Unless you know what you’re doing, the usual tactics like traps and poisons will not solve your mouse infestation. Especially if you can’t identify the type of mouse you’re dealing with.
You need to call a mice exterminator. Now.
But, how much does a mouse exterminator cost? The answer to that question depends on the size of the infestation, the infected property, and more.
Don’t start sweating yet though, finding a mouse exterminator for the right price is simpler than you think.
Why Should I Call A Mouse Exterminator?
First of all, you might be wondering if you should even consider using a professional mouse exterminator for your rodent infestation at all. And, when you have issues with mice or rats for the first time, this is a pretty regular question among homeowners and renters. That said, most people want to get rid of the issue on their own. To the point of searching the internet for products or gadgets as well as asking friends and family for suggestions that can help.
Many homeowners and renters will exhaust every possible alternative before calling a professional mice exterminator. And with so many readily available (and affordable) DIY alternatives exist, can you blame them?
Truthfully, DIY pest control isn’t such a bad idea. However, the major flaw s it isn’t meant for exterminating the rodents, just for controlling their overgrown population. DIY only works properly if your home has not already been infiltrated by a pack of mice or rats. Traps and poisons are good for a small number, but not a horde.
Basically, few people want to pay for a service they can possibly do themselves. And, in most cases, people are going to try things the hard way before taking the proper way, and easier way, albeit the more expensive way (calling a mouse exterminator). In the end, if the issue is serious, there is very little chance of successfully getting rid of the problem on your own without the help of a professional mice exterminator.
When Exactly Should I Call A Professional?
When you need a mice exterminator is when you begin to sabut that may well be an indicator that dozens more lie hidden away in the walls. That said, mice multiply at an alarming rate. If you see more than one you can be assured there is a colony somewhere.
A homeowner may feel they can get rid of the issue on their own, especially if only one mouse is spotted, but in reality, that is not always the case. In fact, many times rodent infestations require professional treatment from an exterminator to be successful.
An infestation of mice will cause major damage to the structure of your home, garage, or property. They may also be carriers of infectious diseases and harmful bacteria. The longer you wait to call a mice exterminator, after noticing these critters invading your home, the faster the problem will get out of hand.
That’s not all. It gets worse. If left unchecked, instead of seeing one or two mice, or their droppings, from time to time, you will begin to notice an entire colony has moved into the walls of your home, crawlspaces, or attic, eating away and leaving fecal matter throughout.
Signs That You May Need An Exterminator Right Away:
- Droppings around key areas of the home like the kitchen and bathrooms
- Bite marks on wiring or furniture
- Smudging across the walls or floors
- Missing food (including pet food)
- Scratching noise from floors, ceiling, or walls
- Visibly notice rodents blatantly exploring in daylight hours
Once a homeowner sees any of these signs it is time to call an exterminator. More than likely the problem is already spread throughout the property and needs to be dealt with right away. Seeing even one mouse can mean their breeding chambers have become too crowded and they are now searching for new places in the home to build nests.
What Is The Cost Of A Mouse Exterminator?
The cost for a good mouse exterminator differs greatly from business to business and tradesmen to tradesman. Depending on the services, equipment, and products, involved, you can expect to pay anywhere from under $250 to well over $1,000.
The cost of a mouse extermination can stay fairly reasonable if the problem is detected early and if a mouse exterminator is called immediately. The longer you wait to deal with your mouse problem, the bigger the infestation will become. The larger the issue grows, the higher the price tag goes as well.
More work, more time, more money for the exterminator. Ideal for the exterminator and their company, not so ideal for you. To ensure that you understand exactly what it is you’ll be paying for when hiring a professional mouse exterminator, we’ve broken down the various aspects that affect the cost for you below.
Key factors that determine the overall cost of a mouse exterminator:
Inspection Cost
Typically, on the initial visit, an inspection cost is charged. This cost is based on the size of the property as well as how much manual labor is involved with inspecting various areas of the property. If you have basements, crawlspaces, outbuildings, and more, you can expect to pay quite a sum more than those who reside in apartments or townhomes.
You can expect to pay anywhere from $50 to $250 for a professional mouse exterminators initial visit to your home or property. If you own an apartment or modest home, your inspection may well cost less than $50 dollars. That said, if you live in a farmhouse, on 40 acres, with two barns and a chicken house, $300 may be a fair bargain.
Treatment Cost
Once your home and property have been properly inspected by a professional, a strategy will be developed and deployed against the rodent infestation. Depending on the size of the pack of mice, the level of infestation, the size of the property, and more, the time and measures required to exterminate the entire population of pests varies greatly. Some infestations may be dealt with in as little as days or weeks, whereas others may take months of effort to be successful.
Plan to fork out anywhere from $200 to $600 or more for treatment costs. These fees include the costs of setting up traps, baits, and other equipment, as well as sealing up entry points, cleaning up after the job is done, and more depending on the specific situation you’re dealing with. Exterminators do cost, but they also guarantee their work and get the job done correctly which many people would consider well worth the price.
Extended Treatment Cost
If you’re lucky, an inspection and treatment fee will be among the only costs you will pay an exterminator. However, in severe cases, extended treatment costs may come in to play as well. If you don’t notice the infestation until late on, or you purchase a property with a pre-existing rodent problem, extended treatment costs will more than likely be necessary when getting rid of the rodents.
In the case that you need to cover extended treatment costs, be prepared to spend another $250 to $500 or more. If you do need repeat visits, extended treatment costs will more than likely be billed to you monthly or quarterly (four times per year).
Know The Details Before Calling An Exterminator For Mice
Once you’ve made up your mind to call an exterminator and enlist their help with your mice infestation (or even ask for an estimated cost for their services), don’t just go picking up the phone and dialing them too quickly.
First, knowing exactly which details to discuss with a mice exterminator (before you contact them) is critical. Not only will it ensure your rodent problem is dealt with properly, it will help you both save time and money dealing with the infestation as well.
Mice will establish their nests anywhere near a food or water source. They can sneak in and travel through the ventilation system, inside the walls, in the attic, and in basements. So, taking notice of the little things is the best course of action upon first realizing you have an infestation.
It is absolutely vital to pay attention to several significant factors once you realize mice are present within the home if you want to properly alleviate the situation. That said, the most significant details to include when speaking with an exterminator are listed below.
Sounds
If you have heard scratching noises coming from within the walls, or floors, or ceiling, pinpoint exactly where the sounds are coming from and take notes. Sounds are one of the surest ways to locate mice and their most frequently traveled routes. You will want to pass this information on to the specialist that way they can do their job with optimal results.
Smells
If there are foul smells coming from certain areas within your home or property, again, take notes of their precise locations. These odors are often due to the droppings left behind form rodents, as well as their dead. Sometimes the smell from mice is faint, so you may not have even noticed it. Try leaving your property, getting some fresh air, and returning with a “fresh” nose, so to speak. Anyhow, letting the exterminator know the locations of any odors is key to getting rid of the mice.
Signs
Mice love to eat. They will eat as much as possible, and will eat just about anything they can get their grubby little paws on. So, be sure to inform the mice exterminator if any food has gone missing. This goes for pet food and livestock feed as well. In fact, even if you haven’t noticed any missing, you should probably let the exterminator know where you store pet or livestock food at any rate so that it isn’t poisoned accidently during the extermination process.
Droppings
Mouse droppings are a clear indicator that mice are nearby. And, obviously, well fed mice at that. Be sure to take notice of each precise location that you see droppings, how much show up at a time, and how often fresh droppings appear. These details will clue the exterminator in on significant information needed to adequately handle the pests.
Number Of Pests
When dealing with a genuine mouse infestation, you will never see the entire population. However, the few (or many) mice that you do see, and the number of different locations that they frequent, are direct indicators to how many more furry little food-stealing, water-sipping, poop-dropping, four-legged home invaders are hiding away in the floors, walls, and ceilings.
All Things Considered…
Every little detail that you can give the mice exterminator will help in finding the right solution for the infestation. And again, more importantly to some degree, it will save time during the inspection and extermination process as well as save both you and the professional money.
Believe it or not, one of the most helpful tips for exterminators is to let them know exactly where and when you first saw a mouse in the house. This will give the exterminator a time-frame of how long the mice have been present in the home, a possible location for their nest, and enable them to deliver a set of solutions more accurately.
Tips For Screening a Mice Exterminator
If you’ve taken even a brief glance in the phone book (or Google, more likely), there are quite a few mice exterminators available in any given region. So, it is important that you pick the right one based on experience, cost, and other factors. Of course, each of the mice exterminators will claim to be the best at what they do. That, however, is for you to decide.
Here are a few suggestions for screening a mice exterminator:
- Ask for their credentials and check them out before hiring them – a reputable exterminator will be licensed, insured, and more than likely bonded
- Get personal recommendations from friends, family, and co-workers before calling an exterminator – find out if anyone you know has used a mice exterminator and if they would recommend them.
- Inquire about their level of professional experience – ask how long they have been in business; how much experience do they have professionally as an exterminator and to give you a list of satisfied clients they have serviced as references.
- Ask if they offer a guarantee of their services – if a company guarantees its services and the problem is not successfully resolved after the first treatment, will they give another treatment to finish the job? If yes, you know that the company is confident in the effectiveness of its solution to the problem.
- What types of chemicals they use – ask for the specific names and levels of toxicity; homeowners with pets or children may want to consider a company offering a non-chemical alternative. Weigh your options and come up with an agreeable course of action for both parties
Final Thoughts On Hiring A Mouse Exterminator
Knowing what you’re up against before taking action is the best bet when it comes to hiring a mouse exterminator. As far as costs go, you will pay between $250 and over $1,000 depending on your location and level of infestation.
All things considered, a serious rodent infestation can be likened unto a flat tire. No one wants to deal with it, no one wants it to happen to them in the first place. And when it does happen, there is no option but to drop everything you’re doing and fix the issue. Period. Expensive? Possibly, but not necessarily.
If you have noticed the signs of rodents in or around your home, call a local mouse exterminator before its too late and you wake up to find your fresh pound of gouda missing (along with your frosted flakes).