Found a Wasp Nest in Your Loft in Stoke Bardolph? Here's What to Do
A boarded or converted loft changes how a nest is reached, and the better the technician understands the space, the smoother the job, so here is what to describe.
Not all lofts are the same
A loft may be an open space with a ladder and a bare floor, or boarded, lined and used as an extra room. Some are accessed through a fixed staircase, others through a narrow hatch in a ceiling. Each changes how a nest can be reached.
Stoke Bardolph, in Nottinghamshire, has properties of many kinds, and I can't say which yours is. What I can say is that clear information about the loft before the visit makes everything easier.
Some people use the loft as a hobby room, a bedroom or an office. If so, the nest affects everyday life, and the technician needs to know what happens in the space, not only where the nest is.
A few details can be easily forgotten in a call, so keep a note by the phone: where the hatch is, how you reach it, what is stored near it and where you have seen wasps. A call of a few minutes with those answers ready will save time on the day.
What to tell us about the space
When you ring 0115 937 5117, say:
- how you reach the loft: hatch, pull-down ladder or fixed stairs
- whether the floor is boarded, and whether there is lining on the walls
- whether the loft is used for storage, work or living
- where you have heard or seen wasps
- any other way into the roof space, such as an eaves cupboard
The technician is trained, and it is their job to work out the approach, but they can only plan with what they are told.
If you are unsure about the measurements of the hatch or the height of the ceiling, say that. A rough idea such as "a narrow hatch, I can just fit through" is helpful, since it tells the technician what equipment can be carried in.
Boarded floors and eaves cupboards
A boarded loft hides what is beneath the boards, and a nest can sit between joists out of sight. Eaves cupboards, with small doors at the edge of a bedroom, are another place where nests are found, because they are warm, sheltered and linked to the outside.
Do not lift boards or open eaves doors yourself. If you hear sounds from a cupboard or see wasps around its door, move away, close it, and tell us.
Insulation, lining boards and plasterboard all conceal the nest. A hum or rasp through a wall may come from a void, not the open loft. That is why the best evidence is often outside the house, at the roof edge, where wasps can be seen going in.
In a converted roof space with sloping ceilings, the void behind the slope can hold a nest too. If you hear a buzzing from the slope of a ceiling, treat it as you would one in an open loft: keep clear and ring.
Most of the time, the technician will confirm the best approach on arrival, and this may differ from what you imagined. Do not worry if your description turns out not to match: it is a starting point, not a test.
Keep a clear line from the front door to the hatch, and remember that a technician carrying equipment needs more room than one person walking through.
Preparing without going near the nest
Things you can do from a safe distance:
- Clear the area below the access point so there is room to work.
- Move furniture, bikes and boxes from the landing.
- Keep pets and children out of the area.
- Make sure lighting works in the corridor or stairs.
- Tell us about parking and any steps up to the property.
If the space is a bedroom, sleep elsewhere until it has been dealt with. A child sleeping next to a nest, with only a layer of board between, is not a good arrangement. Also keep the door closed and a towel along the gap at the bottom to reduce the chance of wasps wandering through the house.
Cost and booking
Treatment is a fixed £95 per nest. An additional nest on the same property is £35. There is no call-out charge, and the price is confirmed on the phone. Same-day service is offered, but cannot be promised on every call. Fully insured, trained technicians carry out the work, and nothing is done without your agreement.
Say on the phone if the loft is a living space, since it affects how the visit is planned. Tell us about anyone who is allergic. We cover domestic and commercial properties, so a converted loft office is just as welcome a call as a bare attic.
If you are unsure whether the loft counts as a roof space for this purpose, describe it in your own words. A void behind a sloping ceiling, a flat-roof cavity or a space above a garage are all places a nest can be found.
Clearing up afterwards
When the visit is done, ask what the technician advises about entering the space. Dead wasps and the empty paper nest may be present, and you can ask at booking whether the nest can be taken down. If you clear it yourself, wear gloves, a mask and long sleeves, and put the material in a bag.
Before you go back to using the loft as a bedroom or workspace, wait until the technician has said it is safe. A few leftover wasps may be present, and the empty paper nest may still be in place. Ask whether it can be taken down, and if not, whether it can be left until it is convenient.
Boarded lofts hold heat and can make a poor environment for stored goods after a nest. Check anything that was nearby for staining or damage, and keep photographs for your records.
Wasps on your property in Stoke Bardolph?
Fixed price £95 per nest, no call-out charge, same-day service available.