BEWARE: DISHONEST TRAPPER; OUT TO TAKE YOUR MONEY; RUDE DEMEANOR…read more
I've rarely leave reviews, but my experience dealing with Steve the Trapper was so unpleasant I feel compelled to warn others of his services. I've also learned a bit about their raccoon trapping process, which you might find helpful.
I hired Steve to trap squirrels at my mom's house, and he pre-authorized my card for $1,250, his standard rate. Upon arrival he discovered we had a raccoon problem (and likely squirrels too). Given my perceived urgency of the situation--due largely to Steve's raccoon mania stories and the elaborate process of trapping them (Steve is quite the salesman), and the fact that I wasn't home and wanted to resolve the issue quickly--I agreed to an additional $1,650. This included $300 for his "standard" raccoon trapping fee, and the remaining $1,350 for using "high quality, waterproof" sheet metal to seal holes on the roof. I had nine holes on the roof, some initially caused by winter storms, which were torn bigger by the raccoons, and some smaller holes around the eaves perhaps caused by squirrels. We agreed on $200 each to seal the large holes and $85 each for the small holes. So a total cost of $2,900, about half to get rid of raccoons and half to seal holes. And as a "courtesy," Steve didn't charge me sales tax and said he would also put in squirrel traps (which never happened). He said he'd send me an invoice later in the week with the services broken out as we discussed.
I never received a service invoice. I looked up sheet metal costs (you can buy commercial grade sheet metal 36in x 36in for about $15) and realized if I were going to pay someone $1,350 to cover up holes with thin pieces of metal that are NOT waterproof, I considered instead to replace the roof, given it was a bit old anyways. So I told Steve that I hired a roofer--a $15K job that is all done now--and no longer needed him to seal the holes. He immediately responded that I wasn't getting a single dollar back. He said I had a "contractual agreement" with him to perform services (despite no actual service invoice), and that it didn't matter if I changed my mind, he was going to keep the money regardless.
What did I get in return for $2,900? A trapper who had his guys put small steel cages (which you can buy for $30 each, though Steve claims his 3 traps cost $800) and calls you a few times to check if you're hearing noises. The cages are meant to let the animal(s) leave and not come back in, so there's no way for them to know if they're actually gone unless you tell them so. Keep reading...
In one of the 3 traps Steve placed, his guys had to tear the existing hole bigger to so that the raccoon could get out easily. This created a funnel that caused water leakage and wall damage on both floors of my mom's house. Steve of course denied any fault, but prior to setting up the traps his guys had checked inside first to make sure there wasn't leakage, and there wasn't. After sending Steve pictures of the damage and requesting the refund again, he agreed. He said I would need to sign some paperwork to confirm his services. But upon meeting him, he said he was only willing to give me $400 of my $1,350 back.
When I told him that was unreasonable given he didn't perform the services of sealing the holes, he got angry, started yelling, and ended with "get the money from your fucking roofer."
Consider me foolish by agreeing to pay $3K for something that you can DIY for a couple hundred dollars at the most, and agreeing to pay in full upfront without receiving a detailed invoice. And I'll admit I do feel foolish, especially given the time wasted going back and forth and getting nothing back. Perhaps you might have a different experience with Steve and his company, but why risk it? There are other trappers in the area, and hopefully they have a higher level of integrity. I'd strongly recommend you find someone else (and make sure you have the services spelled out clearly in writing).
