How much does Rodent extermination cost?

If you have a rodent infestation in your home, it’s important to get it taken care of right away. Mice and rats can spread diseases—either through direct contact (or bites), urine or feces, or the insects that feed on them, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

You may never actually see a rat or mouse, so it’s important to know the other signs of a rodent infestation. You might notice small droppings or urine stains, either out in the open, along walls, or in hidden spaces (your pets can’t reach), such as the backs of drawers and cabinets. Chewed wires or other materials could also signal an infestation. And squeaking or scratching sounds in the roof or walls can indicate the presence of roof rats.

Some homeowners try to handle mouse and rat control on their own, using traps, oils, and other deterrents. But DIY efforts are not always effective, worsening the problem over time. Hiring a professional pest control company is usually the best way to stop even a minor infestation. 

In this guide, you’ll learn how much an exterminator costs, and what to expect working with pest control companies that handle rodent infestations.

Rodent extermination costs $95–1,200, or up to $5,000 for serious infestations requiring fumigation. For a typical job, the average cost is $225. 

Rodent control services generally include:

An exterminator will use several key strategies to get rid of your mouse problem or rat problem, which usually have different prices. They may include the following:

Closing off entry points. Also called exclusion, this involves sealing any holes or openings mice or rats might use to enter your home. If exclusion isn’t included in a pest-control expert’s overall price, you can hire a qualified handyperson to do it, at an average of $67-190 per hour.

Setting traps. Exterminators may use devices, including snap traps, live-animal traps, and electronic traps, designed to capture the rodent inside your home. (Many exterminators don’t use glue traps, which may be ineffective in capturing mice.) Snap traps cost an additional $1–30, live traps an additional $50, and electric traps an additional $100–500.

Installing bait stations. These are used to poison mice over time, and can help eliminate colonies quickly. Bait stations cost $3–4 per linear foot.

Fumigation. In the case of a severe infestation, an exterminator may also recommend this option. It involves sealing the house (or a certain area, such as the basement or attic) and pumping in a gas, which kills rats without leaving a harmful residue behind. It costs an additional $500–$5,000.

Here are some of the issues that affect rodent-control prices. 

Whether you’re dealing with large or small infestations, there are a few steps you can take to reduce overall costs. 

Rodent removal costs can range from $95–400 or more, depending on the severity of the infestation, need to seal entry holes, and other problems throughout your home. 

Dealing with a rodent infestation in any part of your home requires identification of the problem and then removal of the animals, using traps, bait stations, and possibly fumigation. Hiring a pest-control service costs an average of $225, but can be much more expensive if issues are severe.

Find a rodent control service in your area.