Strand is a beach town first, so a lot of our work follows the holiday calendar. Flats on Beach Road sit empty for months, then fill up over December, and pests that moved in quietly during the off-season suddenly become everyone's problem.
Strand: what drives birds here
Gulls nest and roost on the flat roofs of the beachfront blocks, and pigeons foul balconies and air-conditioning units. Netting and spikes on ledges make a real difference here.
Along the beachfront you get blocks of holiday and retirement flats, many with shared refuse rooms and long service ducts that let cockroaches travel between units. Further back from the sea the streets are older freestanding homes and townhouse complexes, plus a busy commercial strip with takeaways and small supermarkets. Lock-up-and-go flats are the tricky ones, because nobody notices droppings or a fishmoth problem until the owner arrives for the season.
How to tell you have a problem
- Droppings building up on ledges, walls, windowsills or under solar panels.
- A sour smell around a roof area where birds have been nesting for a long time.
- Blocked gutters and downpipes full of nesting material.
- Twigs, grass and feathers sticking out from under roof tiles or panels.
Pigeon droppings are acidic, mark paintwork and roofing, and become slippery underfoot on walkways. Accumulated droppings and old nests can carry fungi and bacteria, and cleaning them up dry raises dust you do not want to breathe. Nests block gutters and cause water damage when winter rains back up into the roof. When birds leave a nest, their bird mites often wander indoors looking for a new host, which leads to itchy bites.
A note from the field
Bird proofing involves no poison at all, which makes it a good option for homes with children, dogs and cats.
How we handle bird proofing in Strand
We start by watching where the birds actually land and nest, because proofing the wrong ledge is a waste of money. Ledges and beams get bird spikes or tensioned wire systems that stop birds settling. Larger open areas such as courtyards, loading bays and light wells get bird netting fixed to a frame so birds cannot get in at all. Gaps under solar panels and roof tiles are closed with mesh or panel skirting so pigeons cannot nest underneath. Old nests and droppings are removed first, and if bird mites are present we treat the area as well.
- Site survey
We look at where the birds roost, nest and enter, and which surfaces need protecting.
- Proposal
We recommend the right mix of netting, spikes, wire or mesh for each spot and explain why.
- Clean-out
Nests, droppings and debris are removed safely before anything is fitted.
- Install proofing
Netting, spikes, wire or mesh is fixed so it is neat and secure against the south-easter.
- Mite treatment and report
If bird mites are present we treat the area, and you get a written report.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Fit mesh skirting around new solar panels at installation, before birds discover the gap.
- Do not feed pigeons near your home or business. A reliable food source keeps them coming back.
- Keep refuse bins closed and clean up spilt food around outdoor eating areas.
- Clean gutters before winter, and check for nesting material at the same time.
- Close off broken air vents, missing tiles and open eaves as soon as you notice them.
Pricing, honestly
The cost depends on how many areas need proofing, how high they are and how much access equipment is needed. Netting a large courtyard or a warehouse roof is a bigger job than spiking a few ledges. Clean-out of heavy droppings and any mite treatment are included in the free quote once we have done the site survey.
A few spikes on a low windowsill is a fine DIY job. Netting and solar panel proofing at height is not, both for safety and because poorly tensioned netting sags, traps birds and ends up looking messy. I would rather do it once and do it properly.
Questions we get asked in Strand
Can you stop gulls from nesting on our block's roof near the beach?
Yes. Bird netting, spikes and wire systems on the roof edges and plant areas make the building far less attractive, and it is best installed before the nesting season starts.
Why am I getting bites after the pigeons left?
That is often bird mites leaving an abandoned nest. They do not live on people, but they bite, and we treat the nest area to stop them.
Can you stop pigeons nesting under my solar panels?
Yes. We clean out the nests and fit mesh skirting around the panel edges so birds cannot get underneath.
Do you use poison on pigeons?
No. Bird proofing is about physical exclusion, which is safer and lasts longer than trying to kill birds.
Do you come out to Strand for bird proofing?
Yes. Strand is part of our regular Helderberg route, along with Somerset West, Gordon's Bay, Macassar, Helderberg. Most bookings are done within about 48 hours, and after-hours visits can be arranged.
Why do I find cockroaches in my Strand holiday flat every time I come back?
Usually they are coming from neighbouring units or the shared refuse room, not starting in your flat. Treating your unit helps, but the best results come when the body corporate treats the ducts and bin areas at the same time.
Office 021 012 5825 · WhatsApp 074 697 2254