Quick answer A general pest control visit runs about $150–$350 across most of the US. Rodent work lands near $200–$750, bed bugs $500–$1,800, and termite treatment $800–$2,800. Set your pest, home size, and severity below to narrow the band — then use the six questions to pressure-test any quote you are given.
Last reviewed: July 2026. These are national planning ranges compiled from published pest-control pricing guides — not a quote. We do not sell pest control and take no commission on work you book.
Key takeaways
- Two things drive the invoice: how many trips they make, and how much of the building they treat
- Quarterly plans are the industry default — good value for ongoing perimeter pressure, poor value for a one-off you can seal out
- Exclusion (sealing gaps) is almost always a separate line, and it is the one that stops repeat visits
- A firm price quoted over the phone, before anyone inspected, has guesswork margin baked in
- Termites, bed bugs, and bats are the jobs where DIY usually costs more in the end
What you are actually paying for
Almost every pest control invoice comes down to trips and coverage. A wasp nest on a low eave is one visit to one spot, so it prices like a service call. German cockroaches in a kitchen need three visits by design, because the treatment has to catch a breeding cycle. Same company, same truck, very different bill.
Companies package that two ways. A one-time service covers a single treatment, often with a 30-day re-treat window. A plan charges a larger initial visit and then bills quarterly. Plans are not a trick — they suit houses with steady perimeter pressure — but they are sold by default, including to people whose problem was one gap under a garage door.
Typical pest control costs by job
| Job | Typical range | Visits usually needed | DIY first? |
|---|---|---|---|
| General pest control | $150–$350 | Initial, then optional quarterly | Often |
| Cockroaches | $200–$450 | 2–3 over 4–6 weeks | Partly |
| Carpenter ants | $250–$600 | 1–2 plus a moisture check | Partly |
| Fleas | $150–$400 | Initial plus 10–14 day follow-up | Often |
| Mice | $200–$550 | 2–3 to set and clear traps | Partly |
| Rats | $300–$750 | 2–4 over 2–4 weeks | Partly |
| Bed bugs | $500–$1,800 | 2–3 chemical, or one heat treatment | Rarely |
| Termites (barrier or bait) | $800–$2,800 | One treatment plus annual monitoring | No |
| Termite fumigation (tenting) | $1,500–$4,500 | One 2–3 day job | No |
| Wildlife removal (raccoon, squirrel) | $250–$600 | Trapping over 2–7 days | Legal limits apply |
| Wasp or hornet nest | $100–$275 | Usually one | Sometimes |
| Mosquito yard treatment | $100–$200 | Every 3–4 weeks in season | Partly |
| Bats (inspection and exclusion) | $500–$2,000 | Inspection, then timed exclusion | No |
Those figures assume roughly 1,500 sq ft, an established but not severe problem, and suburban labour rates. Change any of the three and the band moves — the same job on a 3,500 sq ft house in a major metro commonly sits 60–90% higher than in a small town.
Why two quotes for the same job differ by hundreds
- Perimeter, not floor area. Much of the outdoor treatment is priced on linear feet of foundation. A sprawling ranch costs more to treat than a compact two-storey of identical square footage.
- What the contract includes. One quote bundles three follow-ups; the next bills every return trip. Those are different products even when the headline number matches.
- Construction and access. Slab, crawlspace, and basement homes need different treatment, and a tight crawlspace is billable labour before anything gets applied.
- Season. Mosquito and wasp work is priced against demand. Booking termite or rodent exclusion outside peak months sometimes shaves the quote.
- Whether anyone inspected. A firm price given over the phone is an estimate with a safety margin built in, and you are paying for that margin.
When hiring a pro is the cheaper option
Termites are the clearest case. A missed colony keeps eating framing while you experiment, and structural repair costs several times the treatment. Our guide to termite treatment without tenting covers the options worth raising with a contractor, but whole-structure work is licensed work for good reason.
Bed bugs are second. Encasements and interceptors genuinely help you monitor — the mattress treatment guide walks through that part — but a partial job leaves survivors, and paying twice costs more than paying properly once.
Bats sit in a category of their own. They are protected in most states, and exclusion is blocked during maternity season. That makes it a compliance question as much as a pest question, and the fines for getting it wrong dwarf the quote.
Where DIY still saves real money
Perimeter insects respond to unglamorous work. Door sweeps, sealed utility penetrations, and vegetation cut back off the siding reduce spider and ant pressure more reliably than a quarterly spray — the 9-method spider guide ranks what actually holds up. For garden wildlife, exclusion beats repeat service calls, and the wildlife fence calculator sizes the materials so you can weigh that against a trapping program.
Fleas are the other strong DIY case, provided the animal is treated at the same time. Skipping that step is the usual reason a house treatment fails and gets rebooked at full price.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does pest control cost per visit?
A standard one-time visit for common insects runs about $150–$350 in most of the US. Follow-up visits on a quarterly plan usually cost less, around $95–$200 each, because the initial visit carries the heavier treatment.
Is a quarterly pest control plan worth it?
It is worth it when pressure is ongoing — wooded lots, warm climates, older homes with many entry points. It is poor value when your problem was a single sealed-out gap. Ask what the cancellation terms are before signing, since some contracts run 12 months.
Why is bed bug treatment so expensive?
Bed bug work is priced on labour and coverage. Heat treatment runs roughly $1–$3 per square foot and needs specialised equipment; chemical treatment needs two or three visits spaced to catch newly hatched bugs. Clutter increases prep time, which is a real cost to the company.
How much does an exterminator charge for mice?
Expect roughly $200–$550 for a trapping program of two to three visits. Sealing the entry points is usually quoted separately, commonly $400–$1,500 depending on how much of the structure needs work. Trapping without sealing tends to mean a repeat job.
Do pest control companies charge for an inspection?
Many offer a free inspection for general pest and termite work, hoping to win the job. Standalone termite inspections for a home sale typically cost $75–$300. Be cautious of a firm treatment price given before anyone has looked at the property.
Can you negotiate a pest control quote?
Often yes, especially on plans. Competing written quotes give you leverage, and companies will sometimes waive or reduce the initial service fee to win a contract. Ask what changes if you drop add-ons you do not need rather than pushing for a flat discount.