How Much Does an Ant Exterminator Cost?
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The average ant exterminator cost falls between $80 and $500, which makes calling a pro to take care of an ant infestation a relatively affordable option for homeowners.
Highlights
- The typical cost range for an ant exterminator is$80 to $500, with homeowners around the country paying an average of $150.
- Ant exterminator costs depend on several factors, including the type of ant, the size of the home, the size and location of the infestation, the extermination method, the frequency of treatments, and the pest control company that is used.
- A homeowner may need to contact an ant exterminator if they notice sawdust trails, dirt piles, rustling noises, ant sightings, hollow-sounding wood beams, crumbling wooden structures, or discarded wings.
- Homeowners can likely handle minor ant infestations on their own, but for larger colonies or certain types of ants, it’s recommended that the homeowner hire a professional ant exterminator.
Ants are a seasonal fact of life for many homeowners. They’re small; they can squeeze through tiny cracks and crevices in search of water, food, and shelter; and they’re really difficult to get rid of completely. Many people regard ant extermination as a DIY project—the rows and rows of bug sprays, bait traps, and poison solutions line the shelves at home improvement stores for a reason. However, DIY ant removal can be surprisingly expensive and often involves spraying, dripping, or positioning toxic and smelly chemicals all around the home, creating no-go zones for pets and children. Professional ant control services can use methods that are cleaner, more environmentally friendly, and safer for the home’s residents. But just how much does an exterminator cost? According to Angi and HomeAdvisor, ant exterminator cost can range from $80 to $500, with a national average cost of $150.
Once the ants have been removed, it’s critical for a homeowner to take steps to prevent reinfestation. Ants are smart and adaptable, and they work together seamlessly to build new or different nests, find different ways around obstacles, and avoid traps once they realize what they are. As a result, if extermination misses just a few ants, a whole new colony will crop up in another part of the home. A professional ant control service can help with follow-up methods such as sealing the home and closing off entry points, removing food and water sources that attract ants, and preventatively applying barrier sprays to make it less likely that the ants will return. As every infestation is a little different, and those differences can affect the exterminator prices for ants, understanding the factors that determine the total cost can make it easier for homeowners to plan and budget, especially if ants are an annual challenge.
Factors in Calculating Ant Exterminator Cost
Every type of ant and every type of home presents a different challenge when homeowners are planning extermination methods. The degree of difficulty in exterminating the ants will determine the cost, as infestations that are more complicated will take additional time and material to treat. What follows are some of the most influential factors in determining ant extermination cost.
Ant Type
While most ants have generally the same shape, they’re not all the same—there are a few hundred species that are native to North America. Fortunately, not all of them are interested in sharing a home with humans, but the 25 or so species that are happy to cohabitate have different qualities and characteristics, so the type of ant that has infested the home will affect the cost of removal. In general, carpenter ants are the most expensive to remove.
Home Size
Ants don’t stay in one location: Once they’re in a home, they have myriad ways to travel from place to place inside walls and under floorboards. Larger homes make it more difficult to track and exterminate the ants as they travel, so more material and a considerably greater level of effort are required for successful treatment and prevention. Smaller homes are less challenging to address and so are less expensive to treat.
Infestation Level
Infestation level is one of the most influential factors in determining the cost of an extermination plan. One small colony will price out at the lower end of the range. But large or networked colonies spread through the structure and through the walls of the home, or massive infestations in the soil underneath the home that have connected into the house itself, will be very difficult to treat and manage and will therefore be more costly. Severe infestations can cost up to $1,200 to remove.
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Extermination Method
The method of extermination will depend at least partly on the type of ant that is present and the size of the infestation. The following table shows the average cost per pest control method.
| Extermination Method | Average Cost |
| Barrier sprays | $80 to $150 |
| Mound treatments | $100 to $500 |
| Bait traps | $120 to $200 |
| Two-step methods | $500 to $1,000 |
| Fumigation | $1,300 to $4,000 |
- Barrier sprays are used around the perimeter of the home or in locations that are appealing to the ants as a repellent after existing ants have been killed and the nest has been removed. If that’s all that is needed to solve the problem, homeowners can expect to pay between $80 and $150.
- Mound treatments, often used for fire ants and other similar species, involve the application of a chemical powder that is drilled into the ants’ mound. It kills the queen, which destabilizes the whole colony. The cost usually falls between $100 and $500.
- Bait traps are often used in conjunction with other types of treatments to lure any remaining ants in, coat them with poison, and allow them to carry the poison back to their colonies to kill the ants remaining there. This is an inexpensive and manageable option, costing between $120 and $200, even for larger infestations.
- Two-step methods approach larger infestations with the idea that combining more than one method will more effectively eradicate the colony. The cost will largely depend on the combination of methods, which are generally barrier sprays and bait traps, and mound control and bait traps. The cost will range from $500 to more than $1,000, partly because the two-step method is often reserved for large infestations that are already more difficult to approach.
- Fumigation is a last resort: It is generally used only when other methods have failed or when the infestation is so large that fumigation is the only likely solution. The home is sealed and pumped full of chemicals to kill the ants, left to sit for several days, then cleaned. Because fumigation is usually only part of the solution for a huge colony, there will likely be follow-up treatment as well. The cost will range from $1,300 to $4,000.
Treatment Frequency
Some smaller infestations can be completely exterminated with one treatment costing about $150 and some follow-up prevention strategies. More complex or larger infestations, or homes that are often damp or that are difficult to seal off, can require several treatments or seasonally scheduled treatments of ant pest control to fully protect the home. Often, exterminators will bundle or package multi-treatment plans, so while the total cost of the treatment will be higher than the cost of a single treatment, bundling will be less expensive than a series of single treatments at full price.
Infestation Location
Quite simply, accessible areas cost less to exterminate: An ant nest in a kitchen cabinet is much easier and less time-consuming to remove than a colony that has developed underneath the home’s foundation or in a tiny crawl space. Professionals can place baits and sprays directly where the treatment is needed without having to squeeze into tight spaces or excavate soil.
Pest Control Company
The company that is hired to perform the extermination will affect the total cost. Because the treatments provided by most companies are more or less the same, the cost difference is in how each company bundles and packages its treatment plans. If the infestation is small and likely requires a onetime treatment, the cost differential matters less, but for significant infestations or recurring problems, homeowners are advised to compare the options provided by the best pest control companies, such as Orkin and Terminix, along with smaller, local pest management companies. Homeowners can also read Orkin reviews and Terminix reviews to determine if either would be a good fit.
Additional Costs and Considerations
While actually killing the ants makes up the majority of the cost of extermination, there are some other factors that can add to the cost, sometimes significantly. These are important to factor into a budget, because they’re necessary parts of the job.
Infestation Prevention Methods
Even the best extermination job won’t last forever. If the ants got in once, they will find their way in again unless appropriate measures are taken. Homeowners can plan to spend money on some barrier sprays, sealed containers for food storage that isn’t already sealed in plastic, and possibly some bait stations to prevent an early, unnoticed infestation from taking hold. Sealing leaks, removing damp wood, and especially fixing leaks around or in the foundation and around doors and windows will go a long way toward preventing reinfestation. Costs will vary based on a homeowner’s specific needs.
Pest Inspection
Before homeowners treat for ants, either DIY or professionally, it’s best to determine what kind of ants are infesting their home—or if they’re ants at all. Termites and ants are easy to confuse; they look surprisingly similar from a distance, and ant treatment is significantly less costly than termite treatment. Most pest management companies will offer an inspection as part of their costs, charging only if the homeowner doesn’t hire them to do the extermination. Other companies may offer inspection for a separate fee of $60 to $200. This inspection will identify the type of ant present and also check for any other pests.
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Damage Repair
Signs of carpenter ants include sawdust piles and rustling noises in a home. Carpenter ants can do significant damage to homes, sheds, decks, and other wood structures. The cost to repair that damage will vary based on the amount and type of damage that is present. It’s important to note that the process of extermination can also cause damage: If a nest is deep enough in the walls, sections of drywall may need to be removed and replaced. Costs will vary, but it’s important to inspect the damage to assess what needs to be done.
Ant Exterminator Cost by Type of Ant
Ants come in a surprising number of shapes, sizes, colors, and personalities. Identifying the type will help determine the urgency of extermination and also some of the challenges that will accompany the job. When the ants are the type that dig or tunnel, or they pose a physical threat to humans, the cost will invariably be higher than it is for other types.
| Type of Ant | Average Extermination Cost |
| Argentine ants | $150 |
| Carpenter ants | $250 to $500 |
| Fire ants | $100 to $300 |
| Pharaoh ants | $200 to $250 |
| Sugar ants | $200 to $250 |
Argentine Ants
Tiny (only about ⅛ of an inch long) and dark brown or black, Argentine ants are common pests found in households. The treatment is pretty simple and straightforward, so the cost is typically about $150.
Carpenter Ants
These ants usually nest outside in wood that has died or is decaying as they seek the dampness. Industrious carpenter ants will often build a second nest inside a home for easier seasonal access to water and snacks. However, carpenter ants are excessively destructive to wood and framing. They can grow up to ½ inch long and can be all black or black and red. They have a rounded thorax and create a truly unpleasant smell of rotten coconuts when frightened or disturbed. Because of the multiple nests and difficulty completing the job in one visit, hiring an exterminator for carpenter ants lands on the higher side of the price range with an average exterminator cost of $250 to $500.
Fire Ants
Small, fiery red, and vicious, fire ants need to be removed as soon as they are discovered and hopefully before some unfortunate resident of a home has accidentally drawn their attention. These ants are fierce defenders of their turf and will sting and bite anyone they can catch. Because it’s hard to know who will have severe reactions to their bites, it’s best to contact a professional to handle the ants’ removal at a cost between $100 and $300 on average.
Pharaoh Ants
Also offering an especial challenge to exterminators are pharaoh ants. They ride in on packages, clothing, or shoes and can squeeze through minimal entryways, then immediately find a location for the nest hidden deep inside the walls, making it very difficult for exterminators to get to the nest for extermination. They are not aggressive toward people, but they do carry bacteria through a home. Because of the added complexity to get rid of them, pharaoh ants are expensive to remove, with a cost of $200 to $250.
Sugar Ants
In the right season, a small spill of sugar will alert the sugar ants that the party has started. They love anything sweet—desserts, sugar, syrups—and can often defeat jars with screw-top containers to get to their sugar high. Professionals who know how to remove sugar ants generally charge between $200 and $250 for removal, partly because of the ants’ ability to get inside packaging and move quickly through a home.
Other Ants
Because there are hundreds of species of ant, each with its own defining characteristics, quite a few have been lumped together based on size and habits. Of the ants that invade human houses, odorous house ants, thief ants, rover ants, and others don’t present particular extermination challenges and ring up around $150.
Do I Need an Ant Exterminator?
The first sign many people have that there’s an ant problem is an ant. Despite being highly mobile, ants don’t make a particular effort to hide unless actively threatened. There are, however, other telltale signs that there’s a problem, including those detailed below.
Sawdust Trails
Carpenter ants burrow deep into wood both inside and outside the home. Tiny piles of sawdust beneath wooden beams, or on windowsills and wood flooring, can indicate that ants have been burrowing nearby. Because carpenter ants can cause such terrible damage, sawdust piles are a sign that an expert needs a phone call very quickly.
Dirt Piles
Typical anthills look like tiny volcanoes with ants traveling in and out with some speed. But any small pile of dirt on the ground can be indicative of ants. Basements with soil floors, yards, and gardens are typical places to spot these small piles of dirt. A crack in a driveway or patio is an open invitation for these kinds of ants to push the dirt up and through their tunnel system.
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Rustling Noises
It’s horrifying to think about, but if there are enough ants in the walls, residents will be able to hear them moving to and fro inside the walls. The rustling can be caused by the ants brushing against each other or the interior surface of the wall, or it can be the sound of ants traveling between a wall and the wallpaper covering it. An infestation large enough to hear warrants a call to a professional exterminator, because it means the colony has already spread.
Ant Sightings
One ant or two ants could be a fluke. A straight line of ants walking along a wall, precisely