Can You Remove a Wasp Nest Yourself? Advice for Guston Homeowners
If you know about a nest, it is sensible to warn anyone working nearby and to hold off jobs that need ladders and scaffolds.
Work that sets nests off
Home maintenance often puts people right where wasps nest. Painting a fascia, cleaning gutters, replacing tiles, trimming a hedge, washing windows, pointing brickwork or erecting scaffolding all take place close to eaves, walls and boundaries. The noise, vibration and movement alert a colony.
Guston households who have a tradesperson booked in summer face a possible clash with a nest. The nest might be known, or it might be hidden. Nests begin from late April, depending on the weather, and by August a colony may hold 2,000 to 10,000 or more wasps.
This is a big reason why DIY removal by a householder, or an attempt by a tradesperson to deal with it as part of the job, is inadvisable. The worker is up a ladder or scaffold, busy with a tool, and a swarm is a serious hazard.
A householder is also in a good position to see changes the worker cannot. You know whether the wasps were busy yesterday and whether new activity has started. Pass that on in plain terms.
Large companies and small traders alike appreciate a call or text the day before. It costs nothing, and it reduces the chance of a bad surprise for both sides.
Telling people before they arrive
If you know there is a nest, tell anyone who is due to work on the property in plain words, ideally before the day.
- Where the nest is, and which part of the house or garden to avoid.
- Whether wasps have been getting inside.
- That a treatment is booked or being arranged.
- Whether to postpone the work until after the treatment.
It is courteous and sensible. A tradesperson would much rather reschedule than be stung at height. Put the information in writing, in a text or email, and mention it again on arrival.
If you are not sure whether there is a nest, say that too. Ask the worker to keep an eye out and to stop if wasps appear.
Scaffolding is a special case. A scaffold tower or access platform put up against a wall can touch the nest itself, and vibration through the tubes travels to the structure. If scaffolding is booked, tell the contractor about the nest before they start, and consider rescheduling until it has been treated.
Insurance for contractors, and the rules about who is liable if someone is hurt on site, depend on the contract and the policies involved. This article cannot advise on that, so ask the tradesperson what their cover is and check your own.
Jobs to put off
Some jobs are best moved until the nest has been treated.
- Anything with a ladder or scaffold near the nest.
- Gutter clearing, fascia painting and roof repairs on the same side of the house.
- Hedge cutting, tree work and strimming close to a suspected nest.
- Window cleaning on the nest side.
- Drilling, hammering or any work that shakes the wall or roof.
Other jobs on the opposite side of the property can go ahead, as long as the workers keep clear and know where the nest is. Ask them for their view, because they know their job.
If you are on good terms with the tradesperson, ask whether they have come across wasp nests before, and what they would suggest. Most will be glad to be asked, and many will prefer to wait.
You might offer the worker the technician's visit date and agree to rearrange the job for the day after. Most people will see that as sensible and will appreciate being told before they arrive with a van full of tools.
If a worker is stung
Help them get away from the nest and into a safe place. Offer water, a cold pack and somewhere to sit. Remove a visible sting and wash the area.
Make a 999 call at once for swelling of the face, lips or throat, dizziness, a widespread rash or wheezing or difficulty breathing. If they are up a ladder or on a roof, get them down only if it can be done safely, and call for help if not.
Whether you or anyone else is responsible if someone is hurt on your property depends on the circumstances, and this article cannot advise on that. Check your insurance policy, and keep a note of what happened.
Afterwards, tell the booking team if there has been a sting and that the matter is now urgent.
Keep children and pets out of the way of the work and the nest. A busy site with ladders and tools is a poor place for either.
Getting the nest treated first
The simplest way to avoid all this is to have the nest dealt with before the work starts. Wasp Exterminator Kent treats a nest for a set £120 per nest, and the price graphic promises one visit guaranteed. Another nest on the same premises is £60 each. There is no call-out charge, and the price does not change with where the nest is or when the visit is. Technicians are fully insured and qualified.
Domestic and commercial customers are welcome, seven days a week, with same-day service and evening or weekend appointments. Make the booking by calling 01622 410 019 or by using the form on the contact page.
Tell the team when your tradesperson is due, and ask whether the empty nest can be taken down so it does not get in their way.
Once the nest has been treated, let the worker know, and ask the technician if there is a period during which the area should be left alone.
Wasps on your property in Guston?
Fixed price £120 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.