That attic job where I found a dead raccoon mid-run

I was pulling a new line through an attic in a 1980s split-level near Toledo. Got about 15 feet in and smelled something that wasn't mold. Found a raccoon carcass right where I needed to drill my support hole. Had to cut the run short and call the homeowner to deal with it before I could finish. She called a wildlife guy who charged her $200 to haul it out. Has anyone else had to stop a job for something dead in a crawl space or attic?

3 comments

3 Comments

wade87127d agoTop Commenter

Took one look at that raccoon and noped right back down the ladder. Your mileage may vary but dead animal in the middle of your work zone is an automatic stop work order in my book. Honestly that homeowner got off easy at $200, around here the wildlife guys charge closer to 300 if they have to suit up and bag it. Hope they aired that place out good though, that smell sticks around forever.

karenh5627d ago

Honestly that reminds me of a time I had a dead possum in my crawlspace and I tried to just leave it thinking it would dry out or whatever. Big mistake. After about three days the smell was so bad I could taste it in my coffee. I ended up having to call a guy who specialized in dead animal removal and he told me that once they start to decompose, the smell can soak into the insulation and drywall if you don't get them out fast enough. He charged me like $250 just to bag it and dispose of it, plus I had to rip out a whole section of insulation myself because the stain was spreading. Definitely worth the $200 that homeowner paid, idk how people deal with that smell for weeks on end.

quinna8927d ago

At least you didn't have to taste it in your coffee too, @karenh56, that's just cruel and unusual punishment.