How Much Does Pest Control Cost?

A Guide to Pest Removal Prices

Dealing with pests in your home or business can be frustrating and stressful. From ants invading your kitchen to finding termite damage in your walls, pests can cause real problems if left unchecked. But pest control and removal doesn’t have to break the bank. Here’s what you need to know about average pest control cost, the factors that affect pricing, and how to find affordable pest control services.

What are the average costs of pest control services?

Pest control service costs can vary widely depending on the type of pest, size of your property, and treatment plan needed. However, on average you can expect to pay:

• General pest control (ants, cockroaches, spiders): $100-$250 per service
• Termite control: $1,000-$5,000 depending on size of property and level of infestation
• Rodent removal (rats, mice): $100-$500 depending on the scope of service
• Bed bugs: $200-$1,200 per room
• Wildlife removal (squirrels, raccoons): $100-$500 per animal

These prices are general estimates for single family homes. Expect commercial pest control costs for offices, restaurants, hotels, etc to be higher.

We’ll break down prices in more detail for specific pests later in this guide. But first, let’s look at exactly what’s included in typical price of pest control .

Price guide: What’s included in pest removal and treatment costs

When you pay for professional pest control services, what exactly are you paying for? Services generally include:

• Inspection and assessment: The pest controller will do a thorough inspection of your property to identify areas of pest activity and access points. This allows them to put together a tailored treatment plan. Cost is usually included in initial service cost.
• Treatment application: The pest professional will apply industry-grade pesticides, baits, traps or other treatments to kill and control the pest infestation in your home. Some treatments require multiple applications.
• Cleanup and disposal: Many pest control experts will remove dead pests, nesting materials and other debris left after treatments. Proper cleanup helps prevent continued infestations.
• Follow-up inspection: Most pest companies will schedule a follow-up inspection 2-4 weeks after initial treatments to ensure pests have been eliminated. Retreatment if needed is sometimes included in initial costs.
• Guarantee: Many pest control companies provide 30-90 day guarantees should pests return. They will retreat to problem area at no additional charge during the guarantee period.
• Product costs: Insecticides, baits, traps and other products needed for effective treatment. This is built into service pricing.

Understanding everything covered in costs helps you determine if a quote is fairly priced. Now let’s look at pricing for specific household and business pests.

How much does home pest control cost? Pricing for common pests

Here are average costs to treat some of the most common types of pest infestations in homes and businesses:

Ants

One of the most common household pests in Australia, ants cost an average of $100-$250 per treatment. This covers an interior and exterior inspection, targeted baiting and spray of nests, and 1-2 follow up visits. Expect higher costs for carpenter ant infestations inside walls or baseboards.

Cockroaches

Cockroach treatments average $200-$400 depending on the size of your home. This includes a thorough inspection to find nesting areas, insecticide application, and multiple follow up visits to ensure roaches are gone. Getting rid of roaches often requires 3+ treatments.

Bed bugs

Bed bugs can be incredibly difficult to eliminate. Most bed bug jobs cost $200-$1,200 per room with an average around $800 per room. This covers preparing the room, heating chemical treatments, follow up visits, and guarantees against return infestations.

Termites

Termite control costs can vary significantly depending on the size of your home and extent of the infestation. Local treatment of early stage infestations averages $1,000-$2,500. More advanced infestations requiring tenting or fumigation can cost $3,500-$5,000 or more. Annual termite renewals average $250-$500 per year.

Rodents

Mice and rat extermination averages $150-$500 depending on scope and severity of the infestation. One-time removal of 1-2 rats may cost $100-200. Ongoing monthly or quarterly services for rat and mouse prevention average $100-$250 per visit. Expect higher costs for attic, wall or crawl space infestations.

Fleas & Ticks

Flea infestation treatments average $150-$250 for homes, covering interior and exterior spraying, follow-up visits and prevention recommendations. Severe tick infestations are comparable at $150-$300 including tick tube barriers and yard spraying.

Spiders

Spider removal and prevention costs $100-$200 on average. This includes external spray for entry points and foundations, setting spider traps, knocking down existing webs and indoor treatment of nuisance spiders.

Bees & Wasps

Bee and wasp nest removal averages $150-$250 per nest depending on nest size, location and travel fees. Wasp nests tend to be cheaper around $100-$150. This covers protective gear for technicians, treatment application and cleanup removal of hives or nests.

Possums

Possum removal, cleanup, structural damage repair and prevention starts around $300-$500 per animal occupying roof and attic areas. Higher for mothers with babies. Includes live trapping removal, disinfecting, sealing off entry holes in roofline and follow up visits to monitor activity. Quarterly maintenance contracts help keep possums out long-term.

Wildlife Animals

Squirrels, raccoons, opossums in homes or attics cost an average of $200-$500 per animal to humanely remove and repair entry points. Baby animal removal or complicated jobs may cost more. An annual wildlife prevention maintenance contract typically costs $250-$500 per year.

Key factors affecting pest control prices

These can range significantly even for treating the same pest type. Several key factors affect what you’ll pay:

• Type of Pest:

Termites, bedbugs and other difficult pests cost more to eliminate than ants, spiders or occasional mice. See average prices above.

• Size of Home or Office:

Treating a larger home with more rooms/sq footage will cost more in labor and treatment expenses. Commercial properties also tend to cost more than residential homes.

• Level Of Infestation:

Widespread, advanced pest infestations take longer to treat and require more pesticide. This increases costs, especially for termites, roaches and bed bugs.

• Location of Pests:

Accessing attics, crawlspaces, inside walls, and HVAC systems makes treatment more complex and labor intensive. Outdoor only treatments tend to cost less.

• Length of Service:

One-time pest removal costs less than ongoing preventative treatments. Quarterly and annual maintenance for continuing pest prevention averages $100-$500 per visit.

• Company Reputation & Expertise:

Well-established pest companies with extensive training, eco-friendly options and guarantees may have slightly higher pricing. But you get what you pay for in knowledgeable service.

• Season:

Warmer months see an uptick in pests like ants, stinging insects, spiders, mice, etc. Busier times of year may come with added charges, though most companies keep consistent pricing year-round.

• Regional Pricing Differences:

Technician wages, treatment regulations, local termite species and other factors cause pest control prices to vary somewhat between regions. Pricing is generally highest in major metro areas on the coasts.

The best way to get an accurate estimate for your specific pest problem is to get quotes from a few local pest control companies. But knowing average costs and what impacts them helps you budget and set pricing expectations.

Prices shown reflect averages for general pest treatment services in residential homes. Commercial pest control runs 50-100% higher on average.

The rates give a general comparison for major Australian cities.

Pest control treatment and removal options

There are a variety of treatment options available from reputable pest companies these days. Professional exterminator can address infestations through:

• Chemical treatments: Using professional-grade insecticides, rodenticides and termiticides applied in strategic areas. Sometimes combined with baiting tactics.
• Baits and traps: Lures like insect bait stations, pheromone traps for bed bugs, rat snap traps and glue boards control pests without spraying chemicals.
• Fumigation: Tenting houses and using lethal gas for whole-structure termite, bed bug and roach infestations. This intensive option costs $3,000-$7,500+ depending on house size and local rates.
• Heat treatments: Heating infested area to ~120°F-140° kills pests through thermal death. Very effective and eco-friendly option for bed bugs, termites and more. Averages $1,500-$3,000 depending on size of home.
• Freezing treatments: Cryonite (CO2 snow) or liquid nitrogen applied to localized infestations like bed bugs. Non-toxic option good for sensitive environments, at similar prices to heat.
• Flood treatments: Soaking termite infested walls and wood with termiticide solution.
• Physical pest removal: Traps, vacuums and other physical removal methods for certain wildlife pests like raccoons or squirrels.
• Entry point identification & sealing: Sealing cracks, holes, pipe penetrations through foundation etc stops new pests from getting in.

A combination of tactics customized to target the pest is usually needed for complete elimination and prevention. An integrated pest management (IPM) approach assessing conditions, reducing food and water sources and using multiple low-impact treatment options over chemicals alone is best practice today for sustainable control.

If you’re having pest problems, consider contacting a pest control expert today.

As you can see, professional pest control costs vary based on many factors from specific pest to level of infestation to size of property.

Prices range widely, but you can expect to pay:

• $100-$250 per treatment for common pests like ants, spiders, occasional mice
• $200-$1,200 per room to eliminate bed bugs
• $1,000-$5,000 per house for termite treatments
• $100-$500 per animal removal for wildlife pests

The best way to get an accurate price quote tailored to your specific pest issue is to contact a few local, highly rated exterminators for on-site evaluations. Look for licensed, insured pest control company with extensive experience tackling your type of infestation. They can assess the scope of your issue and provide detailed quotes for various treatment options.

Reputable pest companies should clearly explain what’s included, offer guarantees should pests return between visits, and use eco-friendly treatment options when possible for lasting control without harmful chemicals.

Partner with a pest management professional who makes control affordable through interest-free financing, price-match guarantees, DIY tips to supplement professional treatments, and discounts for seniors, military, teachers and multi-unit properties.

Don’t let pests continue damaging your home and health. Call a pest expert to solve infestations affordably and completely!