The Heirloom Difference
Geoff Weber,
Founder
June 2026
Dear Friend,
One of the questions we hear most often is:
"How do I know what this is going to cost?"
It's a fair question.
After all, most people don't spend their weekends counting photo negatives, identifying videotape formats, or determining whether a film reel is healthy or deteriorating.
That's our job.
And that's exactly why Heirloom inspects your media before asking you to make a final decision.
Most Customers Aren't Preservation Experts
When customers first contact us, they're often looking at a collection they've inherited, rediscovered, or simply ignored for years.
A box from the attic.
A closet full of videotapes.
Several albums of photographs.
A stack of film reels.
Carousels full of slides.
Envelopes filled with negatives.
Sometimes they're not even sure what they have.
And honestly, we don't expect them to know.
One customer may confidently tell us they have 20 VHS tapes.
Another may tell us they have "a few boxes of old stuff."
Both answers are perfectly acceptable.
The reason people come to Heirloom is because they want guidance from experts who deal with these formats every day.
Not Everything Is As Simple As It Looks
Our digitizing prices are clearly listed on our website.
We believe they should be.
But once customers begin reviewing those prices, new questions naturally arise.
What's the difference between a VHS tape and a degraded VHS tape?
Does mold matter?
What if the tape is damaged?
Should slides remain inside the carousel?
Do negatives need to be removed from envelopes?
Do I need to count every photograph in every album?
How do I estimate thousands of loose photos?
Can someone do this better than I can?
The answer to that last question is yes.
That's one reason we inspect every order.
Estimating Is Good Enough
Before sending media to Heirloom, we encourage customers to estimate what they have.
Notice I didn't say count.
Estimate.
A rough estimate helps prevent surprises and gives you a reasonable understanding of what your project may cost.
For example, if you're sending loose photographs, a one-inch stack is roughly 100 photos.
That's often accurate enough to begin planning.
If you're sending slides, negatives, albums, videotapes, or film reels, a reasonable estimate is usually all that's necessary.
You don't need to spend your weekend counting every image.
You don't need to become a preservation specialist.
Just help us understand the scope of the project.
We'll handle the rest.
What Happens When Your Order Arrives
The day your media arrives at Heirloom, our team begins a detailed inspection process.
Every item is reviewed.
Every format is identified.
Every piece of media is classified.
Items are counted.
Condition is assessed.
Potential preservation concerns are documented.
If we discover mold, deterioration, physical damage, vinegar syndrome, sticky-shed syndrome, or other issues, we'll identify those as well.
This process allows us to provide an accurate digitizing quote based on what actually arrived—not based on guesswork.
That's important for both of us.
Why We Don't Ask You to Pay First
Many companies ask customers to pay before the media is ever inspected.
I've never been comfortable with that approach.
Imagine paying in advance and sending a box of VHS tapes, only to discover later that half of them were rejected for mold.
Or perhaps you believed you had 500 photographs, but the actual count is much higher.
Wouldn't you rather know that before committing?
We think so.
That's why inspection comes first.
Decision second.
You're Always In Control
Once we've completed the inspection, we'll send you a digitizing quote for approval.
At that point, most customers simply review the quote and click to pay so work can begin.
Others have questions.
That's perfectly normal.
Sometimes customers decide to preserve everything.
Sometimes they prioritize only certain items.
Perhaps they want the videotapes digitized now and the photographs later.
Maybe they want additional explanation before making a decision.
We're happy to help.
The important thing is that the choice remains yours.
No Obligation Means No Obligation
One of the most common misconceptions we encounter is that sending media to Heirloom somehow commits a customer to purchasing our services.
It doesn't.
Inspection does not create an obligation.
If you choose not to proceed, that's okay.
We'll simply return your media.
No hard feelings.
Our goal is not to pressure anyone into a purchase.
Our goal is to provide enough information that you can make a confident decision about your family's memories.
Better Information Leads to Better Decisions
At the end of the day, that's really what this process is about.
Providing clarity.
Helping customers understand what they have.
Helping them understand the condition of their media.
Helping them understand the available options.
And helping them make informed decisions before spending money.
Because preserving family memories is important enough that nobody should feel like they're making those decisions in the dark.
That's why we inspect media before you decide.
No memory left behind,
