Fumigation Cost
Sometimes, an infestation is so bad that the only solution left on the table is tenting and fumigating your home. The fumigation cost at that point is moot, since it is the only option; however, it is not as expensive as it sounds. The fumigation cost depends largely upon the size of the home, (Think area) the pest being fumigated, the pesticide (or termicide if the problem is an infestation of termites) and the severity of the infestation. The area of the country and the exterminating Company also play smaller, but nonetheless important roles in the fumigation cost.
Most companies arrive at the cost of the fumigation job using the following factors…
- Cost of labor in man-hours to erect the tenting
- Man-hours to properly prepare the home for optimum pesticide flow
- Man-hours to lock the home down and place proper signage
- Man-hours to then reverse the process once the fumigation time has elapsed and the home is cleared for re-entry
- Proper amount of pesticide in the air per square foot for a predetermined time period (Cost of pesticide)
- Pre and post-fumigation inspection
- Cost of permits and licensing where required
Fumigation Cost
Depending upon the size of your home, outlying buildings, and pesticide chosen, you could pay anywhere from $1500 to $5000 on average. This is obviously more when you cover more than average areas.
Further Work may be Needed
Some companies add the cost of prevention of future outbreaks into the price while others prefer to bill separately for that. Fumigation is one of the most expensive… and effective forms of whole-home infestation treatments for most pests and should only be done by professional exterminators with plenty of experience in fumigation. Part of the cost goes into the wages or salary of specialized personal that are specifically trained to handle the equipment and chemicals involved in fumigation.
Take Damage into Account
The cost can be a lot higher than that quoted if the pest is termite and there is damage to the home that must be repaired. There are professional extermination companies that specialize in termite damage repair and/or remodeling. This is especially important and more costly if the damage is of a structural nature as that can cause unsafe conditions and may even make the home too dangerous to occupy until the work is completed.
Arrangements and Incidentals
While this may all sound overwhelming, we have not even figured into the estimates the cost of putting the family up in a hotel or motel for what could be a week or more unless other arrangements have been made. Many people also need to rent storage space for the week of the fumigation to store items that must be removed from the home. These two inconveniences alone could cost around $2,000, depending upon how long the fumigation project is scheduled to be effective.
DIY Fumigation
Fumigation can be done as a DIY (Do It Yourself) project but it would not be nearly as effective or safe. The chemical “bombs” are good, and work fairly well, however, if a professional exterminator has determined that fumigation is your only option, regular, over the counter bombs are probably not going to be enough to be as effective as it needs to be. Over the counter fumigations bombs come in packs of two and four and cost approximately $30 to $60.