While some houses are infested by mice because of plain neglect, some houses are rummaged by mice because of extreme weather shifts and other natural conditions. When the latter happens, mice are usually very difficult to get rid of; the current population may be exterminated, but rest assured that in a matter of weeks, the same problem will recur if no professional help is employed in mouse-proofing the house and in making sure that not a single mouse is left alive while hiding in the deepest of all the burrows in the house.
Of course, after the recession, most homeowners are now more careful with their expenditures and would not want to spend on professional extermination as much as possible, lest on professional inspection alone. Thus, it is always in the best interest of the homeowner or the property owner to make sure that a real infestation is actually happening before calling a professional exterminator; and what could be better than a professional inspection that is completely free of charge? There are strategies which you can employ in order to get a professional exterminator conduct an inspection throughout your entire property without him or her asking for a dime. I'll show you the simple trick.
You just have to call a local pest control company and inquire about their services and the cost of each service. Then ask if they can come over your place to conduct an inspection for free. Some might deny you this privilege, but if you know how to play the game, I assure you, 9 out of 10 pest control companies will agree to conduct an inspection in your house or property for free. All that you have to do is to tell them about the "offers and promos" of a rival pest control company and how much they are willing to conduct a free inspection of your property. Majority of the companies will not dare to let go of a possible client like you, because if indeed there are mice in your property, then they get to be hired as your exterminator!
However, some of you might be worried about the possibility of being fooled by the company. For example, of being told that there is in fact a mice infestation when there is none. But you don't have to worry about that, unlike other pests that cannot be quantified, like molds, termites and ants, mice can be counted and the exterminator is bound to present to you the bodies of the mice being exterminated. Since the cost of professional pest control varies depending on the extent of the infestation and the number of pests that have to be exterminated, the mice exterminator will only be billing you based on the number of mice that he or she can present to you, plus their base cost which is dependent on the size of the property and some other company-specific factors.
Nevertheless, you should be aware that there are other payment schemes used in mice extermination. Some companies impose an hourly rate which is designed to meet the company’s expenses in their extermination, while some companies ask for monthly or quarterly fees and would take care of your house for the whole duration that you have availed of their services. These schemes are usually better in cases when the mice infestation in your property is extreme and the number of mice is more than what you can easily count. Such services will only incur about $60 to $100, which is relatively cheaper if you pay on a per-dead-mouse basis.
You just have to talk to the company's representative to settle which payment scheme best benefits you and the company. Don't forget that you don't have to succumb to the terms of the company right away. You can make your own terms too and then make a compromise, or you can go to other companies that can give you better terms. Be wise in picking the pest control company that you will hire to take care of your house. Always give value to the money you are spending.
Benefits of Professional Extermination over DIY Extermination
The most obvious benefit of a professional service is the fact that you don't have to deal with the problem yourself. If you are a busy person and you are earning sufficiently well, then professional extermination is the right option for you to take. While someone who has ample of time and is willing to exhaust his energy in chasing and killing mice might want to do the extermination himself for self gratification, someone like you, who has to take care of your job and your other familial and social responsibilities cannot afford to allocate your time to the mice that infest your house. In exchange for the time that you will be saving for some other things more important than mouse control, you will have to give away a portion of your earnings to the professional exterminator whom you have commissioned to do the job in your behalf.
Moreover, by doing so, you will be getting more benefits. A professional has the license to use chemicals and other products that are very effective in mouse control but are not available for regular individuals to use, have you performed the task yourself, you might have found yourself using not-so-effective products. Professionals also use their specialized knowledge in dealing with mice that they can go about the task without any difficulty and problems. They can secure your pets and children from the possible harms brought about by the extermination which you could have over-looked yourself because of your lack of experience. This means that they can take care of the job fast and easy; so your problem with mice doesn't have to be prolonged anymore.
The experience gained by professional exterminators is also a very significant factor to consider. One look at the left-over nibbled boxes and scattered mouse droppings and the professional will be able to point out where the mice are nesting. They also know what methods works best in mice extermination depending on the size of your house and the materials used in building it.
Your Next Big Move
The fact alone that you are reading this post means that you have mice problems of your own. The best thing that you can do is to contact a local mouse control company and then apply the strategy that I explained earlier in this post. In case you are not very comfortable with "lying", ask someone else in your household or any of your friends to do it. In my own opinion, by doing so, you will not be lying but rather, you are convincing the representative of the company that there are other companies out there who are willing to do the task which they are refusing to do. Moreover, you will not be the first person to do that. When I was in practice before, we have inspected most of the houses that we have worked on for free.
Next, when a company does agree to conduct a free inspection of your property, do not go gaga immediately. That's only a signal that you can now talk more about their payment schemes and the programs and services that they offer. Always make sure that you are getting the best value for your money before making any decisions.
All the best,
Sergiu Zburatoru
