How much does it cost to get rid of termites in Virginia?

Reviewed by Irene Pomares remodeling expert. Written by Fixr.com.

Termites threaten homeowners across the country and have a presence in every state except Alaska. In Virginia, homeowners must remain aware of the potential for termite infestations because subterranean termites, the primary type of termite found in Virginia, is incredibly destructive, particularly when left alone to breed, grow colonies, and eat wood. Subterranean termites may infest property and destroy it before any obvious signs of infestation appear.

The most common types of termites found in Virginia are the Eastern subterranean termite and the Formosan termite, which hide underground to do their damage. Treating termites in Virginia costs $325 to $1,280 for a 2,500 sq.ft. home. Virginia homeowners can expect an overall average cost of $560, which covers a liquid treatment surrounding a 2,500 sq.ft. house. For small jobs, a homeowner might pay around $260, which should cover a basic inspection and a barrier treatment around a garage. More expensive jobs, such as full house tenting with a heat treatment and a barrier treatment around the property, should cost around $7,000 for homeowners with a 2,500 sq.ft. house.

Termite Treatment Cost in Virginia

Tent vs No Tent Termite Treatment Cost in Virginia

Treating termites takes one of two forms: tent treatment or tentless treatment. In Virginia, most homeowners need tentless treatments to eliminate their subterranean termites. The cost for tentless treatment in Virginia ranges from $3.25 to $17.25 per linear foot. Nationwide, that cost is slightly lower at $3 to $16 per linear foot. Tent-free treatments include soil treatments, liquid termiticides, spot treatments, and bait traps. Some exterminators even use orange oil or heat treatments without tenting the entire house to deliver the treatment.

If a Virginia homeowner decides to tent their home, the cost ranges between $1.10 and $3.25 per sq.ft. The cost in Virginia is just a little higher than the nationwide average of $1 to $3 per sq.ft. A homeowner that finds an infestation of rare West Indian powderpost termites or drywood termites may decide to tent the home. Tenting is a process where the entire structure is sealed with huge plastic tarps. For the next few days after sealing the structure, the termite company delivers heat or chemicals into the home, killing all of the termites. Tenting even kills other pests that may be present in the home.

Termite Treatment Cost in Virginia per Square Foot

Termite control companies price their tenting treatments by the square foot, usually measured by the size of the home. Costs range from $1.10 to $3.25 per sq.ft. That means a 1,000 sq.ft. house would cost $1,100 to $3,250. A 3,000 sq.ft. house would cost between $3,300 and $9,750. Houses in Virginia range from small cottages constructed in the 1800s to large homes around 2,500 sq.ft. built in the past few decades. The costs for Virginia homes are a little above the nation’s average because of the higher cost of living in the state. The guide below shows costs for many home sizes. You can also multiply the actual size of your home by the cost per square foot to find your estimated cost.

Termite Treatment Cost in Virginia per Linear Foot

When a termite treatment company treats termites without a tent in Virginia, they will price the job by linear feet, a measure of width and length. The cost for Virginia homeowners ranges between $3.25 and $17.25 per linear foot, a little higher than the national average of $3 to $16 per linear foot. Costs are just a little higher in Virginia for various services than the nationwide average because of the state’s higher cost of living.

Property sizes vary in Virginia. The cost may be as little as $325 for 100 linear feet or as much as $6,900 for 400 linear feet. The number of linear feet helps the termite company figure out how much product they must bring to the job and how much it will cost. If your termite company will use liquid treatments or bait traps, they will use linear feet to determine how many treatments and bait traps are required for the overall treatment area.

Average Cost of Termite Treatment in Virginia by Frequency

A termite contract may make sense for some termite treatment plans. Subterranean termites, for example, the most common type of termite in Virginia, usually require multiple treatments, which means the exterminator might need to arrange for monthly or quarterly visits to renew bait traps and check on the status of spot treatments. Drywood termite treatment may benefit from a yearly visit to maintain a termite-free environment after tenting. In such cases, a termite treatment contract might offer a small savings on the overall price. Costs range from a low of $190 for a contract with a single yearly visit up to $965 for monthly visits. Contracts are not required. If a homeowner wants a single visit, the cost ranges from $210 to $515.

Virginia Termite Treatment Cost by Severity of Infestation

Termite colonies continue to grow until they are eradicated or run out of food and need to migrate to a new home. When caught early, a Virginia homeowner might pay between $265 and $1,290 for a small infestation. If an infestation is left to grow for many years, the cost increases to between $1,290 and $7,000. Those figures do not include the potential repairs the house might need when it has been impacted by a severe infestation. Unfortunately, subterranean termite colonies are difficult to detect when they are small because they live underground and rarely emerge except during spring and summer swarming seasons.

Small infestations do not usually result in significant damage to the home. You might only notice a few wings on a wooden surface somewhere on the property. An infestation that reaches medium status features some damage to the home and the presence of things like mud tubes along the ground or floor level. When an infestation reaches the large or severe stage, damage to the home is quite apparent with problems like sagging support timbers, piles of wood shavings, and walls that take on a damp appearance.

Average Cost of Termite Treatment in Virginia Type of Termite

Virtually all termite infestations in Virginia are subterranean termite infestations. The exact type found in Virginia is the Eastern subterranean termite. Still, some homes are attacked by Formosan termites, another extremely destructive type of subterranean termite. Treating subterranean termites in Virginia costs between $270 and $1,625. Treatment companies use spot and tentless treatments to fight their underground colonies.

Homeowners in Virginia do not need to worry about drywood termites, but when found, drywood termites cost between $1,080 and $7,000 to treat. Drywood termites generally require tenting for eradication. Tenting is the costliest type of termite treatment. It is very effective, and the results usually last for a long time, so treating drywood termites is only required every five to ten years.

Powderpost termites are another type of termite found in moist areas around the coastlines of the United States. They are not native to Virginia, but they may arrive by truck after they form a colony on a piece of wood furniture that is delivered to a home in the state. Their colonies are small, but they can spread to other wood in the home when introduced, which may require a combination of tenting or tentless treatments for eradication. The cost to eradicate powderpost termites varies from $270 to $7,000.

Termite Inspection Cost in Virginia

Termite inspections in Virginia are affordable at $75 to $150. They are also one of the most effective methods of preventing a severe infestation. Subterranean termites are very difficult to find when they are underground in their colonies. The colonies may grow for several years without detection when a homeowner fails to get termite inspections. Inspections should occur at least once a year, and the process should only take a few hours to complete. Some termite contracts come with courtesy inspections. Some companies waive the inspection fee when the homeowner signs up for a treatment plan.

During the inspection, the termite professional looks in every nook and cranny around the home and investigates the ground level outside of the home. Evidence of termites may be visible around the foundation of the home or in piles of decayed or old wood in the yard. The inspector may look at the attic or basement and through all the closets, cabinets, and storage areas.

Signs of Termites in Virginia

Subterranean termites, the most common type in Virginia, leave several calling cards that announce their presence. The most obvious sign is when they swarm, leaving wings and dead bodies in the area. You will see swarming in the spring, summer, and sometimes fall. Other signs include mud tubes, sometimes called shelter tubes, which start to appear near the wooden parts of the home and at the foundation. Sometimes, termites leave evidence via holes made in wood that lead to their colonies. If you break one of their mud tubes, you might see live termites running around. Sometimes, you may even hear termites eating the wood in your home.

If a homeowner encounters drywood termites, the first signs generally include discarded wings during swarming activity, just like subterranean termites. Further evidence of drywood termites includes wood that sounds hollow when you knock on it and wood shavings on the floor below areas where the termites feed on wood. Evidence of powderpost termites is similar to drywood termites. Wood shavings may appear on the floor around things like wooden furniture, and various wooden items in the home may start to look unusually aged or damaged.

How Often Should You Treat for Termites in Virginia?

It is important to treat termites as soon as an infestation is found and for as long as it takes to eradicate them from the property. Whether the termite infestation is minor or severe, it will always get worse with time. Termites never go away on their own, so treating them is essential. Regarding the frequency of treatments, monthly or quarterly treatments may help when the exterminator uses bait traps. Quarterly and yearly visits are often helpful for liquid treatments. At the very least, all homeowners should get a yearly inspection even if they do not require treatments.

How to Prevent Termites in Virginia

One of the most common mistakes homeowners make in protecting their home against termites is forgetting to clean the yard. It is essential to remove any decaying wood from the yard and place wood piles well away from the outside perimeter of the home. Subterranean termites travel underground to find new locations for colonies. They will move progressively closer to the home if there are piles of wood along the way to fuel their advance.

Adding a layer of gravel around the foundation of the home helps prevent infestations. Some Virginians also report success with a pine straw barrier. Homeowners can even have their exterminator put a liquid termiticide in the ground. Even if termites are not found, this acts as a preventative measure. Keeping a clean house is important for ensuring that termites cannot hide in the debris and are detectable as soon as possible when they invade.

Additional Considerations and Costs

• DIY. Homeowners can use do-it-yourself bait traps filled with insecticides to deal with termites, but it is best to leave infestations to the professionals. Subterranean termites are quite difficult to conquer without professional tools.
• Season. Termites may announce their presence during spring and summer when they swarm, but they grow their colonies and destroy homes all year. Just because you do not see termites does not mean they are not actively eating your home.
• Insurance. A homeowners insurance policy won’t cover termite treatments. Pest control is handled by the homeowner. Pest control is considered routine maintenance rather than a problem that requires an insurance claim to fix.
• Warranty. A termite inspection can confirm termites do not currently exist on a property, but that does not mean they will not at some point. For new houses, a termite warranty might exist if the builders used pre-construction treatments to protect the home.
• Pre-construction treatment. Pre-construction treatments or “pre-treats” are methods used to prevent termites during construction. Termite and construction companies can handle these pre-treats, which keeps properties termite-free for a few years.
• Termite companies in Virginia. Finding a termite treatment company in Virginia is easy because termites are a problem in Virginia. Homeowners can work with nationwide termite exterminators or local, small business termite companies.
• Repairing termite damage. Some homeowners may experience additional costs from repairing the home after treating termites. Severe infestations may result in unstable structural timbers or damage to wooden items like wood piles, fences, and furniture.
• Termite bonds. A termite bond is an option for homeowners who want a guarantee that the termite company will treat any new termites that appear after the initial treatment period. A bond is essentially an insurance policy against future infestations.