Typical jobs across Wayne County

The calls we handle most often: what homeowners notice, what our technicians do, and what to expect.

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6 job stories

Typical job

What homeowners notice: On a Victorian-era cottage built on a narrow lot, scratching starts in a kitchen wall once the nights turn cool. The side gap between neighboring houses is only a few feet wide, and droppings turn up behind the stove and along a basement sill.
What we do: The technician traces the runs, sets snap traps where the droppings are heaviest and checks the cedar-post or masonry foundation, the pipe penetrations and the side-gap wall for entries. Gaps are noted for sealing, and the price is confirmed before any work starts.
What to expect: Activity typically drops over the next few visits as the traps clear what is inside and the entries are closed, and the homeowner is told which gaps to watch before the next winter.

About an hour typical visit

Typical job

What homeowners notice: In an older brick mansion split into several apartments, one tenant sees small brown roaches in the cabinets by day. A neighbor on the floor below has noticed them, and the kitchens share a plumbing chase.
What we do: The technician inspects under sinks, behind the refrigerator and along the shared chase, places gel bait and monitors, and asks the manager to arrange access to adjacent units. The price and the follow-up plan are explained before treatment begins.
What to expect: Roach counts typically fall over a few weeks when neighboring units are treated together, while a single-unit job often brings them back through shared walls.

About 90 minutes typical visit

Typical job

What homeowners notice: A tenant in the upper flat finds itchy bites in a line and tiny dark spots along a mattress seam. The house is tight against its neighbors, and the family below has noticed the same problem.
What we do: The technician inspects mattress seams, headboards and baseboards in both flats, explains conventional and heat options, and recommends treating both flats together, then confirms the price before starting. The tenant is told not to carry bedding or furniture between rooms.
What to expect: Treating both flats and following up as the technician advises typically gives the best chance of stopping the spread between units.

About two hours typical visit

Typical job

What homeowners notice: In a large brick house with a slate roof and a carriage-house garage, a homeowner hears scratching in the attic at dawn. Mature oaks overhang the roof, and a gap shows at a flashing near the chimney.
What we do: The technician inspects the roofline, flashing, chimney and carriage house from the ground and from a ladder where it is safe, finds the entry and sets up a one-way exit, then explains the repair or screening needed to close it. The price is confirmed before any work starts.
What to expect: Once the animals have left and the entry is closed, the scratching typically stops, and the homeowner is told which branches to trim and which flashing details to keep an eye on.

About 90 minutes for the inspection typical visit

Typical job

What homeowners notice: On a sunny October afternoon, boxelder bugs and a few cluster flies crowd the south and west walls of a small bungalow and drift into the dormer window. A boxelder tree stands in the neighboring yard.
What we do: The technician checks the siding, window frames, soffit vents and attic louvers for the cracks the insects use, treats the exterior surfaces where they gather and recommends caulking the gaps, as MSU Extension advises. The price is confirmed first.
What to expect: Fewer insects typically get in once the cracks are sealed, though some may still turn up on warm days in winter and again as they wake in spring.

About an hour typical visit

Typical job

What homeowners notice: A homeowner whose house stands beside an overgrown lot sees droppings along a fence line and burrow openings near the foundation. Rat activity has appeared at dusk, and trash is stored in the back yard.
What we do: The technician looks at the burrows, the slab apron and the basement, places traps or bait in tamper-resistant stations, and explains what the homeowner can change, such as lidded trash storage. Any report to the city about the lot is explained but left with the homeowner.
What to expect: Activity typically falls as food is removed and burrows are closed, and the homeowner knows where to report the neighboring lot through the Improve Detroit app.

About 90 minutes typical visit

Call and tell us what you see. We will tell you what it likely is and what it usually costs before anyone drives out.