You need the services of a Las Vegas private investigator, but you’re not sure if you can afford it. It’s a tough call to make — the fees that PIs charge vary widely by location, type of service, and the investigator’s level of experience and reputation. Las Vegas tends to be more expensive than rural areas, but they can still be quite reasonable.
Most professional private investigators offer a free initial consultation — take advantage of this to discuss your problem in detail. It could be that the PI will have a shortcut or service he can offer that will make things much simpler for you. Here are a few things to ask Las Vegas private investigators about their fees:
What services are charged as flat fees (versus hourly fees)?
While some PIs charge everything by the hour, others will offer particular services for a flat fee, no matter how long it takes them to accomplish. Generally, those services are basic services offered frequently, such as identifying the owner of a cell phone number or a particular vehicle, or researching someone’s background or criminal record, or even doing a bug sweep of your property.
What are the hourly fees?
For the services that are charged hourly, the fees vary on location, the difficulty of the case, and the potential need to hire backup (usually in the form of other PIs). Fees country-wide tend to run between $40 and $100/hour. There is often also a mileage fee for distance traveled.
Of course, if additional assistance is required — especially overseas — the hourly rate can skyrocket. There are places in the world where private investigators charge upward of $300 every hour!
What Services Require Deposits?
There are times when a private investigator in Las Vegas is required to expend a significant amount of money in order to pursue a case. For example, if they have to travel to pursue a lead, or spend long hours on a stakeout (delivery food gets expensive fast), they might ask for a four-digit deposit just to ensure that you won’t skip out on the bill. Of course, the deposit will be returned if the bill is paid in full.
