Search engagement
$600
Non-refundable engagement fee
Due with the signed Client Search Agreement before the search begins. Credited toward the placement fee upon a successful hire.
Client Fees & Placement Terms
Clear terms.A considered search.
Transparent fees and placement terms support permanent household staffing searches across North Carolina and beyond. A private household search asks for trust on both sides, so our fee structure is intentionally straightforward, allowing the work to begin with confidence and remain focused on the right placement.
The Investment
Simple by design.
Two clear figures begin and complete the search.
Successful placement
21%
Of first-year gross annual salary
Due when your selected candidate accepts employment and payable in full before the candidate’s start date.
60days
Placement assurance$0
Fees charged to candidatesPaid
Working trials, when arranged
Every search is shaped around the household it is meant to serve.
What Your Engagement Includes
A complete search,
carefully conducted.
Our proprietary process examines more than credentials. We study the personality, communication style, working rhythm, and expectations of both client and candidate before recommending an introduction.
- 01
Household discernment
We learn the household’s rhythms, personalities, expectations, communication style, reporting structure, and private details before the search begins.
- 02
Targeted search
We conduct a focused search through trusted relationships, discreet outreach, and qualified applicants, not a circulating roster.
- 03
Candidate discernment
We consider experience and references alongside personality, temperament, judgment, communication, discretion, and household fit.
- 04
Interview & onboarding guidance
We coordinate introductions, support a paid working trial when appropriate, and help both parties begin with clear expectations.
Explore our approach to nanny and private education staffing, estate and household management, private culinary appointments, and other private household staffing searches.
Placement Terms
The understanding behind the search.
An overview of the terms that shape each engagement. Your signed agreement contains the complete provisions.
01
Engagement & cancellation
The $600 engagement fee is due with the signed Client Search Agreement before work begins. It is non-refundable and is credited toward the placement fee when a successful hire is made.
02
Placement fee & payment
The placement fee is 21% of the candidate’s first-year gross annual salary. It becomes due when the candidate accepts employment and must be paid before the agreed start date.
03
60-Day Placement Assurance
If a placement ends within the first 60 days, Silverthorne may resume the complete placement process to identify a replacement professional, subject to the eligibility conditions in the signed Client Search Agreement. Placement fees are non-refundable.
04
Introductions & direct hiring
Our introductions are confidential. If a client, household, family office, or related party hires an introduced candidate within 12 months, the placement fee remains due.
05
The signed agreement governs
This overview highlights the principal terms of our engagement. The complete provisions for every search and placement are set out in your signed Client Search Agreement.
Employer of record
The household employs the selected professional and is responsible for payroll, taxes, insurance, and employment compliance.
Candidate-first ethics
Candidates are never charged a placement fee. Any working trial is arranged in writing and fully paid by the household.
Private by nature
Household and candidate information is handled discreetly and shared only as needed to conduct the search.
Effective August 2026. This public page is a general summary and does not replace the signed Client Search Agreement.
Begin With A Conversation
A thoughtful search begins
with a clear understanding.
Tell us about your household, the role, and the kind of support that would make a lasting difference.
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