Pest control business

[gingerxr2 0]

Hi there guys i was wondering if i could get some advice for my mate, He is thinking of starting his own pest control business maily conroling Rabbits,rooks,crows,seagulls,and moles. Due to being made unemployed, He was a gamekeeper a long time ago so knows his stuff lol, He has been using his hawks for rabbit control over the winter perioud and his falcon for rooks ,crows etc in the summer perioud . He has been mentioning his idea to the local farmers that he controls rabbits for and they are quite happy for he to do some paid work , His main problem is starting up and how much to charge ? what is the going rate for a pest controller these days ? do they charge per visit or per day,month or year? this may sound abit silly but i said i would ask on here to see if anyone might be kind enough to give him some advice . Cheers guys

[stubby 175]

we'd all love to only do the "better" stufff" and not have to deal with insects, cockroaches,wasps etc, but you really need to cover all pests, rather than a select few, also I know using BOP's can be good in city areas, train depots etc, to scare off roosting birds, I cant see the same happening on farmers fields, and the hours spent in exchange of catch/kill rate, I would imagine to be very long hours, but low kill, cant see a farmer being happy with that, not when he's paying out money

 

to start with your mate could simple work out what he needs to earn weekly, to pay the bills, then divide it by working days, seems quite simple, but then start adding on all the other stuff needed, transport, insurance, both veichle and public liability, stock,

 

 

far better he try's getting work with one of the larger companies, as a hawk/bird man, let them carry the worry

 

I have an old work colleage, who works for another company, who spends 3 days flying his hawk in train depots, and 2 days, training/free flying over the farm, ideal job or what

[gingerxr2 0]

That sounds like an ideal job for anybody to me ! I think my [bANNED TEXT] is just looking into it at the moment as an idea !

[ratattack 111]

So he wants to bum around on a few farms flying his birds.

 

Thats not pest control in the money making sense of it, as has been said if he is any good with his birds then he may get subbed work from the bigger companies in towns and rubbish tips. His idea is unlikely to make sufficient money to live on especially when dealing with "poor" farmers.

 

He would be better off trying to find a job with a large company where he could fly the birds and see what he really thinks of pest control, theres not a lot of "good" fun things involved in day to day work

[gingerxr2 0]

Well I guess he can only try ! He seems quite unhappy being on the doll so he might aswell try and get paid for something he's already doing

[ratattack 111]

No-one is knocking him just pointing out it's not easy money in this business despite what most people think

[Ideation 8,216]

He'll make some beer money but not a living like that. To make a living requires training on being a 'complete' pest controller tackling all kinds of species, using poisons etc. If a living could be made taking the odd rabbit or corvid etc then no one on here would do anything else . . . . . .It's too easy to get some one to kill your bunnies for free. . . .. why pay them.

[Ideation 8,216]

Aye - i get some cash and 'privileges' for doing some bits here and there - not fannying about with a hawk mind (hardly an efficient method) but really hard graft, which is many rabbit related, but my lack of desire to spend my days dealing with wasps, cockroaches etc etc etc and take any kind of training means that i leave the thought of becoming a 'pest control' WELL alone and stick to being a 'warrener' for want of better term. . the only reason that it doesnt get handed out for free is that these folk would rather ONE person who they trust and know from the area on their estates and who can also be called on to cut hay, run clay shoots, beat, lamb, shear and anything else. . . the money wouldnt come close to paying the bills but does provide a tidy end of winter bonus to tide summer over.

 

Where in wales were you born chalkman? Always meant to ask.

Jai.

[gingerxr2 0]

Sorry didn't mean it to sound rude [bANNED TEXT] ! I don't think he's trying to make a million out of this I guess he's just trying to earn his keep ! I think he will have to modify his idea but if he can get a few farms then he will be ok ! Like its been said some farmers are willing to pay for someone they can trust and be there when the farmers want them, instead of just having a freebie turning up when it suits them !

[rickardo 76]

if he wants to fly birds he would be better off doin what the others said aproaching some pest control companies or a landfill site offering them his services. this is what i did and only fly my birds and get paid for it.. didnt want to deal much with other pests.ps must say that doin bird control with birds of prey is not like flying for fun down on the farm, it can be very stressfull, special this time of year.

[gingerxr2 0]

How do you mean ?

[Daveo 61]

Its not all its cracked up to be, I have to crawl around sub floors looking for proofing defects/ broken soil and vent pipe bases.

Or spend time in cockroach/flea or bedbug infested hovels or do wasp nests/insect treatments with horrible chemicals in red hot PPE.

Iv had to have jabbs against all manor of ailments that quite frankly scare me if i think about it.

I was like you once thinking it sounded spot on now iv done it for several years its just a job like any other.