Why a useful quote starts with the brief
The cost of an enquiry depends on the objective, the quality of the starting information, the work needed and the locations involved. Two enquiries with the same service name may need very different amounts of time. A clear brief is more useful than a headline price that leaves essential work unexplained.
Ask PDC for a written quotation for the proposed instruction. Confirm its validity, the work included and the payment methods available before authorising a charge.
What the quotation should tell you
Read the quote alongside the proposed work. Ask for anything unclear to be explained before you approve it.
- Whether the price is fixed, hourly, daily or based on a defined stage.
- What is included and which activities would cost extra.
- Whether VAT applies and whether the stated amount includes it.
- How travel, records, specialist work and other expenses are treated.
- Any deposit, payment schedule and limit on authorised expenditure.
- What will be delivered if the enquiry cannot establish the answer.
Control the budget in stages
Where appropriate, a first stage can test the main lead before you commit to a wider investigation. Agree what the first stage should establish and the point at which you will review the findings. Ask for a fresh decision before work exceeds the agreed limit.
For a corporate matter, tell PDC if your organisation needs a purchase order, supplier onboarding or a particular invoice reference. These administrative requirements are easier to address before urgent work begins.
Understand conditional fee offers
An offer such as “no find, no fee” needs a written definition. What counts as a find? What information must the client supply? Are any costs payable regardless of the outcome? Does the offer apply to this particular enquiry?
Ask for the conditions relevant to your matter in writing. A conditional offer for one enquiry should not be assumed to apply to another service or set of circumstances.
Cancellation, changes and urgent starts
The client agreement should explain what happens if you cancel, postpone or change the scope, and how applicable consumer rights are handled. If you want work to start urgently, the agreement should also explain any request needed to begin during a cancellation period and the financial consequences of cancelling after work has begun.
If a cancellation or payment condition is unclear, ask for an explanation before agreeing it. Keep the quotation and applicable agreement together so that you can refer to the same wording later.
Check payment instructions
Use the payment instructions confirmed in your agreement. If details change unexpectedly, verify them through a contact route you already know before paying. A payment request alone is not evidence that the agreed scope has changed.
If discretion around invoices or payment references matters, raise it before making payment. Ask how the transaction will appear for the payment method you intend to use.
Questions you may have
Why not publish one price for every investigation?
The scope and starting information vary. A useful quotation should describe the actual work, its limits and how any additional cost would be approved.
Does the free guidance commit me to paid work?
No paid instruction should be inferred merely from reading a resource or asking an initial question. Agree any charged service explicitly.
Can I set a maximum budget?
Ask for a written spending limit and a clear process for authorising additional work. The proposed scope should say what can realistically be done within it.
Sources & further reading
Check the original sources for their latest information and service terms.