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A roach extermination treatment costs between $100 and $600 on average
When budgeting for roach extermination costs, expect to pay between $100 and $600 per treatment. Few things are worse than flicking on the light in your kitchen and seeing a roach scurry under the refrigerator. Where there's one roach, there's usually more, so if you've spotted them out and about, it's time to call an exterminator. This guide breaks down the cost of cockroach extermination services so that you’re prepared to tackle these pesky pests once and for all.
| Low Cost | Average Cost | High Cost |
|---|---|---|
| $100 | $250 | $8,000 |
Roach Exterminator Cost Breakdown
A single roach treatment costs around $250, or between $100 and $400 for minor infestations, $300 to $700 for moderate infestations, and $2,000 to $8,000 for major infestations. But the end result (a roach-free home) is priceless.
Roach extermination costs generally boil down to a few main factors. Let’s break those down and take a closer look at how much you might pay to exterminate your unwelcome roaches.
Level of Infestation
Simply put: Smaller and more localized infestations require less work and fewer pesticides. For that reason, a small infestation will cost between $100 and $400 on average. You’ll see a hefty increase in extermination costs for moderate infestations, ranging from $300 to $700, while major infestations can reach up to $8,000 in total.
Number of Treatments
If you require multiple treatments, roach exterminator costs will go up proportionally. Fortunately, some extermination companies—like Terminix—offer a yearly plan ranging between $400 and $1,100 per year to treat your infestation throughout the year. Keep in mind that a typical roach treatment takes between 1 to 3 visits from an exterminator.
Home Size
Your home’s square footage can play a role in the extermination cost, falling anywhere between $100 and $650 for different home sizes. Cockroach exterminations typically cost more for larger homes than for smaller homes.
Check out how much your home might cost by square footage below:
| Home Size (sq. ft.) | Price Range |
|---|---|
| 1,000 – 2,000 | $100 – $500 |
| 2,000 – 3,000 | $200 – $650 |
| 3,000+ | $400 – $900 |
Signs of a Roach Problem
As sneaky as roaches are, many signs of a roach problem can tip you off to the existence of these nocturnal pests in your home.
Droppings
One of the most identifiable signs of a cockroach infestation—other than seeing the roaches yourself, of course—is cockroach feces. You may see specks of tiny pellets that look akin to coffee grounds or ground pepper or, depending on the species, larger, brown-colored pieces that look like rice. If you spot cockroach droppings in your kitchen cabinets or other areas of your home, start the extermination process right away.
Roach Eggs
Roaches lay eggs in an ootheca, egg sack, or egg capsule. This casing can hold as many as 40 eggs. Keep in mind, however, that some roach species carry their eggs inside their bodies in an internal ootheca. Unfortunately, finding roach eggs is a surefire sign that they’re multiplying under your roof.
Shedding
Young cockroaches shed their exoskeletons to accommodate their growth. This process happens between 5 and 8 times during their lifespan. As a result, you’ll see traces of this shedding around the house.
Unusual Odors
In some cases, a musty odor might be a sign of mold in your home, but in other situations, musty odors signify a roach infestation. Once you know what this odor means, you’ll be able to identify a roach infestation just by taking a whiff around the kitchen, basement, or garage.
Health Problems
According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), roaches can cause many health problems as they crawl around unbeknownst to homeowners. Health problems caused by roaches that you or your family members might experience include:
Asthma
Allergies
Diseases like salmonella, streptococcus, and staphylococcus
Types of Roaches
Not all roach infestations are created equal. You can eliminate most common types of roaches with traditional extermination methods, but German cockroaches are notoriously hard to eradicate. They may require more invasive fumigation methods to rid them from the walls of your home.
Keep an eye out for these common roach species:
| Roach Type | Characteristics |
|---|---|
| German cockroach | Light brown, small, likes moist environments like kitchens, pantries, and bathrooms |
| American cockroach | Reddish-brown, large, likes fermented food and wet environments like kitchens, bathrooms, basements, and laundry rooms |
| Brown-Banded cockroach | Dark brown or reddish-brown, small, likes warm, dark, and dry climates like pantry shelves and furniture |
| Oriental cockroach | Shiny dark brown, medium-sized, likes cooler environments, garbage, and kitchens |
| Smokybrown cockroach | Reddish-brown, medium-sized, likes very humid regions and outdoor weather but may enter houses if there’s a drought |
What Level of Roach Extermination Services Can I Get on My Budget?
Everyone has a budget, but no matter the size, there are options for getting rid of roaches. Below, you’ll get a good idea of the level of roach extermination services you can get for every budget.
$10
If your infestation is small enough, you can try to use a "bug bomb." However, this product is often ineffective against cockroaches so it may not work. Be sure to carefully read safety instructions, as bug bombs can often be toxic to humans and pets.
$180
At this price you'll be able to buy your own pesticide or purchase one professional exterminator treatment. However, this may not be enough to deal with a significant infestation.
$300
This is the average cost of two professional exterminator treatments of your home, which should deal with most cockroach infestations.
$2,000
If you’re dealing with a serious roach infestation that requires fumigation from a professional exterminator, this is the low end of what you would expect to pay for a small house at $1 to $4 per square foot.
$15,000
Suppose you've got a severe fumigation job that requires tenting on a large home (covering it in plastic). In that case, you may pay this much to get the job done—half for the tenting, half for the fumigation from a professional roach exterminator.
Additional Costs to Consider
If you have a large or widespread roach infestation, you may need to take more extreme measures to eradicate them. In that case, you’ll need to consider tenting or fumigating your home. Read on to learn more about these costs for major cockroach infestations.
Fumigation
If you have an extreme infestation and need pest control to fumigate the whole house, it could cost you between $2,000 and $8,000 on average. Fumigation costs more for larger-than-average homes. The price per square foot is around $1 to $4, so factor in the size of your home. Prices increase substantially because you're treating the whole house with a gaseous pesticide rather than one localized area, and it’s a lot more labor-intensive than a standard treatment.
Tenting
Tenting is a fumigation technique that uses tarp encasements to seal gases throughout your home, effectively killing roaches lurking deep within the walls. The cost to tent a house is between $2,500 and $7,500 on average, depending on the square footage of your home. Houses around 1,000 square feet will fall toward the bottom of this price range, while homes larger than 3,000 square feet will be on the higher end.
How Much Does It Cost to Exterminate Roaches Yourself?
You can buy your own pesticide (organic cockroach control is available) for between $40 and $180, but it's unwise to handle deadly pesticides and chemicals unless you have extensive experience in extermination.
You can also get a bug bomb, boric acid, gel bait, glue traps, bait stations, or spray roaches as you see them for a lower cost, but those little bugs are likely to frustrate you by continuing to pop up.
However, with children and pets (and humans in general), living in the same areas you’d be using these products, it’s best to leave roach extermination to a pro. Since many pest control products can be toxic, it can be dangerous to handle these chemicals yourself.
Frequently Asked Questions
You should at least consult a roach exterminator to understand the scope of your infestation. Even if you think the infestation is small, you don't know what is lurking underneath your appliances or in your walls. Consider hiring a cockroach exterminator to check your home thoroughly and give you a professional opinion.
The length of time it will take for an exterminator to successfully get rid of roaches in your home depends on the type of roach, the severity of the infestation, and the extermination method. While some smaller infestations may be effective within 1 to 3 days, most exterminations take around 2 to 8 weeks to work completely. More severe infestations can take up to 6 months to fully get rid of cockroaches.
The best way to get rid of roaches permanently is to take preventative measures and stay on top of routine extermination services. Ward off cockroaches by keeping your kitchen free from crumbs, properly store away food, cover your pet’s food bowl, and reduce moisture in your home to make your house less tempting for roaming cockroaches. Remove clutter—especially cardboard boxes that roaches love to hide in, and replace them with plastic tubs.
The main things to consider when hiring an exterminator is your infestation size and budget. The price range for roach extermination varies widely depending on the circumstances. If it’s a localized infestation that only requires a few treatments from an exterminator, it will probably only cost hundreds of dollars at most. But if you have a large house and a widespread infestation, be prepared to pay thousands of dollars for fumigation and tenting.
If you've noticed other insects such as termites, bed bugs, or ants in your home, you should alert the exterminator so they can check your house for other infestations at the same time. An exterminator knows what to look for to spot new infestations, so it’s a smart idea to have them check for other potential pests.
