Seriously consider second/third estimates and another company altogether. I am a property investor experiencing every type of estimate necessary for ones home following my instincts on contractors worthiness. Ira was the tech who talks a very good game using scare tactics as his primary selling point. My tenant had heard some scurrying in the attic and scratching in the walls - rats, but this had just started therefore I'm nipping this in the bud. Ira did his inspection then put me on speaker phone w/my tenant to explain the estimate saying how severe the problem was w/rat families living in their that could eat through the walls to enter the home, come up through the toilet, and that they were in the garage where the washer/dryer were. She is petrified of rodents and freaking out wanting to move out immediately which I don't blame her after that performance! He told me the places the rodents were entering and places he wanted to do over that had already been sealed previously. He'd have to go through the process of OSHA harnessing to repair ridge vents, going on and on to the big drum roll of $1500! Mind you the noise was only heard in one isolated small area of the house... Ira laid it on soooo thick I immediately lost trust in him and the co. This industry has many unethical companies and business practices taking advantage of people in vulnerable situations, this being a perfect example. Got a very good referral having a 360 experience for an even more thorough job for $600!!! The tech also said the opposite that he didn't feel this was a big job or large infestation feeling confident it wouldn't take long to remove all intruders. Hughes only estm. 4 traps and comes back too quickly to examine traps as opposed to getting 6 traps w/more spread out visits. This makes a difference bc part of the charging beyond the estimate is $75 for each additional visit to check traps, therefore using less traps and checking quicker allows them to make more money to come out more often. In addition, the droppings in the garage Ira exclaimed were from rats, were old lizard poop, proving my point of scare tactics and actually lying. I live in this house in the winter season never seeing droppings in the garage which is sealed off, very organized, and clean which is why it raised an eyebrow in the first place. I can only imagine all the elderly people they rip off w/their song and dance. If it weren't for the responsible co I retained the next day, my friend/tenant would have been mis-homed due to fear. Get estimates! read more
