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How Much Does Termite Treatment Cost?

Average National Cost
? All cost data throughout this article are collected using the RSMeans construction materials database.
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$480–$3,200

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Updated On

October 18, 2023

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Termites are one of a homeowners biggest fears. These insects can cause serious structural damage to your home – and it can cost a lot of money to set things right.

On average, termite treatment in the U.S. costs between $450 and $2,000. This range is so wide because the price you pay can vary significantly based on factors like where you live, the size of your home, the extent of the termite damage and the treatment method your pest control specialist recommends. 

In this article, we’ll break down the most important things to consider when budgeting for termite treatment and explain some of the terminology a pest control expert is likely to use when they visit your home.

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How Much Does A Termite Exterminator Cost?

Until a termite expert comes out to evaluate your property, it’s hard to know exactly how much your termite treatment will cost. A variety of factors can influence the price, including the size of your home and the type of treatment that will be most effective. Depending on the severity of the termite problem, your home may also require multiple treatments – increasing the price you’ll pay.

Termite treatment pricing is often based on the size of the area to be treated. This often comes down to the perimeter of your house, since termite treatment typically takes place around the outside of your home. For example, your home may be 40 feet across and 40 feet deep. That would give your ground floor a square footage of 1,600, and create 160 linear feet around the perimeter.

The cheapest termite control method tends to be chemical extermination. This usually involves a chemical spray around the foundation of your home, and costs somewhere between $480 and $2,400 for a typical home.

Heat treatments and fumigation tend to be the most expensive, but necessary if termites have become well established in your home. You may need to pay between $1,600 and $3,200 for an average-sized home.

Extermination Type Cost Per Linear FootCost for Average Home
Chemical Extermination$3 to $7$480 to $1,120
Termite Micro Treatment$6 to $8$960 to $1,280
Termite Treatment With Bait $8 to $12$1,280 to $1,920
Tenting and Heat Treatment$10$1,600
Fumigation$10 to $20$1,600 to $3,200
One-time visit
This one-time treatment includes an inspection, diagnosis, treatment, and follow-up (if needed), costing $150 to $350.
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Monthly service
Averaging $125 to $300 for an initial visit, this service includes inspections and treatments, costing between $50 to $75
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Annual service
A recurring service that provides regular inspections and treatments once a year, costing between $125 to $500.
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DIY vs. Hiring A Professional

It is possible to address a termite problem yourself, but there are some advantages and disadvantages to this approach. Because termite infestations can be so damaging, carefully consider whether it’s worth it to DIY a solution.

Navigate the tabs below to see some benefits and drawbacks of each option:

Less expensive. You save money, as buying local products is a lot cheaper than hiring a professional service.
More control. By doing the treatment yourself, you know exactly what chemicals have been used and where.
Faster. It’s typically faster to go to a hardware store for some chemicals than to schedule a pest control expert.
Safety risks. DIY treatment might pose a risk to your health or that of your children if you’re not wearing the correct equipment or selecting the best products that are safe for home use.
Often ineffective. It can be hard to know exactly where all of the termites are living and difficult to access these areas, so you might not catch all of the pests. DIY methods also might not be as effective and instant as using a professional provider.
No guarantees. Professional pest control companies often guarantee their work and offer to come back to your home for free if your termite problem isn’t completely handled. There’s no such guarantee if you DIY the treatment – so you may find yourself dedicating more and more time to the issue.
Highly effective. Pest control services have access to the most advanced, latest treatments and have the tools to reach difficult areas that you might not be able to.
Safer. Professional services have years of experience and know the safest, most effective solutions to killing termites and keeping your home pest-free.
Preventative treatments available. Many providers also offer preventative services to help avoid an infestation returning.
More expensive. This solution is more costly than buying treatment products and applying them yourself.
Slower. The treatment process might be longer than conducting yourself, as you’ll need to have an inspector visit your home, return to apply treatment and potentially re-visit to assess if the methods have worked. 
Not all companies are reputable. It’s important to do your research before hiring a professional pest control expert. Not all providers have a money-back guarantee or a free return if the pests come back. This could mean that you spend hundreds of dollars without any positive result.

Termites are quite scary pests. The very thought of having these invaders inside your home is horrifying—knowing that they can eat your house from the inside out without you noticing a thing until it’s too late.

Usually, your best option would be to call for a professional termite exterminator.

Why Make the Call?

Termites are very destructive pests. Like ants, termites are classified as social insects, which means that they live in colonies. When you accidentally see one inside your house, chances are that there are thousands more embedded inside your home’s structure.

As mentioned earlier, termites can invade your home in two ways—by land and by air. Winged termites emerge from their nests (particularly during spring time) and disperse to start new colonies. These winged pests enter your home as they get drawn towards the brightness of your household lighting. After mating, they shed their wings and establish a new colony indoors.

By land, termites have long proven themselves to be among nature’s best engineers. They are capable of building extensive  networks of mud tunnels which link their underground nests with their food sources (otherwise known as—you guessed it—your home). Sometimes called mud tubes, these termite-friendly passageways are often found on the home’s foundations.

Termite infestation can go on undetected for many years. What seems to be a firm and undamaged wood structure is actually hollowed-out from the inside. And the longer the infestation is left untreated, the more compromised your home’s structural integrity becomes. Furthermore, the possible cost for the needed repair or renovation thus dramatically increases.

Termite exterminators are experienced in accurately detecting termite infestations—including the wooden components of your house that have been compromised. They are also capable of providing continuous treatment to make sure that the pests are completely eradicated.


When to Call for a Termite Exterminator

Eliminating termite infestation is a race against time and a battle against numbers. Termites are well-known as destructive pests, and failing to detect them in your home could mean greater renovation expenses in the future.

The key to ending an infestation is recognizing its clues as early as possible. Keep an eye out for the warning signs to combat these invasive pests as rapidly as you can!

Can I Do It Myself?

Invading termites are pretty difficult to detect since they’re skilled at keeping the outside layer of the wood they’ve been devouring in good shape. However, it doesn’t mean that you can’t recognize the presence of infestation on your own.

One clear sign of termite infestation is the presence of droppings on the floor or atop your kitchen cupboards or cabinets. These droppings appear as small granules or pellets with color like that of wood. These droppings (also called frass) fall off from the infested ceilings or furniture. For a description of the frass, as well as a look at what termites can actually do to the wooden beams holding your home together, check out the video below.

You can also inspect the foundations of your home and look for mud tubes. As the name implies, these are tunnels made of mud that crawl up the foundations of your home from the ground below.

Another easy sign of infestation is the presence of winged termites emerging from the inside of your home. As soon as you see one of these aforementioned signs, it’s best to call a termite exterminator immediately. These are the reproductive members of the colony, and their presence indicates that a new family of termites will create its nest on your property if action isn’t taken to exterminate them immediately.

How bad does it have to get?

Termites are a serious threat to our homes and must be immediately dealt with in the earliest possible stage of infestation. It is, however, inevitable for such infestation to go on unnoticed for years considering the pests’ habitat and way of life.

Wood that can be easily punctured by light tapping is a clear sign of a serious case of termite infestation. Over time, a lot of wood structures of your house become hollow, resulting in particular sections of your home tilting to one side or collapsing on their own.

However, it’s never too late as far as treating termite infestation is considered. Whether it’s already a case of serious infestation or still just the beginning of an invasion, it’s important to call for expert help immediately. 

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What to Tell Your Termite Control Company

When it comes to calling a termite exterminator, every little detail counts. Making sure that you know what to tell the other person on the line can help save valuable time and effort for both parties.

Location

There are two main reasons why termites invade your home: wood and water. Termites need moisture and cellulose (main component of wood) in order to survive.

So basically, your home is one giant buffet line for hundreds of thousands of termites—especially if you have wood structures that come in direct contact with the ground.

In most cases, termites’ mud tubes crawl up your home’s foundations and infiltrate the structure by burrowing through its wood elements. Apart from the underside of your home, termites are also often seen along house frames and across the ceiling.

When did the infestation start?

Most termite infestations often go undetected for many years. What’s important is for homeowner to be keen in observing typical signals of infestation. These include the following:

  • presence of active mud tubes
  • wood grains or termite droppings on the floor or at the top of cabinets
  • swarmers or winged termites emerging indoors through section gaps
  • holes or crushed appearance of wood.

As soon as you see any of these telltale signs, it’s best to call for a termite exterminator immediately.

What do you smell?

Both termites and mold flourish in structures that are rich in moisture. So if you notice a musty odor like that of mold, chances are that there are termites inside your home.

Swollen ceilings and walls

Your ceiling and your wall are among the basic and most noticeable indoor components of your home.

Termites eat and hollow out the insides of your wood structures—which results in odd swollen appearances of your walls and ceilings.

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Questions to Ask in Picking the Right Termite Exterminator

Termite infestation is a very serious problem that can cost you a fortune in repair or renovation expenses if you let the problem fester.

The biggest issue with termites is that oftentimes, they only get detected after the infestation has already spiraled into its critical stage. When you figure out that you have an infestation, it’s imperative that you hire the most competent exterminator to help you get rid of termites for good.

Credentials

Termite infestation is a serious problem that warrants the use of harmful chemicals in and/or around your house.

Make sure that the termite control company you are about to choose is registered and licensed by the state’s Department of Agriculture to provide termite extermination services. Look for the staff’s certification in various fields, especially in construction safety and health, pest management, and construction quality management.

Be sure to also check the prospective company’s rating with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). This way, you’ll be able to not only see that they’re a legitimate company in good standing, but you can cross-reference the credentials they’ve given you against a federal database.

References

Previously treated homes serve as a reflection of the company’s competency and efficiency in treating termite infestations. Ask for the exterminator’s list of former clients and acquire firsthand feedback from these people.

This will help you gain an accurate glimpse on how the concerned termite exterminator works on different termite issues. In addition, this serves as a rubric for how favorably their previous clients see them.

Length of Service

Trustworthiness of the company is another critical factor homeowners must consider in finding the right termite exterminator.

This can be effectively gauged through the company’s length of service in the industry along with the number of satisfied clients. Simply put, a company with a greater level of experience would be your best bet.

Chemicals Used

Termite infestations are approached systematically with different types of treatments. And these treatments employ a variety of chemicals that can pose serious threat to the environment and your family’s health. Furthermore, treatments used on termite infestations require expert level skills and knowledge in handling the concerned chemicals.

The termite exterminator company you choose should be able to confidently discuss with you the types of treatment they are planning to use on your property. Copies of labels from the chemicals to be used which clearly indicate the ingredients and instructions on how they should be applied must also be provided.

Guarantee

A service guarantee measures the confidence of a termite control company over the solutions it offers.

While some companies offer a money back guarantee in cases of client dissatisfaction, others match their services with re-treatment guarantee if the termites reemerge within the warranty period.

Take some time to investigate different customer satisfaction policies offered by prospective pest control companies. Remember, this is your hard-earned money; spend it wisely on the treatment option that works best for your budget and your peace of mind.

Length of Treatment

Different types of termite infestation treatment require varying lengths of time. Take, for example, the fumigation treatment wherein the entire process could take up to three full days.

Bait treatment, on the other hand, doesn’t require displacing residents of the property concerned but does require continuous monitoring for at least 6 months to 1 year. Your termite exterminator should be able to discuss with you the full details of the treatment to help you and your family prepare accordingly.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Termite Treatment Cost

Can I treat termites myself?

It’s possible to treat termites yourself, but we don’t recommend it. Termite colonies can hide in many areas near your home that are hard to access and adequately treat on your own. A skilled professional can effectively locate and control termites in homes or commercial properties.


How long does termite treatment last?

Termite control typically lasts between one and five years for most types of treatment. However, baits typically require more regular maintenance to keep pests away. Your pest control specialist will give you a recommendation on how often to repeat termite treatment or when to check in to make sure it’s still effective.


Editorial Contributors
avatar for Amy DeYoung

Amy DeYoung

Contributor

Amy DeYoung has a passion for educating and motivating homeowners to improve their lives through home improvement projects and preventative measures. She is a content writer and editor specializing in pest control, moving, window, and lawn/gardening content for Today’s Homeowner. Amy utilizes her own experience within the pest control and real estate industry to educate readers. She studied business, communications, and writing at Arizona State University.

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Lora Novak

Senior Editor

Lora Novak meticulously proofreads and edits all commercial content for Today’s Homeowner to guarantee that it contains the most up-to-date information. Lora brings over 12 years of writing, editing, and digital marketing expertise. She’s worked on thousands of articles related to heating, air conditioning, ventilation, roofing, plumbing, lawn/garden, pest control, insurance, and other general homeownership topics.

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