How much does a pest control cost: How Much Does Pest Control Cost in 2023?

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How Much Does Pest Control Cost in 2023?

Updated:
Jul 14, 2023

You can’t put a price on the peace of mind that a pest-free home provides. Even so, homeowners want to save on pest control costs and find the best pest control company for the most competitive price. If you’re dealing with an infestation, you’re likely wondering: How much does pest control cost?

We at the Guides Home Team spent dozens of hours secret-shopping the top pest control companies for plans and pricing, learning about the most common pests and delving into the guarantees and cost factors. We also obtained quotes for two- to four-bedroom homes with quarter-acre and half-acre lawns across Atlanta; Austin, Texas; Chattanooga, Tenn.; New York City and Salt Lake City to get a broad sampling of prices. In this article, learn the cost of pest control, when to hire a professional and our top recommendations for affordable pest services.

Average Pest Control Cost

Based on our secret shopping, we found that the national average for general pest control plans is $51 per month or $152 for each quarterly pest control visit if that’s how you prefer to pay. Specialized treatments for bedbugs, wildlife control or termites will increase that number. A one-time visit can range from around $150 for ants or fleas to $8,000 for fumigation services.

Pest control can sometimes be purchased as an à la carte service, such as bedbug or wildlife solutions. However, many homeowners opt for an ongoing plan to prevent future issues while dealing with current pests. For preventive services, it’s best to sign up for a yearly plan, typically paid monthly or quarterly.

Note that your initial visit and treatment are typically more expensive than ongoing visits. Depending on your selected provider and services, this initial treatment can range from $150 to $350.

Time Frame Average Cost
Annual Visit $300–$550
Quarterly Visit $100–$300
Monthly Visit $40–$70
First Visit $99–$350
Per Visit $80–$120

Sources: Angi. com and homeguide.com

Cost of DIY Pest Control

The cost of do-it-yourself (DIY) pest control varies greatly depending on the pest you’re dealing with. Expenses you will likely face are purchasing traps, which can range from $6 for ant baits to $58 for a large wildlife trap, and any cleaning products you use to deter invasions from ants, cockroaches, fruit flies or other bugs.

Our in-depth research into trap prices, cleaning supply costs and potential damage from pests found that the cost of DIY pest control varies based on several factors. These variables include the size of your home, whether the pests are inside or outside, the number of entry points, the type of pest, the number of treatments and the level of infestation. Due to the many factors, the average cost of DIY pest control can fall anywhere from $50 for a small ant problem to $250 for a minor mouse infestation.

However, there is a hidden cost to DIY pest control. Homeowners risk a full-fledged pest infestation if their home methods don’t go according to plan. If you attempt to handle the pest problem on your own before seeking professional pest control services, you may end up paying more in the long run due to the severity of the issue.

If your pest problem continues to grow while you wait to call in professional help, your plan to save money can backfire. When we surveyed 1,000 homeowners who had recently dealt with a pest problem, 62% first attempted DIY methods. Of those, one-third said their home treatments didn’t resolve the problem, and half of the unsuccessful DIYers went on to hire a professional.

Additionally, if you already have a large infestation, it’s almost impossible to treat it yourself. Below, we outline what pest problems you should never tackle alone.

 

 

Is Pest Control Worth the Price?

Although you may be able to handle smaller infestations with DIY methods, hiring professional pest control specialists is often worth the price. Rather than guessing which of dozens or even hundreds of DIY solutions will produce the best results, pest control professionals have the knowledge and experience to get it right the first time.

The upfront cost of professional pet control is higher than attempting to eradicate creepy crawlies on your own, but going the professional route is often quicker and more efficient, can treat all levels of pest severity and is safer than spraying chemicals you may not fully understand. It also may include preventative measures that keep your yard and home pest-free longer.

 

 

What Factors Influence Pest Control Prices?

A wide variety of factors influence pest control prices. After speaking with a dozen customer service representatives during our secret-shopping process, we concluded that the most commonly cited pricing factors are these:

  • Size of the home: The larger the home, the more places insects have to hide out. A larger home will typically cost more to service.
  • Location of pests: If pests are both inside and outside the home, their prevalence can increase service costs. If you’ve seen pests outside, but they haven’t entered your home yet, treating them before an infestation occurs can potentially lower your pricing. On the other hand, if pests are located throughout the home and around the perimeter, the extensive treatments needed may raise your cost.
  • Number of entry points: For many pests, such as wildlife and termites, you’ll need to seal off any entry points to fend off future invasions. This can increase treatment costs.
  • Type of pest: Each type of pest can incur a different cost for pest management. Simple traps for ants will be less expensive than sealants and fumigation for termites. The pest type you’re battling will be a significant factor in determining your pest control price.
  • Number of treatments: If your home has been infested, you may need multiple treatments on a strict schedule to exterminate all the pests inside. These intensive, repeated treatments can drive up your pest control bill. Conversely, if you are performing preventive maintenance, you may be able to use a minimal quarterly treatment schedule for a lower cost.
  • Level of infestation: A few simple bugs can often be treated easily and quickly, while a full-fledged pest infestation may require a more extensive schedule of services and more intensive, expensive types of chemical treatments. In short, the larger your pest problem, the higher your bill may be.
  • Your home’s location: Where you live determines the types of pests you face — for instance, New Yorkers aren’t often battling scorpions — and how far an exterminator will need to drive to treat your home. Both of these items will influence your pricing.

 

 

When To Use Professional Pest Control Services

Though you may be tempted to try DIY first, these are the common household pests best left to the professionals for treatment:

  • Wildlife: The law often protects wildlife against poisoning and habitat destruction. Additionally, critters like raccoons, possums and squirrels can carry diseases and become aggressive if threatened. It’s best to leave wildlife pest control to trained professionals. 
  • Carpenter ant Treatment: These tiny creatures bite, but worse yet, they can destroy the wood in your furniture and damage your home structure. You may have carpenter ants if you note winged ants and sawdust around the home. Reach out to a professional immediately to avoid serious damage to your house. 
  • Termite Control: Termite treatment is a pest control service best left to the experts. Severe infestations may require fumigation, which fills the infested area with pesticide gas and requires homeowners to evacuate the premises. If termites have invaded your home, you may notice hollow spots in the wood, tiny white wings around the house, unexplained wood damage or small swarms of them that are often mistaken for ants.
  • Bedbug treatment: Bedbugs can infiltrate more than just beds, making their home in furniture, upholstery, electrical appliances and more. Call a pro to kill bedbugs and avoid throwing out most of your home. Signs of bedbugs include small, pale yellow eggs and eggshells, rust-colored stains in the bed, bites and tiny droppings.
  • Cockroach control: Roaches are not only unsightly, but they’re also extremely difficult to exterminate. These dangerous pests are primarily active at night, hiding in cracks in walls, piles of clutter, cupboards, drains and electrical devices during the day. The World Health Organization states that you can typically spot them by their small, dark droppings around the house, particularly near food sources.
  • Rodent treatments: While most rodent problems are simple to solve with a few traps, larger-scale infestations will almost certainly require a professional. If your home has a nest of rats or mice, it’s time for expert help. You can spot a rodent infestation through signs such as small brown droppings in the back of cabinets and drawers, holes in the walls or floors, bite marks or holes in food containers and chewed wires. You may also hear scratching noises in the walls, attic or ceilings.

If you’re facing one of these nuisances, scheduling a professional pest control treatment quickly is best. The providers in this review even offer same-day service for serious pest issues.

 

 

Weather Impact on Pest Control

Weather can affect both the activity of pests and the effectiveness of treatments used to remove them. Failing to consider the weather could result in underestimating the severity of the infestation or render your extermination strategies useless. Pest control professionals will have a deep understanding of how weather impacts their efforts and be able to make decisions accordingly and keep your property pest-free.

On particularly hot days, pests like ants, cockroaches and termites become more active and reproduce faster. If it’s cold outside, these insects seek refuge inside warm buildings and abandon their outdoor activities. Humidity also bolsters pest survivability and resilience, with different types of pests prevering different humidity levels.

Regarding pest control strategies themselves, rain can wash away your efforts and extreme heat can present a fire risk for certain toxic solutions.

 

 

When it comes to the cost of pest control, a DIY method can potentially save homeowners money. However, if the infestation grows, it could cost you more money in the long run. If you’re dealing with more than a minor pest infestation, it’s often safest to call in the professionals.

We recommend Orkin as a top provider thanks to its wide variety of service plans, years of experience and customer resources. We also like Terminix for its online chat and competitive pricing, along with Hawx for its reservicing flexibility. Before making a decision, we recommend getting three quotes to ensure that your plan is fairly priced and meets your needs.

Key Questions To Ask Your Pest Control Provider

Pest control can offer homeowners peace of mind, but it’s important to understand common concerns and safety measures before service begins. Here are some of the best questions to ask a pest control company:

  • Do you use only non-banned, FDA-approved pesticide options?
  • How long should I wait after application before the area is safe for children and pets to re-enter?
  • What is your reservicing policy if pests return between visits?
  • Will we need to leave the home for any treatments?
  • How long will it take to eliminate my pest infestation?
  • What is the training process for your technicians?

 

Frequently Asked Questions

Methodology: Our System for Ranking the Best Pest Control Companies

Our team created a comprehensive ratings system to rank pest control providers. We researched companies by examining each provider’s website, speaking with representatives to get more insight on coverage, treatments and pricing, reading hundreds of third-party customer reviews across multiple sites, and surveying 1,000 homeowners who had hired pest control companies.

Following our in-depth research, we scored pest control companies in these categories: plan options, customer service, guarantees, reputation, longevity and pricing.

 

 

Amanda Lutz has been working as an editor, writer and content strategist for almost a decade. In that time, she has contributed to over 15 highly regarded publications covering home services and wellness, focusing on insurance products, lawn care and pest control. In her spare time, Amanda enjoys riding her Vespa around East Nashville, remodeling her 1960s home and songwriting at her grandmother’s piano.

Rebekah Young is an editor with a decade of experience in educational content and editing. Before joining the Guides Home Team to focus on home services content, she guided content strategy and edited in the insurance, venture capital, financial and health care fields. Rebekah has a bachelor’s degree in communication and English.

How Much Does Pest Control Service Cost? (2023)

Sometimes hiring a professional pest control service is necessary to get rid of a severe pest infestation, especially if you have a termite colony eating up your home’s structure or you’re waking up with painful bites from bed bugs in your room.

While those severe cases can sometimes be resolved by one-time treatments, you may also want a pest control service plan for continual maintenance of your home’s pest issues. The cost of pest control treatment plans can vary, but keep reading for some averages based on our research of the industry, in addition to some tips for choosing the best pest control for your home.

Average Cost of Pest Control Service

Pest control costs can vary depending on the type of service you need, the level of infestation, your home’s size, and more. Because of this, finding an average for your specific home can be difficult without comparing your own quotes.

However, we can give you an idea of what to expect from a general pest control plan that treats your property for common household pests. After secret shopping for quotes from top pest control companies, here are average prices we received on a 3,000-square-foot home with three bedrooms and three bathrooms:

Payment Time Frame

Average Cost

Annual

$400–$950

Monthly

$30–$50

Per visit

$80–$120

Initial visit

$130–$350

These general pest control plans provide preventative services with regularly scheduled visits from local technicians either quarterly or bi-monthly to treat the interior and exterior of your home. They cover a wide range of common pests, such as cockroaches, ants, spiders, and beetles, but they don’t include specialty treatments against certain pests, such as termites and bed bugs.

Pest Control Cost by Pest Type

Although you can expect to pay between $400 and $950 per year for general, full-service pest control, based on the quotes we’ve received from various exterminators, your prices may look different if you’re looking for an exterminator to perform a targeted pest control treatment.

It’s difficult to predict how much you’ll pay per pest since most treatments will be included in a general pest control plan. However, according to data from HomeAdvisor, which collects cost information from its large network of partner contractors, below are some average exterminator costs for each specific type of infestation:

Pest Type

Average Cost

Ants

$100–$500

Bed bugs

$300–$5,000

Cockroaches

$100–$400

Fleas

$75–$400

Lice

$50–$200

Mosquito

$100–$500

Moths

$150–$300

Rodents

$150–$500

Scorpions

$50–$300

Silverfish

$100–$300

Spiders

$100–$200

Termites

$2,000–$8,000

Ticks

$200–$500

Factors That Affect Pest Control Costs

Many variables are involved in pricing these services, making it difficult to know exactly how much to expect to pay for your pest control needs. When creating a quote, pest control companies will consider the following factors to provide pricing estimates:

  • Types of pests in the home. The types of pests you’re battling can dictate how much you’ll pay for pest control. While general pest control services can prevent pest problems for a regular monthly fee, targeted termite extermination, for example, can cost up to thousands of dollars.
  • Your home’s size. During your initial call with a professional exterminator, they’ll likely ask the square footage of your home and how many bedrooms and bathrooms it has. These numbers can affect how much treatment will be required and how expensive it will be.
  • The size of your yard. The pest control representative will likely ask the size of your yard, since that can determine how much treatment will be needed on the exterior of your property to build a protective barrier against pests. If you don’t have the exact acreage, you can provide an estimate, or the technician can give a more accurate estimate once they visit your home.
  • Your zip code. Pest control prices can vary based on your location, since some areas are more prone to pest issues than others. Additionally, if your home is far away from your nearest local exterminator, you may be charged extra for travel costs.
  • Frequency of visits. If you sign up for a pest control plan with regularly scheduled visits, your cost will reflect your plan’s number of visits per year. For example, Terminix’s general pest control plan comes with quarterly visits, making it cheaper than some competitors that service your home bi-monthly.
  • Level of infestation. Your infestation’s severity may require additional treatments or heavier use of products, which could increase the overall cost of your service. For instance, fumigations with tenting may be recommended for severe infestations, which can cost $1 to $4 per square foot, according to HomeAdvisor.

DIY Pest Control vs. Hiring a Professional Exterminator

From setting up homemade traps to putting out a potted Venus flytrap, many homeowners have tried to get rid of pests themselves. If you’re not ready to spend the money on a professional pest control service to handle your infestation or help prevent future pest problems, you can try your hand at do-it-yourself (DIY) pest control.

Although DIY pest control could save you money on hiring a professional, there are a few things to keep in mind before deciding not to call an exterminator: 

  • Some DIY methods can be less effective than what an exterminator can provide, since some pesticide products you may need aren’t available for regular consumers.
  • Pesticides you buy from the store to treat your own home can be dangerous or harmful to you, your family members, or your pets if chemicals aren’t used properly.
  • It can require you to spend hours doing your own research, whereas an exterminator has the knowledge and experience to know what to do immediately.
  • You may need to try a few different methods before the treatment is effective, which means you’ll have to live with your infestation until you find something that works.

DIY Pest Control Cost

If you choose to go the DIY route to take care of your pest problems on your own, the amount you pay can vary depending on the products you need. If you’re willing to spend around $50 to $200, you could purchase a pest control kit with a range of products, including traps and chemicals.

Here are some general prices you can expect when shopping for pest control products based on our analysis of pest control retail prices on the market:

Pest Control Product

Average Cost

General control kits

$50–$200

Insecticide

$10–$40

Indoor foggers

$10–$25

Mouse traps

$2–$50

The above prices are per-item, so keep in mind that the total cost could be considerably higher if you have a larger home with lots of coverage areas. In some cases, hiring a pest control company may end up being the most affordable option, since the technicians have the right amount of unique products on hand that may be needed for your property.

How to Choose a Pest Control Company

If you’re leaning toward hiring an exterminator, you should take a few steps to help you pick the best pest control company for your home.

  • Read third-party customer reviews. One of the first steps to choosing an exterminator is reading its reviews on third-party websites, such as Yelp, Google Reviews, or the Better Business Bureau. Avoid companies with lower overall ratings that have a higher percentage of complaints than positive reviews.
  • Get quotes and speak with representatives. Many companies can provide quotes for general pest control services over the phone to give you an idea of how much you’ll pay based on your specific situation. We recommend calling a few providers and taking notes on what they offer, in addition to asking about their guarantees.
  • Compare custom prices and plan options. Once you have a few quotes, you can compare those prices, treatment frequencies, guarantees, and overall plan coverage offered.
  • Schedule an initial visit. Once you narrow down the best choice for you, schedule your appointment for a time that’s convenient for you. If you’re in a hurry to get an exterminator out to your property, many companies provide same-day service if they have technicians available.

Although professional pest control comes with a price tag, it can be a valuable addition to your regularly scheduled services to prevent creepy-crawlies from invading your home and yard. If you have a severe infestation from dangerous pests, such as termites and bed bugs, you may need to hire a professional to effectively eradicate them.

To identify the best pest control services, we’ve performed a deep analysis of pest control companies on the market, reading more than 1,000 reviews from third-party websites, listening to customer service call recordings, and comparing providers on dozens of factors, such as covered pests, reputation, and customer service.

Terminix is our overall top choice, as it combines a tremendous amount of experience in the industry with impressive guarantees, wide service availability, and more to provide quality service to homeowners. However, we recommend speaking with more than one company to ensure you get the best price and coverage for your home’s specific needs.

Frequently Asked Questions

How We Chose the Top Pest Control Companies

Our pest control research process starts with a deep analysis of more than 1,000 customer reviews on third-party websites such as Yelp, Google Reviews, Best Company, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB). We also listen to more than 100 customer service call recordings from large pest control brands.

From there, we compile a list of important factors that commonly come up in customer feedback, build out a scoring tool based on those factors, and analyze each company to determine how they stack up against each other. For instance, companies that offer more guarantees for their service earned more points than others, and pest control plans with a larger range of covered pests earned more points than ones with fewer.

After analyzing dozens of residential and commercial pest control businesses through this process, we were able to determine the best pest control companies across the country.

Prices for the extermination of cockroaches in the apartment

Apartment size

cost of disinfestation

barrier protection

cold mist

hot mist

1-room

1,500.00

3000.00

500.00

2-room

1700. 00

3200.00

500.00

3-room

1900.00

3400.00

500.00

4-room

2 100.00

3600.00

500.00

common areas (platforms, stairs, vestibule).

500.00

–

500.00

Guarantees

1 year

2 years+gel=3 years

–

Although cockroaches are the oldest creatures on the planet, few people agree to tolerate them on their territory. Cockroaches are taken out, destroyed and poisoned – different words mean the same procedure, which consists in the complete destruction of these insects in a single apartment.

This event requires a competent integrated approach and, in most cases, the most optimal way is the complete disinfection of all premises. The advantage of this method is that not only adults are destroyed, but also cockroach eggs, as well as pathogenic microbes, bacteria, fungi and other evil spirits invisible to the naked eye.

To carry out a total disinfection of the apartment, it is necessary to contact organizations specializing in the extermination of insects. This is due to the fact that during deratization, which gives a stable long-term effect, potent chemicals are used, the use of which requires certain skills and protective equipment.

Cost of disinfection.

Prices for the extermination of cockroaches in the apartment are made up of the following indicators:

1. The cost of the disinfectant. As a rule, firms use no more than 1-2 effective chemicals.

2. The work of specialists, including the cost of the trip (including gasoline, the time of the car) and the time spent on the provision of the cockroach extermination service.

3. Profit of the organization (net).

Usually, companies set the price of disinfection per 1 sq.m., but in some cases, the prices for the extermination of cockroaches are determined either on the basis of the total area of ​​the apartment or by room, with the division of premises into residential and non-residential. Moreover, the cost of processing the kitchen, as a rule, is higher than rooms of a similar area. This is due to the fact that there are more possible foci of “ram infection” in the catering department.

Disinsection procedure.

The action to exterminate the cockroach tribe in the apartment is as follows:

1. Inspection, during which specialists measure the area of ​​treatment, approximately estimate the main points of more thorough treatment and the cost of chemicals.

2. Direct disinfection process, which can be carried out in two different ways:

– Cold mist. The drug is sprayed up to 50-90 microns and the suspension penetrates into all, even the smallest, cracks. With this treatment, no traces remain on the wallpaper and furniture, and the insects die after spraying, having previously infected the maximum number of their fellows.

– Hot mist. With this method, the drug becomes practically a gas penetrating the risers, ventilation and air ducts. All cockroaches die when processing the premises.

3. Barrier protection – spraying repellents (volatile insecticides) that contain enzymes that repel cockroaches. This method can either be included in the total cost of disinfection or be provided as an additional service. Accordingly, when using a barrier, the cost of destroying cockroaches increases.

4. Ventilation and wet cleaning of the premises.

  • Insect control
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    How much does it cost to exterminate cockroaches | Articles from the City Center for Disinfection

    Published:
    09/14/2020

    Reading time:
    4 minutes

    1262

    An apartment that is habitable and pleasant and safe to be in must not only be clean, but also free from unwanted neighbors. As a rule, such a neighborhood means cockroaches. Insects make life very difficult for the owners of apartments and houses, cause disgust, and are also carriers of dangerous diseases. Cockroaches can appear even in an outwardly clean apartment. For example, if they had to flee from processing from a neighboring apartment, and you have everything you need: water and food accumulation in places that are not subject to daily cleaning (behind the stove, under the kitchen cabinet, and so on). As you can see, cleaning is not a panacea.

    How to deal with cockroaches

    It has been experimentally proven that the quick and effective destruction of cockroaches on your own is almost impossible. Only specialists have access to professional methods of pest control, which are an order of magnitude more effective than chemistry from the nearest store, folk recipes or magic. There is nothing wrong with recipes and classic preparations, but cockroaches adapt well and stop responding to the same compounds. Therefore, it is necessary to regularly develop new insecticides and methods for the destruction of pests.

    Professional methods

    Treatment of residential premises from cockroaches and other “guests” is carried out by chemical or mechanical methods.

    Chemical method. It involves the spraying of a special preparation that is colorless and odorless, and is also safe for people and animals. The following techniques are used for spraying:

    • hot mist. With this method, the composition turns into small particles (up to three microns) and becomes a mist, which is sprayed at a high temperature (up to 60 degrees). This method helps to get to places inaccessible to other methods and get rid of both adults and larvae;
    • cold fog. With the help of special equipment, the insecticide is converted into a gas at room temperature. The method allows you to evenly cover all surfaces in the room: the composition penetrates under the wallpaper and inside the upholstered furniture. And insects that come into contact with the insecticide pass it on to their relatives, which makes the treatment even more effective.

    Mechanical method. Specialist installs specialized cockroach traps and baits. This method also includes barrier protection – this is a special preparation that the specialist applies to all intended insect entry points (vents, sockets). Barrier protection is needed when cockroaches migrate from neighboring rooms, as well as for preventive purposes.

    Cost of services

    So you’ve decided to ask the disinfection service for help. How much does it cost to kill cockroaches? It is necessary to understand that the services of specialists cannot be cheap, because the price is formed from many factors.

    • Equipment. Special generators, insecticides, a protective suit and a respirator are a must to get rid of cockroaches.
    • Select the processing method. Which treatment method we choose is influenced by the presence of children and pets, the area of ​​​​the room and the degree of infection. A preliminary inspection will be required.
    • Skill level. For the correct performance of their work, the disinfector needs a special education that guarantees the safety of the work performed and their compliance with all standards. Also, a specialist needs to regularly take refresher courses and improve his own skills in order to know all the new developments and tools, to be aware of the standards and rules. So you buy not just an insecticide, but the knowledge, skills and abilities of a professional.

    Our advantages

    • For sanitization, we use class 4 reagents – the least dangerous for humans and animals, but excellent for killing most insects.
    • The price includes the processing of common areas and engineering facilities. For example, if you order the disinfection of an apartment, the price will already include the processing of the vestibule.
    • After the work of our specialists, you will not have to additionally order the services of a cleaning company: for the disinfestation of objects, we select products that do not leave marks after spraying.
    • When ordering a complex treatment of the premises – disinfection as a gift!
    • Additional discounts are provided for pensioners and holders of social cards. For these populations, insect eradication will cost even less.

    Specify the prices for deratization, disinfection or disinfestation by contacting a representative of our company through the website, at the phone number indicated at the top of the page, or by sending a request for sanitization to the e-mail [email protected]. We provide free consultations and information support to our clients.

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    Author: City Center for Disinfection


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