Expect records retrieval and counsel time for the history review first. Hold off on credential evaluations, translations and other preparation until that review is done, since those costs may turn out to be unnecessary. Government fees for whichever route applies are set separately and should be confirmed at current amounts.
Spend on the review before the package
Ask counsel for the scope and price of the history review before commissioning the remaining package. Records retrieval or a possible waiver analysis may change the budget substantially. Agree who pays and which documents are useful for that first assessment; do not assume a history review is necessarily cheaper or quicker than other preparation.
A port-of-entry application carries the border processing fee for the TN issuance; a Form I-129 petition carries the USCIS fees in the current G-1055 schedule. Obtain separate quotes for translation and credential evaluation, and ask which services the specific route and educational record require. Before ordering one, ask whether the provincial engineering licence can serve as the credential instead; if the applicant holds full membership, the licence route avoids the evaluation entirely and simplifies the file. Confirm current amounts on the official fee schedule rather than relying on figures quoted secondhand.