How much does a termite treatment cost?
/Two common questions we get are:
“How much does a termite treatment cost?”
“Can you give me a termite quote over the phone?”
The answers are, “It depends” and “No”. To understand why it is important to appreciate the factors that go into calculating the cost of a termite treatment.
There are two parts to a termite treatment:
Eliminating active termites from inside the building
Installing a termite management system to protect the building from future termite attack.
The elimination phase is the less expensive part of the process, but both parts of the termite treatment process will vary in price due to a range of factors.
What is the nature of the termite infestation?
The nature of the termite infestation – the termite species present, the extent of the infestation, how they are entering the building and a variety of site issues all determine the recommended treatment program and therefore the cost.
These elements cannot be assessed over the phone. It is necessary for a termite manager to carry out a site visit to assess the situation. In fact you should be very wary of any pest control company that is prepared to provide a quote over the phone as they will simply be guessing and this should ring alarm bells regarding their professionalism.
The species present and size of the infestation will have an impact on the products chosen to eliminate the active termites and the time taken to achieve control. As such the costs for the elimination phase can vary significantly between treatments.
The termite species and level of infestation will impact treatment options and costs
But it’s the nature of the property itself that has the biggest impact on the price of installing a termite management system to protect the property from future termite attack.
Size of the house
It is perhaps one of the more obvious factors that could affect the price – how big is the house? When installing a termite management system around the perimeter of the building, the bigger the house the more product that is required and therefore the higher the cost.
The size of the house impacts the treatment cost. This is a fairly standard house, but it has a sub-floor which generally increase the treatment cost
Construction type
Whether the house is built on piers or a concrete slab impacts the treatments chosen and costs involved. Homes built on piers are better from an inspection point of view as an inspector can actually get under the house and have a look to see what is going on. In contrast any cracks or entry points in a concrete slab are hidden. However, when it comes to protecting a home on piers, soil treatments can be more expensive as it is necessary to treat the under house area as well as the perimeter of the building.
The nature of the construction and site characteristics can also influence whether a soil treatment and / or a termite monitoring and baiting system is recommended to provide the long lasting protection from termites. Particularly for soil treatments there are range of other factors than can affect the price.
How deep are the foundations
To carry out a proper soil treatment, the chemical has to be applied to a depth of 50 mm below the top of the foundations. Therefore the deeper the foundations, the more digging is required and more product is needed to treat the greater volume of soil – both will increase the cost.
Soil type
The soil type is critical in choosing the termite management system and how best to apply the product. Chemicals need a sandy loam soil, absent of stones, to ensure an even distribution of chemical in the soil. If stony or clay soils are present, and a chemical soil treatment is required / requested, the soil will need to be replaced with a sandy loam soil before applying the chemical. The alternative is to install a termite monitoring and baiting system.
Soil type, the presence of stones and obstructions and potential drainage issues can impact treatment options and cost
Other site / environmental issues
There are a range of other site issues that may also need to be considered: Is it a sloping block? Is there a waterway nearby? Are there drainage issues? These questions and more influence the treatment options and therefore the cost.
Product choice
There are a range of products available for termite treatment. Chemical soil treatments typically have a higher up-front costs but lower maintenance costs than termite monitoring and baiting systems. And like any industry, a range of brands are available, from the premium branded products to the lower cost “generic” products.
At Gold Coast Pest Services we only use and recommend products which have proven performance over a number of years and are backed by company warranties.
Choosing a termite professional
Much like any profession, different termite managers will charge different prices for their services. Of course, the better more experience professional tend to charge more for their services.
Whichever company you choose for your termite treatment make sure they are licenced and insured to carry out termite services. Unfortunately there are a number of shonky operators that offer cheap termite services but are not licensed or insured, which means you have no protection should any issues occur.
So when it comes to termite treatments there are a lot of elements to consider before arriving at a price and which is why you can also get a lot of variability in quotes for the same job.
Our advice is always to choose a pest professional you can trust. When it comes to protecting your home from termites, often your most valuable asset, choose the best termite professional not the cheapest!
