Due to the challenging economic situation in the world, people are becoming hell-bent on saving as much money as they can. We keep it so tightly that sometimes we won’t even use it in emergencies. An ant infestation is, in most cases, severe.
The longer the pest stays in your house, the more money it will cost you. This is why getting rid of them as quickly as possible is essential.
For one-time visits, the average cost of an ant exterminator is around $90 to $250, depending on the size of your property and the ant infestation. If we talk about specific types of ants, for example, carpenter ants, this number can rise significantly, all the way to $500 per visit. Some types of ants are much harder to kill. Hence the price is going to be higher.
Now let’s talk in-depth about ant exterminators, how they price their services, and how to choose the right one for your problem with ants. We will try and save you some money with our guide and tips, so read carefully. Let’s start!
When Should You Call an Ant Exterminator?
People tend to call the exterminators when it is too late, without knowing that this will impact the final price. The more work ant exterminators have to do, the more they’ll charge you – simple math! When you see cracks and crevices stuffed with ants, it’s time to call pest control.
We all encountered ants at some point, but if things start turning for the worse, you need to do something. To explain it better, if ants start eating food from your kitchen or infesting different places in your home, that’s an alarming sign as they can transfer diseases and germs.
Ant Exterminator | How Much Does an Exterminator Cost for Ants?
The total cost of an ant exterminator will vary and sometimes by a lot. This is because every infestation is different, and there are different types of ants. Although many ants pose, more or less, the same threat, exterminators have a hard time fighting against carpenter ants.
They make their nests and tunnels across wooden structures of your home. Since they can dig, they bite through the house’s wooden structure and can significantly weaken it after some time.
Different companies offer different plans. Some will give you quarterly, annual, and semi-annually options. Approximately $400 to $1,500 a year isn’t very expensive as your home will be protected during the whole year.
Some exterminators offer to seal the cracks and holes in your house, which can cost $50 to $100 more. Furthermore, you can request local extermination, for example, if a spot in your house or yard is infested. This will cost you a maximum of $5 per nest.
Now, look at the current pricing of one of the most popular exterminators in Texas – Falkin Pest Control. You’ll see that it fits our calculation for the most part.
| The area in Square Foots (ft²) | Price per Treatment | Price for Quarterly Treatment |
| 2000 | $159 | $99 |
| 2000-3500 | $179 | $109 |
| 3500-5000 | $199 | $119 |
These prices can be much higher if we’re talking about carpenter ants. They are, by the way, very abundant in the USA. Aside from this way of charging, an exterminator can use a flat rate, for example. Again, this depends on the company that’s doing the work.
| Ant Type | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| Pharaoh ants | $200–$250 |
| Sugar ants | $100-$300 |
| Fire ants | $100–$300 |
| Carpenter ants | $250–$500 |
The average cost of ant exterminators 45 minutes to an hour of their service, for instance, is around $95. When we talk about carpenter ants, this price can be much higher, even to the point where it’s double the initial price. Not to mention that some exterminators don’t offer a solution for them, making your job of finding the right one much harder.
How To Choose the Right Ant Exterminator: Instructions
Speaking of choosing the right ant exterminator, we’re here to make your life a lot easier.
• License and Credentials
Logically, you want the company to be licensed and registered as a valid pest control company. If you visit them, you can ask them to give you a document to prove this. Alternatively, you can start with this site.
BBB (Better Business Bureau) is a federal organization that helps people avoid scams, thus giving legal businesses an advantage. Just type in the company’s name and see the rating. Furthermore, every company member should have a certificate and document proving they can do the job correctly.
• Company Experience
Is the company for the last ten or twenty years on the market? Or perhaps, we’re talking about a 2-years old company? This matters a LOT. The experience in this field is what separates good companies from bad companies.
Ideally, you want the company to be at least a few years old. A decade is great, but if the company is even older, that’s a huge plus.
• Warranty
The company needs to give you some sort of warranty on its services. For example, they can assure you that if the treatment didn’t work the first time, they would repeat it. If a company doesn’t offer anything similar, avoid it.
• Number of Satisfied Users
When choosing an ant exterminator, contact some previous users for feedback. How to do this? You can use the reviews online or simply request a list of earlier customers from the company. Then, write down the names of some of the customers and contact them about their feedback.
Furthermore, it’s always smart to look closely at the list. If it’s pretty long, chances are that the company serves many people, which is always a good thing, and it means that they are very effective.
• Chemicals Used in Eradication
Chemicals play a huge role in this process. Sure, a more aggressive approach will grant better results but at what cost? Putting your health in jeopardy is the last thing you want to do, especially if you have kids and/or pets.
On the other hand, chemicals are compulsory, and almost every ant exterminator will use them. They just use it in different forms. Your task is to ask the exterminator to see if they’re licensed to use the chemicals they want to apply.
Also, the exterminator should be willing to inform you about each chemical, tell you how it works, and give you info about protection. If they refuse to give you a list or they aren’t cooperative, it’s a bad sign.
Related: What Chemicals do Exterminators Use for Ants?
Information You Need to Provide to the Ant Exterminator | Topics of Discussion
Ant exterminators are like detectives or doctors. They can’t solve your problem if you don’t tell them more about it. There are some things that they MUST know to be able to help you.
• Where and When Did the Infestation Start
The location of the infestation is crucial for solving the issue. Regardless of the exterminator’s experience, this is the hardest step. You need to tell the exterminator where you first saw the ants so that he can have a good starting point.
Sure, he will explore your house even more, but the starting point is crucial because it could be close to a potential nest. We suggest thinking about that before calling the company. If needed, write down what you need so you don’t forget anything. After that, call the exterminator company and inform them about that.
Also, you need to tell them when you noticed the infestation. This will help the company evaluate the severity of the situation. If it’s a couple of months, chances are that the infestation is already huge. In that or any other case, the exterminator will offer you a couple of solutions and probably tell you the approximate price right away.
• Potential Clues
Did you notice any clues that might point the exterminator in the right direction? The most common clue is the ant trail on the walls close to where your food is located. If you see them on wooden structures, this can imply that you’re dealing with carpenter ants.
Finally, if you notice big, flying ants or their remains, you can be 100% sure that you have a colony in your house. This will instantly tell the exterminator that they are dealing with an infestation and must take drastic measures.
• Smell
The person that says that ants don’t smell probably has never seen odorous house ants. Although most ants don’t have any smell, these types are notorious for that. We don’t know how to describe that smell, but it’s a bit pesky and smells like coconut.
In short, if you notice any strange smell and you have ants, chances are that it’s coming from them. That’s not necessarily bad, but it will help the exterminator pinpoint the location of the infestation using their nose – like a police dog!
Are Professional Ant Exterminators Always 100% Effective?
It’s only a matter of time before the infestation is completely exterminated. It depends on many factors, but the epilogue is always the same – the exterminators will win against ants. Licensed companies have lots of experience. This grants them the effect that all potential clients want.
List of Sources
Controlling Termites and Carpenter Ants, University of Massachusetts
Jiang W., Soeprono A., Rust M.K., Gan J., Ant control efficacy of pyrethroids and fipronil on outdoor concrete surfaces, Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California
Do’s and Don’ts of Pest Control, United States Environmental Protection Agency