# Pricing out trap-outs and cut-outs



## greg zechman (Nov 2, 2010)

If i am over stepping the boundries of money please excuse me...i am just curious to what you might receive in the way of compensation for this type of work...also.if you would have an idea of the list of equipment needed to do this ,i would very much appreciate it if you would share it ...thank you in advance....greg


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## Paul McCarty (Mar 30, 2011)

Cutting out at $75 an hour seems a fair price. Two hour minimum - if you charge. I am sure others have different ideas. You always run the risk of scaring a homeowner into declining if the price is too high and then they spray or just hire an exterminator. That is why some beeks do not charge for residential removal in certain areas (they are a bit rare though). However, you should ALWAYS charge for a commercial removal from a business. 

Trapping out, not sure a fair price on that one. I do not do it much. Those jobs take a long time and you normally don't break even in a lot of them. Swarm removal - I just collect them. Free bees.


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## frederick (Feb 10, 2012)

i charge between 100 and 200 dollors per job no matter how long it takes. ive done 3 this week and have 3 more to go and more the following week.


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## robherc (Mar 17, 2012)

greg zechman said:


> ...also.if you would have an idea of the list of equipment needed to do this ,i would very much appreciate it if you would share it .


My cut-out checklist (feel free to modify/add/subtract to what suits you best):
*3' Crowbar
*1' modified prybar/hive tool (I'll try to post a pic of it later, if you want)
*Claw hammers, 1 large & 1 small
*Linoleum Knife (cuts comb nicely)
*Bee-*PROOF* suit w/veil & gloves
*Drill with 1.5" paddle-bit (helps when you have to tear into a wall, lets you "peek" to find the hive without tearing off several feet of wall unnecessarily)
*Circular Saw
*Reciprocating Saw (Sawzall)
*7-8 Frame deep Nuc/Swarm-trap boxes with solid bottoms and closeable entrances, at least 2 (I drill holes in the lids & screw them down, makes for safer transport)
*Screwdriver
*5gal buckets for honey comb & ruined comb, at least 2
*"Feral comb capture frames" (there's one pattern for these posted in the "BIY" section of www.beesource.com), MINIMUM 2 per nuc
*1.5gal pump-sprayer full of 1:20 (or stronger) soapy water to "take care of" all the stragglers that I can't coax into the hive boxes
*Lots of extra soap (dish soap or liquid laundry soap both work well...buy the cheap stuff), "just in case"
*Small spray bottle of homemade bee repellant (I use Almond, Tea Tree, Jojoba, Orange, Citronella, Cinnamon, and Pennyroyal oils, listed in no particular order)
*Stapler
*Flashlights (Both with, and without red, diffuse light filters...if you work after twilight w/red diffuse light, the bees can't see to fly very well) 
*Camera (I take pictures to post here, and to keep for "legal records")

Items I don't personally use often, but probably should:
*Smoker
*Bee Vac

I'm sure there are probably several things I'm forgetting, and several things I use that others find quite unnecessary. Like I said, this is just what I use, everyone eventually finds their own way that works well for them; or stops doing cut-outs as they're really quite a bit of work/trouble.


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## Jaseemtp (Nov 29, 2010)

im interested in this also


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## delber (Dec 26, 2010)

For cut-outs I charge 200 for the first 4 hrs. and 50 per hr. every hour after. Most removals unless I'm fixing things I have been able to complete in 4 hours. I have no idea how to price a trap out but would like to know how to price also.


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## Bsweet (Apr 9, 2010)

I prefer to do trapouts IF the client allows it and charge $500. to do one unless its in or near to my line of travel to and from work to save on fuel.
The last one I did last summer broke down like this

$85. set up 2.5 hours
12 hours total in the next 6 weeks @ $10. per hour
ordered 1 queen $25.
approx $70 in fuel
$75. in materials

Total cost $315.00

$145. labor
$25. queen
$70. fuel
$75. matreials

Now I charged this one $85. when I set up the trap out and $250. two weeks into it and $250 when it was done. My cost break down was for me only and NOT provided to the client, but I wanted to be sure that I was charging enough. The total charge was $585. and total cost was $315. and a profit of $270. Not to bad when 12 hours of the labor was travel time to and from and about 30 min. talking to the client and looking at the setup to see how all was going.
I must say that about 2/3s of the people that call will not pay that much but I lose enough money keeping bees that I don't want to lose it when removing them.
Cut outs I charge $100. to start and then $50. per hour after two hours, plus rental on special tools like a manlift or ladder/bucket truck


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## baldwinbees (Mar 2, 2010)

duct tape,ads from the mail, & ammonia should bee on the list.the queen is a trackstar.tape wire&plumbing holes.you can block off exits with paper&tape,like in the eave of the house.ammonia is $1.50 a gallon&will keep them from running.what kind of price do you put on each sting received???ask the homeowner this question when they try browbeating your price.you can only vac before you begin cutting.once you start honey starts getting on the bees&they will stick in the hose,or get sucked up in clumps.trial&error!!!don't count on getting bees,thats a bonus.


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## baldwinbees (Mar 2, 2010)

oh yeah,either have a signed work order,or 2 witnesses to your agreement&get paid before sealing the holes&leaving with the bees.just being able to tell them you are gonna open the box &release all those VERY angry bees to reclaim their home helps the homeowner to sign the check rather than say 'thanks,but I don't feel it was worth???,&I'm only gonna give you $20 for gas.'had to do it twice


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## frederick (Feb 10, 2012)

i use a beevac that i bought from brushy mountain bee farm. best investment i could buy. im in and out in 3 hours or less.


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