How Much Does Hiring a Flea Exterminator Cost?

Average Cost to Exterminate Fleas

Signs of a Flea Infestation

Although an exterminator can best tell you if you have an infestation, there are some common signs to watch for:

• Your pets will likely show symptoms first by scratching, wiggling, or chewing at their skin. 

• Though fleas can bite anywhere, you'll see signs of tiny red bites on you and your family—usually on the ankles and legs. Typically, fleas that bite pets won't live on a human, but the fleas may bite you. 

• With extensive infestations, you'll see tiny dark spots—called "flea dirt”—in your carpet and pet's fur. These are actually flea feces.

Flea Exterminator Cost Factors

How much does flea extermination cost? You'll pay around $150 to $400 for an inspection and single treatment, but a second visit is often necessary to kill newly hatched fleas. Plan to spend about $75 to $200 for additional treatment.

You may pay more depending on:

• Geographic location: You’ll pay more in areas with higher overhead costs.

• Size of your home: Larger homes cost more.

• Spring and summer seasons: Exterminators are busier when insects thrive in warm, humid summers.

• Added services: Services like vacuuming or exterior spraying may drive up prices. You may be asked to vacuum thoroughly if your pro doesn’t offer this service. 

One-Time Flea Treatment vs. Follow-Up Visits

The first flea extermination visit costs $200 to $400 on average. Flea treatments may be effective after only one visit but usually require a follow-up, which costs $75 to $200 on average. One-time applications usually don't completely kill large infestations. However, you can do a lot of the cleanup and preventive work to avoid a second visit. 

First Visit 

A local pest control pro will perform a few tasks, including the following:

• Inspection: The pro will confirm that fleas are present and scout for the areas where they're living. This may include areas where your pets frequent, as well as crawl spaces or your attic, to see if you may have had other wild animals present.

• Vacuuming: If vacuuming is included, it'll be done before spraying.

• Interior application: The exterminator will apply an in-house topical product with two types of active ingredients: an adulticide to kill adults and an insect growth regulator to prevent developing fleas from becoming adults.

• Exterior application: If you're paying for exterior spray, they will apply it near entrances to your home and pet areas.

Second Visit

The second application follows the same procedures as the first. Since no pesticide kills eggs and often not larvae, you’ll need to kill these pests after they mature. This generally happens 10 to 14 days after the first visit. After that, you should have a clean home, although a third and final visit may be necessary.

Some extermination companies offer a guarantee they can remove all the stages—eggs, pupae, and adults—in one treatment and will return for free if you see more pests within 30 days.

In-House vs. Exterior Yard Flea Removal

You can treat your yard with an over-the-counter pesticide spray delivered through an attachment to your garden hose at about $9 to $30 per bottle. Some exterminators will treat your yard but don't include this cost in their programs.

While adults without a host will die of starvation within a week, pre-adult fleas still in their cocoons can lie dormant for up to 155 days, or about five months. That means that larvae could be ready to hatch in your yard and then migrate into your home, weeks after you've treated your premises. 

Treatment Method

There are no pesticides that completely kill fleas since the egg and larvae stages are tough to combat with chemicals. The standard treatment for fleas includes all the following:

Pet Treatment 

The current standard is oral chewable tablets and spot treatment with liquid gels for the fur. Clean all of your pets' bedding and places they sleep, something you'll want to do yourself or have your vet do. Consult your vet and read labels before using anything on your pets.

Premise Treatment

These include vacuuming and washing the entire home, plus applying flea insecticides. They only kill the adults and interfere with larvae development. They don't kill the eggs, so a follow-up treatment is almost always necessary. If you have questions about the products included in your flea control program, your exterminator can provide product labels or material safety data sheets.

Wildlife and Pest Inspection

Although you might have pets, fleas travel on things like bats, rats, and other small animals. Have your place inspected for these as well. Pest control costs around $100–$300 in addition to the flea extermination if other pests are present.

Extent of Flea Infestation

The extent of the flea infestation dictates how much flea treatment you'll need in your home. But it doesn't usually change the price. Flea control experts charge on a project-by-project basis and will give you a clear understanding of the costs.

Flea Exterminator Costs by Brand

There isn't much difference between brands, services, or prices due to the competitive nature of the business. Mostly, it comes down to knowledge and customer service. Terminix and Orkin are the main players in this area, but several smaller regional brands have competitive pricing. You'll pay between $150 and $500, no matter your choice. 

Orkin Flea Treatment

Orkin professionals will do a one-time spray for flea control for about $200 to $400. They’ll offer follow-up services and regular visits with individual pricing for homeowners. Their service includes:

• Inspection

• Interior spray

• Limited exterior spray

• Detailed recommendations on how to prevent reinfestation

Orkin prides itself on its long history of pest control dating back to 1901 and extensive training for each pest control specialist. The company also offers a limited 30-day guarantee that the fleas won't return and a money-back policy if you aren't satisfied with their service.

Terminix Flea Treatment

Terminix charges about $190 for an initial visit when you agree to additional quarterly visits for follow-up treatment at around $99 each. The company has a money-back guarantee. During the first 30 days, they offer free re-service.

To eradicate fleas, you may not need continued quarterly treatments. The company requires you to call and provide your address and your home's square footage to give you a quote for a one-time visit.

DIY vs. Professional Flea Pest Control

It could be more cost-effective, safer, and timely to hire a local flea exterminator rather than do the work yourself. Although the initial cost seems higher, you won't have to continually deal with a flea infestation and ongoing expenses for pet treatments.

Consider the following issues:

• Effectiveness: Products available over the counter may not be as effective as professional chemicals and applications.

• Cost: Products sold to homeowners treat only small areas and can be expensive to purchase in quantity for whole-home treatments.

• Health: Misused products could pose a risk to your family.

• Training: You may not identify areas of highest infestation or may skip the subfloors, basement, or attic.

• Time: Doing it yourself usually takes more time.

Flea Bomb Prices

Flea foggers, sometimes called bombs, cost between $10 and $15 for a package with enough product to treat a smaller home. According to the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, flea fumigation doesn’t work. They simply don’t penetrate the places where fleas live. Professionals don’t offer this service, and be wary of any off-the-shelf fumigation or “bug bomb” products. These products use aerosol to disperse insecticides throughout your home.

Instead of foggers, hire a professional or use professional products instead.

Inexpensive Flea Extermination Sprays or Insecticides

Inexpensive over-the-counter flea sprays cost between $5 and $15 for a bottle and require a lot of product to treat your entire home. These sprays are better used for small areas only or even as a preventive measure around pet areas and entrances to your home. If you use these, expect multiple applications. 

Natural Options

Diatomaceous earth, which damages and dries out adult fleas and flea cocoons, is a popular natural product. Products billed as natural pest control can cost anywhere from $5 to $50. Most of these products aren’t effective, incorporating essential oils like peppermint or clove to drive fleas away. There’s little evidence they work.

Some people have had success with borax powder or baking soda sprinkled around the home and vacuumed up. However, vacuuming alone is highly effective at controlling flea populations. Any of these options are likely to work only with a minimal amount of fleas, and you’ll have to use them for weeks to see progress.

Preventing Flea Infestations

Preventing flea infestations is much easier than killing the pests once they’ve entered your home. Here's what you need to know about the costs of flea prevention:

• Pet vet visit: $100–$200; healthier pets don't attract as many fleas, plus your vet can prescribe oral or topical flea treatment that’s more effective than over-the-counter drops or collars.

• Pet treatment: $15–$25 per month per pet, plusabout $10 fleashampoo for your dogs. Keeping fleas off your pets is the key to keeping them out of your home. 

• Vacuuming: $3–$5 for a carpet flea prevention treatment. Regular vacuuming removes occasional adults and their eggs.

• Carpet shampooing cost: $150–$250, deep cleaning carpets once or twice a year can remove any fleas and eggs you don't see.

• Lawn pesticide spray: $9–$30 per bottle; use at the beginning of spring to remove fleas from your yard, then repeat every 90 days.