Author Topic: I got a bone to pick! (Read 5163 times)

David McLeod · « **on:** April 07, 2011, 10:45:51 pm »

With a stinking hobbiest beek in Barrow county, GA! As many of you know I run a business and my business includes the recovery of honeybees among the many different species I work with. Specifically I am a NUISANCE wildlife control operator.
A nice lady calls me today needing a swarm removed from the roofline of her home. After the usual pleasantries and a brief explanation of the biology of a honeybee swarm and politely explain that there is a small fee for my services and that she is eligible for a reduced rate since she resided in my core area. I stated that I was going to drop what I was doing (in the middle of a thousand dollar bat exclusion, snakes and bees being the only two species that take emergency status over bats in structures in my SOP) and immediately respond to her need.
She starts to get huffy at this point and explains that the beekeeper that she had just spoken to (in Barrow county, four counties and three hours away) stated emphatically that no one should ever have to pay to have honeybees removed for any reason. Somehow, some way beekeepers across the nation are lining up impatiently to remove bees for free. Well I just had to back her down and explain that I run a business and that gas is currently on the upper side of 3.50 a gallon and that it costs me eighty dollars a day to fill the tank and I would burn a quarter of that just getting to her. She calmed down but still wouldn't budge on paying for a service that she wanted done, even though her beekeeper assured her that the bees would leave on their own by nightfall. By now i just wanted to spit!
I gave her the names of the two local beek clubs to google and wished her luck.

iddee · « **Reply #1 on:** April 07, 2011, 11:00:47 pm »

When I get one of those, I just politely tell her to call him back and give him the bees. When she says he won't come that far, or some other reason, I just say>>>>"OH, the ones I won't go to are free, too. I never charge for not going."

Then I wait for the next call.

David McLeod · « **Reply #2 on:** April 07, 2011, 11:01:15 pm »

Now here is my bone of contention. I have no problem whatsoever with hobbiest/commercial or any beek of any stripe fetching swarms or cutouts for that matter. What boils my blood is to tell some fool not to expect to pay for a service! I give a rat's patooie what you want to do for free but I feed my family from what I do and not a thing I do is a hobby, not even the ladies. My daddy thought his boys at an early age that whatever stays on the place had better earn it's keep or get gone.
BTW, if it is of any matter and IMO it is not my quoted fee was a tank of gas and no more. More than reasonable considering the norm for my colleagues in my market, all of which are spray for pay types that kill every honeybee they see, is a buck and a quarter to a buck seventy five.
How should I react? Should I start promoting the fact that I am a licensed and fully insured operator and that I am the state rep for a national association plus I hold certifications in several areas just to thump a lowly hobbiest. Should I support the voices in fear of our recent africanized incident that want to declare all ferals verboten and on the kill on sight list? Should I quit speaking up in support of beekeeping and giving classes to school children on honeybees?
No none of the above I shall turn the other cheek and continue on but if I can't include the ladies in the services I provide the general public because some self righteous idiots feel that I am tainted then don't expect me to come running in a time of need.
Folks, irregardless of what I do for a living I am one of you A BEEK.

montauk170 · « **Reply #3 on:** April 08, 2011, 02:39:11 am »

I feel your pain.

Two these past three weeks for me. The owner agrees to pay me to remove bees, one from wall and one was a swarm. First one after I inspected, free inspection, I told them the situation, cost, and that I can go home and get my gear and come remove the bees from your wall now. I drove home and then back. As I almost reach their house they called me saying they found someone else to remove the bees and wouldn't need my service anymore!!! $^*!!!

The swarm, they called and agreed to pay, then as I was driving there they called and said they found someone free. Good thing on this one I haven't drove that far yet. Ugh!

Michael Bush · « **Reply #4 on:** April 08, 2011, 03:30:22 am »

I've given up doing any that are more than a few miles away. It's just not worth finding out they sprayed them with insecticide or they found someone to get them or kill them.

VolunteerK9 · « **Reply #5 on:** April 08, 2011, 09:56:41 am »

While running the risk of sounding like an a$$, I think you went above and beyond what I would have done. I used to be self employed as a farrier and I would constantly get calls from people asking my price and once I told them, they immediately started with the so-n-so does it for this much cheaper. At first I tried to justify my prices-later I just told them to call so-n-so and then said good bye. It wasn't worth my cell phone time to try and carry on a conversation with them. If they called back, I tacked on a $25 barn visit simply for the aggravation factor. I'll help out anyone in need, but I hate people that try to nickle and dime me to death. My time is just as valuable to me as theirs is to them. Like Iddee said, tell them to call whatever bone head beek told them that-and when he doesnt show up, add $$ to your fee.

iddee · « **Reply #6 on:** April 08, 2011, 10:11:23 am »

I'm in full agreement with you, except I just consider it a minor inconvenience rather than letting it bother me. There will be plenty that will pay on down the road. I don't need to score on every call. I've turned down many deals simply for their attitude.

gaucho10 · « **Reply #7 on:** April 08, 2011, 08:28:17 pm »

There have been many posts on this website for people asking how much they should charge to do a bee removal. I too am a PAC Agent (Problem Animal Control) for the State of Massachusetts and I do bee removal as my specialty. Distance, location, nest height, size and repairs are all factors. I have tried to input information on what I thought was a fair price to charge (as per discussion). I don't recall the gist of the posting but it got to the point where someone got angry at me because they wanted to do it for free and I was quoting my thoughts on a minimum price. WHY ASK HOW MUCH TO CHARGE THEN ? I do this for a living and I know how much work it takes to accomplish the job. There are bees to be removed and carpentry work to be done aside from the acquisition of specialized tools for the job. We have beekeepers who really don't think or care when they are running their mouths off to make themselves sound important. I hate it when they do that... :roll:

When I get a call to do a bee removal I make sure to explain to the caller that the bee removal is only the small part of the job. The repairs and prevention are the most important part of the work. I CHARGE !!!

gaucho10
Spencer, MA

wayne · « **Reply #8 on:** April 09, 2011, 11:31:06 am »

As a NWCO we get the same thing from trappers and hunters. many state and local trapper associations urge their members to be good neighbors and help landowners out with problem animals.
When the land owner calls we get the comment that we "can keep the animal" to cover our costs. Or that we can have all the whatevers they want to get rid of.
Like you I roll as quick as possible on swarms, mostly because I get paid to remove animals not look at empty bushes.
I'm sure that folks mean well, they just don't think about the business' out there when they talk.

David McLeod · « **Reply #9 on:** April 09, 2011, 03:35:24 pm »

Wayne, down here trapping isn't as big as it is there but I have heard that as well. Maybe because I change my own oil and brakes I should advise folks that they shouldn't have to pay a mechanic to do it for them.

Shanevrr · « **Reply #10 on:** April 09, 2011, 08:34:10 pm »

nothing is free

iddee · « **Reply #11 on:** April 09, 2011, 08:37:23 pm »

All good posts. I do, tho, advise hobbyist to charge for the removal but don't do the repairs for any price or reason. One 1/4 inch hole left open means a new swarm moves in and if the hobbyist does the repair, the owner expects the new ones removed free. After all, if they had repaired it right, they couldn't get back in. If the beek removes and the carpenter replaces, the beek isn't responsible and the contractor doesn't do removals. The result is more money for both if there is another swarm.

gaucho10 · « **Reply #12 on:** April 09, 2011, 09:12:48 pm »

Good point Iddee.....I failed to make that point in my previous posts.

gaucho10

David McLeod · « **Reply #13 on:** April 10, 2011, 04:49:18 pm »

After time to settle down I must apologize for getting upset. I'm kind of sensitive to the whole fee for services thing. I've gotten enough flack over the years for the simple act of charging for a service that it's real easy to set me off.
Just some of the things I've seen and heard.

Beeks who think NWCOs and PCOs are bad for trying to make a living removing bees and say so to my face.

PCOs who think catching a squirrel is simple and inexpensive (it can be if done right) but charging the prices I do to COMPLETELY SEAL a structure is highway robbery.

Anyone who thinks grandma should get special consideration on pricing irregardless that grandma is a skinflint millionaire. I do offer discounts and take the truly needy into consideration.

Animal lovers who think I should do this for the "love of the animals".

Idiots who think because it's state owned wildlife and I have a state license the state should pick up the tab.

I've been called everything in the book and then some when prices are quoted and in some instances had to restrain my right hand from reaching out and touching some fool upside the head.

Folks who otherwise wouldn't deign to speak to me in desperate need of my services who think it's okay to belittle what I do.

For the most part I have developed a thick skin but when I get crap off of a member of a group that I consider myself a member of and defender of it riles me.

iddee · « **Reply #14 on:** April 10, 2011, 06:10:44 pm »

Not to get personal, David, but maybe you should take a second look at your approach. In 35 years of bee and snake removal, I have never encountered that type attitude. Folks often think my prices are too high, but respond no harder than I do at the gas station or grocery store about the price. I just don't understand why you get such strong resentment.

Tommyt · « **Reply #15 on:** April 13, 2011, 08:58:04 am »

David
Your making it too personal
Not a healthy thing for you personally and it may eventually
show in your presentation to the people
Life is way to short
@ 37
I had was doing good working for myself making good $$.
got "Cancer" and paralyzed me from nipples down "BANG"
I am now 57 and walking normal again
pretty much normal and cancer free
excluding being abnormal by choice :-D
Stress and anger and worth Zero the other guy/girl
already forgot your name and you carry it in your shirt
Pocket and bring it home(not good)
Don't get me wrong, I may be way off
I also feel bringing it here is what forums do good
for people,when needing to vent
so keep in mind

This is
JMHO

Tommyt
Just a Note I fight the above still but do my best not too

Scadsobees · « **Reply #16 on:** April 13, 2011, 10:32:35 am »

Yeah...and then there's the folks that want you to pay THEM so you can drive for 40 minutes to pick up a swarm...yeah right!! :roll:

It is a confusing issue. As a beginning hobbyist, I'd drive a long way to pick up a swarm because to me it was that valuable. Now...not so much. Around here it is a bigger issue trying to find somebody that will do a cutout for pay or not, I don't have time to do a trapout at this point, more than a couple of times I've told my exterminator aquaintance to just nuke them because I can't find anybody to help.

I agree...don't argue with people, just educate and state your price.

Rick

skflyfish · « **Reply #17 on:** April 13, 2011, 06:08:58 pm »

Quote from: Scadsobees on April 13, 2011, 10:32:35 am

more than a couple of times I've told my exterminator aquaintance to just nuke them because I can't find anybody to help.

Ask sometime, eh. :-D I am not always available, but would help if I was free at the time.

Jay

David McLeod · « **Reply #18 on:** April 15, 2011, 12:15:45 am »

Thanks for letting me vent. That's just one of the many things I use the forums for. It's all good now the worm has turned this week and I'm a grand to the good this week on bees alone. A four pound swarm yesterday (they're doing just fine in the yard tonight). Had to hem the queen in with an excluder as I suspected she would try to bolt on me. Got them in the box and settled and had to leave them to go for another, from Macon all the way to Atlanta, that turned out to be a swimming pool and not a swarm. Whatever, I walked the woods looking for the nearby bee tree, had a nice long bee chat with the nice lady and hopefully spread the bee love and gained a friend, collected my fee and shot back to Macon to retrieve my box of bees. Today I stopped off in Macon enroute to Moultrie (Rossman's) to eyeball a cutout (attempted apicide by the foolish homeowner before he calls in the "expert") quoted my fee, hemed and hawed and got the signature for the cutout to be performed Sunday, collected my down payment. Continued on to Rossman's and blew the bulk of what I've made before I even collected the balance. :(
Oh, and stopped off in Macon on the way back to pull a dead squirrel out of a stove hood vent.

Shawn · « **Reply #19 on:** April 19, 2011, 11:43:01 am »

I just saw an add on Craigslist of a saying a minimum of $175 for bee removal. His picture showed a swarm in a tree. To me that is a little high. Ok a lot high.