For fuck's sake, can I get ONE extermination company that isn't a complete sleazebucket?

[Agent Foxtrot]

We have bed bugs. I've been trying for weeks to find an exterminator to get rid of them. So far I've tried:

1. Orkin. They charged $95 for an inspection (though I later found out that the City of Baltimore does inspections for free). They want $1400 for an hour of work. I don't think the CEO of my company makes $1400 an hour.
2. Terminix. Dealt with hang-ups and rude customer service reps. Scheduled an inspection between 8-10 the next day and they never showed up. Finally called me at 3:00 telling me they were at my house. Quoted me $900 with a good guarantee. I want their services, and have called them back three times with no call-backs.
3. Ehrlich. Won't even discuss pricing unless they look at my house first. I know they work on a pricing metric, but they still refuse to be transparent about it. They ended up hanging up on me.
4. North West (recommended by a neighbor since they're owned by her family's friend). Every time I call, I get a recording that says their line's busy and to leave a message. Left two messages, no call-backs.

Is there something inherently slimy about the extermination business? The customer service is absolute dogshit across the board and the pricing methods are dishonest at best. The only answer I can think of is that it's one service everyone needs but nobody wants, so they can get away with it. What gives?

[Fear Itself]

In some cities, the bedbug infestation is so severe, exterminators don't have to be nice, cheap or competent. Their phones are ringing so steadily, if you sound like you are likely to ask questions or make demands, it just isn't worth their time. A seller's market.

[Ethilrist]

"Ghostbusters. Whaddayawant?"

[cmkeller]

Sorry to hear about your problems.

We've recently dealt with a bad cockroach infestation, and had no problem getting my calls returned, quotes, and service for less than the amounts you mentioned (although I don't know what the rates are for bedbugs, maybe the nature of a bedbug job is different).

So it's not the nature of the business. Maybe it's your location, or maybe your first four attempts have just been unlucky ones.

[dngnb8]

Originally Posted by cmkeller

We've recently dealt with a bad cockroach infestation,

It is an election year

[Sister Vigilante]

I use Arrow Exterminators. Although they are competent, they do show up unannounced and spray the outside, including inside the back fence where the dog might be (!!). And nothing they do can get rid of our ants or cockroaches. But we have tons of rotting wood lying around and no termites thus far.

Bad part is, they never knock. I'll be down here working at home (or off on a Friday and surfing) and suddenly see some guy wandering around. This is fine for me since I don't like people, but it's not good when he needs to get in the back yard and has contacted no one and does not know there is a dog.

And once they used our water supply to water down their chemicals that they spray and left the damn thing on. HUGE bill that month that we can't prove because they didn't call to say they'd be there, you see? So we can't prove they were there.

[BrainGlutton]

Originally Posted by Agent Foxtrot

For fuck's sake, can I get ONE extermination company that isn't a complete sleazebucket?

Ve hare a hlott huv tinks, but neffer "sleezee"!

[Rhythmdvl]

Originally Posted by BrainGlutton

Ve hare a hlott huv tinks, but neffer "sleezee"!

If only you could get them to be your Reinemachefrau.

[Shakes]

Damn for that kind of money can't you just get another mattress? Or am I misunderstanding the nature of bed bugs?

[SeaDragonTattoo]

Totally misunderstanding, Shakes. BB's can be anywhere. Initial infestations are often in beds because that's where people tend to be in the early morning hours when they're most active. Most people aren't allergic to the bites and might not know they're around until there are enough of them to leave evidence. Once you have more than a few, they may travel outside the bed to nest and to find other hosts. They first look for other upholstered things, and like the edges of carpet and walls, but if the infestation is bad enough, they can be anywhere there's a thin gap to hide in such as picture frames, dressers, between wood floor slats, inside electronics, books and shelves, anywhere.

Foxtrot, do you have Yelp in your area? Everyblock? Angie's List? The last one has a fee to join, but totally worth it for good, reliable reviews and recommendations for services in your area.

In the research I've done on these guys, there's a lot of work needed to get them out. I won't go into everything you need to do without an exterminator, I'll assume you already know all the things you need to do, unless you say otherwise and I'll list things for you. If you can find a BB specialist who uses either a heat truck or can do a heat tent method (most pricey, and most effective), that's the one you want to go with. Then there are the continuing practices both at home and during travel to help with ongoing avoidance of getting them again.

They're not fun, I had a few a couple years ago and the only reason I was able to get rid of them through just covering the mattresses, lots of laundry, and diatomaceous earth, is that I'm so extremely allergic to them I knew I had them (they came from the apartment next door - the ones that ran from the insecticide) right away and was able to eliminate the few I had after the place next door was exterminated. Luckily, the "lady of the house" next door is a vigilant cleaner/launderer, and they haven't had a recurrence, and neither have I. I think we're a rare case, though. The majority of homes/apartments that are merely sprayed need multiple treatments.

[Rhythmdvl]

Originally Posted by SeaDragonTattoo

Then there are the continuing practices both at home and during travel to help with ongoing avoidance of getting them again.

How? How to avoid them when you can't avoid travelling? We do tend to travel with our own coffee pot; start travelling with our own linens?

[SeaDragonTattoo]

Originally Posted by Rhythmdvl

How? How to avoid them when you can't avoid travelling? We do tend to travel with our own coffee pot; start travelling with our own linens?

It's a pain in the ass, but the recommendations include the following, at least, and I'm sure you can google more:

Google the hotel with "bed bugs" to see if anything pops up about a problem
Check the Bed Bug Registry
Always place luggage on the metal stand, BB's can't climb glass or metal
Pack everything in baggies, only opening them when needed
Bag everything you're done wearing separately for easy dumping into washer at home
Keep bed clothes separate, on the bed or shake out into bathtub in the morning and keep bagged separately until done using
Never unpack into drawers or onto wood hangers or closets
If you must hang something, hang it on the shower curtain rod with metal or plastic hangers
The metal hanger system with rack on top, that is not enclosed, is probably OK
Use only hard-sided luggage
Use a flashlight to check mattresses, unmake and remake the bed to do this, checking the headboard area, seams, between mattresses.
I've heard about using a blow dryer on highest heat around the mattresses, too, which will make them run.
Once home, don't take luggage inside right away. Remove bagged items directly to washer/dryer.
Wipe down other non-dryable items outside as you remove them from baggies.
Throw out all the plastic bags - sealed in yet another bag of course, or outside
Wipe down edges, zippers, and insides of luggage. If possible to set out in hot sun for a day can work too.
A very light sprinkle of diatomaceous earth inside luggage can be beneficial, then just vacuumed out before the next use.

For items that can go in a dryer, that's key - at least 20 minutes at 130F or higher temps will kill them. So however long the dryer needs to run to get to temp, and then an additional 20 minutes will do the trick. And yes, I used a meat thermometer stuck into the middle of the dryer load to verify it was hot enough!

[DiosaBellissima]

We had a lot of on going problems with larger pest control places (franchises, I guess), akin to much of what has been discussed here-- lots of showing up unannounced (or at all), poor safety practices, on and on.

What I had a lot of success with- at long last- was going through the phone book and skipping beyond all the big, flashy ads. I found a tiny little ad, embedded within the column, black and white with nothing remotely fancy. My first question when the guy answered the phone was, "Are you the owner?" He said yes. "How many employees do you have?" He replied, "Just me and my son, ma'am." Perfect.

I feel like pest control is one of those things that's best left to someone who can provide you personal service, so going with a small, local business really has completely changed things. I asked that they call me the day before they come-- they always call. They adjust their course of treatment because we've got dogs. They give us their bill with a smile and a handshake-- and it's never more than we discussed. If I ever have any problems-- like the time I had a random moth infestation-- they're there the next morning to take care of it for me.

Obviously, in your case, who knows if the small local guy has the capability to treat the bed bugs, but if they can, I'd go that route.

[Crab Rangoon]

Originally Posted by Sister Vigilante

I use Arrow Exterminators. Although they are competent, they do show up unannounced and spray the outside, including inside the back fence where the dog might be (!!). And nothing they do can get rid of our ants or cockroaches. But we have tons of rotting wood lying around and no termites thus far.

Rotting wood = ant infestations

You have to eliminate all rotting wood from around your house for approximately 30 feet (even rotting tree stumps) if you don't want ants to at least occasionally visit you in your home. Cockroaches also enjoy a nice cool moist place to hang out while they wait for you to supply them with some nice crumbs so they can move on in.

Also - wood mulch is a classic home for ants that can be right next to your house. Easy in for them. Try to get rid of all the rotting wood near your house - then get the insects removed from your house (exterminated) - then you should have better luck with not having them re-infest.

[kaylasdad99]

Probably be easier to just buy a new house. I say, go for that option.

[The Great Sun Jester]

Originally Posted by kaylasdad99

Probably be easier to just buy a new house. I say, go for that option.

And the logical progression: Nuke it from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.