Rats In the Attic!

[rstsco]

Intermittently, my wife, dogs, and I have heard movement, scratching in our attic. Working full time, and having been sick, I haven't had much time to investigate and couldn't see where they were getting in. Our house is two-story in the front and single in the rear.

I had a pest removal company come out this morning. They confirmed it was rats and said they were coming in underneath the trim along the back of the house (the other three sides are brick). They gave me a price to fix the areas where they're entering/exiting, replacing trim, etc using a fiberboard product (think Hardi-Plank) and painting to match existing paint, install exit-only doors, trap what doesn't leave on their own, and fumigate the attics to kill any pathogens left behind. They inspected the roof and siding for the rear upper level and found some areas having been chewed, but the only active entry is near the foundation, but in several areas.

They would do all repairs and provide continuing monitoring and additional removals and repairs (except replacing any insulation) for one year. The price...

just under $3300!

I have no idea if this is fair or not. With my working full-time and having been sick, there's no way I feel I can tackle this myself.

Have you had this type problem before and does this sound like a fair price?

 

[walterjay]

If I didn't want to do it myself I would pay that.

 

[IndyIan]

It doesn't sound too crazy, how is the insulation up there? If they have been living there for a while you might want to add removing and replacing any insulation that's been messed up.
I would get a couple quotes anyways, I try to find the local guy who is busy by word of mouth and isn't paying a franchise fee.

We eliminated dozens of rats living under our barn and chicken coops using some homemade bait stations and this stuff. https://motomco.com/products/us/pest-control/hawk-all-weather-bait-chunx/ A farm supply store will have it.
We have cats, dogs, and chickens running around who didn't seem to have any interest in eating any dead rats, or didn't show any effects of eating them.

We have a set of these in black ABS, inside and outside our buildings that worked well. You don't even need to glue the pipes

 

[KCJeep]

I would normally think squirrels in the attic like that, did they see rats? Fix is about the same though.

I went through this earlier this year with squirrels, they were even getting down into the walls. Very aggravating! I was able to trap or pellet gun most of them, a critter service set a trap and got one. But they sealed off all the points of entry which no way was I going to do. Cost me just under a thousand. Sounds like a lot more work and repairs are being done in your case so I don't think that is outragous.

 

[SevenBizzos]

I think that's fair and the quicker they can get started, the better.

 

[JMJNet]

If I were you, when they fix the siding, I am assuming they will take off the old one and replace it.
Tell them to put a layer of thin metal (flashing material) before the siding.
This will ensure that the rodents cannot get in after chewing (for insurance).
Spray foam insulation (more solid) in the wall cavity behind those metal and siding.
Any hole of at least 1/4" dia can be an entry point.

 

[supton]

Rats or mice? Sometimes the mice make so much noise, you'd think it was squirrels.

I keep baiting my mouse traps and need to get up there and check... prior homeowner had someone come out and seal around the corners of the house, but they still find a way in. I was tempted to peel the siding off and put on vapor barrier, and seal any openings I could find, but got cold feet about it.

Thing is, I'm not sure how high up they can climb, so I'm not sure if all the siding has to come off. I'm guessing at least a few feet, and at that point... Maybe you can get someone to go around and look for all the entry points, while also setting the usual traps in the attic?

 

[rstsco]

I think that's fair and the quicker they can get started, the better.

Got enough positive feedback from here, I went ahead and signed the contract and made the payment. He should be out before EOD to place the first traps. Thank you.

If I were you, when they fix the siding, I am assuming they will take off the old one and replace it. Tell them to put a layer of thin metal (flashing material) before the siding. This will ensure that the rodents cannot get in after chewing (for insurance).

The person who came out said they use a combination of flashing, fiber board, and actual concrete.

Any hole of at least 1/4" dia can be an entry point.

He said there were eight areas identified needing repaired/sealed to ensure they can't get back in.

 

[JohnnyG]

Here in FL, there is such a thing as Roof Rats. I never saw one, but I'm pretty sure they are an actual thing.

 

[UncleDave]

Here in FL, there is such a thing as Roof Rats. I never saw one, but I'm pretty sure they are an actual thing.

Out here in alia they are just rats and they are everywhere -

I have electronic zappers setup all over the place, garages, sheds, attics, under house. Everywhere there is dime sized opening some critter can get in.

 

[wag123]

Here in FL, there is such a thing as Roof Rats. I never saw one, but I'm pretty sure they are an actual thing.

In Central Texas we also have Roof Rats (AKA Black Rats), they are VERY common here, and it is likely what the OP has. They are pretty easy to get rid of, I have done it myself with little trouble and very little expense. BTW, they are GREAT climbers.

 

[Vil_Riker]

Here in FL, there is such a thing as Roof Rats. I never saw one, but I'm pretty sure they are an actual thing.

I call them roofer rats. I think they mainly live in trees.

 

[facility1]

turn a couple of barn cats loose in your attic for a few days.

 

[nickaluch]

turn a couple of barn cats loose in your attic for a few days.

I remember my dad owned a carting company in Brooklyn he had a few garage cats to keep mice n rats away . When he saw mice droppings in our home garage he would bring a cat home for the weekend throw it in the garage by Monday all good n cat back to Brooklyn

 

[rstsco]

In Central Texas we also have Roof Rats (AKA Black Rats), they are VERY common here, and it is likely what the OP has. They are pretty easy to get rid of, I have done it myself with little trouble and very little expense. BTW, they are GREAT climbers.

The first four traps are set. If not for the different access holes they either found or made, I'd attempt to do this myself. I just don't have the time or bandwidth to tackle it now.

He showed me a picture where something had gnawed at the ridge vent, but not too much. He said rats will gnaw through the plastic ridge vents to get access to the attic. Lovely.

BTW, they are using peanut butter as bait, but in a few weeks, as the weather cools, they will be switching to Nutella.

 

[RDMgr]

Maybe it's Brown Jenkin!

 

[PontiacHO]

They are hard to get rid of. Several houses back I had a battle with them. Finally hung a strobe in the attic. They left.

 

[mrsilv04]

Not rats, but my neighbor won't trim his trees, and I've seen squirrels running across his roof.

Just waiting for them to gnaw their way into his attic....

 

[Pablo]

@Zee09 has a dog that will get after them rats

 

[Zee09]

@Zee09 has a dog that will get after them rats