Costs
Termite treatment cost 2026
A liquid barrier for a typical house often costs $1,200–$2,500. A bait system is usually $1,500–$3,500 to install, then $300–$500 a year to watch. Tent fumigation for drywood work runs $1,500–$8,000 or more.
An inspection at $75–$300 is a report, not a treatment. See [termite inspection cost](/costs/termite-inspection-cost/). Typical US ranges, not a bid.
Key takeaways
- Compare five years, not day one. Bait looks similar to install, then the yearly monitoring adds up.
- A WDO inspection is a document. It does not put product in the soil.
- Liquid is a soil job for subterranean termites. A tent is a drywood job. Those are different invoices.
- A store kit along the baseboard is not a subterranean treatment.
- Ask species, method, linear feet, slab drilling, and what they do if activity returns.
Kentucky: liquids and baits are both licensed work. A mailbox post is a possible exception. A house with galleries in the wood is not.
Day one vs five years
| Job | Typical US range | What you are buying |
|---|---|---|
| WDO / termite inspection | $75–$300 | A report. No product in the ground |
| Liquid barrier | $1,200–$2,500 | A treated zone around a typical ~2,000 sq ft house |
| Bait stations | $1,500–$3,500 install | Stations, then often $300–$500 a year to monitor |
| Tent fumigation (drywood) | $1,500–$8,000+ | Whole-structure fumigant. Lodging and plants are extra |
Liquid is mostly paid on day one. Bait is paid again every year you keep the stations. Add five years of monitoring before you call bait cheaper.
Finished slabs that need drilling, wells, and a long bonded warranty push the top. Wood repair is often a carpenter bid, not the pest paper. Ask which.
Kentucky: take your time. Termites eat slowly. A same-day special is a reason to get a second look. Spot treatments without a warranty are a gamble because the colony forages in more than one direction.
The kit on the shelf
Kentucky: consumer products at the store will seldom clear a colony already in the structure. Prevention and monitors exist. They do not replace a soil termiticide, a bait system, or a tent when the wood is already hollow.
Log tubes or indoor wings in the sighting log before you paint. Confirm the insect on signs of termites. Spring flight timing: when do termites swarm. Homeowner limits live on how to get rid of termites. Size the job in the estimator. Two local bids should name species, method, linear feet, and what happens next year. Contact for a referral path.