When a homeowner discovers their home is under termite attack, the first question we often get is, “How much does a termite treatment cost?”
Like everything, it depends. It depends on a number of different factors, as every situation is different. There are two parts to the termite treatment process that need to be costed. Firstly, eliminating termites from the building and secondly, installing a termite treatment to provide long-term termite protection.
The Cost to Eliminate Termites From the Building
The cost to eliminate termites from a building depends on the size of the infestation and the products used, which together determine the length of time it takes to eliminate the termites. Generally, the longer it takes, the more visits required and the higher the cost.
Also, the products chosen will depend on the termite species present, the level of infestation and the location of the termites within the building.
If we use termite dusts or foams, control will be achieved in a matter of weeks. If we use termite baits to eliminate the infestation it will be more expensive, as they take longer to act (a couple of months). However, the baits have a key advantage over the other products in that they actually kill the nest attacking the home, reducing the termite pressure on the home which delivers long term protection benefits.
5 Factors Affecting the Price of a Termite Treatment for Long-term Protection
Whilst many factors come into play to determine the cost of termite treatment, there are key determiners:
- Type of termite treatment
- Size of the building
- Construction type of the house
- Depth of foundations
- Soil type.
1. Type of Termite Treatment
There are two types of termite treatment:
- Chemical treatments, where a liquid termiticide is injected into the soil
- Monitoring/baiting systems, where secure bait stations are discreetly placed around the property.
Chemical treatments incur higher initial costs but lower ongoing expenses, monitoring systems offer the opposite. Regardless of the chosen system, annual inspections are necessary to maintain validity of the product warranty.
The construction of your house and the soil type are key factors which will influence which options is the best termite treatment.
2. Size of the Building
Larger homes have a longer external perimeter to protect than small homes. It needs more product and takes longer to install a termite treatment on a larger building.
3. Construction Type
Houses built on a concrete slab on ground generally only needs the perimeter of the building treated. If the houses built on piers, if a chemical treatment is to be applied, it will also require the sub-floor area to be treated, which takes significantly longer and uses more product.
4. Foundation Depth
For soil treatments, the liquid termiticide has to be applied to the soil down to just below the top of the foundations (footings). Deeper footings mean more labour to excavate the soil and more products is required to treat the soil, increasing overall costs. Similarly, sloping blocks can make the application of a soil treatment problematic, such that baiting systems are the only option.
5. Hard surfaces or soil?
The type of material surrounding the home impacts the time taken to carry out a treatment. Soil is relatively straight forward to trench and treat, but if pavers are next to the home, they will need to be lifted to treat the soil underneath, and if there are tiles or concrete around the home, these will need to be drilling to inject the treatment. When there are hard surfaces around the home, the treatment will generally take longer.
6. Soil Type
Liquid soil treatments can only be applied to certain types of soil – rocky soils or heavy clay soils do not allow the termiticide to mix evenly. In such situations, the soil will need to be replaced with a sandy loam before applying the termiticide, increasing the treatment cost. In such situations a baiting system may be a better option.
Choosing a Reputable Pest Control Company
When you’re trying to protect what is likely your most valuable investment, rather than choose the cheapest termite treatment, it’s important to choose a pest control company you can trust. While budget considerations are understandable, opting for the cheapest option may compromise long-term protection, leaving your home open to termite attack – again. A reputable pest control company will be fully licensed and insured, use quality products and provide product warranties, giving you the confidence that you home is properly protected.
At Termites Vic we will discuss all the available termite treatment options for your particular situation. Call us for a FREE termite quote today.