A standard rat extermination for a 2,000-square-foot home costs $150–$600, or $400 on average. Large infestations or infestations on large properties can cost far more, with estimates as high as $6,500. The exact cost of rat removal depends on factors such as infestation level, region, and accessibility.
Rats and other rodents can creep into your home, find a dark, quiet place to nest, and reproduce rapidly between walls. Over time, they will begin to destroy your home and contaminate your food, becoming a major threat to your safety and comfort. Sometimes, rats may be so ingrained or their numbers so high that standard removal techniques won’t work. When this happens, a pest control company will recommend full fumigation.
While at-home methods such as bait and traps can help, they won’t be able to stand up to the sheer numbers of a full rat infestation. Thankfully, a professional pest control company, such as Terminix or Orkin, can root out dangerous vermin and eliminate them. This article will help you understand exactly how much a professional rat exterminator costs and what services top companies provide.
Our recommendations are backed by pest control industry cost data from HomeGuide and other reliable sources.
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While effective, fumigation is extremely expensive, typically costing between $2,500 and $6,000 or more, depending on the property size.
How Do Rat Control Service Options and Costs Compare?
Most pest control companies offer different services for rat extermination, including inspections, standard removal, full-service removal and remediation, rat exclusion, live capture, monthly visits, and fumigation. An inspection costs $90 to $150, while fumigation can cost $6,500 or more.
| Service | Cost | Description |
| Inspections | $90–$150 | Pest control companies start with an initial inspection. A technician comes to a location and assesses whether rats are present. |
| Standard removal | $145–$572 | Standard removal services typically include inspection, placement of baits and traps, and follow-up visits to reassess and reapply if needed. |
| Full service and remediation | $200–$700 | This service includes everything inside a standard removal, alongside disposing of dead rats and their debris. |
| Rat exclusion | $150–$650 | This service typically includes filling holes, sealing cracks, trimming bushes, replacing screens, etc. This process makes your home unappealing to rats and reduces the chance of future infestations. |
| Live capture | $50–$80 per rat | This service is a more humane method of rat removal where pest control services use live traps to capture the rat without killing it, then release it elsewhere. Depending on the infestation size, this service can become extremely expensive. |
| Monthly visits | $50–$75 per visit | This service is for homes with consistent rat problems or if an infestation requires a long-term plan. With this service, after the initial visit, a pest control company will return monthly to apply continual treatment as needed. |
| Fumigation | $2,000–$6,500+ | This method is only for the most extreme of infestations or for homes where traditional extermination methods will not work. Under fumigation, homes are filled with a toxic gas that kills the rats. Homeowners will need to vacate the premises while this procedure is underway. |
What Factors Affect Rat Control Pricing?
Various factors can play a major role in the cost of your rat removal. Location, property condition, and treatment method can all impact your final bill. Here is a quick rundown of major cost factors to consider when hiring a pest control company for rat removal:
- Infestation location: If the rats are hard to reach, nesting between walls or within crawl spaces, technicians will have a harder time accessing them for removal, increasing costs.
- Service type: Certain removal methods carry a higher price tag. Baits, traps, and rodenticides are less expensive than fumigation or live removal.
- Region and state: Exterminators in certain states charge a premium for rat control (typically those where rodent infestations are more common). Additionally, costs for rat control in urban areas tend to be higher than in rural locations.
- Property condition: If your property is poorly maintained, navigating it will be more difficult and dangerous. Due to the increased care and risk associated with damaged properties, pest control companies charge more.
- Level of damage: Some pest control companies offer rodent repair and remediation. With these services, a pest control company will repair damage caused by rats. The more severe the damage, the more expensive this service is.
How To Minimize the Cost When Hiring a Rat Exterminator
While rodent exterminators can be costly, especially for severe infestations, homeowners can take steps to lower the final price. To most effectively reduce rat removal costs, shop wisely for the right pest control company.
Thoroughly research multiple local rat exterminators before making your final choice. Look at each company’s work history, customer service reviews, and common complaints. The Better Business Bureau, Yelp, and the company’s Google My Business page are good places to start. We also recommend reviewing a company’s license through your state’s appropriate regulatory agency.
Most state regulatory agency websites contain a lookup tool you can use to check any service company’s license information. You may need to know your company’s license number, but any reputable pest control company will be willing to provide it, along with its insurance and bonding information.
Once you’ve found a few promising candidates, schedule free inspections with each and compare their quotes. During each inspection, ask questions about their thoughts on the project, gauging their responses and customer service. With this approach, you can find the best company for a reasonable price.
Minimize Rodent Control Costs by Keeping Rats Out of Your Home
Additionally, you can save money on rat extermination by making your home a less appealing target for rats in the first place. Follow basic pest control practices to remove attractants and discourage rodent inhabitation. The ways to reduce mice in your home include:
- Keep piles of firewood at least 30 feet away from your home.
- Remove debris from your lawn.
- Keep your lawn clean, well-trimmed, and devoid of weeds.
- Take out the trash frequently and use sealable plastic bins.
- Regularly inspect your home and foundation for entry points such as cracks, gaps, and holes.
- Any crack or gap 1/4 inch or larger should be sealed with a waterproof caulk.
- Rake up birdseed from feeders.
- Clean up outdoor cat or dog bowls when not in use.
- Don’t let dishes pile up.
- Use plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes in your garage or storage areas.
DIY Vs. Professional Rat Control: Which One Is Better?
When homeowners spot a rat in their home, they typically head to the nearest home improvement store and pick up rat poison or traps. While DIY methods can effectively eliminate a single rodent, they typically aren’t enough to clear out a full infestation.
If your home has a rat problem, seek the aid of a professional exterminator or pest control company immediately. Pest control specialists have the tools, skills, and experience to handle large amounts of rodents more effectively than any DIY method.
How Much Does DIY Rat Removal Cost?
DIY rat removal costs vary depending on the number of rats and the type of traps you want. Standard “snap” traps only cost a few dollars each but are unreliable and difficult to use, while live capture traps cost up to $25 per trap.
Here is a quick breakdown of the cost of DIY rodent removal:
| Trap Type | Individual Cost | Total Cost for a Small Infestation | Total Cost for a Medium Infestation | Total Cost for a Severe Infestation |
| Snap trap | $2–$5 | $15–$24 | $30–$36 | $60+ |
| Jaw traps | $2–$10 | $30–$48 | $60–$72 | $100+ |
| Glue traps | $3–$15 | $45–$73 | $90–$108 | $150+ |
| Bait stations or rat poison | $20–$30 | $80–$120 | $170–$200 | $240+ |
| Live capture traps | $5–$20 | $70–$112 | $140–$168 | $280 |
| Shock traps | $20–$60 | $80–$120 | $120–$160 | $200+ |
Pros and Cons of DIY and Professional Rat Removal
DIY methods and professional exterminators each have their own benefits and drawbacks. Here is a look at the major pros and cons of each approach.
Pros
- More effective, it can handle small or large infestations
- Faster and less labor on the part of the homeowner
- Safer as the company is trained in handling live and dead rats
- More humane
Cons
- More expensive upfront cost
- Less control over products and methods
Pros
- More control over products and methods
- Cheaper upfront cost
Cons
- Less effective and can’t handle major infestations
- More time-consuming
- No guarantee or warranty
- Less humane
- More dangerous due to handling live or dead rats
What’s Our Take on the Cost of a Rat Exterminator?
Rats are destructive, are a health risk, carry parasites like fleas, and are extremely difficult to remove. In general, it can cost you anywhere from $150 to over $6,500 to eliminate them, depending on the severity of the infestation and the removal method.
However, by working with a reliable pest control company such as Terminix or Orkin, you can free your home of rodents quickly and effectively.
This site receives compensation from the companies featured in this listing, which may impact where and how products appear. This listing doesn’t feature all companies, products, or offers that may be available.
FAQs About Rat Exterminator Costs
The most common species of rats that infest homes are the Norway rat and the black rat — also called the brown rat and the roof rat, respectively.
To determine which type of rat you have in your home, look for distinguishing features. For example, the Norway rat has a grayish-brown body with a tail that’s shorter than its body length. They average 11 to 19 inches long, including their tail.
The black rat, or roof rat, has dark black or brown fur with a tail that’s longer than its body length. It is small and slender compared to the Norway rat.
You can tell if rats are close to your house by looking for common signs of rats. These include:
- Foul smells
- Scratching sounds coming from inside walls
- Dark-colored, foul-smelling streaks next to floorboards
- Entry holes or gnaw marks in drywall
- Small, pellet-shaped rat droppings
- Nesting material, such as torn paper, insulation, or torn fabric
- Chewed holes in food source containers, such as cereal boxes or pet food bags
- Chewed or damaged electrical wiring
If you spot any of these common signs of rats in or around your home or property, call a professional rat exterminator right away. They will inspect your property and recommend the best treatment plan to completely eliminate the infestation and prevent future rat problems.
The national average cost of rat extermination services is between $150 and $600. However, rat infestations vary in size, and each home is unique.
Depending on the size of your home, the number of rats you’re dealing with, and the accessibility of their nests, extermination costs can reach as high as $6,500 in some cases.
To get quotes for rat extermination cost in your own home, contact multiple local professional pest control companies and ask for an inspection of the problem.
