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Author Topic: What should a bee removal cost?  (Read 55247 times)

Offline iddee

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #40 on: November 11, 2009, 03:27:54 pm »
I will be starting a contact list in Feb. Contact me anytime in Feb. and update your info. Then I will call you when I am doing one.
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

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Offline specialkayme

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #41 on: November 11, 2009, 03:40:50 pm »
I will be starting a contact list in Feb. Contact me anytime in Feb. and update your info. Then I will call you when I am doing one.

sounds good to me

Offline Kathyp

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #42 on: November 11, 2009, 04:15:49 pm »
how do you determine the "value of work"?  there are two ways.  1.  someone can determine that value for you or 2.  the market can determine that value. 

when you do start working, you'll probably find that you like 2 better than 1 most of the time.  there are always those occasions when you think your work is worth more than the market will pay  :-D
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline johnnybigfish

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #43 on: November 11, 2009, 08:05:35 pm »
 The cost of a cutout?...Hmmmm.....
 How old are you?
  Reason I'm asking is that I'm 52, and not in shape or as flexible as I used to be..I mean, just holding a box up to a limb and shaking bees out is work to me! And 250 lbs hitting the ground from only 5 to 10 feet off a ladder HURTS!
 I've done one cutout in 3 years but have caught several swarms. I wouldnt do a cutout for less than 500 $!...Now, if youre younger than me, and stronger, I suppose you could do it for a lot less.
Doing a cutout has to be one of the hardest, dirtiest tasks that I know of..Everything is sticky...You smoke till you choke...Sweat pours into your eyes to where they burn all day after you've finished the job..Then you'll be wondering if youre gonna drop from the heat with no notice!
Honestly, I dont know how JP can do as many as he does!...His wife must have lots of bills!!!
Now....If its a friend who has bee problems...One good turn deserves another :) ( but I'd try to find somebody else to do it and act dumb!)

your friend,
john

Offline JP

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #44 on: November 11, 2009, 08:58:13 pm »
Specialkayme, take Iddee up on his offer and educate yourself on performing removals. I believe every beekeeper should perform at least a few, you never know when this knowledge will come in handy.  All of my hives are from removals and swarms collected from within 60 miles or so from where I live. True feral colonies are the best bee stock around IMO.


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Offline specialkayme

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #45 on: November 11, 2009, 09:06:09 pm »
Specialkayme, take Iddee up on his offer and educate yourself on performing removals. I believe every beekeeper should perform at least a few, you never know when this knowledge will come in handy.  All of my hives are from removals and swarms collected from within 60 miles or so from where I live. True feral colonies are the best bee stock around IMO.


...JP

Thanks for the advice JP, I certainly will take him up on the offer. I look forward to learning alot about removals and possibly trap outs, from the trap out master.

Offline beee farmer

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #46 on: November 12, 2009, 12:26:18 am »
Simpley compare your time doing removals to what you are currently making a living at, consider all the time it takes to do a removal from start to finish. Consider how many make it and how many dont.  Then figure in about 6 to 12 calls a year of honeybees that are actually yellow jackets, about 4 to 6 calls where once you get there the customer askes what you are going to pay him for the bees and of course he wants the honey crushed and strained and deleivred him. Do the math and see just how cheap you come in.  If you dont like those numbers,,, go do em for free for as long as you can.  We will still be there to service those thats want it when your through. 
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do"  Benjamin Franklin

Offline beee farmer

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #47 on: November 12, 2009, 12:28:25 am »
Dang that sounded hostile..... but it was honestly meant to be just common sense based.
"Any fool can criticize, condemn and complain and most fools do"  Benjamin Franklin

Offline Kathyp

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #48 on: November 12, 2009, 12:57:41 am »
i got rid of almost all my yellowjacket calls by asking them to email me a picture of the bees they wanted removed.  the only time this didn't work was when a lady went out and took a picture of a honeybee on a flower instead of a yellowjacket flying out of the nest in the ground  :-)

in my area, there are only two of us who do removals.  the guy has been around for a long time and charges a lot.  i do not begrudge him the money, but i know that a lot of folks don't have a spare 500+ dollars for a removal and will reach for the bug spray.  this is especially true on the smaller farms.  they end up with a mess, the hive is ruined, and they still have to pay someone to remove it. 

i still enjoy doing it.  i don't need the money.  don't want a business and only do a few a year.  you are welcome to those i leave behind.  ;)
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline bailey

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #49 on: November 12, 2009, 05:32:22 pm »

specialkme

i started doing cutouts for free to get bees when i was building up my stocks.

after 2 or 3 i decided that if i was going to spend a full day working with stinging insects that i have to
remove from a wall and spend most of the day doing my best to get a viable hive i was not gonna do it  for free. it is hot sticky sweaty and sometimes painfull work.

if it takes me 2 or 3 days to get a removal done then i spend the time and get it done.
i never raise my fee after the deal is done!

i tell my clients the average costs of removals, drive out and give them a quote, let them decide.

i dont think you would do many for free after doing 5 or so free removals in the summertime!


as jp said, go help iddee do 3 removals next summer and then get back with us on charging $400
being too much.

bailey
most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS  ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

Offline specialkayme

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #50 on: November 12, 2009, 06:10:58 pm »
I am not now, nor have I ever said that everyone needs to do them for free. I don't understand why everyone thinks I'm suggesting this. All I have suggested is the cost of removal should be determined from a subjective view depending on the individual and what they are giving up to do the removal then discounting what (if anything) they are getting as a result, rather than an objective view on what the market is willing to give you.

Once again, I understand that it is hard work, and I am not suggesting that anyone should do them for free if you don't want to.

Offline Kathyp

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #51 on: November 12, 2009, 06:14:32 pm »
heck, a plumber will charge you 400 dollars to come fix your plumbing.  he'll work for less than an hour and smile as you write the check! 
Someone really ought to tell them that the world of Ayn Rand?s novel was not meant to be aspirational.

Offline bailey

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #52 on: November 12, 2009, 07:25:37 pm »
hate to tell him that i have seen hives that i wouldnt touch for less than $3000.
jp has seen the one i am talking about.
bailey
most often i find my greatest source of stress to be OPS  ( other peoples stupidity )

It is better to keep ones mouth shut and be thought of as a fool than to open ones mouth and in so doing remove all doubt.

Offline JP

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #53 on: November 12, 2009, 07:42:36 pm »
Yep, certain removals can be unbelievably taxing on the body and spirit. Any hive can be removed but some practically take an act of God to get there.

My removals average 4-5 hrs but I've done some that took three days to complete. My pick of the litter is one inside of a vertical space, a wall, say with exterior wood sheets of some type, either going in from the interior or exterior.

I don't like honey dripping down on me, so my least favorite are overhead removals.

Some of my most difficult removals involved removing bricks and taking complete bathrooms apart to get to a hive.

As Bailey pointed out, hard to put a price on some. Some may even make a man or woman go insane, at least temporarily!


...JP
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Offline iddee

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #54 on: November 12, 2009, 09:15:28 pm »
>>>>Some may even make a man or woman go insane, at least temporarily!<<<<

JP, my friend, that is a requirement to do the second one.  ;)   :-D
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

*Shel Silverstein*

Offline JP

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #55 on: November 12, 2009, 09:28:12 pm »
>>>>Some may even make a man or woman go insane, at least temporarily!<<<<

JP, my friend, that is a requirement to do the second one.  ;)   :-D

Yep, its a good kind of insanity though. ;)

Hey Iddee, everyone on here always talks about how sweet you are. Must be all those overhead removals! :-D


...JP
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My website JPthebeeman.com http://jpthebeeman.com

Offline iddee

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #56 on: November 12, 2009, 09:55:47 pm »
>>>>Hey Iddee, everyone on here always talks about how sweet you are. Must be all those overhead removals!<<<<

Nope, it's because everyone made that second removal. They're all insane.   :roll:   :-D 

It's all a prerequisite to beekeeping.   :cheer: :idunno: :idunno:
"Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me . . . Anything can happen, child. Anything can be"

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Offline Scadsobees

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #57 on: November 12, 2009, 11:50:37 pm »
Specialalkyme,
I understand what you are saying, and for me there are much easier and probably cheaper ways of getting bees.  The price is very subjective, to me it is subject to how much I want to go out and do a cutout, which is not very much at all(my wanting to do a cutout, not the price!).  I think you'll understand after a few, even if you got Iddee to show you the ropes.

And with most people if I tell them how much that it will cost to get me out there, they'd rather try to kill the hive and cut out the comb themselves, I would if I were not a beekeeper.

Problem nowadays is that people think that they are being so wonderful and charitable by offering you the wonderful chance to save these bees that are almost extinct :roll:.  Even after they've sprayed and bombed the hive.... :roll:  Actually did get that call last week...second week of november and they've been trying to get these bees out of their chimney all summer, spray, bug bombs, and here it is almost winter and they call me for advice because the bees are a bother, and, well they're bees so it would be nice to save them, oh, and they don't want to call the exterminator.  I just told them to call the exterminator since the bees are as good as dead anyway. :thunder:  If they're gonna be stupid they might as well pay for it.
Rick

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Re: What should a bee removal cost?
« Reply #58 on: November 13, 2009, 04:57:00 pm »
As stated earlier,  I am not in a situation where  I see a reason to charge, so I don't.

That said,  I don't think there is anything necessarily wrong with charging for the service either.  If the market will bear it and you need/want the income, give it a shot.

IF, I were to charge for a service like that though, say, if  I had a full time bee related business as my main source of income,  I could see charging an hourly rate at about the same of an exterminator, as it is a relatively similar business ( except,  I am not killing the bees, just placing them in a 'bee protection program, heh heh). 

Yet again,  I clarify, that is only to remove the bees and related work.  If they want me to do the handyman work related to opening up the siding, drywall, etc.. and repairing it too, that would cost more.

Big Bear