This is the guide for a roof that is currently quiet, which makes it by some distance the cheapest page in this section to act on.
Prevention is two separate jobs: making the roof harder to reach, and making it harder to get into. The second one is what actually decides the outcome, but the first is worth doing and costs almost nothing.
Making the roof harder to reach
- Cut back overhanging branches so nothing overhangs the roof and nothing comes within a good few feet of it. Squirrels jump a long way horizontally and drop further
- Trim climbing plants away from the eaves and gutter line
- Clear anything stacked against a wall that gives a first step up — log stores, bins, garden furniture, stacked pallets
- Think about the fence line. A fence running to the house is a road; where it meets a low roof it is a staircase
What generally cannot be changed: neighbouring trees, overhead service cables, and the low roofs of your own extensions. That is the reason the second job matters more.
Making the roof harder to enter
An annual look along the roof line, from the ground with binoculars or a phone at full zoom, catches nearly everything that matters. Autumn, before the weather turns, is the right time.
- The eaves — any gap where the roof overhangs the wall
- The verge — cracked mortar, a lifted dry-verge unit, a missing end cap
- Soffits and fascias — open joints, corners, soft or split boards
- Roof-to-wall junctions — where a lower roof meets a higher wall
- The ridge — loose or missing mortar at the ends
- Tiles — anything slipped, lifted or sitting proud
- Vents and penetrations — grilles missing or damaged
Repair it as maintenance, not as pest control. A cracked verge or an open soffit joint is a roofing job worth doing on its own merits. Doing it before anything moves in is a great deal cheaper than doing it afterwards.
The garden
Feeding birds supports a larger local squirrel population than the habitat alone would. Nobody sensible suggests stopping, but siting feeders well away from the house, using squirrel-resistant designs, clearing spilled seed and windfall fruit, and not leaving pet food outside all reduce how much traffic there is close to the building.
Where professional proofing comes in
Proofing is £180 and covers closing the openings a property actually has, in steel mesh and metal closures, mechanically fixed. It is offered separately from the control work because not every property needs it, and nobody should pay for work their building does not require.
For a roof with no current problem, it is the difference between hoping and knowing — and it is done at ground-safe access rather than off a household ladder.
Questions
Do repellents or ultrasonic devices work?
Not reliably, and not as a substitute for closing an opening. A physical barrier is the only thing that changes the outcome.
Is autumn the right time to do this?
Yes. Most activity begins between late August and November, so getting ahead of that is the point of leverage.
Will trimming the trees be enough on its own?
It lengthens the odds rather than closing the door. A determined animal with a fence line and a downpipe will still reach the roof.
Squirrel Control Costs
Squirrel control is £280 fixed cost. Proofing work, where it is needed afterwards, is £180. Call 01502 630 122 and tell us what you have heard or seen.
To arrange squirrel control, call 01502 630 122, or read the squirrel control page.