The average cost of an ant exterminator’s work is $550. The price in your area may vary between $330 and $815. The first thing you need to learn before calling for professional help is the average ant exterminator cost. If there are too many ants to deal with on your own, it is better to call exterminators and ask for their help.
There are numerous companies that provide such services. Some of them have lower prices; others are more expensive. This is why it is important to know how much does an ant exterminator cost. Check out the numbers before deciding which company to call and how much it will cost.
Guide to Ant Exterminator Costs
| National Average Cost: | $550 |
| Minimum Cost: | $200 |
| Maximum Cost: | $1,280 |
| Average Range: | $330 to $815 |
The average cost of standard extermination is $550. Some companies offer $200 as minimal cost and $1280 as maximal. Thus, the average range is $330 to $815. The ant exterminator prices vary depending on numerous factors.
It also depends on the simplicity of actions. If you have a severe case of infestation, the price will change for sure. Check professional ant control prices of the company you are calling for help and calculate your particular case.
Main Factors of Ant Removal Cost
Whether you will pay $200 or $815 depends on the problem you want to fix. Exterminators have price lists with the services they provide. Each company informs its clients of what does an exterminator do for ants. Normally, the price ranges based on those peculiarities:
- Types of ants you want to get rid of;
- Time spent on the treatment: whether it is one session or multiple;
- The area that requires the treatment.
Based on the size of the place that must be treated, exterminators calculate the amount of work, hours that will be spent, and the tools that will be used.
If you are aware of how do exterminators get rid of ants, you may know that they can pick different sprays or powders to kill ants. It will be calculated, as well.
Ant Exterminator Price by Infestation Level
A simple, one-time treatment costs $200 – $250. Multiple treatments for severe infestation may cost up to $1280. It is only natural that the cost of extermination depends on the amount of work.
The level of infestation rises with each day you don’t call the pest control. With the rise of the number of ants, the price rises as well.
The basic methods may not work in hard cases, and exterminators will need to repeat their actions. Don’t waste your time by delaying the call. The prices vary between:
- Small infestation – the minimal cost of $200;
- Medium infestation;
- Large infestation;
- Severe infestation – the maximum cost of up to $1280.
Serious ant infestation cost
It varies from $800 up to $1280 and more. Serious infestation means that an exterminator has to work on a big infestation area or deal with multiple ants for several days or weeks. These cases do not happen so often. But when the ant’s colony is big, the ants live around the house, and exterminators need to use versatile weapons against them.
Ant prevention cost
Preventive measures may cost you $200 or even less, depending on the price list of the pest control in your area. To make sure that all the ants are destroyed, and new ones will not come back, many homeowners ask for fumigation.
The average ant fumigation cost is close to $800 and more, which includes the total fumigation that leads to extermination and later to the prevention of new ants’ appearance.
Ant Treatment Cost by Location
Based on the location of the infestation, the prices range from $200 to $1300. Hard-to-get places cost more. The most popular areas that are infested are the kitchen due to the food and smells that attract insects, the lawn, and even cars. Ants need food and water to drink. A bathroom with leaking taps can become an epicenter of the problem.
Kitchen
Solo kitchen extermination may cause up to $500 in the most severe cases. On average, the price is $200 – $400. However, the kitchen with numerous sofas and cupboards that can’t be removed costs more than the one without the furniture.
Provide availability to the professional worker, and the price may be decreased. Ants love the kitchen because of the food it provides. If you can cut the access to this food, you may save your money.
The size of the room is also important. Exterminators take the minimal price for trapping and baiting kitchen ants, as they are easy to trap.
Outdoors
Outdoor extermination price ranges from $200 to $400. Ants are looking for shelter in the grass or leaves and food. They may feed on pears and apples, plums, and any fruits or vegetables they find on the ground. Sometimes ants can help with pollination, but in big numbers, they cause the problem.
They bring aphids to your garden and make mounds. Depending on the accessibility of ants for extermination, pest control service may change prices. You may lose more money replanting all the plants that were damaged during the extermination.
Car
The ants in car treatment price may vary from $200 to $700, on average, depending on the accessibility of ants. If you notice the ants in the car for the first time, call pest control.
They would charge you less than if they had to remove all the seats, floor, roof, and search everywhere for the ants. These insects can hide incredibly well in the car, where almost all places are hard to reach.
Ant Treatment Cost by Treatment Type
Based on the treatment an exterminator suggests, you may pay either a minimal $200 or a maximum of $1300. The professionals usually offer the plan of extermination depending on the level of infestation.
This way, ant control cost changes significantly. You may agree with the suggested methods or propose the most suitable option for you.
Baits
Poisoned baits cause up to $300. This is one of the cheapest options. Exterminator simply leaves poisoned baits in the places that are visited by ants. Ants bring the bait to share with another family in the nest, and they are all dead.
This method is not complicated, but it may take the whole week to see the results, depending on the poison, amount of nests, frequency of ants’ visits, and the number of alternative foods. You may need to repeat the procedure as a preventive measure.
Fogging
Using a fumigator varies somewhere between $200-400, depending on the quality of the product and the difficulty of work. Supposedly, all your ants will be killed in 6-8 weeks after the procedure, so it is a long shot.
When the fogger is used, you also have to take your family out of the house for several hours, so it is very likely that you need to add the price of the hotel stay for one night.
Spraying
A work with repellents may cost you $300-500 plus the hotel, in case you have a severe infestation. Exterminators will spray pesticides that need to work for some time until you will be able to re-enter your house. During this time, ants will die or leave your house for good.
Pest control may suggest repeating the procedure depending on your specific case. Besides, if you want an organic, eco-friendly remedy, you have to agree upon it with exterminators in advance.
Ant Extermination Cost by Ant Type
Depending on the species of ants, their extermination may cost either $200 or $1280. The most popular species are the easiest to deal with, as there are numerous treatments against them. The rare insects typically are the most expensive. People in the USA usually meet only several species of ants. Some of them are less harmless.
Carpenter ant exterminator cost
The carpenter ant treatment cost is one of the most expensive and varies from $400 up to $600. They are not rare but usually come back to the same territory. But carpenter ant removal cost can be lessened if the insects live in a limited area.
Once you notice that your household is infested with carpenter ants, you have to call a professional as soon as possible. These ants are easy to recognize; they are usually black, dwell in rural and wooded areas across the US. Don’t worry; they don’t sting.
Fire ant removal cost
Fire ant extermination cost varies from $300 to $400 based on the number of insects and the accessibility of their nest. They also live around the USA but prefer southern parts. These ants are red with a darker shade on the abdomen. Sometimes they can be brown. Don’t touch them with your hands as they can sting.
Other types of ants
Other types of ants have their different price range as well, from $150 to $800 and more in less severe cases and up to $1300 in the most problematic ones. The most popular ants around the States:
- Sugar ant control prices range not only depending on their quantity but on the season they appear. The most popular time to find these ants in your home is in the middle and the end of the summer. They are black and usually 1/16 inches in size;
- Rover ants are more common to the south of the USA. They are equally small as sugar ants, but their colors vary from yellow to black;
- Field ants are larger than black ones. They feed on caterpillars and other ants. Their extermination is one of the cheapest;
- Acrobat ants live in soil and love well-moisturized places. They feed on sugar and all the products that contain it. They are more expensive than field ants to get rid of and may cost up to $250-300;
- Citronella ants are big and yellow. They are simple to recognize. They cost as much as acrobat ants on average;
- Argentine ants usually dwell in the southern states. They are black or brown in color and 1/3 inch in length. They have a strong odor if you crush them. The exterminator may ask for $300-500, depending on the case.
Ant Damage Repair Cost
The damage repair cost may reach thousands of dollars, while the most expensive price from any pest control around the US is $1300. Ants easily damage the wood, food, trees, and harvest. Carpenter ants can make tunnels in wooden frames. The longer you delay hiring exterminators, the bigger are numbers of the total sum in the end.
DIY vs Hiring a Pro
Many victims of ant intrusion consider the call to pest control as a sign of weakness. They postpone the request for help as much as possible. In some cases, especially if the infestation is mild, DIY actions work well, although not as fast as with the help of an exterminator.
You can check DIY methods on how to kill ants once you notice them in your house. However, there is no weakness in asking for professional help, and you need to keep in mind that pest control will deal with any amount of ants. The price may vary, though.
How to Hire a Professional
The average cost to hire a professional is $250. It depends on the work they have to do. There are numerous ads you may find online with professionals from your area.
Search for pest control at your location. You may also ask your friends and family whether they can recommend someone. Make sure that this company has a license from the national pest control organization.
How to pick a pro
There are detailed recommendations on the EPA website that share their tips for selecting a pest control service. One of the primeval things they recommend is to ask for their documents, check out the reviews left by previous clients.
It is also important to know how many years they have been working in this business. Pay attention to the tools and pesticides they use.
Things to discuss with ant exterminator
Don’t forget to check the list of questions you have to discuss with the exterminator. If you have a poor memory, I advise you to make the notes:
- Certificates for their qualification;
- The area they plan to clear from ants;
- Methods they want to use;
- Chemicals that will be used, if any;
- Inability to stay outside from home, for example;
- Warn exterminators about the pets that live at home;
- Discuss the price and possible side expenses.
How to Prepare for Treatment
The more furniture you remove from the area of work, the more effective the treatment will be. I also recommend covering everything you can with the fabric or polyethylene film. Put all your clothes in the bag.
Your Actions After Extermination
Follow these steps after extermination is over:
- Clean everything with soap and other cleaning tools;
- Open the windows to ventilate the entire house. Do the same with your car if you had ants there;
- Pack all the food in containers. Do not leave any crumbs;
- Make sure there are no leakages in the house.
Most Common Questions on Ants Extermination
Here is the list of questions I meet most often online. You may find the answers helpful.
Is it worth getting an exterminator for ants?
Not all types of ants can be treated with DIY methods. Most stores do not sell treatments from carpenter ants or fire ants. They can be used only by professionals.
What does an exterminator do for ants?
Exterminators tell you which type of ants you are dealing with, enlighten about the level of infestation, and offer the possible treatment. They may tell you about the cause of the problem. The pest control also suggests the treatment and uses it on your permission.
How much is pest control for ants?
The national average price for ants’ extermination is $550. The price varies depending on the severity of the infestation and the number of works. The minimum cost is $200.
How long does it take for an exterminator to get rid of ants?
It depends on the specific case. Sometimes, the process does not require more than one visit, and in 4-7 days, you receive the house free from ants. Sometimes, you need to repeat the procedure to double the effect and as a preventive measure.
With a Little Help from Your Exterminator
Let’s not underestimate the service you receive, paying a pretty affordable price. Spending $500 on average, you get crucial help from a professional. A good exterminator gives you a guarantee for the work, which you can’t receive trying to get rid of ants on your own.
I believe that a medium or severe level of infestation requires an immediate call to pest control. And even the slightest infestation by carpenter and fire ants needs immediate attention of exterminators.
If you have ever used these services, share your opinion in the comments below. Was the one helpful? How long have you been waiting to see the results? Which type of ants did you have in your household?
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