# How to price bee removal



## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

*This is the rules for this thread..*

Feel free to post the metheod by which you calulate bee removal prices...

Stay on topic...anything that I deem is off topic or not advancing the topic will be deleted.

Some of my calulations include..location in the building..the higher they are, the more I charge..distance from me...the further away, the higher the price..


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## No_Bivy (Nov 25, 2008)

peggjam said:


> Feel free to post the metheod by which you calulate bee removal prices...
> 
> Stay on topic...anything that I deem is off topic or not advancing the topic will be deleted.
> 
> Some of my calulations include..location in the building..the higher they are, the more I charge..distance from me...the further away, the higher the price..


 
75 per man hr...the higher they are the better


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## comb (Jan 12, 2006)

i guess im a sucker i do it for free


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

$100 an hour historically. I'm thinking about going up or setting a $250 minimum. Swarms are another story. I ask for gas money if they sound desparate to get rid of them or if they are more than a few miles away. Otherwise, easy swarms are free.


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## deantn (Jan 3, 2007)

Can see charging for some gas money and a few bucks for your time but......


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## magnet-man (Jul 10, 2004)

Well a near by swarm I can see doing it for free since it is free bees. It is in a wall of a house or attic that is really what I am looking for. Do you have any trouble after you told the homeowner you are going to cut his wall open and are done with the job. Do you get a signed contract and when do you ask for the money?


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## peggjam (Mar 4, 2005)

*Do you get a signed contract and when do you ask for the money?*

Always get a signed contract..I require money at the end of the cutout...I let my wife collect, they don't give her a hard time.

The contract should spell out exactly what will be done, and that you do not repair the damage, you just make it(hole)..and make sure you include any electrical damage as well, ya just never know what you will run into.


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## Sundance (Sep 9, 2004)

I don't do removals....... but I do overhead door
work. The same issues apply. Give the customer
a write up on what you are doing in detail and
the *price before you do the work.* They are happy,
no surprises.

Write the same work up after.......... same amount
of money......... they scream.


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## comb (Jan 12, 2006)

i always have a contract signed before i start a cutout . also be careful of anyone near who may be allergic to bee stings.


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## abeeco (Dec 6, 2008)

How to have (semi) flexible pricing in a professional way... I would be very seriously interested in how others have managed this.

I charge $75 an hour with a travel charge. I am not a contractor so I do not do repairs.

I often run into people who either:
-aren't able/ willing to pay this price
-are going to spray raid at the bees after I tell them my price, even though I tell them I charge 2-3 times as much to come clean up the results of their bad choice

In many cases (when I am not too busy) I would be happy or willing to do these jobs at at a reduced rate.

My question: how do you manage to adjust your rates, to get these 'customers' back but still sound totally professional?

thanks for the input.


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## Ross (Apr 30, 2003)

I don't. There are far more calls than I can get around to. I always assume the bees have already been sprayed and charge accordingly.


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## Ben Brewcat (Oct 27, 2004)

Ross said:


> I don't. There are far more calls than I can get around to. I always assume the bees have already been sprayed and charge accordingly.


Ditto. In my experience a good portion of them clearly have been sprayed. And YEP I charge... removals are physical, messy and dangerous, wielding power tools up on ladders and such. And the work is about half done when you get home, don't forget the care for the bees and the CLEANUP when you get home.


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## abeeco (Dec 6, 2008)

I also run into colonies that have been sprayed, and tell everyone beforehand (in a contract) that I will be able to see this (it is obvious) and charge more accordingly....

however, in my part of the world, (from what I have read about you guys all trapping, chasing swarms, etc) the population of unmanaged /"feral" hives is MUCH less up here.

I therefore wouldn't mind adjusting my rate ocasionally. any advice?


yes, the CLEAN UP at home is something that should obviously be factored in...


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## PA Pete (Feb 2, 2005)

*How to Price Removals*

I'm in PA outside Philadelphia. 

I charge by the hour - $75, with a two hour minimum. Thinking about upping this by $10 or $20 - what are others charging in the PA/NJ/NY area?

When I first talk to the potential customer, I let them describe the situation to me in as much detail as they can, and let them tell me if they sprayed or not. I charge $15/hr more if the bees have been sprayed.

I have been out to do removals in the past where I was assured they were honeybees, only to find yellowjackets. The prep work (empty supers, empty frames with rubber bands, etc., loading up, travel time, etc.) makes the minimum a necessity.

Last year I did not do removals as a result of moving a good distance from my hives. This year I'll be doing them again as a result of losing my job back in February.

Travel time sounds like a good idea - I sometimes get calls from people an hour or more away. What do you charge for this? An extra hour tacked onto your minimum? I advertise "free estimates," but when they're real far, I can't do this and need to figure a fair way to charge for the travel.

Oh - I have a contract that I describe to the customer before I even drive out, and I have them sign it after I've looked over the situation but before I start any actual work. It says basically three things:

1. Bees sting. I'm not liable for any stings that occur on the property.
2. Accidental damage may occur - I'm not liable for accidental damage.
3. The Homeowner is responsible for any repairs that may be necessary.

-Pete


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## Gene Weitzel (Dec 6, 2005)

For cutouts, I charge $100.00 per hour with a 2 hr minimum for the time to access the bees and remove them. I do not charge for the time waiting around for them to cluster back up. If it is more than a 25 or 30 mile round trip, I charge $0.50 per mile for travel time. If the colony is in an object that I can just screen off and take with me I usually charge 1/2 the minimum ($100.00) depending on how easy it is to screen them off and load them up.

If the owner has some materials available (insulation, sheetrock, plywood, etc.) then I will do quick simple rough repairs to get the cavity closed up. They will be responsible for any finish work (plaster repair, texture, caulking, painting, etc.).

For swarms, if they are within an hours drive, its a $75.00 service charge, even if the swarm is gone when I get there.

When folks decide that my fee is too high and they say they will just spray the bees themselves or such, I tell them good luck, I also remind them that I have no interest in helping after their failed attempt. A "You started it, you finish it" type attitude. If they tell me its been several months or more since they were sprayed, then I tell them I will evaluate the situation on site and may or may not accept the job.

I have been known to cut my fee substantially in cases of extreme need (widows on fixed income, etc.). Once in a while I have been known to trade services for items of equal value (boats, autos, etc.) as well.


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## justgojumpit (Apr 9, 2004)

$0.50 per mile, plus $100 per hour. 1 hour minimum. I did remove a swarm two days ago for the cost of fuel, and I will never do that again!

I got the bees hived, they started building comb, took off, and now all I have for the three hours it took me to drive there, hive the swarm, drive back home, and set them up is the 10 or so bees that were left in the box! I guess I'm building up the population of feral bees in the area!

justgojumpit


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## beemused (May 25, 2008)

I charge $100 per hr with a two hr minimum for cutouts. A helper is charged at $20 per hr. I charge 50 cents a mile for those over 10 miles from my location. Any special equipment (scaffolding for instance) is additional. $250 toxic exposure fee if they have been sprayed. Swarms are usually free unless they settle inside a difficult area for removal.

I have not yet encountered a financially stressed situation but would eliminate any cost for someone in financial difficulty.


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## Zane (Mar 28, 2008)

I have been asking for gas money on swarms that are 30+ miles away and havent had any problems getting it. I've only done 3 cutouts, the first one was freedoh and I charged $150 for the next 2. It wasnt enough for the work but I had fun working bee's w/ my wife and made a couple families happy they had no bee's in their home anymore!!!! They didnt seem to have a problem w/ $150.00 either. I may start charging more just to see where I stand around here. I think I'd chg more for a trapout due to the time it takes to keep goining back and possible loss of equipment etc..


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## SilverFox (Apr 25, 2003)

Depends on a number of factors-distance-time involved-the attitude of the people requesting my services (the ruder or whiney the more it costs them) and the cooperation of the person requesting services, and for my own reasons the age of the people requesting my services the older the cheaper it is.


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## HAPPYCLASPER (Aug 10, 2009)

I charge $50.00 per hr ! hr min


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## hummingberd (Aug 26, 2006)

so, could someone post a copy of the contract they use to do cutouts, or maybe send me one via email? 

Thanks!


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## Bodhi (Aug 30, 2009)

hummingberd said:


> so, could someone post a copy of the contract they use to do cutouts, or maybe send me one via email?
> 
> Thanks!


I'd like to see one, too! I've done a couple for free and am ready to make some money rather than spend it!


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## PA Pete (Feb 2, 2005)

I am not a lawyer. Use the below at your own risk - I assume NO RESPONSIBILITY should you decide to use any or all of the following verbiage.

Constructive criticism is welcome.

AGAIN: YOU assume ALL risk and responsibility should you choose to use any or all of the below verbiage in any contract:

------

Bee Removal	Date__________________

Location ______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________
______________________________________

Cost/Rate	_______________________

I have been warned that bees sting, and that there will be flying bees during the bee/hive removal process. I agree that [BEEKEEPER'S NAME] shall not be held liable for any stings that occur on the above property.

Significant care will be taken not to create damage other than that required to remove the bees/hive. I understand that accidental damage may occur, and I therefore agree that [BEEKEEPER'S NAME] shall not be held liable for damage that may occur during the bee/hive removal process.

The terms of this agreement are for bee/hive removal only. Once the bees and hive are removed, the Property Owner is responsible for any repairs that may be necessary.

By signing below I agree to the terms of this agreement.


Property Owner ______________________________________ Date______________


Beekeeper ___________________________________________ Date______________


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## PA Pete (Feb 2, 2005)

BTW, I now charge $100/hr with a $250 minimum. I price most of my jobs by the hour, though I price some jobs (where I have a reasonably good idea how long the job will take) by the job - usually in the $400 - $500 range. When I price a job by the hour, I provide a "cap" so the client knows the maximum the job will cost - usually around $600. I maintain a list of reference clients, and I keep track of all jobs and estimates with both photos and written records.

I provide free honeybee removal estimates, but charge $35 - $50 ($50 for a commercial client) if I show up and the "honeybees" are YJs or some other insect. I explain this clearly beforehand, and talk the client through identification for as long as it takes (so we both feel comfortable) on the phone prior to the estimate.

I service three counties, so I sometimes drive over an hour to get to a job. When all is said and done, I can spend 8 to 9 hours including prep, drive time, bee disposal (hive setup, etc.), and cleanup on a 4 hour job, which works out to $50/hr. Pretty reasonable for the client and for me, in my opinion.

HTH

-Pete


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## Bodhi (Aug 30, 2009)

Thanks Pete.

Of anyone here who does removals, who does it as a business? Are you insured, bonded or in some way licensed? 

I know a lot of people do removals rather informally, but what about taking advantage of the perks of running a small business?


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## shadetreebeeman (Dec 4, 2009)

Whatever you charge is up to you.Do not forget to treat them before you bring them home.I have an outyard about 4 miles from my home.


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## Countryboy (Feb 15, 2009)

_Do not forget to treat them before you bring them home._

Treat them for what? Treat them with what?

Some of my strongest hives going into winter were cutouts I did this summer. The combs got rubber banded into frames, put into boxes, and I brought them home like that. The only treatment they received is a 'smoke treatment' to calm them down during the cutout.

Kokosing Valley Beekeepers meet in MV during the summer. I encourage you to show up. Email [email protected] to get added to the mailing list.


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## shadetreebeeman (Dec 4, 2009)

Mites anything else they dont come home with me!


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## warrior (Nov 21, 2005)

Hello, I thought I would chime in here as a businessman that specializes in the removal of wildlife (including honeybees) from homes.
Just from the sake of pure liability it might be prudent to separate one's bee removal activities from one's personal assets as one litigous client can encumber everything remotely associated with the bee removal operation.
I can not advise on the best course of action as I am not A) an attorney B) an insurance underwriter C) an expert in anything other than the capture and control of wildlife.
Here are some things I do that I hope save me some grief if it should ever hit the fan. My business, Georgia Wildlife Services, Inc is an incorporated sub chapter S corporation filed with the secretary of state in Georgia. This nominally seperates the company assets and activities from my own personal assets and activities. NOTE; any business dealings by myself MUST be conducted as an agent/employee of the corporation even though I am the owner/president/CEO/CFO and secretary of the corporation. The corporate veil must be maintained to provide separation of assets. The corporation also maintains insurance on it's activities for the sole purpose of protecting it's clients from bad actions by the corporation (not as some would believe to protect me). The corporation also requires that all activites and work be in WRITING prior to the start of work performed WITH signatures of acknowledgement by both the client and agent of the corporation.
Again I make no claim to expertise in this area but just tossing this out for your consideration, particularly if one chooses to offer his/her services for a fee. Free service may or may not be covered under the homeowners policy (?invited guest?), I would check on that if I offered no charge services.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

Yes, a 1-minute swarm at arm's reach, no charge, or gas if it's a long drive. If I have to bring a ladder - a $65 donation, or an arrangement where the beekeeper is the temporary employee of the landowner. If it involves removing wood, drywall, stucco, etc., and repairs AND YOU ARE NAMING PRICES, you are contracting without a license. Big, fat penalties in California for that, and not only that, you could be sued. It may also require permits, and some cities have tree codes.

I'm starting a not-for-profit, 501c3 corporation that accepts donations for bee rescue/removal involving structure removal/replacement to keep it legal. If you go the contract route, get your license, your bond, your insurance, and be sure to include equipment loss / damage costs in the boilerplate. It is paying work, it should not be cheap, it should be done correctly. Other people do get stung, and legal issues do pop up.

State contract laws should have an exclusion for beekeepers catching swarms, but I doubt many or any do.


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## kilocharlie (Dec 27, 2010)

A great book on contracting is titled Smart Business for Small Contractors. The author is a contractor and an attorney.


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## ProPacific (Jul 26, 2010)

I do cut outs and price them according to the location of the hive & the difficulty of accessing the hive. Usually a cut out of a wall, roof, etc. & a live removal of the bees will come out to around $450 - $600.

The structure will be repaired back to the original condition & can be painted (if needed) if the homeowner supplies the paint. I ALWAYS use contracts!


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## JBees (Feb 9, 2010)

Good discussion. Got a lot of ideas. Thanx for posting.


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## geoffkb (Jul 2, 2007)

*Swarm Removal Websites*

If anyone has a website which contains information about bees, beekeeping or bee removal I thought they might be interested in embedding this YouTube PSA video to encourage people to call a beekeeper instead of an exterminator.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d5C0HxsWTBs


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

magnet-man said:


> I was thinking of doing some bee removal and wanted to know how everyone figures pricing.


Before I got my removal license (allowing me to charge for removals in TX) I did the removal for free, but only after the property owner reimbursed my *actual* travel expenses to come out and examine the hive.
...Now that the state has assured me my license is "in the mail" I'll be re-editing all my ads & will have a $100 minimum + fuel surcharge (95% of my calls are from at least 25 minutes away...gas costs money), and I'm also considering adding a $100 AHB/sprayed hive/super-agressive bees surcharge.
I don't/won't charge based on my time "on scene" as I generally like to "take my time" when handling the cut-outs & would feel I was cheating the customer if I were charging by the hour. That said, I WILL charge based on the size/accessibility of the hive; still working out how to do that w/o losing the appearance of professionalism though.... ideas anyone?


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## Greg755 (Jan 29, 2012)

I charge $75 plus travel at 50 cents a mile to come out and estimate the problem. If you like my quote I apply the $75 towards the first hour of work and then it is $60 an hour thereafter.

I make sure that they are aware that they may get stung, and that I will not be responsible for any damage done to the building or its plumbing/electrical systems nor will I be held accountable for any damages if these systems should catch something on fire or in the event of water damage. Further more I make it clear that they are responsible to ensure that all the honey is cleaned out before they have a contractor repair the structure. I do my best to be very careful when removing building materials and I get all the comb and MOST of the honey out, but if they dont want rodent or insect problems in the future, they really need to wash down the area after I leave...


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## jdawdy (May 22, 2012)

I'm flexible. If it is a local, "shake 'em into the box and walk off" swarm, there is no charge. I think this is a good policy because it builds goodwill and a positive image of beekeepers in general among the community. To me, having a good reputation is worth more than the money I would charge for such a simple job.

Pest control in my area charges $100 to kill a hive, so that's pretty much my minimum. It has to be a fairly simple removal, of a non-residential structure (like a garage, shed, etc), since I won't cut on people's houses. Too much liability for my blood.

I have a "hold harmless" agreement that I have them sign.

The other day I did the first cutout of the year, and did not charge. Reason was, the owner had worked bees before (he was an old retired cowboy who had worked bees in Montana when he wasnt breaking horses), and I loaned him a suit to help me. We did the cutout (removed a sheetrock panel from a garage) and I left all the cleanup and scraping of comb, spraying with killz etc to him. 

I wouldn't go get a swarm more than about 15 miles away. Too much chance they will be gone when you arrive.

Since even the simplest cutout is a nasty, sweaty, sticky mess of a job, I think starting at $100 is more than reasonable. If the bees are Africanized, I tell them to call pest control. Having done an Africanized removal, I can't imagine charging less than $500 for it.


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## tommysnare (Jan 30, 2013)

Countryboy said:


> _Do not forget to treat them before you bring them home._
> 
> Treat them for what? Treat them with what?
> 
> ...


:thumbsup:


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## jimsteelejr (Sep 21, 2012)

We originally started doing removals as a way of getting bees. We did not charge and just took donations. After a while we got more calls than we could handle and it cut into our free time. We decided to make a business out of it. The truck is always loaded with a bee vac, ladder, and tools. We usually start at $150 for simple jobs like a soffit or a confined space. if we have to do cutting or the hive is higher than 6 feet up we charge more. I tend to under price and the wife gives me hell so I quote a range until we get there and see what we are actually up against.We still do freebees-swarms, bird houses that we can remove etc we let the customer make a donation. We try not to take more than one or two jobs a week since that cuts into our free time (we both have real jobs) Since our space to put the bees is limited we get the feral hive established and sell it. If we don't requeen we specify that and generally charge less. If we requeen then we get full price. We never assume that the bees have not been sprayed. No matter what the customer tells us we assume that they have been sprayed.. We usually save only a minimal about of brood and honey comb just enough to anchor the new bees.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

Bees in low wall in garage with plain drywall. That's easy and around $300. 
Bees in masonry 30 feet off the ground? Scaffold rental? Extra man? 
Travel? We charged $1500 to remove bees from masonry and then put back like before. 

There have been jobs I walked away from because it was too much. Typically it's inside and up 3 or 4 flights of stairs. Have done a few like that and you're like a zombie for three days afterwards and you can't pay me enough for that.
Have been getting very picky about which removals I will do. Get burned just once or twice and you get that way. 

Wish I had twenty bucks for every time I get a call from someone with a bee tree that thinks they're going to get a free tree removal just for the bees. Have met some doozies and it happens every two weeks or so. So I'm done with bee trees. Urbana, Illinois is "Tree City USA" and dang they got a lot of feral bees. I'm well-stocked anyway.


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## Verick369 (Jan 11, 2013)

LA area we do $150 for a half hour or $250 an hour. Never charge flat rate. You never know what is inside that wall/attic, and you never know when the stupid homeowner did something really weird. "it is only a day old!" usually means it is 10+ years and they want a deal. Terminix charges $250 flat rate if they don't have to climb anything, and they leave all the poison and honey behind. If it is in a wall you then need to pay $200 toxic waste dump, and a contractor around $400 to deal with the poison. I find my prices are fair to do bee removals full time.


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## msl (Sep 6, 2016)

Must be nice, out here a "bee hive in wall, come take them out and their your's" last all of 5 min in Craig's list


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## Verick369 (Jan 11, 2013)

msl said:


> Must be nice, out here a "bee hive in wall, come take them out and their your's" last all of 5 min in Craig's list


In my experience you need $200 monthly bee removal insurance, a solid "do not sue me" contract which costs around $600 to be written, along with all the proper tools and experience. Then, when you are done you have around a 30-50% chance to actually keep the bees. If someone wants to go through all that for free then they can be my guest. I can sit down in my apiary and make a split in 5 or so mins. I don't need the bees that badly.

Worst case scenario you get someone stung, or you accidentally hit something in the wall (pipes or wires), and now you just paid a couple grand to catch bees that took off a week later.


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## Michael Carnahan (Apr 4, 2014)

There are many variables in determining bee removal pricing. The size, the age, and the location all can affect the price of the removal. No two removals are ever the same. Most all of my removals have a minimum charge of $250. We charge $75 for Swarms. The most money I’ve ever charged was $1100.00 to remove and relocate the bees.


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## aunt betty (May 4, 2015)

msl said:


> Must be nice, out here a "bee hive in wall, come take them out and their your's" last all of 5 min in Craig's list



Has nothing to do with location. Customer has got some bees in a wall. Come gettem and they're yours. 
You want a picture? You better because you'll need some very very tall stilts to get up there unless you got wings.
Careful what you volunteer for.


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## jimsteelejr (Sep 21, 2012)

/every year we get a new crop of novice beekeepers who will do removals for free. Usually they do one and realize how much work is involved and retire from the business. I try to go look at the job before I quote. I give a firm price. Most regular removals from walls and soffits that are less than 8 or 9 feet I figure at two hours @$125.00 an hour, no repairs. Some simple things like a hive in a bush (done several of those) Compost bins etc that don't require much effort I might do for $150. We will go pick up a swarm if its near by at no charge. We usually spend at least a half hour after we are done educating the customer and neighbors who stand around observing. We did one job on a Saturday and got three more jobs by just showing all the jofos how things work. We work with a few realtors who are always finding hives in vacant houses.


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## Earthboy (May 16, 2007)

When they ask you, "Do you want some free bees?" Tell 'em, "Sir/Madam, if the bees are indeed free, why would you have them behind the wall?"

Eb


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## Beebeard (Apr 27, 2016)

For cutouts: $30 for me to come out, take a look, and write up a proposal. Like my quote and hire me?...$30 credit on final bill. That covers my time to come look at it, weeds out the "it should be free" folks, and secures the job nicely. Contract, insurance are a must.


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