetheless, here are some guidelines:
Insurance Reports – If the intended use of your report is for Insurance purposes the cost is $135 for the first item and $85 for each additional item.
Note: In the interest of conservation and our environment, if you choose to receive your report in electronic, pdf form ONLY, we will give you a $10 discount on the total cost of the report.
Most items fall within these pricing parameters; however, if your item is exceptional and there is any additional cost, we will inform you at the beginning of the appointment.
Updates for items previously appraised by San Diego Gem Lab,and requested within 5 years of the original appraisal date, are billed at 50% of the currently posted appraisal fee structure.
Estate – If the intended use of your report is for Estate or Equitable Distribution purposes, the scope of the assignment expands to meet the particular need of the executor or bank trust department. These assignments are billed at an hourly charge. See our Estate Appraisal page.
Expert Witness and Deposition – We have extensive experience providing deposition and expert witness services. (Please refer to the Credentials page on this web site.) Call us for a discussion to determine if our expertise is suitable for your case.
Expert Witness assignments are charged on an hourly basis. These assignments vary and often present refined scheduling problems (beginning and ending times.) They are billed at a minimum of half-day (4-hour) increments (See Cost and Billing section below). A contract and non-refundable retainer is required to proceed with an Expert Witness assignment.
Consultation – Consultation is done in our office and is billed directly in 10 minute increments with a one hour minimum. Payment is due at the end of the appointment (See Cost and Billing below).
All Estate and Consultation assignments are billed by the hour at $250 per hour with a one hour minimum. If you like we can provide a fixed quote of your costs at the beginning of the assignment. A contract and retainer may be required and the bill is payable in full when the project is complete and at the time the report is delivered.
Expert Witness assignments are billed by the hour at $350 per hour. A contract and retainer will be required.
Travel – All local assignments outside our office are billed at our hourly rate portal to portal. Please take this into consideration when requesting this service.
Out of town travel is billed at $1,000 for each travel day and a minimum of $2,000 for each workday. Travel expenses are billed to the client as well. A contract and non-refundable retainer is required for all out of town assignments. Please contact us to negotiate the details.
An appointment for one to two items usually takes about one hour. Barring anything extraordinary, you will be presented with the report at the end of the appointment.
