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We ranked the nation’s best pest control companies, and Terminix, one of our top picks, lists the average pest control cost for termites as between $400 and $1,500 with an average of $950. Termites are a common source of stress among homeowners. These destructive insects rapidly colonize a home’s structure, feeding on wood and causing significant damage. Many homeowners’ insurance policies do not cover termite damage, underscoring the importance of taking swift action when you see signs of termites.
Termite control is best left to professionals if you want fast and effective results. In this guide, we cover the key cost factors to consider when scheduling termite treatment for your home.
Cost of Termite Treatment
Most professional termite exterminators must conduct a termite inspection before providing a personalized quote. This requires sending a specialist to evaluate a property’s interior and exterior, making it challenging for us to secret-shop for average cost data through national providers.
HomeAdvisor estimates that the average cost of termite treatment ranges from $229 to $962. Terminix lists its average cost range as $400 to $1,500 for annual treatment and monitoring. When choosing a pest control company, consider termite inspection costs and whether the company offers free inspections.
Factors Affecting Termite Treatment Cost
Many factors influence the cost of resolving a termite problem, including the size of your home, the extent of the infestation, types of termite treatments, and more. We’ve detailed several key factors below.
- Home size: Larger homes require more of a pest control company’s time and effort to effectively treat a termite problem.
- Foundation design: Your home’s foundation can affect your total termite treatment cost. A slab foundation requires less attention than a home with a basement or crawlspace.
- Termite activity: Severe termite infestations require a more concentrated treatment effort. Conversely, a pest control company can use simpler treatment methods for limited termite activity that doesn’t impact the entire home.
- Type of treatment: Termite control methods include chemical treatments such as termite bait systems, liquid termiticides, and fumigation. Fumigation costs more than other options, as it requires the termite control company to tent the entire house before applying treatment. Some companies also offer heat treatment, pricing the service per linear foot.
- Home inspection: Some termite control companies offer free termite inspections, but many will charge for this initial home assessment.
- Plan type: Plan types and prices vary among providers, with many offering treatment plans that include regular inspections and ongoing termite protection.
Types of Termites
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), termites cause billions of dollars in damage to homes and businesses every year, with subterranean termites being the most common culprit in the United States. Pest control companies offering termite extermination services typically focus treatments on subterranean termites. However, many companies also treat drywood, formosan, and dampwood termites.
- Subterranean termites: These termites are the most likely to infest your home. Predominantly active underground, subterranean termites tunnel into a home’s structure, where they feed on the cellulose in wood materials. A common sign of a subterranean termite infestation is the presence of mud tubes—visible tunnels that termites use for shelter and passage.
- Drywood termites: Drywood termites are less common than their subterranean counterparts. They’re typically found in warmer regions, such as Florida and California. They do not reproduce as quickly as other types of termites but still pose a serious threat to structures and are more active above the ground. Drywood termites do not need high concentrations of moisture to survive.
- Formosan termites: Formosan termites are a subterranean species. These termites are more common in the Southeast and are particularly destructive, building massive colonies. These larger termite colonies can cause more structural damage than other species due to increased wood consumption.
- Dampwood termites: Dampwood termites primarily feed on damp, decaying wood and thrive in moist spaces. These termites are not common offenders for households in most areas of the country, and many pest control companies do not offer targeted treatments for them.
Professional Exterminators vs. DIY Products
Termite treatments are available from numerous retailers for DIY application. These liquid and granular products cost less than hiring a pest control specialist but may be less effective than professional treatments. A trained specialist can tailor a plan to your home and the severity of the infestation, potentially using treatments that are unavailable to consumers. Many pest control companies back their termite services with various warranties and ongoing termite prevention.
Our Recommendation
We recommend looking into at least three pest control professionals before requesting a termite inspection and treatment. You should closely review the available treatment plans and any warranties the companies offer. An effective treatment plan will include immediate action and ongoing termite prevention to protect your home against recurring infestations. Terminix and Orkin both rated highly on our metrics and have comprehensive termite plans for homeowners.
Terminix
- Pricing: $400–$1,500
- State availability: 45 (all but Alaska, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Vermont)
Terminix offers free termite inspections and three residential termite control plans. Its baseline plan includes an annual termite inspection and the installation of a termite protection system. Its advanced plan adds damage repair for new termite damage, and the premium plan adds protection against several other pests. Terminix includes a free re-service warranty with each plan, sending a specialist to your home to provide additional treatments if termite activity resumes between scheduled services. Terminix also offers a separate plan for controlling drywood termites. It does not offer fumigation services.
Orkin
- Pricing: Inspection required
- State availability: 49 (all but Alaska)
Orkin offers a customized termite treatment plan based on your home’s layout and termite infestation severity. Most of Orkin’s other targeted pest control plans require an inspection fee, but the company offers free termite inspections. Orkin uses both liquid and foam termite treatments and offers fumigation services for severe infestations. It includes free reservice and 30-day money-back guarantees.
Orkin must inspect your home before providing pricing information for termite control.
Termite Treatment Cost FAQ
Is it better to treat termites yourself?
Treating termites yourself can have mixed results. It’s better to hire a professional pest control company to treat the infestation before termite damage gets out of hand. A pest control specialist can also provide preventive treatments.
How many times a year should you treat for termites?
Plan to schedule an annual termite inspection with your pest control specialist. The specialist will schedule treatments based on the severity of the infestation.
How fast do termites spread?
Termites can multiply in a matter of days. Formosan termites have an especially fast breeding cycle, establishing large, destructive colonies.
How We Chose the Top Pest Control Companies
Our pest control research process starts with analyzing customer reviews on third-party websites such as the Better Business Bureau (BBB), Trustpilot, and Google Reviews. We then do a deep dive into each company’s website, service plans, and available cost information. We also secret shop the companies we review, reach out to representatives, and request quotes.
From there, we compile the information we’ve gathered and compare each company using our in-depth pest control methodology and review criteria. This process uses a series of factors that are important to our readers, and we score each company depending on how well they perform in each factor. 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 on the market.