Every project is a flat-fee engagement. 50% retainer at signing, 50% on delivery. No hourly billing, no scope surprises, no upsells you didn't ask for.
A standalone, professionally written interpretation of your AncestryDNA results. Ethnicity narrative, haplogroup explanation, ThruLines mapping, and cousin match analysis — all in a typeset, readable document.
Best for · First step · Gift · Upsells to full volumeThe complete Heirloom Heritage experience — one heritage line, fully researched and written. 10,000–14,000 words, archivally grounded, beautifully produced. The book that makes a parent weep.
Best for · Mother's Day · Father's Day · Milestone giftBoth lines on one parent's side, traced across four to five generations and woven into a single comprehensive narrative. The full story of where one parent came from.
Best for · 80th birthday · Anniversary · RetirementAll four grandparent lines, the full scope of your DNA, 30,000+ words. Mixed-heritage families — Italian, Polish, Irish — are served within this tier. The definitive family history.
Best for · Estate legacy · Major family milestoneAll prices are flat-fee · 50% retainer at signing · 50% on delivery · DNA privacy agreement included in every engagement
| Feature | DNA Report | Heritage Volume | Legacy Volume | Comprehensive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $750–$1,200 | $3,500–$5,000 | $6,500–$9,000 | $14,000–$20,000 |
| Heritage lines | DNA only | 1 line | 2 lines | 4 lines |
| Generations | — | 2–3 gen | 4–5 gen | 5+ gen |
| Word count | ~5,000 | 10,000–14,000 | 16,000–20,000 | 30,000+ |
| Archival research | 4–6 hrs | 20–30 hrs | 30–40 hrs | 50+ hrs |
| DNA interpretation | ✓ Full | ✓ Full | ✓ Full | ✓ Full |
| Haplogroup analysis | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| ThruLines mapping | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Antenati / Italian archives | — | ✓ if applicable | ✓ | ✓ |
| Polish / Kashubian records | — | ✓ if applicable | ✓ | ✓ |
| NARA military files | — | ✓ if applicable | ✓ | ✓ |
| Client review checkpoints | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 |
| Professional typesetting | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Printed & bound copies | Digital only | 2 copies | 3 copies | 5 copies |
| Permanent digital file | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ |
| Timeline | 4–6 weeks | 14 weeks | 14–16 weeks | 20–24 weeks |
| Payment structure | 50% retainer at signing · 50% on delivery confirmation · All tiers | |||
All projects are priced as flat-fee engagements — the number on the agreement is the number you pay, period. We do not bill hourly, charge for additional archival discoveries, or add fees for revisions within the agreed scope.
The 50% retainer structure protects both sides: it allows us to dedicate the full research and writing commitment to your project, and ensures you receive a finished, approved product before the balance is due.
Payment accepted by check, ACH transfer, or major credit card. For Comprehensive Archive projects, a three-payment schedule (34% / 33% / 33%) is available on request.
AncestryDNA Kit
If you need a kit, the $99 Ancestry kit cost is separate and ordered by you. We guide the process and use the 6-week processing window for background research.
FOIA / Official Records Requests
Government records requests (USCIS alien registration, certain NARA files) have processing fees of $20–$65. We prepare all request letters; client covers filing fees.
Additional Print Copies
Each tier includes 2–5 printed copies. Additional copies are available at cost (typically $85–$150/copy) at any time after delivery.
This is the most common situation. You do not need a complete family tree — the archival research stage is precisely where we fill in the gaps. Your AncestryDNA results and whatever records you have (even just a surname and a rough country of origin) are a sufficient starting point. Part of what we do is discover what isn't known and document it honestly.
Absolutely — this is the most common use case. You are the client; the recipient receives the finished book as a surprise. In most cases, the DNA kit has already been taken by the intended recipient (most parents and grandparents in our demographic have Ancestry results already). We work with you throughout the project and the book arrives on their doorstep as a complete surprise.
Mixed heritage is the norm, not the exception. For Heritage Volumes, we focus on one grandparent line. For Legacy Volumes, both lines on one parent's side. For Comprehensive Archives, all four grandparent lines regardless of national origin are served. Irish lines within a Comprehensive Archive are served now; standalone Heritage and Legacy Volumes for Irish-American families launch in Year 2.
No honest researcher guarantees what records will be found — some families have richer archival trails than others, and some records were destroyed (the 1922 Four Courts fire for Irish records, the 1973 NPRC fire for military records). What we guarantee is the quality and thoroughness of the search, the honest documentation of what was and wasn't found, and a book that is powerful even where records are incomplete.
Each tier includes 2–5 printed copies (see the comparison table above). Additional copies can be ordered at any time after delivery at cost — typically $85–$150 per copy. The print file is yours permanently, so reprints are always available. Many clients order additional copies as gifts for siblings and cousins in the months after delivery.
The timeline is structured around two client touchpoints: a midpoint narrative review (around Week 9) and a final typeset review (around Week 13). Outside those moments, the work is ours — you are not required to be available for ongoing meetings. We communicate proactively when significant discoveries are made. If you have a specific occasion driving the deadline (Mother's Day, a birthday), we plan backwards from that date at intake.
The founder leads all projects: research direction, all editorial decisions, and final narrative writing. A research associate handles initial archival retrieval and document assembly. AI tools assist with research retrieval and drafting — but all judgment about which records matter, how to interpret them, and how to render them in literary prose is entirely human. The voice you read in Le Nostre Radici and Skrzydła nad Polską is the voice of every volume.
Yes. We maintain a professional referral arrangement for estate attorneys, financial advisors, and wealth managers who refer clients. The referral fee is 10% of the completed project value ($350–$2,000 per referral depending on tier). We provide a sample volume for any professional who wants to see the product first. Contact us to discuss.
Tell us your family and the occasion. We'll recommend the right tier in our first conversation — no pressure, no commitment required.