Custodian experiences for Gold IRA - need recommendations, Richmond VA folks?

• •As a university professor, I'm used to deep diving into research, but this financial stuff sometimes feels like a whole different beast.
• •I've seen the usual suspects like Equity Trust and Kingdom Trust thrown around a lot.
• •What have people's real-world experiences been with them?

I've been looking to roll over a significant chunk of my old 401k into a Gold IRA, specifically for some rounds, and I'm honestly feeling a bit overwhelmed by the custodian selection. I'm sitting on about $350k in that legacy account right now, and the more I dig into the details, the more I realize just how critical a good custodian is, not just for fees but for overall peace of mind. As a university professor, I'm used to deep diving into research, but this financial stuff sometimes feels like a whole different beast.

I've seen the usual suspects like Equity Trust and Kingdom Trust thrown around a lot. What have people's real-world experiences been with them? I'm particularly interested in things like their fee structures (are there hidden fees that pop up?), ease of asset transfer, and general responsiveness. I want to avoid any nasty surprises down the line. I’m based in Richmond, VA, so if anyone has local knowledge about any specific custodians that might be more convenient or have better relationships with local depositories, that would be a huge bonus. I'm considering storing with Delaware Depository, mostly because of the strong reviews and security, but an integrated custodian/depository solution (if one exists and is actually good) could also be appealing.

My biggest concern is really around the administrative burden and potential for errors. After spending weeks on a grant proposal, the last thing I want is to be chasing down paperwork for my investment account. Are there any custodians you've found to be particularly proactive or have excellent customer service? I noticed some offer self-directed IRA services beyond just precious metals, which isn’t my immediate need but does signal a broader capability. Is it worth paying slightly higher fees for a truly white-glove service, or are most custodians pretty much the same once the initial setup is done?

Any insights, positive or negative experiences (especially detailed ones!), or specific recommendations would be hugely appreciated. Trying to make the most informed decision possible here. What should I be explicitly asking potential custodians when I call them?