Termites can cause thousands of dollars in structural damage before homeowners even realize they have a problem. Treatments typically cost between $450 and $2,000, depending on the severity of the infestation and the method used.
More advanced treatments like fumigation and heat treatments tend to be on the higher end, while chemical barriers and baiting systems are more budget-friendly.
Ignoring termites isn’t an option—they can hollow out wooden beams, weaken floors, and even compromise a home’s foundation. The best way to keep costs down is to catch them early. Watch for mud tubes along your foundation, wood that sounds hollow when tapped, or piles of discarded wings near windows and doors.
If you suspect termites, schedule an inspection immediately—many pest control companies offer free inspections if you proceed with treatment. In this guide, we’ll break down treatment costs, explore different extermination methods, and help you decide whether to go the DIY route or hire a professional.
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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, which increases 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 the 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 is chemical extermination. This usually involves a chemical spray around the foundation of your home and costs 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. For an average-sized home, you may need to pay between $1,600 and $3,200.
| Extermination Type | Cost Per Linear Foot | Cost 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 |
Termite Extermination: DIY Vs. Hiring A Professional
It is possible to address a termite problem yourself, but there are some advantages and disadvantages to this approach. Termite infestations can cause extensive damage to your home, so you should carefully consider whether a DIY solution is worth it.
Pros and Cons: DIY or Hiring a Professional
Pros
- 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.
Cons
- 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.
Pros
- 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.
Cons
- 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.
Our Take: Opt for Professional Termite Extermination
Termites are extremely 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.
Termites can invade your home in two ways—by land and by air. Winged termites emerge from their nests (particularly during springtime) and disperse to start new colonies. These winged pests enter your home as they get drawn toward 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 that 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 undetected for many years. What seems to be a firm and undamaged wood structure is actually hollowed out from the inside. 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 can dramatically increase as the damage persists and worsens.
Termite exterminators are experienced in accurately detecting termite infestations, including compromised wooden components in your house. They are also capable of providing continuous treatment to ensure that the pests are completely eradicated.
How To Spot a Termite Infestation
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, and doing so might save you money.
One clear sign of termite infestation is the presence of droppings on the floor or on top of your kitchen cupboards or cabinets. These droppings appear as small granules or wood-colored pellets. These droppings (also called frass) fall off from the infested ceilings or furniture.
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.
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 if an infestation remains untreated, resulting in particular sections of your home tilting to one side or collapsing on their own. Blistered or “swollen” walls are another sign of termite damage, as is a musty odor or smell.
If you see any of these signs, call a termite exterminator immediately to address and resolve the problem (and prevent further damage).
This site receives compensation from the companies featured in this listing, which may impact where and how products appear. This listing doesn’t feature all companies, products, or offers that may be available.
Questions To Ask Termite Exterminators
Because termite infestation can get so severe, it’s important you find the most competent exterminator to help you get rid of termites for good. Get at least three quotes, and ask exterminators about the following before choosing one.
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 reflect the company’s competency and efficiency in treating termite infestations. Ask for the exterminator’s list of former clients and acquire firsthand feedback from them.
This will help you gain an accurate glimpse of 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
The trustworthiness of the company is another critical factor homeowners must consider in finding the right termite exterminator. Guage this via the company’s length of service in the industry along with the number of satisfied clients. A company with a greater level of experience is usually your best bet.
Chemicals
Termite infestations are approached systematically with different types of treatments. And these treatments employ a variety of chemicals that can pose a 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 plan to use on your property. Copies of labels from the chemicals to be used that clearly indicate the ingredients and instructions on how they should be applied must also be provided.
Guarantee
A service guarantee measures a termite control company’s confidence in its solutions. While some companies offer a money-back guarantee in cases of client dissatisfaction, others match their services with a 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.
Length of Treatment
Different types of termite infestation treatment require varying lengths of time. For example, a fumigation treatment 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
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. Plus, they can ensure termites won’t return. This is why we always suggest hiring a professional to deal with termite problems.
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.
What type of termite treatment is best for homes with pets and kids?
If you’re worried about toxic chemicals in your home, consider termite baits. This treatment is an option for households that have pets or kids. It’s also an easier DIY option that won’t bring you in contact with toxic chemicals.
Many termite bait stations use noviflumuron, a slow-acting insect growth regulator that targets termites but isn’t harmful to humans, pets, or other organism.
Are DIY termite treatments expensive?
DIY termite treatments may cost just a tenth of what a professional termite exterminator costs. That said, DIY termite removal and treatment can be hazardous, and there’s no guarantee it’ll work. As termites can inflict serious damage on your home, it may be a better value (and be much safer) to spend more on professional extermination.
