I have my Ohio CNWACO license and will be getting insurance. At least for the beginning, I plan on charging by the mole caught as opposed to a maintenance package.

I have three questions for which I've found little or no reference here on the forums:

1. Do you provide the customer with a written estimate, invoice, and/or any other paperwork?

2. How do you prove the number of moles you've caught? Are emailed digital photos adequate?

3. Do you make it clear to the customer up front that you are going to kill the moles? (Most people probably expect and want that but I know a few people who are not in favor of killing animals.)

I appreciate any input or comments!

Jay

I don't do moles, but yes, yes, and yes.

Never charge by the animal. Just from my experience. Bid by the job, time and the number of visits in your program. Whatever you harvest in that time frame is what they pay for. You will have time, vehicle expense and knowledge, that is what is being charged to the client.

No guarantees with mole work or any other migrating / transient animal work. Make them aware that moles can filter back in at anytime. You cannot control that nor anyone else.

Bid each job upon inspection. Explain your program and expectations.

I leave the moles in a bag at the job site unless otherwise advised to take them with me.

Welcome.

I know someone around here who charges by the mole and they do very well. I think they are on this board. I don't know what you plan on charging, but don't short yourself. Make it worth your while if they only have one mole or you'll get burned. It's easier to give discounts later if you catch a bunch than it is to raise a price when you only catch one.

I don't do a whole lot of contracts for moles, nor do I do onsite estimates. I ask how long they've noticed them, where they are located, and the size of their yard.

I think the biggest thing about moles is to set realistic expectations for the customer. They will get moles again. Some places it never ends, and some places might be every 2 years, but it will happen again.

I like charging for a certain number of visits for a set price. I might catch them all in one visit, but I will still check back for two weeks to see if any others are hiding around. Weather is a big factor in moles and a rain during dry season will really make them pop.

I don't like proving to people how many I caught. I use traps that can be checked from above and I teach customers to know if they are set off. Only for the purpose of them knowing that it worked.

In my opinion, it is not much harder or time consuming to catch 10 moles at one location or 1 mole at the same location during the same service. That's why I like getting paid "per visit".

We don't have much for moles up here but know of a professional in the metro are who makes a nice living doing so. He charges per trap set and per mole caught. Once caught, he again charges for the remake.

I really like trapping moles but I quit them because I don't like the client that is worried by a mole.

Good luck with it. You need people skills to stick with mole work.

And on the last point, always explain every step of the process. Dont sugar coat it, don't go into the details but absolutely set expectations up front and in clear terms before any transaction has been made. And the client makes the final decision to go forward with the deal.

That way no amount of what if or I thought can bite you in the arse.

Put it in writing if you have to.

I charge per season - $895 ( for most residential sized properties -about an acre )
Generally when the weather gets warm until it gets cold. I also give a warranty that I will keep a yard mole-free or money back.
I start out with the shock and awe method of many traps and wipe them out quickly. Then when I have control the customer watches for new activitiy. When they see it , they call me , I trap them.

A good selling point for a seasonal fee is that new animals will migrate to a customer's yard and repopulate. I also encourage my customers to get their neighbors to hire me to keep the moles out of my customers yard. This works well as it is just one stop and you just walk over to the neighbors yard to check traps.
I have had customers hire me year after year. Very profitable if you are good at catching moles. I use no-mol traps. Customers like the fact that they are not dangerous to children or pets.

No one has ever gotten their money back. I just trap harder and get them.