There is an area within the U.S. (due to climate, large fresh water supply, and abundant food sources) wildlife experts have coined “The Bat Belt”. This bat belt runs right through the State of Michigan. Understandably, for those that have discovered a colony of bats residing in their home, they want to know how much bat removal costs. After inquiring about prices from the most prominent companies in the State, I found that bat removal services are $1,500 – $2,000 on average.
Why is it so expensive?
There is a number of reasons why the price would vary, and why some jobs would be more expensive. The main reason that the removal can be expensive is the process that Wildlife companies are required to go through in order to get them out. Because bats are an endangered species the Department of Natural Resources has only one legal way to exclude a bat colony. This process is known as a bat exclusion. The process starts by identifying the main entry points the bat colony is using, installing one-way doors that allow them to leave, and once they’re gone they can’t regain entry through that location anymore. The company would then return to remove the doors and seal up those primary entry points after the bats have left. the only way this process is effective however, is if all other potential entry points are sealed up. Most Wildlife companies consider a potential entry point as any point on the home that is a quarter of an inch or larger that could allow access into the home. Because of this, most bat exclusions take close to a full day to properly seal up the home and then there is at least one return trip where the company comes back to remove the bat exclusion doors and clean the bat guano from the attic.
What determines the price?
When it comes to determining the price I want to emphasize that $1500 to $2,000 is an average. Most companies start with a general Wildlife inspection and tell you that prices vary anywhere from a few hundred to a few thousand, with this said, 70 to 80% of bat exclusion projects are within that range. The price is strictly based on the amount of entry points the bats could gain access through and what exactly it would take to seal those. a lot of people think it has that the age of the home or the size of the home would be a factor when in reality that’s not the case. For the purpose of giving extreme examples there could be an old farmhouse that only has one opening so the wildlife company charges only for the bat one way door which would be between $100 and $200. On the opposite end of the spectrum there could be a Modest Ranch that was built just last year with entry points spanning the whole length of the roof soffits open, in a large attic restoration that needs to take place due to the amount of that guano in the Attic, this project would be in the $6,000 to $8,000 range. Because of this large variation in Project size and difficulty most Wildlife companies will start with a home inspection and then build an estimate from there. There are a few things that can drive up the price of an estimate the biggest cost would be an attic restoration. If the amount of guano within the attic space are to a level that could be harmful for residents to continue to live in the home A full attic restoration would need to take place. Even the prices of attic Restorations vary, depending on the amount of debris as well as square footage, but these restorations generally start at $5,000 and go up from there. Fortunately, most bat exclusion projects do not require a full attic restoration. The second biggest expense that can be incurred is sealing up the ridge vent. If the ridge vent on the home is not flush with the shingles it would need to be sealed. If bats can squeeze through the ridge vent, the entire ridge vent would have to be sealed from end to end. There are a number products that can be used to seal a ridge vent to prevent animals from gaining access but regardless of which product the wildlife company uses it all cost a reasonable amount of money, the cost of that product is then handed down to the customer. The third biggest cost would be the general home seal up, this usually includes all of the small areas in the soffit, on the chimney, and between the siding or brick depending on the construction of your home. During construction there can be a number of areas that just don’t line up properly or are not flush, and can allow access for small critters. This cost will usually vary pretty dramatically as well because some homes will have just a few while others will have dozens and dozens of potential entry points. There are other items that can be on a bat exclusion estimate like, bat doors or maybe a small feces removal but those three things previously mentioned would be the biggest factors that would determine the cost of a bat exclusion on your home.
Can I do it myself?
A lot of people that experience bat activity in their home are also interested in if this is something that can be done themselves. Homeowners can certainly remove bats from their home as long as it is done using the methods approved by the Department of Natural Resources. If a bat exclusion is performed incorrectly this could result in a colony getting sealed in or dying inside the attic or soffits of the home, and since they are a protected species there are large fines in the event that bats are killed. There are a number of basic tools that are necessary for this process. A ladder, caulk gun, drill, hardware, tin snips, aluminum step flashing, and then whatever wildlife specific products that are needed in the case that ridge vent or box vents are accessible. Depending on the pitch of the roof there may be additional safety equipment that is needed such as a safety harness or roofing boots. There are tutorials on YouTube that can be very informative that will walk through exactly what to look for, and how to seal these entry points in order to remove bat colonies from homes.
When can bats be removed?
Whether hiring a company or performing a bat exclusion yourself the time of year this work is performed is very important. In the State of Michigan there are only about three months of the year that bats can be removed depending on the fluctuating temperature. Bats are generally in hibernation from the beginning of October to the middle of May. After the bats are out of hibernation then comes maternity protection. Maternity protection is a time the DNR designates (based on the birthing season) for bat colonies to remain undisturbed. The maternity protection takes place each year through the months of June and July, if bat exclusions are performed during this time adult bats would be able to exit but the offspring would be too small to find their way out, and would inevitably die within the attic space. Factoring in both the hibernation season as well as the maternity protection, this essentially allows three months out of the year to successfully and properly exclude bats from the home. May, August, and September are certainly warm enough for the bats to be out each night feeding, and all offspring would be old enough to find its way out.
