Squirrel control › Needham Market
Proofing is quoted at £180 and described in a line, which leaves a reasonable question unanswered: what is actually being done for that.
This is the detail, so the decision can be made on something more than a number.
What it is
Closing the openings a property actually has, in materials a squirrel cannot work through, fixed so that there is no edge to start on. It is a physical exclusion job. Nothing about it depends on deterrence, and nothing about it wears out on a schedule.
The materials that work
- Heavy galvanised or stainless steel mesh, of a small enough aperture that nothing can be worked apart, cut to shape and dressed into the surrounding detail
- Metal eaves and soffit closures, which handle an open eaves run properly rather than plugging it in sections
- Steel plate or mesh patches at a discrete opening
- Mechanical fixings throughout — screwed and clamped rather than glued, because a fixing is what actually gets attacked
- Mortar repair where a verge or ridge has failed, so that the detail is sound rather than merely covered
The materials that do not
- Expanding foam. Gone in one session. Comfortably the most common wasted repair in this subject
- Silicone and mastic. The same, slightly slower
- Timber batten or ply. Gnawed round or through
- Chicken wire. Too soft, aperture too open, and it can be worked apart at the edges
- Plastic vents and covers. Removed or chewed
Squirrels do not defeat steel. They defeat edges and fixings. Which is why the work is as much about how a piece is dressed in and held as about what it is made of.
Where ventilation comes in
A roof space has to breathe. Blocking eaves ventilation to keep animals out creates condensation, damp timber and, in time, a worse problem than the one being solved. Proofing therefore closes the openings while keeping the ventilation path — which is exactly why mesh of the right aperture is used rather than anything solid.
What the figure covers, and what it does not
- Covered: closing the entry points identified on the property, in the materials above, mechanically fixed
- Not covered: roof repairs proper — re-tiling, replacing rotten fascia or soffit, renewing failed felt. Those are a roofer's job
- Not covered: clearing and replacing contaminated insulation
- Not covered: electrical inspection or repair
Where a roof needs a genuine repair rather than a closure, saying so is more useful than meshing over it. A soffit that has gone soft will fail again next to whatever is fixed to it.
Why it is separate from the £280
Because not every property needs it, and nobody should pay for work their building does not require. It is also done after the control work rather than with it, so that the roof space is known to be clear before it is closed.
Questions
How long does proofing last?
Steel mesh, properly fixed, is a permanent repair to that opening. What changes over time is the rest of the roof, which is why an annual look is worth ten minutes.
Will it block the loft ventilation?
No. Mesh of the right aperture keeps the airflow while closing the opening, which is the reason solid materials are not used.
Does every property need it?
No, and that is why it is quoted separately from the control work.
Squirrel Control Needham Market
Squirrel control in Needham Market 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.
For squirrel control in Needham Market, call 01502 630 122, or read the Needham Market squirrel control page.