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

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

Termites cause hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of damage to homes throughout the United States each year. They are a fierce adversary for homeowners in Texas. Termite infestations left to grow for years can completely destroy a house and create an unlivable environment. Why are termites so damaging? They eat wood, which means a substantial portion of the average house is vulnerable to these destructive insects. In most termite infestations in Texas, homeowners see Formosan subterranean termites, native subterranean termites, or southeastern drywood termites.

Treating termite infestations in Texas normally costs between $290 and $1,150. The average cost to treat a case of termites in Texas is approximately $500, which includes a liquid treatment around the exterior of a 2,500 sq.ft. home. For small treatment jobs, the cost is around $230 for a small property. For comprehensive termite eradication that might involve full-house tenting and a barrier treatment, Texans should expect to pay approximately $6,250 for a 2,500 sq.ft. home.

Cost of Termite Treatment in Texas

Tent vs No Tent Termite Treatment in Texas Cost

Termite treatments in Texas typically take one of two forms: tent or tentless. Tenting a house is when the exterminator covers the entire house with a large tent and seals it. The house is then flooded with a chemical or heat treatment, which kills the termites and other invasive and annoying species of insects. In some cases, a termite contractor might decide that tenting is not necessary and that tentless treatments like barrier treatments, spot treatments, and bait traps can treat the problem.

The cost in Texas to tent a house is $0.96 to $2.90 per sq.ft. The national average ranges from $1 to $3 per sq.ft. For tentless treatments, the cost in Texas ranges from $2.90 to $15.40 per linear foot. The nationwide average for tentless treatments is $3 to $16 per linear foot. The severity of the termite infestation is an important factor in which option offers the best results. However, both options are common in Texas. Homeowners may choose tentless treatments when they cannot risk the inconvenience of tenting, which requires the family to vacate the property for days.

Termite Tenting in Texas

In Texas, the cost to tent a house is based on the square footage of the home and ranges from $0.96 to $2.90. Costs are slightly less than the national average of $1 to $3 per sq.ft. because Texas has a relatively affordable cost of living. Most exterminators consider tenting for termites the most effective treatment for drywood termites. Tenting virtually always eradicates the problem, and the treatment lasts several years. Another benefit of tenting is that the results are instant, as long as the homeowner is willing to vacate the home for the duration of the treatment.

Termite Treatment Without Tenting in Texas

Costs for various tentless treatments in Texas range from $2.90 to $15.40 per linear foot. The national average sits at $3 to $16 per linear foot. Termite contractors have many options for tentless termite treatments. A typical treatment visit may include multiple types. Methods include liquid termiticides around the perimeter, micro-treatments in affected areas, bait systems, and barrier control systems. When a homeowner and their contractor decide on a tentless termite treatment plan, treatments often include multiple types. The contractor might place a liquid perimeter and conduct micro-treatments around the property. Tentless termite treatments are commonly used for subterranean termite infestations.

Cost of Termite Treatment in Texas per Square Foot

The average cost for termite treatment in Texas ranges from $0.96 to $2.90 per sq.ft. Overall, prices range from a low of $960 for a 1,000 sq.ft. cottage to a high of $11,600 for a large 4,000 sq.ft. house. The average house size in Texas is just under 2,500 sq.ft. However, that figure is influenced heavily by new construction. Older homes routinely sit around 1,500 to 1,700 sq.ft. The cost for termite treatment in Texas depends heavily on the size of the home. You can estimate your potential costs for termite treatments by multiplying the square footage of your home by the average cost of treatment.

Average Cost of Termite Treatment in Texas per Linear Foot

The cost for termite treatments per linear foot in Texas is $2.90 to $15.40 and is $3 to $16 nationwide. When selecting a tentless treatment option, your termite contractor will price the job according to the total linear feet required to treat the area. Calculating linear feet means measuring the total length of the treatment area and dividing it by 12. So, if your contractor treats a 144-foot perimeter around a house with liquid treatments, you are treating 12 linear feet.

Texas’s lower cost of living means average treatments cost less. Overall, treatments per linear foot will start at $290 for 100 linear feet and increase to $6,160 for 400 linear feet. If your house is relatively new and you notice the first tell-tale signs of an infestation, you might treat the termites with a tentless option. If you have subterranean termites, you will also use tentless treatments. You commonly see tentless applications included as part of routine treatment plans.

Termite Treatment Cost in Texas by Frequency

One valuable option for Texas homeowners is the termite treatment contract, which helps you keep termites away from your home. Termite contracts cost from $170 on the low end for a yearly contract to $865 for a monthly contract. The Gulf Coast region of Texas is the most vulnerable to termite infestations, so it’s an option to consider if you live in a city like Houston, Galveston, or Corpus Christi. If you decide to tent your house, a yearly contract that will allow your termite company to inspect your property helps you get the most out of your tenting by making sure the termites do not return. A quarterly contract is an excellent idea when your contractor places bait traps. If you have a severe infestation that requires extensive treatment, a monthly contract with frequent visits could offer the best results.

Termite Treatment Cost in Texas by Size of Infestation

One statistic suggests that houses in Texas have a 70 percent chance of being attacked at one point or another by termites. Unfortunately, it is difficult to identify when termites have invaded a home because they often hide under the ground or within the timbers of your home. Infestations vary from small with just a single small colony to severe, where the entire structure of your home is under threat from termites. The cost for treatment usually starts at $240 for a small infestation and increases to $6,265 for a severe infestation.

You may notice several signs indicating that you have a termite infestation. Knowing those signs helps you avoid reaching a severe level of infestation. If you ever see termite wings on the floor or termite droppings around any of the wood in your home, you could have a small or medium termite infestation. By the time you start to see wood swelling and significant damage to the wood in your home, you are experiencing a severe infestation and require help immediately.

Average Termite Treatment Cost in Texas by Type of Termite

Treating different types of termites in Texas ranges from $240 on the low side for subterranean and Formosan termites to a high of $6,250 for drywood termites and some severe infestations of Formosan termites. Formosan termites are considered a third kind of termite in Texas because of how common they are. Also, they are one of the most aggressive and are considered to be a type of subterranean termite. Nationally, those figures range from $250 to $6,500. Although they are present in other states, dampwood termites are not normally a concern for Texas homeowners. However, you will find those insects in other termite hotspots like Florida and California. Unfortunately, Texas is home to destructive and invasive Formosan termites. According to data from Texas A&M, the termites are an incredibly fierce adversary for Texas homeowners.

Formosan termites feast in every season while other termites slow down when they are not feeding young. They have been known to chew through non-cellulose (wood) materials like soft metals and plastics. Treating non-invasive subterranean termites usually requires a variety of tentless termite treatments. Meanwhile, drywood termites are often fought with tenting. That is why you see higher rates for drywood termite removal than subterranean termite removal.

Termite Inspection Cost in Texas

A termite inspection is one of the best ways to fight an infestation before it overwhelms your Texas home. Since most Texas homes will have termites eventually, a yearly inspection costing $75 to $150 is an excellent investment. A termite inspection should only take a few hours at most. The inspector looks closely at the interior and around the exterior of your home. If you sign a termite treatment contract, you will not pay another fee for an inspection since the contract already includes an inspection with each visit.

The inspector will look through your closets, inspect the baseboards, and examine the attic space. The inspector will look for small pieces of evidence of termites, like holes in wooden beams, termite droppings, or other severe signs like warped and rotting wood. You will receive a recommendation for treatment based on the inspection results. If there is any evidence of an infestation, swift action is recommended to prevent it from spreading.

Signs of Termites in Texas

In between your yearly inspections, watch for evidence of termites. You might find evidence of termites during the swarming season, which lasts from February to May for subterranean termites. Drywood termites typically swarm at night in the late spring. You might see disembodied wings during swarming season, which is a sign termites have invaded your home. Also, keep an eye out for other physical evidence, like droppings on the floor near baseboards. If you notice warped wood or the walls starting to crack, you could have a severe infestation.

How Often Should You Treat for Termites in Texas?

Termite treatment schedules depend on the type of treatment you choose. When you tent your house, you should not need to treat the home for at least five years. However, regular inspections after tenting are valuable. When your termite contractor employs various tentless treatments, you may want to arrange for more frequent visits than once a year. Quarterly visits for treatments are helpful when you have bait traps. If you receive spot treatments, you could benefit from a monthly contract, which helps you avoid a large infestation.

How to Prevent Termites in Texas

Unfortunately, there is no way to prevent termites completely in your Texas home. They are a pervasive insect and a menace you need to look out for regularly. The best way to prevent termites in Texas is to conduct regular searches of your home and hire an inspector to look at your home at least once a year. Termites are also lured by wood, so removing rotting or unused piles of wood near your home helps keep your home termite-free. It is also easier to see termites or evidence of them when your home is clean.

Enhancement and Improvement Costs

Termite Bond

A termite bond is a contract where a termite company agrees to treat your home when and if they find termites within the stated length of the contract. A termite bond helps you with a reinfestation of termites after your termite company performs a comprehensive termite treatment of your home. A termite bond is different from a monthly, quarterly, or yearly contract because a bond guarantees that the termites will be treated if they return. Expect to pay from $480 to $960 for a termite bond.

Additional Considerations and Costs

• Termite warranty in Texas. Do not assume that your home warranty includes termite coverage. You often only see termite coverage when you buy a new home and a warranty to go with it. The best option is a termite bond when you cannot get termite coverage under your home warranty.
• Insurance. It is important to understand that homeowners insurance does not include coverage for termites. Insurers consider insects and pest removal as a regular cost of home ownership. They do not insure for it. Getting your home inspected for termites yearly is a good substitute for insurance coverage.
• Season. Every season is termite season. While they are most visible when they swarm in the spring and summer (depending on the type of termite), these insects feast all year long on the timber in your home. Never assume you do not have termites because they are not swarming around you.
• DIY treatments. Diatomaceous earth and boric acid are suitable DIY options for treating termites. However, the best way to treat the home entirely is with a professional’s assistance due to their ability to tent the home and find hidden termites.