Methodology: How We Calculate Termite Treatment Cost
How the calculator and cost guide on this site derive every figure. Data sources cited individually. Formulae shown in full. Limitations stated. Last full review 8 June 2026.
Section A / What this site calculates
The cost model in one paragraph
The calculator takes the unit each method is priced in: linear feet of foundation for liquid barriers and bait stations, floor area for tent fumigation and heat, and a flat band for spot treatment. It multiplies HomeGuide's published rate by that size, with no cap (liquid alone has a floor at HomeGuide's whole-home low), and adds nothing: no regional, severity or home-age adjustment, because no source publishes one. For bait it checks the station count in a quote against the Recruit HD label's maximum spacing; for liquid it shows what the termiticide alone costs on the Termidor SC label rate; and it compares liquid and bait over ten years on the same footage. A termite-type check warns when the method does not reach the species. Every national figure on the site is read from one file of records, each tied to a named source and the date we read it (13 October 2026 for the current set). Figures from different sources are shown side by side, never averaged into a new number. No payment changes a price, a ranking or a verdict here. The site earns money in two disclosed ways, both set out in Section F below: a commission from Angi when a reader requests quotes through one of our labelled Angi links, and paid Enhanced register listings for licensed operators.
Section B / Data sources
Every source, cited individually
The national cost ranges and reference figures on this site trace back to the sources below. The date beside each is when we last read the source, and where the publisher shows one, when it last updated the page.
| Source | Data type |
|---|---|
| Termidor SC label, EPA Reg. No. 7969-210 (accepted 30 April 2024) https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/007969-00210-20240430.pdf | Post-construction soil rate: 0.8 fl oz per gallon at 0.06%, 4 gallons per 10 linear feet per foot of depth, down to the top of the footing. Feeds the calculator's product line. |
| Animal Traps and Supplies, Termidor SC 20 oz product page https://www.animaltrapsandsupplies.com/products/termidor-sc-20oz.html | One retailer's price for the 20 fl oz Termidor SC bottle, used for the product-at-retail line only. |
| Recruit HD (Sentricon) label, EPA Reg. No. 62719-608 (2024) https://www3.epa.gov/pesticides/chem_search/ppls/062719-00608-20240103.pdf | Station spacing: no more than 20 ft apart where soil access allows. Feeds the calculator's station check. |
| BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, Pest Control Workers (SOC 37-2021), May 2025 wages https://www.bls.gov/ooh/building-and-grounds-cleaning/pest-control-workers.htm | Median wage of pest control workers (SOC 37-2021), May 2025. |
| Mississippi State University Extension, Termite Control Overview https://extension.msstate.edu/insects/termites/termite-control-overview | How long liquid and bait treatments last, and what the annual renewal fee buys. No prices. |
| HomeGuide (treatment) https://homeguide.com/costs/termite-treatment-cost | Compiled national ranges by method: per linear foot and per square foot rates, whole-home ranges, bait monitoring. The calculator's per-unit rates and liquid's floor come from here; its other whole-job figures are shown beside results for reference. |
| HomeGuide (inspection) https://homeguide.com/costs/termite-inspection-cost | Compiled inspection ranges (routine, real estate, VA/FHA) and termite contract first-year and renewal costs. |
| HomeAdvisor https://www.homeadvisor.com/cost/environmental-safety/hire-a-termite-control-service/ | Normal range and average for one treatment project, from its survey of customers; per linear foot rates; structural repair ranges. |
| Thumbtack https://www.thumbtack.com/p/termite-treatment-cost | National average range and average for a single treatment, from Thumbtack data. |
| This Old House https://www.thisoldhouse.com/pest-control/termite-treatment-cost | Typical treatment range, method ranges and severity bands, sourced by This Old House from Angi and pest control companies. |
| Bob Vila https://www.bobvila.com/articles/fumigation-cost/ | Tent fumigation per square foot and the cost for a 2,000 sq ft home (a 2024 page; used only where it agrees with HomeGuide). |
| Orkin price page https://www.orkin.com/ask-orkin/what-are-the-prices-for-orkin-services | Orkin's own published prices for its spot, baiting and liquid termite treatments. A company's price for its own service, not a market average. Also its statement that it offers free termite inspections in many areas. |
| Terminix free inspection page https://www.terminix.com/free-inspection/?interestarea=termites | Terminix's own statement that the first termite inspection at a home is free, and that a real estate wood-destroying insect report is a separate, paid service. |
| Sentricon (Corteva) FAQ https://www.sentricon.com/en-us/faq.html | Service interval allowed by the label and Corteva's 'about a dollar a day' statement. Corteva publishes no install price. |
| Termidor (BASF) FAQ https://www.termidorhome.com/abouttermidor/faqs.html | BASF's statement that Termidor can protect a structure for up to 10 years. BASF publishes no treatment price. |
| UC IPM Pest Notes: Drywood Termites https://ipm.ucanr.edu/home-and-landscape/drywood-termites/ | How fumigation and heat work, how long occupants leave, and that neither leaves residual protection. |
| Angi (Angie's List) https://www.angi.com/articles/how-much-does-termite-treatment-cost.htm | Not used for any national figure. The page returned HTTP 403 behind a bot check when we tried to read it on 13 October 2026, so the homepage, the cost guide and the calculator no longer attribute any figure to Angi; some state and method pages still cite it and are due for the same re-check. HomeAdvisor, part of the same company, publishes the same treatment range and was readable. |
| USDA Forest Service termite zone maps https://www.fs.usda.gov/ | Geographic termite pressure level (USDA Termite Infestation Probability Zones I to IV) |
| National Pest Management Association (NPMA) https://www.npmapestworld.org/ | Industry sizing, NPMA-33 inspection form reference, member-operator practice norms |
| State pest control board fee schedules https://www.npmapestworld.org/resources/state-resources/ | State-specific inspection form fees, licensure costs, and consumer-facing complaint records (varies by state) |
Source URLs link out for verification. Figures are used exactly as each source publishes them; nothing is adjusted for labour rates or blended across sources.
Section C / Formulae
How the calculator computes
Seven computations drive every estimate, listed in the order the calculator applies them. Each is marked as either a sourced figure or our own model assumption.
Sourced band for the method
Sourced; check dates in the note
Liquid Barrier: $3 to $20 per linear foot x linear feet of foundation, never below $500; Bait Stations: $7 to $12 per linear foot x linear feet of foundation; Tent Fumigation: $1 to $4 per sq ft x floor area; Heat Treatment: $1 to $3 per sq ft x floor area; Spot Treatment: $350 to $1,000
Compiled estimates from HomeGuide (spot treatment from This Old House), checked 13 October 2026. Tenting and heat are HomeGuide's per-square-foot rate times the floor area, and bait is HomeGuide's per-linear-foot rate times the perimeter, with no floor or cap. HomeGuide's whole-job figures for those methods describe one home size or an average home (tenting $2,000 to $8,000 for an average-sized home, heat $2,000 to $6,000 for an average 2,000 sq ft home, bait $1,000 to $2,500 on average for a whole home), so they are shown beside the result as reference points, not used as limits. Liquid is the per-linear-foot rate times the perimeter with one limit: HomeGuide says a whole-home liquid treatment costs $500 to $2,000 or more for severe infestations, with no home size, so a result below $500 is raised to it; that range's top is open, so it is not a cap.
Linear feet: entered, or estimated from floor area
our model assumption, not a sourced figure
linear feet as entered; helper: perimeter = sqrt(sqft) x 4
Liquid and bait are priced per linear foot, so the calculator asks for the footage of the foundation. Linear feet = 4 x the square root of the floor area, which assumes a square, single-storey footprint. Real homes are rarely square, so the true perimeter is usually longer.
Bait stations against the label spacing
Sourced; check dates in the note
minimum stations = linear feet / 20, rounded up; your spacing = linear feet / stations in your quote
The Recruit HD (Sentricon) label sets stations no more than 20 ft apart where soil access allows, plus extra stations at the installer's judgement. The station count does not change the price, which HomeGuide and HomeAdvisor publish per linear foot; it checks the quote. Label checked 14 October 2026.
Termiticide product at retail (liquid)
Sourced; check dates in the note
linear feet x depth (ft) x 0.4 gal x 0.8 fl oz x ($111.50 / 20 fl oz)
Volume and dilution from the Termidor SC label (4 gallons per 10 linear feet per foot of depth at 0.06%, which is 0.8 fl oz per gallon); price from one retailer's 20 fl oz bottle, checked 14 October 2026. It is product only, at a homeowner bottle price, shown so a reader can see how small a share of a quote the chemical is.
Ten years, liquid vs bait
our model assumption, not a sourced figure
year one + 9 x yearly fee (liquid: $150 to $500 a year contract renewal; bait: $200 to $400 a year monitoring)
HomeGuide's compiled bands. Years 2 to 10 carry the fee; first-year monitoring is assumed to be inside the install price. Liquid without a contract is the year-one figure alone: the Termidor SC label bars annual retreatment without evidence of reinfestation or a disturbed treatment zone, and Mississippi State University Extension says some liquid treatments last 12 years or longer.
Species and treatment fit check
our model assumption, not a sourced figure
If species and method are mismatched, the calculator returns a warning
Example: choosing tent fumigation for subterranean termites raises a warning, because fumigation does not treat the soil colony. The estimate still computes, but the warning flags the mismatch.
No regional, severity or home-age adjustment
our model assumption, not a sourced figure
none applied
No source we checked publishes a regional price index, a severity multiplier or an older-home surcharge for termite treatment, so the calculator applies none. This Old House's severity bands are shown as published on the homepage instead.
Section D / Limitations
What the calculator does not model
Every cost model has limits. These are ours, stated upfront so you can adjust expectations or seek a licensed PCO quote where the limit matters.
Limit 01
Regional pricing variation
No source we checked publishes state, city or county termite prices, so the calculator gives national figures and cannot tell you how your area compares. Written quotes from licensed operators near you can.
Limit 02
Pre-existing damage repair
The calculator estimates treatment cost only. Repair of existing termite damage is covered on the damage and insurance page; HomeAdvisor puts structural wood repair at $600 to $3,000, and up to $6,000 where load-bearing beams or walls are replaced.
Limit 03
Annual monitoring and bond fees beyond bait systems
Bait system results show HomeGuide's monitoring band ($200 to $400 a year) separately. Liquid contract renewals use HomeGuide's $150 to $500 a year band in the ten-year table; what a contract covers is on the termite bond page.
Limit 04
Prices move between checks
Each source is shown with the date we last read it and the date its publisher last updated it. Prices can move in between, so always confirm against a current licensed PCO quote.
Limit 05
Branded operator list pricing
Orkin publishes price ranges for its own termite services; most other national chains publish none. Vendor-specific pages on this site show only what each company publishes, not exact quotes.
Section E / Update cadence
When this site is reviewed and refreshed
Last full review: 8 June 2026. The next scheduled full review is in the quarter following the date shown.
Each national figure lives in one record, so when a source changes a figure, the change reaches every page that shows it in the same build. The national price sources were last read on 13 October 2026.
State-specific pages receive an additional review on the spring publication of new pest pressure data from state regulators. Manufacturer reference pricing (Sentricon, Termidor SC, Vikane) is reviewed annually. When a major cost mover changes mid-cycle, affected pages are updated within two weeks rather than waiting for the next quarterly review.
Section F / Author
Who writes this site
Oliver Wakefield-Smith, founder, Digital Signet. UK-based property-cost guide author. No pest control company can pay to move a number, a ranking or a verdict on this site. Every cost figure is sourced from a public third-party index, a company's own published price, a manufacturer document, or a state regulator filing, and the calculator's own assumptions are labelled as ours. The site runs no quote form of its own and does not sell your details as a lead. It does carry one affiliate programme, disclosed wherever its links appear: links to Angi's homeowner-matching service (submit a request through one and we may earn a commission from Angi). That arrangement has no bearing on any cost figure, ranking, or recommendation on this site. A licensed operator may also claim its own register file at no cost and pay $99 a year for an Enhanced listing, which adds the company's own description, treatments and service area in a section labelled as supplied by the company. It buys no position in any list and does not move a number.
If you spot an error, please email the address listed at the homepage and the page will be reviewed within seven days. Corrections are listed in the page history for any cost figure that has changed since first publication.
Section G / Related
Related
This methodology page covers the cost guide and calculator only. Pest control practice, treatment efficacy, and home-specific recommendations require a licensed PCO. We are not a pest control company and do not provide pest control advice.