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Mouse infestation question

Posted By: Badgerman50

Mouse infestation question - 09/07/18 05:00 PM

Hi ADC people,
I’m looking for opinions on a purchase I’m considering. My wife and I found a dream home on the Snake River. The price is exactly what we have in equity in our current home in town. We watched it built as a spec home but it never sold after completion a year or so ago. We found out it’s being included in a bankruptcy and the bank is now the seller. I had a realtor friend give us a tour. Nice house! But every cabinet is literally covered in mouse droppings. The shower floor is covered in them. There’s a nest next to the furnace in the garage. The house smells like a rodent cage. Like a hamster that needs his cage changed. Is there a way to fix all that? It’s gonna be an as-is sale. I’m thinking that I can’t begin to offer asking price. How would you even know if the walls aren’t full of them? My wife is leery as all get out now. Any ideas on how I might approach this? I’m not an ADC guy. Just a fur trapper plus a little badger removal here and there.
Thanks
Posted By: Monster Toms

Re: Mouse infestation question - 09/07/18 06:38 PM

If it is that bad, I would be a touch concerned about Hanta-virus. Mice/rodents in foreclosures here are very common. In most cases the bank hires a clean up/control due to most buyers not wanting the burden. It would be best to have a professional come and give an estimate and written opinion before thinking of an offer.

We normally go in full suit and respirators for initial clean up, set snap traps to assess the true population.
Posted By: TDHP

Re: Mouse infestation question - 09/07/18 09:22 PM

You will need to explore heavy activity areas or where there are stains, holes, eves, attic/crawl space, insulation etc. Borescope is a wonderful tool. Or doing it the old fashion way and cut test patches. This nesting was found behind a fixed cabinet panel, ended up removing just under 200 mice after a good seal up and trap session using snap traps.On the other side of the cabinet divider were "clean" dishes. Based off of the infest rodent jobs I've done, you'll most likely need to remove old insul and replace it along with toilet areas that the walls/ceilings have absorbed urine/droppings. Set perimeter and interior traps and set dozens of them, along with a good seal up and you should knock them down. As far as having a "professional" come in. One of my last rodent jobs I've done the homeowner had a very well known company come in to seal up the house for 3,800, before I started my trap program with them. They installed hardware cloth, bent trenched in metal, new metal along fascia boards and mortar for the foundation. Looked amazing but the mice found a way in through the corner board and in return allowed them to bypass the metal and enter through the soffit into the attic/living space. Infestations aren't as hard to handle as many think...that is..if heavy equipment isn't needed. smile

Posted By: rick brocious

Re: Mouse infestation question - 09/07/18 11:33 PM

I would also be very worried about the wiring . They love to chew the wires so i'd be checking that out very carefully .
Posted By: Badgerman50

Re: Mouse infestation question - 09/08/18 12:28 AM

I was afraid of that. I think I’m gonna pass on the home. They’ll probably sell it site unseen at auction and the poor “winner” is gonna get hosed because of how nice it looks from the outside. I’d have to get a 50k+ discount to take on that headache to pay for worst case remediation. Wife said she’d want new cabinets because they couldn’t clean it up to where she’d feel ok putting food or dishes in them. These are fairly high end new cherry cabinets. Too bad really. Home is less than 50’ from rivers edge.
Posted By: Bob Jameson

Re: Mouse infestation question - 09/08/18 01:35 PM

Knowing what I know about Hanta-Virus and how deadly it can be I would be very concerned as a perspective buyer. I would insist upon a structural seal, an aggressive trapping program and a complete sanitation program with a written guarantee as to its effectiveness as a part of a purchase agreement.

You will most likely need to do continual trapping maintenance if you do eventually move into the home. Small rodents can be challenging to completely seal out of a structure depending upon the design.

They chew and climb very well. That means ground and elevated access points need to be sealed to do a very good job.
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