Okay, details.
Called last friday evening. Had seen bats in a gable vent, no bats in attic or home. I gave my usual bat talk and full explanation of what an insection entails plus the exclusion method of bat removal. Offer him my reduced rate inspection for local customers, he's sold and wants me to come out immediately. He's pretty insistant so I know how to handle this. Due to lateness of the call I decline but offer to schedule him for the next available and Monday is not good and Tuesday is iffy. He then insists that it has to be Wednesday, which is fine by me as I could have arranged late Monday or squeezed him in on Tuesday but I have control of my own schedule.
Wednesday, yes 17 big browns in one gable vent all interior screens intact no major gaps or issues. Typical non emergency bat job and they can be flushed with no valve needed. Do see sign of fliers and the clients wife describes activity consistant with fliers. This is going to be a two for one job as I will not warranty my bat work when fliers are or have been present without doing a flier exclusion as well.
Areas to be sealed;
Three gable vents, two standard wood 24"x18" square one 36"x18" tombstone (bats are in this one)
The two square ones are on the main part of the house and are 50' on one side and 40' on the other, 60' ladder rental required. The other is above the back deck and reachable with the 28'.
Six exhaust vents, one dryer (the only one at ground level) the rest fart fans the tallest reachable by my 36'.
One attic fan on the main roof (14/12) with the main ridge around 12' from any lower ridge.
Aproximately 112' of gutter line construction gap in need of drip edge.
Eleven different soffit returns.
No significant guano to be removed since the screens were intact and the louvers directed it all to the outside.
No significant damage from fliers.
Miscellaneous gaps at the frieze boards needing caulk/sealant.
Inspection complete I make my presentation of findings and offer my options. I write it up two ways, bats only without warranty and bats and fliers (whole house).
"Tom" is not home so I am dealing with the wife but she puts him on the speaker phone so we have a conference call at the kitchen table.
On my pricing, I will not divulge but the options were barely four figures and well into four figures. I had also wisely padded these figures as I have been doing this long enough in a diverse metropolitan area to understand that in some cultures haggling is expected.
So the jist of the conversation was which would you recommend. The whole house of course as I can not offer a warranty otherwise. Done. How soon can you do the work. I'm a one man shop and this is the busy season and I would have to fit you in as there are others ahead of you. OK. Well I know I should get three quotes but I trust you and want this done this week. Absolutely that is your right to get multiple quotes and as a matter of fact you should do just that, would you like some numbers? No, no we want you to do the work if you can do it this week. Like I said I am very busy but this is what I can do for you, I have already scheduled commitments every day of the week but I try to wrap those up by lunch so if you are agreeable to it I can come straight to you at the end of my regular day each evening and work until dark. Great, let's do that but now about that price. What about it? Would you take anything off of it or is there any kind of discount. No, sir that's the price. How about if I wanted to round it off to XXXX? Hmmm, I could give you a 10% if you can put XXX down. Done.
Actually, this was my pad and it was all copacetic. I knew how it would go down. So I get my signatures and check leave a reciept and let the lady of the house know that as soon as I finish my rounds I will be back and to expect me around or shortly after three.
An hour later my phone rings. My co workers say you are too high and I should have gotten a second opinion. Well that's fine by me if you want I can have several of my colleagues give you a call or I can give you their numbers. Go ahead and tear up the contract and I'll return your check or I can hold off until you tell me which way to go. No, no I'm fine with it, I trust you.
At one o'clock "Tom" is on my phone again. Why are you not there, you said you would be there. No sir, I said three or after. At 2:30 my phone rings again. You said you were coming, where are you? Turning into your drive way, sir.
So I climb up onto a lower roof seal one large gap at the frieze board and several minor ones. Then work my way around the front, basically nit picking the small stuff (soffit returns) as the two high gables would have to wait until Friday when I can rent the 60' (keep it the weekend that way). Had a little scare on the roof but that's another story. Lay out some of my materials and prep for installing the flashing. Move around to the back and get my numbers on the tombstone vent. Cut the screen and paint it along with several of the vent guards. Go inside and flush the bat from the gable vent. Back outside install the screen and call it a day. Say goodbye to the lady of the house and advise her to expect around three or after, earlier if I'm lucky. (I know not standard SOP for bat work but I've been there done that it's to cool these evenings for these bats to make serious attempts at reentry and if they end up in the other gable vents then I just reflush)
Today my phone rings at eight AM. Where are you, you are supposed to be here. No, sir same deal as yesterday, as soon I am free. Well while I have you on the phone. Your contract estimates XX man hours, what if it takes less than that do I get a refund. No, sir, it does not work that way. That is my best estimate on time much like a auto mechanic refers to a service manual to price a repair job on a car. If I guess wrong and do it in less then good for me if I guess wrong the other way then bad for me. But rest assured after ten years of doing this and managing others I pretty much have it down pat. Okay, when are you going to be there. Three or shortly after.
Three more times my phone would ring before lunch. The estimated manhours would come up every time and then the have you bought the materials. Yes, sir, they are in your driveway.
I didn't take the fifth call but instead swung by the bank and after depositing his withdrew about two thirds that amount and wrote out a partial refund reciept and drove straight there. Collected my materials, apologized to the lady of the house handed her the money and reciept and asked that they not call me again.
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