Building the comparison table
Open a spreadsheet or draw a grid on paper. Down the left side, list the tasks: inspection, removal method, number of return visits, each entry point by location, material at each opening, preventive sealing of unused gaps, repair of chewed wood or vents, attic cleanup, insulation, post-repair photos, warranty length, warranty coverage, total price. Across the top, one column per provider. Fill in each cell from the quotes. Where a quote does not mention a task, leave the cell blank rather than guessing. Blank cells are the point of the exercise; they show what each provider did not price. For entry points, use your own location labels so that north-soffit-1 means the same thing in every column. If a provider found an opening no one else did, add a row for it. If a provider did not price an opening others found, that blank cell is one of the most important things on the page. When the grid is full, look at the pattern before the totals. A column with several blanks and the lowest price is an incomplete quote. A column with every cell filled and a mid-range price is often the best value. Only then compare the totals, and adjust mentally for what each blank would cost to add.
Making the quotes comparable
Send each provider the same short list of what you want priced, using your entry-point labels. Something like: please itemize removal, return visits, each of these openings with material, preventive sealing, and warranty terms. Most providers will revise their quote within a day. When the revised quotes arrive, check the materials. Hardware cloth should have a mesh of a quarter inch or smaller and be galvanized or stainless. Flashing should be metal. Vent covers should be metal or heavy screened units made for wildlife. A quote that lists foam, caulk or plastic mesh as the primary material on a chewable opening is not equivalent to one that lists metal, even at the same price. Check the removal method too. One-way doors are common for squirrels and usually need two or three visits: install, check, remove and seal. Trapping needs daily checks in many states and may involve more visits. A quote that includes unlimited visits until activity stops is worth more than one that includes one. Finally, note whether each provider will seal openings that are not yet in use. This preventive work is where warranties are earned, and a provider who includes it is pricing a more durable job.
Choosing and documenting the decision
Once the table is complete, the choice is usually clear. If two quotes are equivalent in scope and materials, pick on warranty and on how the provider handled your questions. Clear, specific answers during the quoting process tend to predict clear, specific work. Before accepting, ask the chosen provider to confirm that their agreement matches the itemized quote. The agreement should list the same openings, materials, visits and warranty. If anything changed, ask why. Keep the comparison table with the signed agreement. If activity returns, the table shows what was priced and what was not, which makes warranty conversations shorter. If you manage rentals, the table also documents why a vendor was chosen, which is useful when an owner or tenant asks. For the providers you did not choose, a short note thanking them is enough. If their quote turned up an opening the chosen provider missed, mention it to the provider doing the work before they start, so it can be added as a priced change rather than discovered later.
What surveys and cost guides say about squirrel problems
Homeowners often ask whether a squirrel problem is unusual and whether a quoted price is normal. Public research cannot answer either question for one house, but it does set expectations. Here is what the sources report. A striking 89.1% of the 1,006 residents of a southeastern U.S. metro area surveyed by Puri and colleagues in 2022 (published 2024) reported squirrels or chipmunks in their neighborhood, the two animals having been combined; this counts sightings, not animals in attics. For a homeowner comparing bids, Fixr's January 2025 U.S. publisher estimate of $200 to $600 for squirrel trapping is a reasonable sanity check, with the caveat that it is an estimate rather than a measured bill and the number of animals drives the final cost. Fixr's January 2025 U.S. squirrel-removal cost guide estimates severe infestations at $1,000 to $1,500, three to five times its small-infestation range; these are publisher estimates rather than verified transaction prices. For the classic scratching-overhead problem, Fixr's January 2025 U.S. publisher estimate of $300 to $600 for attic removal is a fair budgeting anchor, though it is an estimate rather than a measured bill and excludes insulation or wiring repairs. Fifty-two percent of U.S. homeowners said they had chosen to remove pests themselves rather than hire help, according to a Forbes Home survey of 1,000 homeowners conducted online in spring 2024; the decisions are self-reported. If one number should shape your next step, it is how often do-it-yourself attempts fall short. That is not an argument against trying, but it is a reason to set a deadline and call a professional if the problem persists past it.