Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.
A. Combined green treatments.
Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?
A. Do research, spend some time, get a complete report, not only against termites, but checking walls, subarea, finding possible leaks, possible hidden damage, ask if inspection tools can be used. See how reliable and decent the person is. Make sure you are not being sold by desperate termites salesman. I don't understand how termite control became a sales profession anyway, it's supposed to be a professional service, not a pressure sale or something like that.
Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?
A. 1. This is not general contracting or putting wood floor when you can get three quotes and compare them. This is much more complex, not only quotes will most likely be for different types of jobs depending on what type of treatment and repairs other companies use, but also warranties are paramount. You don't know if the company got rid of termites, fixed conducive conditions or not. That's why if they do not give a solid warranty but tell "if they come back, we will come and spray" then I don't think it's fair that our quote will be compared to theirs.
Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?
A. Never do any repairs after doing termite work. Many times new wood is already infested from the lumber mart. If walls are being opened inside the house for a certain problem, contact us, so that we will check other walls and see if there are damages, then can open other walls and fix them too. Do not think that by just tenting all problems will be solved, it's actually far from being true.
Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?
A. Thorough inspections, wood damage warranty directed to entire structure, huge value of customers' investment-our per hour rate is 1.5-2 times less than average. We work for days to complete the work properly instead of hours by using the best and safest materials.
Q. What do you like most about your job?
A. Unlimited room for expansion, combines both-office work and work at the field, creative work on providing quality information as well as designing treatments.
Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?
A. Most concern is about safety. We do not merely follow label instructions and trust termiticides just because they are approved by State, but we have an extensive data about them. Safety is not only for customers, but also for us since we do not want to damage our health by using cheap highly toxic termiticides.
Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?
A. Funny story; I talked with the lady who seemed to be in her late 40s. She scheduled the work, we confirmed, I gave her discount since we were nice. Before she was telling me that she had a very healthy lifestyle. I thought may be she can be in her early 50s. After everything was finished she is telling me "Oh I forgot, you don't offer additional discount for Sr. citizens?" Me - how old are you? She " I am 63".
Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?
A. That they need to check their houses constantly, at least every 3 years. That not seeing termites does not mean they don't have any, obviously, and this is why only termites, not counting fungus damage which is about the same amount cause many times more damage than fires, hurricanes, etc.
Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?
A. By accident, I was studying at UCLA, and needed a temporary job, Terminix office was couple of block away where I lived at that time in Signal Hill. Once I entered this industry, I decided to stay in. No regrets, but only good feelings.
Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.
A. Can google "prime termite reviews". There are many positive reviews all over.
Q. Do you do any sort of continuing education to stay up on the latest developments in your field?
A. Always. Though, many subjects are outdated. I don't have time now for registering my own education classes, but by time I sure will.
Q. What are the latest developments in your field? Are there any exciting things coming in the next few years or decade that will change your line of business?
A. The most "famous" latest development is that a high-profile self-proclaimed green exterminator went out of business because of ethics.
Q. Describe your most recent project, what it involved, how much it cost, and how long it took.
A. Property had subterranean termite sever damage as well as drywood termites. It required 3 days to check all the walls, open them, do repairs on inaccessible areas, do a complete subterranean and drywood termite treatment as well as repair all fungus damage on windows and other areas. For only repairs contractor quoted them $1,800. Our cost for all the work was slightly higher than that.
Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.
A. Fumigation done by using only Vikane, not generic alternative and accomplished by a Dow-Certified fumigators is 20% below market price for using inferior materials such as Zythor and Master-Fume. $1200 minimum and $48 per cubic feet ($60 is average).
The rest is roughly $120 an hour ($50-100 inspector, crew pay, materials, office, insurance, mileage etc.)
Q. If you were advising someone who wanted to get into your profession, what would you suggest?
A. Realize that it requires lots of driving and lots of physical work. Unless you like driving, you love talking, communicating with people, unless you are physically very fit, you might not succeed in this profession. However, if you are good with people, enjoy communicating with them, you will be proud to be a true professional and will have long-term goals of getting your licenses down the road, then this may allow you to work hard and make an outstanding living.
Q. Write your own question and answer it.
A. Is this a pest control service? What is the difference between pest control and termite control? What is the difference between termite control and wood destroying organisms control?
