Does Pest Control Business Pay?

[mole trapper 1,646]

As always Matt's talking sence! Another point is that without proper training you can not get business insurance, if you make a balls up in this game and not insured they will crucify you. There's loads of part time chancers out there saying they are insured through basc or such like but they aren't as it's not for profit or gain.

Edited August 25, 2013 by mole trapper

[ChrisJones 7,973]

Sorry to sound negative; but I've been in this game for 25 years and there are more people doing it now than ever before, and the restrictions are heavier now than ever before.

 

I've seen them come and I've seen them go, but there are more people wanting to have a go at it now than ever before.

 

The silver lining, to this cloud, is that because there are more people doing it there are way more people who are bad at it. If you're a decent tech, willing to build your customer base, you can find your niche in this saturated market.

 

Matt's pretty much summed it up, in the earlier post. It's interesting work. Varied. I've never had two days the same. I won't be retiring, any time soon, but if you like problem solving, and variety, it could be the avenue you wish to explore!

[DIDO.1 20,814]

i did the killgerm bed bug and flea course, while it was ok, if you had never done any pest control work before and specifically insects then i dont think at the end of it you would of been in anyway fit to undertake a bedbug job.

 

I believe the SX rodent course is very good with the chance to see live black rats, if anyone has done it I would be interested in their opinion

[budgie123 163]

When i entered pest control with a local authority I spent over 8 weeks going out on a daily basis with qualified technicians learning the practical side of how to undertake treatments,how to relay relavent information to customers and how to undertake treatments safely.

 

Having gone through this process I honestly feel it is very difficult for an individual as you Kabar to start in the buisiness without some kind of practical experience with a qualified/experienced technician.

 

Most trianing course give you the fundamental principals but the situations you are faced with are often a world away from any trianing course.

 

Peeople skills is another aspect which you have to have.

Personally this is something i found very challenging initially being a shy person but you learn and i know find dealing with people one of the great positives of the job,

 

I personally took a massive gamble and cut in wages to take up a carreer in pest contrrol but 9 years on it is the best thing i ever did.

 

It is the most rewarding job I have ever done and I wish I had taken it up years ago.There is never a day I do not want to go to work.No 2 jobs or days are ever the same.

 

When it looked like we were going to be made redundant i looked towards setting up in business and did some free trianing with business link.

I would adive taking these course as they look at all aspects of running a business.

At the same time a friend who had set up his own electrical business adviced me to set up before leaving employment.

He siad this was a big mistake on his part.He should have set up in business for at least 12 months before leaving his job to allow him to get his name known.

There used to be a Pest Control Forum which for some reason is unaccessable now but i was given some very good advice on this how to work out the costings of runnning the business and how to price jobs.

 

I was also adviced that most pest control business run with 60% contract work and 40% reactive work.

Contract work is guaranteed income and without it you will not survive.

Last summer there was a 90% reduction in wasp treatments throughout the country due to the poor summer.

 

Also be aware that pest control is going through a period of change that is posssibly unpresidented in the history of the industry and as yet the picture is not clear where all these changes are going to take the industry and what impact they are going to have.Most of these changes are being driven by new European Directives.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Bugz 6]

i did the killgerm bed bug and flea course, while it was ok, if you had never done any pest control work before and specifically insects then i dont think at the end of it you would of been in anyway fit to undertake a bedbug job.

 

I believe the SX rodent course is very good with the chance to see live black rats, if anyone has done it I would be interested in their opinion

yeah ive been to that one, down in basingstoke.

really enjoyed the day, great guy running it, knows his stuff.

One thing that made me laugh though, you get a chance to get in the big pens with the rats and mice. Most the muppets on the course were too scared to get in. Wrong career for them me thinks.

[Outlaw Pete 2,224]

..... One thing that made me laugh though, you get a chance to get in the big pens with the rats and mice. Most the muppets on the course were too scared to get in. Wrong career for them me thinks.

 

[kabar 14]

Thanks again, I've got plenty if experience with people and managerial skills which will transfer.

The practical experience will be harder as calling my hobby of hunting pest control experience is far from it.

If I decide to give it a go it will be on the side of that I do now, and I'll approach some local companies to see if they're interested in a free pair of hands.

Best courses?

[Mrg 8]

I did rsph level 2 in pest managment