DBAK, Barry asked me to help with your question on charging for bee-removals:
On early season 'average' removals, I charge $110-$165 taking 1-3 hours; 1-2 story removals (ONLY). Ladder removals from the 3'rd story become tricky in fifty different ways - all of them bad, so charge plenty if you take on one of these jobs.
Most pesticide outfits charge $75-$150 for killing pests. Once killed, the homeowner is only forestalling their bee troubles. Bees will return to nearly every unoccupied hive once swarm season arrives. If the homeowners are lucky, a new swarm will arrive before the mid-summer heat melts the old hive into their house.
Killing bees does NOT help the homeowner and they need to be informed of the troubles that lay ahead with pesticide. Respectible pesticide outfits will contact bee-removal outfits if the hive looks like it can be safely removed (and if you've made it known to them you're interested in pulling out bees!). Most of my bee-removal calls are from pesticide outfits.
It's also illegal to kill bees since they're protected in the U.S. - though I've never heard of any possible enforcement.
For reference, other bee-removal outfits charge several times what I do above ($600-$800 or $75/hr - from 2 other sources). For the charge, I'll open the hive, save the bees (bee-vac), cut (& keep!) ALL the comb & remove same - the homeowners are 100% responsible for putting back the damage.
Try to respect their homes by pulling out nails before ripping apart woodwork. Make sure there's no misunderstanding on who's doing what to the house - what you're cutting, breaking, & what they have to do once the bees are gone (& when). I had the pleasure of one homeowner whom expected me to vacuum up every bee flying in the air - days afterward.
Also - if the homeowner has used a case of wasp spray at the front of the hive, pass on the job. You'll end up with sick bees and contaminated equipment. If people procrastinate or 'shop' for price, let them handle their own troubles.
My pricing is based on helping out bees, homeowners, my apiary needs and timing. Late season bee-removals may yeild a few hundred pounds of great honey, but it's hard, sticky, messy work pulling out those chunks - and the bees certainly won't survive without combining with existing hives.
Risk is another factor to examine CAREFULLY when pricing bee-removals. $20 in bees isn't worth opening up a 30,000 lb. half-dead Cottonwood tree.
Also, charge for swarm removals - $20-$30, which pays for the gas & the '3 out of 4' that move on before you get there.
The reward for this type of hard work is more than money. You're helping to keep our bee gene-pool intact in whatever small way.
Post back to us with your opinions of the BeeVac!
Matthew Westall - Earthling Bees,
Castle Rock,CO
Originally posted by DBAK:
I am looking for information on starting a Bee Removal Service in my area. I have
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