I only seen one red bat in my life and I believe he was a transient that was migrating. Lucky for me he was hanging out in a gable vent when I arrived to look for an opossum. He was gone the next day when I returned to do the bat exclusion.

Euderma maculatum
Myotis evotis
Myotis yumanensis
and a few more lol........with 5-16 species of bats....ya never know who you will meet.!

i just picked up my largest bat job of the season here a few days ago. just bat proofing and exclusion. my calls have really dropped off but considering this is my first year at it, and i only advertise in papers ive done exceptionally well. I just picked up a HUGE gopher and mole job yesterday. lets just hope i get some more calls. ive already got a bunch of bat jobs, and mole and gopher jobs lined up for next year...

Saw and handled a red bat one time while doing a watch on a golf course country club structure one time.It flew into a electrical line overhead and fell almost on my head. It recovered shortly there after and flew off once again after a good examination by me.

I caught my one and only red bat in a basketball court, hanging from a divider curtain. That bat made the ugliest opossum I ever caught look like Jessica Simpson. I normally like red-heads, but that bat needed plastic surgery. Are they all that ugly?

I think they look like Peter Pan........cute actually.

Mine looked more like Pan's Peter.

Ha!


Jameson, you still doing seal-up above the Mason-Dixon?
It's 50 degrees here and I'm still getting bat calls to do seal up!

Lopez Island for week beginning today.....then eastern WA.........

Oh, to be Dave Vinke and live in the land of milk and money, er, I meant honey.

( Quess that slipped out!)

wow... thats a pretty small house for such a big boom... that would be an easy ladder job..

LOL......BUD........Go Big or Go Home,,,,,,,,,,I like to call it "Smoke and Mirrors".......

Have you ever played on a "wet" 12/12 shake roof???? If you ever get the opportunity to do so,,,,you let me know how it was...

Easy ridge hook ladder setup, no worries there.

Lt.,I have one more bat job scheduled I may start this week. Looks like cooler temps here as well. Will do a attic inspection to see if the bats may still be here or not. Regardless I will make a determination to vent and seal or vent and leave devices in position until spring.

No OSHA??????????
Broken ridge caps??????
Safety ropes hooking under curled shakes??????
Carrying materials to and from area to replace missing or damaged siding?????
Power?????
Safe place to position needed materials??????

You guys work hard...I will work smart..
LOL.....I LUV "OLD School thought"........

safety first of course. broken ridge caps avoided by towels or rubber mating
no safety ropes.. they make an easy fall a swinging tangled up mess.
power- extension cords or cordless tools
safe place to position materials are in tool bag around waist..
my "smoke and mirrors" are all in my salesman ship and my inspection/ bid proposal binder that i hand them a day after the inspection.

Im just messin with you Mr. Vinke.. everyone has their own ways reguardless im sure you did an excellent job!

No worries bud,,,,The comment was directed more at Bob....I thought he would know the value of maintaining the overall appearance of the roof when working on Eastates,,,,
,The moss on the roof is part of the picture painted on the skyline...lol..Foot prints and skid marks are Bad Brush strokes...
,,,,,,Everyone does have their ways,,, and mine ARE the best...LOL.........
A properly designed hook ladder will prevent most ridge damage,,,,And matting under will protect the roof...but not the moss..or my back.
Rope/body harness/spring line are required over 8 feet

I do believe that exposure is a great form of advertising.....
Sure MAYBE,,,,,I could make up the less the 7oo dollars per week by working harder,,,
But can i do a better Job using the right equipment????
Do I look professional?
Can I stand there and saying..."This is Nice" or do I hang on by my toes and drop the piece I need and yell "heads"

I have been self employed in the construction industry since 1982.I have ALWAYS looked for the BEST, EASIEST most cost affective way to perform the task, in a way that benefits myself and the client that I am working for.
Bat exclusion Is finding what tools and materials work best.

When I first started reading these forums most were using Yellow foam,,,,,,,
I have seen pictures of People adhering the end of expandable products like vinyl siding....If you do not know,,,,vinyl is loose "Hung" on the wall to allow in to expand and contract. A 1/4 inch gap is required to allow for this movement,,,,Also..in case you are not aware..the vinyl siding itself is nothing more then a cover to protect the vapor barrier from uv exposure,
The trim molding,,,and the gaps allow for channeling of water threw and out from behind the product
Sure copper mesh has its place,,,just not on my truck

Ron S has shown us some good alternatives to the norm,,,,

Why not install trim Molding??? Metal flashing?? Mortar? Box the eaves and??
Gutter edge flashing?? rake flashing???
I am still learning,,,,because I refuse to Quit looking for a better way........
Got one for tile rake caps????????....

We work as safely and without damage as well as anyone. Never had any damage in using a ridge hook on typical shingle,standing seam or shak roofed homes. We have done several hundred over the years.Most of our hooks are padded as are the rails of the ladder to prevent abrasion.Works very well when needed and practical.I believe we work as smart as the best of them.

Some jobs just dont warrant the use of a lift.That appears to be a newer good shape log home and with reasonable access using conventional equipment.All the bells and whistles are all well and good if practical but if not I dont add the addtional cost needed for a rental unless really necessary.

Nothing wrong with that approach particularly if the customer doesnt mind the additional cost.

awesome!! again personal preference on ways of work... are your calls slowing down??

Great points. Sometimes "getting by" with ladders allows the project to be affordable for the customer... but safety is not always inexpensive.

The advertising gained through lift usage in residential areas is priceless. I often use mine on structures that could be done in about the same time period using ladders, but then I just look like some painter, fix-it man, or gutter cleaner. The lift gets second looks, and always initiates conversation with people passing by, whether walking their dogs or driving their vehicle.

I would much prefer doing any 2-story structure with the lift, as I can simply park in the middle of each side and do the entire side, ground to highest peak or chimney. Both hands free for working, tools and materials in the bucket or basket.

This particular home was in a very elite neighborhood in Springfield, IL. It had a slate roof, and it was much easier (and eliminated damage concerns) by using the lift.... PLUS I got 2 more bat jobs in the area from people who "noticed" the lift and stopped by to talk after then reading the truck lettering. Also got a deck screening job across the street... the lady thought I looked like I run a "good business" since I have the right equipment for each job.

In business, image is very important. I've watched competitors throw things up to guys on ladders or rooftops, and the homeowners are cringing at the sight. However, image is not going to keep you in business if you don't have the work ethic to match.