How much does cockroach extermination cost in Virginia?

There is no standard price for cockroach treatment in Virginia. The bill is set by which cockroach you have, how far it has spread, the size and layout of the home and how many visits it takes, and companies weigh those differently. What you can control is how clearly the job is described and what the written quote has to include.

What drives the price

The species. A few large roaches wandering in from the yard is a different job from German cockroaches breeding in the kitchen. Wood roaches are native insects commonly found throughout Virginia and are sometimes mistaken for American cockroaches,^[2] but they cannot survive or reproduce indoors because the air in a house is too dry.^[2] Wood roaches that wander indoors can be killed with a fly swatter, a vacuum or an aerosol insecticide, and foundation or perimeter treatments with residual insecticides are generally unnecessary.^[2] Getting the species identified first, by your county Extension office or the company's inspector, can save you paying for a treatment you do not need.

How big the infestation is. Cockroaches hide during the day, so seeing more of them during the day may indicate a large, growing infestation.^[1] Larger populations take more bait, more time per visit and more follow-ups. Virginia Tech researchers working in heavily infested apartments set sticky traps the day before treatment and counted the catch to decide how much bait each unit needed.^[3] A company that measures the problem before it treats is pricing the job you actually have.

The method. Cheap programs that rely on spraying are not always cheaper in the end. In a year-long Virginia Tech experiment in HUD housing communities, reported in August 2018 when it was less than 10 months old, an assessment-based baiting program had so far cut cockroaches by 99.7 percent in Hopewell and by more than 98.9 percent in Richmond.^[3] The method takes more time and money at the outset but leads to fewer roaches and fewer treatments over time.^[3] Tim Kring, head of the Virginia Tech Department of Entomology, said that under the HUD guidelines of the time spraying was the most economical treatment, but that it had not controlled the problem.^[3]

The number of visits. Cockroach control is rarely one visit. Insect growth regulators work over months rather than days, and baits need to stay in place continuously until the population falls.^[1] Ask how many visits are included, how far apart they are and what an extra visit costs.

Shared walls. In multifamily housing, pests in untreated units can spread to units that were already treated,^[1] so treating one apartment alone may mean paying twice. A building-wide plan is usually the landlord's or the property manager's decision.

Your share of the work. Companies often expect you to clean, empty cabinets, remove clutter and fix leaks before treatment. If you want the company to seal gaps or do the cleanup, ask for it as a separate line in the quote.

What a good written quote includes

Any company should inspect the home and outline a recommended control program covering the pests to be controlled, the extent of the problem, the active ingredients, their potential health effects, the form of the pesticide and how it is applied, non-chemical alternatives, how to reduce your exposure, and steps to prevent the problem returning.^[4] Ask for that plan in writing with the quote, so you can compare companies line by line. On top of that, look for:

• The number of visits, the interval between them and the cost of extra visits or callbacks.
• How progress will be measured, such as trap counts at each visit.
• The prep you are expected to do, and what happens to the plan if it is not done.
• The licence. A pesticide business license is required for any person or business in Virginia that applies or recommends pesticides for compensation, with a separate license for each business location.^[5] Businesses apply to the Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services for the license and must notify VDACS of changes in insurance coverage or in the commercial applicators assigned to each location.^[5] To hold it, the company must employ a certified applicator responsible for the safe application of pesticides.^[5]
• Insurance. To get the license, a business must furnish a certificate of insurance showing at least $100,000 for property damage, $100,000 for personal injury to or death of one person, and $300,000 per occurrence.^[5] Ask to see it on paper.
• A record of what was applied. Licensed pesticide businesses must keep written records of any pesticide applied commercially for two years,^[5] so asking for the product names and amounts on your invoice is reasonable.

Before signing, ask neighbours about their experience with the company, and call your state pesticide regulatory agency to ask whether it has received complaints about the company.^[4]

Money you do not need to spend

• Bug bombs. Foggers penetrate cracks and cluttered areas only so far and seldom eliminate a population.^[1]
• Ultrasonic plug-ins. Many research studies have shown that ultrasonic devices do not repel or kill cockroaches.^[1]
• Home remedies. Borax, baking soda and baking powder do little to reduce cockroach populations.^[1]

Sticky traps, sealed food containers and a few tubes of caulk cost little and make any treatment work better. See how to get rid of cockroaches for what you can do yourself first.

If you rent

Talk to your landlord before you hire anyone. Virginia landlords must do whatever is necessary to put and keep the premises in a fit and habitable condition.^[6] Virginia tenants must keep their unit free from insects and pests and promptly tell the landlord about them, and a tenant can be charged the added cost of treatment caused by an unreasonable delay in reporting.^[7] A written report with a copy kept gives you a record of when you told them.

Stop and call a pro if

• Traps keep filling after several weeks of cleanup and baiting, or you see roaches in daylight.
• The roaches are coming through shared walls or plumbing from another unit.
• Someone in the home has asthma or allergies and the roaches are not going away.
• You are considering a stronger product than the household baits and dusts on the shelf. Pest control operators may have specialized equipment and professional-use materials that unlicensed homeowners cannot buy.^[1]

Getting help on Loclis

Read whether you can handle cockroaches yourself or need an exterminator, browse cockroach control services, find pest control around Blacksburg or see more pest control answers. When you are ready, describe the job on Loclis so licensed pest control businesses can quote it in writing.