After removing 13 raccoons from this same house on 3 different service calls over the last 3 years, and a full attic cleanout and deodorization, my customer still refuses to pony up the money for my company to make the necessary exclusion repairs. Attached is a photo I had to share showing one of the worst homeowner repairs to keep raccoons out I have ever seen. The crazy thing is that this homeowners profession is construction! I don't mind the money as he always pays the bill, but it is quite frustrating to go back to this same place year after year for the same problem. I gave him the friend price this year on sealing it up as his live in girlfriend has about had it, and he still wont go for it. I'm tempted to do it for free Anybody else have homeowner repair photos worth sharing?

Jacob

First of all, these are my favorite customers. It's not like they're going to hire somebody else. They know what they need to do to

solve the problem but they like seeing you in their yard and raccoons in the cages. I might be tempted to raise the price every year

but closing it for free? You can't be serious!

It sounds like good repeat business!

depends if the girlfriend is eye candy...then maybe keep going back & take his money....LOL

Carpenters, plumbers, electricians, mechanics, etc all hate working on their own places/stuff, or worse is paying someone else to do what they know they can do themselves, even if they don't want to do it. LOL

My old man would say,"That man doesn't have any pride."

Chuck

Big Bob hit the nail squarely this time! We had our third starling in three years in our fireplace before my wife threatened to call

Critter Control to put a cap on our chimney. She found something that worked; I finally capped the darn thing.

I have always admired this customers take on a skunk exclusion..

Did that particular skunk use that just when he left or
Was he using it in and out on a regular basis?

Just keep letting him pay.......if you find a lemon, keep on squeezing!

Good suggestions and I love that skunk photo. The girlfriend is definitely easy on the eyes, but the job is still frustrating. They have two dogs that you don't want to go in the yard with, a cattle gate that wont open so you have to jump it, electrical lines near the entry point to deal with, and so on. Yes Paul, I am pretty serious about doing it for free. It wouldn't take me that long and the goodwill will be paid back in some way or another down the road.

Don't hold your breath!

It's the free stuff that always end up biting you in the behind.

This is a customer you can apply the adage, "You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make them drink" to. Remember that it is his choice to accept the repairs, not yours. Regardless if you know the repair is the correct course of action, if you make an unauthorized repair to his property you can be held accountable for any issues down the road.

For instance, you make the repair and now he has raccoons doing damage to another area on his property. If he wanted to, he could claim that the new damage is due to your work and not only get the animals removed at no charge but also the repairs. While this may seem like a far fetched tale to some, all it takes is right lawyer and if you don't have any written authorization to perform services you could be found at fault.

x2...just keep going back.

yep im still waiting on some of this good karma stuff to return to me...

I treat people the way I would like to be treated and try to stay optimistic and things seem to work out. I must be the lucky one, as I feel pretty blessed to be able to make money and do something I enjoy everyday of my life. I went ahead and made the repair for the guy at material cost, with his written permission, and he already landed me a referral to another job for the company he works for in Springfield. Now we both win, I don't have to go back for the same issue 4 years in a row, and I got another lead for something that only took me an hour to do.

From the pic the place looks like a shack,the coons will find another way in no doubt.