Termites don’t make a scene. They work quietly, inside walls and under slabs, turning wood into dust at a pace that can surprise even seasoned builders. By the time a homeowner notices a hollow-sounding baseboard or a pencil-thin mud tube on the foundation, a colony may have been feeding for years. Choosing the right pest control contractor for termites is one of those decisions that looks routine on the surface and ends up being about protecting the structural value of your home. The right partner brings method, documentation, and accountability. The wrong one leaves you with a short-term treatment and a long-term problem.
I have walked properties where the previous “treatment” was a few spritzes along the baseboards. I have also seen the other extreme, where a contractor sold a whole-house tent to an owner with subterranean termites that never would have been resolved by fumigation. The goal here is to help you sort the marketing gloss from the work that actually stops termites and keeps them from coming back.
Start with species and structure
A termite job begins with identification. Different termites demand different approaches, and the structure itself dictates feasibility. Across the United States, the usual suspects are subterranean termites, drywood termites, and in some coastal areas, Formosan termites. Subterraneans live in soil and travel through moisture-protected tubes to reach wood. Drywoods live directly in dry wood and do not require soil contact. Formosans are a particularly aggressive subterranean species that build carton nests and can overwhelm substandard treatments.
What your contractor should do on day one is walk the property inside and out. That means crawling spaces, tapping baseboards, inspecting sill plates, probing suspected wood with an awl, checking expansion joints and slab penetrations, and tracing mud tubes. I expect to see a moisture meter and sometimes a borescope. On drywood jobs, a true professional will look for frass patterns, kick-out holes, and window or attic infestations. On subterranean jobs, the inspection focuses on earth-to-wood contact, plumbing penetrations, porch slabs, and grading that keeps soil moist against the foundation.
If a contractor quotes a treatment over the phone without visiting, or if the site visit looks like a quick lap with a flashlight and no notes, keep looking. The inspection sets the scope. It should produce a written diagram or at least photographs and a narrative of what is active, what is conducive, and what is unknown.
Know your treatment families
Termite control is not a single product so much as a suite of methods. A capable pest control company will match the method to the species, the structure, and the homeowner’s tolerance for drilling, trenching, and follow-up.
Soil termiticides are the backbone for subterranean termites. The contractor trenches and rodders the soil around the foundation and at interior slab penetrations, applying a labeled termiticide to create a treated zone. Non-repellent actives like fipronil, imidacloprid, or chlorantraniliprole allow termites to move through the zone and transfer the compound within the colony. This method is proven, but execution matters. Too shallow, and the treatment misses where termites travel. Too inconsistent, and you leave untreated gaps. Houses with complex patios, well pits, and finished basements require planning to reach the critical soil contact points without unnecessary disruption.
Baiting systems rely on installing stations around the structure, then swapping monitoring cartridges for active bait once termites feed. Baits like noviflumuron or diflubenzuron interfere with chitin synthesis, which slowly collapses the colony. Baits shine in situations where trenching is impractical, in sensitive environments, or where you want ongoing monitoring. They demand consistent servicing, especially in the first year, and patience. I have seen colonies eliminated in a few months, and I have seen stubborn pressure that took a year of diligent bait maintenance. Success hinges on placing stations at the correct spacing, checking them regularly, and swapping to active bait at the right time.
Local drywood treatments target specific galleries. Injected foams or dusts, and heat treatments, can be very effective when infestations are isolated. The contractor must identify every infested piece of wood and treat it thoroughly. Miss one active gallery, and the problem persists. Whole-structure fumigation with sulfuryl fluoride is the gold standard for widespread drywood infestations. It penetrates the structure, reaching hidden galleries, but it offers no residual protection and requires careful prep and a couple of days out of the house. For subterranean termites, fumigation is generally the wrong tool.
A thoughtful pest control contractor explains why a method fits your situation, what it can and cannot do, and how long it should take to see results. Beware of anyone pushing a single method for every job, or glossing over the practical details like drilling patterns, station counts, or access challenges.
Credentials, licensing, and insurance that actually mean something
Licenses are not just a piece of paper on a wall. They define what a contractor is legally allowed to do and who holds responsibility. Ask who will perform the work, not just who sells it. The individual technician should carry the appropriate state license for structural pest control, and the company should be registered in your state with a license in good standing. Some states require a qualifying party, a person who passed the required exams and oversees the work. If that person is never on your job, find out how the company maintains quality control.
Insurance matters more than most homeowners realize. You need to see proof of general liability and workers’ compensation. If the contractor drills your radiant heat lines or floods your finished basement during trenching, you want a policy that can make you whole. If a technician gets injured on your property and the company lacks proper coverage, you don’t want that risk landing on you.
Third-party certifications can be helpful but are not substitutes for experience. Membership in professional associations and manufacturer training on specific products shows that the company invests in their people. Ask about continuing education. Termite labels change, and new building practices alter how termites find entry. A team that trains regularly is less likely to repeat outdated habits like blanket baseboard sprays.
The quality of the inspection report tells you a lot
A professional exterminator company documents what they find in a way that another trained person could follow. Look for annotated diagrams showing slab breaks, plumbing penetrations, expansion joints, and any evidence of activity. Photos with captions are a plus. The report should list conducive conditions, such as mulch piled high against siding, downspouts that drain against the foundation, or untreated fence posts attached to the house.
More importantly, the https://andersonqngl593.almoheet-travel.com/pest-control-for-new-homeowners-a-starter-guide report should distinguish between current activity and old damage. Not every discolored joist is active. If the contractor treats everything as if it were active without supporting evidence, you might be buying more than you need. On the other hand, if the report downplays obvious evidence like live swarmers near a window or fresh mud tubes, that is a red flag for inexperience or haste.
Treatment proposals that pass the smell test
A good proposal is specific. It lists the method, the products by active ingredient, the application rates, the areas to be treated, and the expected timeline. For soil treatments, it should detail where they will trench and rod, where they intend to drill, and how they will patch. For baits, it should specify the number of stations, the spacing, the service frequency, and the criteria for switching from monitoring to active bait. For fumigation, it should lay out the prep steps, the tenting process, safety measures, and the reentry timing.
The proposal should also address follow-up. True termite work is not a one-and-done event. For subterranean jobs, reinspection after 30 to 60 days with a plan for dealing with any persistent activity is normal. For bait systems, a service schedule of monthly checks at first, then quarterly once control is established, is typical. Contracts that bundle long-term monitoring with a renewable warranty can be excellent value when they are priced fairly and serviced properly.
Be wary of proposals that lean on brand names and buzzwords without explaining the process. Also be wary of prices that seem too good to be true. They often reflect shortcuts: too few bait stations, insufficient product volume in the soil, or no drilling where drilling is required to reach interior slab additions. When comparing bids, normalize the scope. If one pest control contractor will drill and treat the garage slab where plumbing lines penetrate, and another will not, you are not comparing like with like.
Warranties that protect you, not just the contractor
A termite warranty is only as strong as its terms. Read the fine print. The best warranties are retreatment guarantees with clear trigger conditions: if live termites are found within the treated areas during the warranty period, the company will retreat at no additional cost. Some warranties include damage repair, but those often come with tight limitations and exclusions. I have seen damage repair warranties capped at low amounts, subject to proof of caused-after-coverage damage, and requiring you to use their contractors.
Pay attention to transferability if you plan to sell your home. A transferable warranty is a selling point. Also check renewal terms. A modest annual fee makes sense for ongoing inspections and recordkeeping, especially for bait systems that require maintenance. If the renewal fee escalates sharply after the first year, ask why.
The length of the initial warranty varies. One year is common for standalone soil treatments, with annual renewals. Some companies offer multi-year terms for an added fee. Longer is not automatically better if the service commitment is weak. A one-year warranty with documented follow-ups can outperform a longer warranty that seldom puts eyes on your property.
How to judge a contractor’s field work before you hire them
Any pest control service can write a nice proposal. The question is how they execute in real homes with messy landscaping, finished basements, and surprise obstacles. Ask how they handle typical challenges: slab additions attached to the original foundation, tightly poured porches, property-line constraints, or radiant heating systems that make drilling risky.
Good contractors answer with specifics. For example, on a finished basement with a bathroom against the exterior wall, they might use thermal imaging to locate the shower drain penetration and drill nearby, then seal with hydraulic cement. On a house with a long attached patio, they might core through the slab at intervals rather than trenching the exterior bed full of irrigation lines. On a bait job in heavy clay soil, they might auger wider holes and amend with sand to improve station drainage and attractiveness. Vague assurances are not enough.
Watch how they talk about safety and cleanliness. Do they use dust shrouds and HEPA vacuums when drilling interior slabs to control silica dust? Do they flag utility lines before trenching? Do they plan to pull back mulch and reset it neatly rather than burying it in the trench?
Price ranges and what drives them
Prices vary by region, structure size, construction type, and method. For a typical single-family home on a slab, a full perimeter soil treatment can range roughly from the low four figures to the mid four figures. Crawlspace homes add complexity and labor. Bait systems are often priced similarly up front, with ongoing service fees annually. Fumigation for drywood termites often falls in the mid to high four figures, depending on cubic footage and complexity.
Red flags include very low bids without a clear explanation, and very high bids with no added scope. Some exterminator companies discount heavily to get in the door, counting on lucrative renewals. Others price high and present it as proof of quality. The way to navigate this is to anchor on scope. If three bids agree on the technical steps and the station count, and one is much cheaper, ask which steps they plan to omit. If one is much higher, ask what they are doing that the others are not.
When DIY makes sense, and when it doesn’t
I do not encourage homeowners to DIY subterranean termite treatments on occupied homes. Mistakes carry a high cost. You can buy professional-grade products, but you cannot easily replicate the tools, training, and practice that deliver even coverage around complex foundations. Missed interior penetrations near kitchens or bathrooms are classic failure points.
There are exceptions. Handy owners dealing with a small, localized drywood hitchhiker in a piece of furniture can sometimes manage with targeted treatments. Preventive steps like reducing soil-to-wood contact, fixing drainage, clearing debris, and maintaining a dry crawlspace are squarely in the DIY realm and make any professional treatment more effective.
What a professional visit looks like on treatment day
On a subterranean job, a well-run crew arrives with the right equipment: tanks calibrated to the label, long rods for depth, patching materials, and protective gear. They will start by re-walking the property and confirming drill points. The foreman should review utility locations. They will pull back landscaping as needed rather than pumping termiticide into mulch. Drilling patterns along slabs look consistent, typically spaced at predictable intervals, and holes are patched cleanly. Inside, they contain dust, protect flooring, and clean up.
On a bait installation, they will mark station locations on a map, place stations at aligned intervals, verify depths, and ensure lids are flush with grade. They will record initial readings and schedule the first follow-up before they leave. Expect a clear handoff: how to avoid disturbing stations, who to call if you see swarmers or mud tubes, and when they’ll be back.
On a drywood fumigation, communication is critical. You should receive a checklist days in advance that covers bagging perishables in sealed fumigation bags, removing plants and pets, unlocking interior doors, and arranging gas shutoff where required. On the day, the crew seals the structure carefully, monitors gas levels with proper equipment, and posts notices. After aeration, they test for clearance before you reenter. The company should provide a clearance certificate.
How to check references without getting a curated list
Online reviews help, but they skew toward extremes. Ask for references specific to termite work, not general pest control. Better yet, ask for two: one recent job and one that is at least a year old. Call both. On the older job, ask whether the company honored its warranty and whether any callbacks were handled promptly. On the recent job, ask about cleanliness, communication, and whether the final invoice matched the proposal.
If you can, talk to a local real estate agent or home inspector who sees many termite letters and treatment reports. They will know which pest control companies are thorough on clearance letters and which cut corners.
Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
I see the same mistakes repeatedly:
Homeowners accept a “general pest” spray for subterranean termites because it is cheap and quick. It does nothing meaningful for termites and can give a false sense of security. Focus your dollars on methods that target the termite biology at the source.
Contractors skip interior slab penetrations because access is awkward. Kitchens and bathrooms are often where plumbing penetrates, and those are precisely the places that need careful treatment. If a contractor avoids drilling near tile, discuss alternative access or protective drilling methods, but do not settle for omission.
Bait stations are installed and then neglected. The beauty of bait is in the follow-up. If service consistency is weak, bait becomes a set of plastic lids in your lawn. Demand a service schedule and hold the company to it.
Drywood spot treatments are sold for widespread infestations because tenting is disruptive. Spot work can be excellent for small, confirmed areas, but it cannot reach hidden galleries across a structure. If your inspection shows scattered activity in multiple rooms, a whole-structure approach is prudent.
The warranty renewal becomes an automatic bill without actual inspection. If you are paying a renewal, make sure it buys a visit and a written report. Ask the technician to show you their findings each year, even if all is clear.
A simple pre-hire checklist
- Confirm species and scope with a documented inspection that includes diagrams or photos. Verify licensing and insurance, and ask who exactly will perform the work. Get a written proposal that specifies methods, products, application details, and follow-up schedule. Read the warranty terms, including length, transferability, exclusions, and renewal fees. Compare at least two bids on scope first, price second, and ask questions about any discrepancies.
How your behavior supports long-term control
Termite control is a partnership. The exterminator service handles the technical application, but homeowner habits influence pressure. Keep soil and mulch a few inches below siding. Fix grading so water drains away from the foundation. Repair leaking spigots and downspouts that discharge at the base of the wall. Store firewood off the ground and away from the house. If you are planning renovations, loop in your pest control contractor early. Adding a slab or a porch without planning for termite breaks creates bridges that treatments must address later at greater cost.
In areas with heavy pressure, consider long-term monitoring even after a successful soil treatment. A combined approach, with a treated zone and bait stations, provides both a barrier and a detection system. For new construction or major remodels, discuss pre-treatment options or physical barriers with your contractor. Stainless steel mesh and graded stone layers at slab penetrations are not common in existing homes, but in new builds, they reduce future risk.
Reading labels and asking the right product questions
You don’t need to be a chemist, but you should know what active ingredient will be used on your property. Ask for the product name and the active. Look it up on the manufacturer’s website and read the label summary. Not all actives behave the same. Non-repellents are favored for subterraneans because termites cannot detect them and will continue to forage through treated soil, sharing the dose. Repellents can be useful in limited settings but are more likely to create gaps if the application is not perfect.
Ask about dilution rates and label-required volumes per linear foot or per hole. The answers should be matter-of-fact. Vague responses like “we use the good stuff” do not inspire confidence. For baits, ask about the bait toxicant and the monitoring protocol. Find out how they handle secondary pests like ants that can disrupt bait feeding.
When you need a specialist within the specialist
Some structures and scenarios call for more than standard playbooks. Historic homes with fragile plaster, houses with hydronic radiant heat in the slab, complex additions that knit together differently aged foundations, and properties with severe Formosan pressure in the Southeast or Gulf Coast benefit from contractors who have been there before. In those cases, you may want a pest control company that can show case studies or photos of similar jobs. It is reasonable to ask them to collaborate with your plumber to locate penetrations or your contractor to open selective access points.
I remember a radiant-heat bungalow where the usual interior drilling was a non-starter. The solution involved detailed pipe mapping, selective drilling of control joints, perimeter trenching where feasible, and augmenting with a dense bait perimeter. It took longer and cost more, but three follow-up inspections showed declining activity and no return after a year. A one-size plan would have risked a catastrophic leak.
The value of clear communication
The best exterminator service teams communicate what to expect, when to worry, and when not to. Termite work rarely gives instant visual satisfaction. Mud tubes may remain even after the colony is collapsing. It can take weeks to see a drop in activity. A clear communication plan sets check points and metrics. For bait, that might be consumption rates and station hits. For soil treatments, it might be absence of new tubes and inactive monitors after a month.
Insist on a simple summary after each visit. What was checked, what was found, and what is next. Over time, these notes become part of your home’s history and help future contractors or buyers understand what has been done.
Putting it all together
Choosing a pest control contractor for termites is less about buying a product and more about hiring a team that investigates, documents, applies, and follows up with discipline. Look for evidence of thoughtful inspection. Ground the conversation in the biology of the species on your property. Demand specificity on methods and materials. Read the warranty with a skeptic’s eye. Expect professionalism in the field, not just in the sales meeting. Support the work with sensible home maintenance that reduces moisture and soil contact.
Do this well, and you end up with more than a treatment. You gain a partner who protects the most expensive thing you own from a pest you cannot see, with work you can trust even when it is hidden under slabs and behind walls. That peace of mind is the real product a good pest control contractor sells, and it comes from experience, not a sprayer and a logo.
Clements Pest Control Services Inc
Address: 8600 Commodity Cir Suite 159, Orlando, FL 32819
Phone: (407) 277-7378
Website: https://www.clementspestcontrol.com/central-florida