A general pest control plan costs from $400 to $950 per year or from $30 to $50 per month, on average. Sometimes, hiring a professional pest control service is necessary to get rid of a severe pest infestation. Pest control costs vary depending on the type of service you need, the level of infestation, your home’s size, and more. Your specific situation and whether you need ongoing or one-time treatment will determine the amount you’ll pay.

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.

Important Considerations When Hiring 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.

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.

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.