Ready to take the plunge and start your own pest control business? Keeping spaces pest-free is a rewarding opportunity that can become a profitable venture. 

Before you dive in, however, you’ll want to get an idea of pest control business start-up costs. While your location, company size, and services can all affect your starting costs, you can expect to spend an average of $12,272 to open a new pest control company. 

We’ll walk you through the ins and outs of how much it costs to start a pest control business, including how to save money and price your services to earn a profit in your first year. Let’s get started.

What to buy as a pest control start-up and average costs (2024)

New pest control businesses should plan to invest in these essential tools and equipment:

Safety equipment

Two employees from Canadian pest control company Action Pest pose in their safety gear. (Source)

One of your top priorities is safety, so plan to invest in protective gear. Here’s a look at some essential protective items and their estimated costs: 

• Gloves: $5 to $30 per pair
• Respirators: $15 to $40 each
• Steel-toe boots: $35 to $100 per pair
• Coveralls or Tyvek suits: $10 to $200 each
• Helmets: $35 to $80 each
• Safety goggles: $10 to $15 each
• Ear protection: $10 to $30 each

This personal protective equipment is essential to protect your technicians from exposure to hazardous chemicals, pest-borne illnesses, and bites or stings.

Application equipment

Between sprayers and traps, you’ll also need a wide range of application equipment to tackle pest control jobs.

• Backpack sprayers: $75 to $300 each

• Bait stations: $10 to $100 each

• Fly traps: $5 to $20 each

• Dusters: $20 to $35 each

Pricing for application equipment depends on the quality, with DIY-friendly applicators costing less than professional-grade equipment.

Transportation

Branded vehicles are an eye-catching and fun way to attract new customers. (Source)

Used trucks or vans cost much less than new models and are often a better initial investment. Here’s a quick look at the base prices for a few different types of trucks and vans:

• 2024 Chevy Colorado: $29,500
• 2024 Dodge RAM 1500: $37,343
• 2007 Toyota Tacoma: $3,606
• 2020 Ford F-150: $22,584
• 2023 Ford Transit Connect: $34,100
• 2012 Nissan NV 2500HD S: $16,995

You can also brand your vehicle by adding a car wrap. Costs for car wraps range from $1,800 to $10,000, and your final price depends on the size of your car and the type of wrap you choose. 

While a vehicle and branding are a large investment, keep in mind that transportation is necessary to reach a larger service area, while branded vehicles help get the word out about your business.

Licenses, certifications, and insurance

The types of licenses you need to start a pest control business depend on your location. Some states require not only a pest control business license but also special certifications and local permits for each of your technicians.

Some examples of required pest control licenses and state-specific costs include:

• Virginia pesticide business license: $150 annually
• Florida pest control business license: $300 plus $10 for each employee ID card
• Oregon commercial pesticide applicator: $50 per year

You’ll also need a few different types of insurance to protect your business and employees. Here are some average costs:

• General liability insurance: $805 per year
• Professional liability insurance: $735 per year
• Commercial vehicle insurance: $600 to $2,400 per year

Your business insurance costs vary based on your type of business, revenue, number of employees, location, and plan coverage and deductibles.

Marketing materials

Branded uniforms spread the word about your company and create a professional image. (Source)

Investing in pest control marketing helps you land new business. Some common marketing materials and their average costs include:

• Branded work shirts: $30 to $90 each for an order of 20
• Business cards: $25.99 for 500
• Website: $1,000 to $48,000
• Paid ads: $9.39 per click or $45.60 per lead, on average

You should also invest in optimizing local business listings. This means your pest control business shows up in map search results when potential customers search for pest control services near them.

Pest control software

GorillaDesk pest control software helps you deliver exceptional customer experiences. (Source)

Tracking finances and chemical usage by hand may seem like a good way to save money, but remember: your time is money. Using pest control software allows you to automate tasks, freeing up your time so you can complete more jobs and earn more profit.

Software like GorillaDesk is made for pest control business owners and offers features to optimize scheduling, routes, and invoicing. GorillaDesk plans start at $539 per year for one service route.

Total estimated costs for starting a pest control business

Your total costs for starting a pest control company depend on your business size and location, licensing fees, equipment, and other factors. 

Here’s how pest control start-up costs break down, from largest to smallest:

• Working capital: 41% covers day-to-day operations like employee salaries and administrative expenses

• Marketing: 27% includes advertising efforts like paid ads, business cards, and a website

• Vehicle and storage: 9% includes a branded car wrap and storage for pest control supplies

• Licenses, certifications, and insurance: 9% ensures you can legally operate your business and protects you from legal action, property damage, and more

• Rent: 5% includes office space rental fees

• Starting inventory: 4% includes your pest control chemicals

• Equipment: 4% includes safety equipment and applicators, pest control software, and office equipment

• Training: 1% covers training expenses like door-to-door sales or chemical safety

Alternatively, you can choose to start a pest control franchise, which can cost anywhere from $50,000 to $250,000 for an initial investment. Or you can implement some strategies to reduce your initial investment.

7 ways to streamline costs as a pest control start-up

Starting a new business can feel like you’re trying to outrun an avalanche of expenses. Some expenses, like marketing, are worth investing in immediately to gain long-term rewards. Other expenses, like equipment, can be trimmed to save on upfront costs.

To keep your pest control business start-up costs under control, start small. Prioritize necessary items, then as your business grows, you can reinvest your profits and purchase more advanced equipment or add new employees and services. 

Here are seven strategies you can use to get the most bang for your buck:

1. Use pest control software to operate efficiently

GorillaDesk scheduling features help you optimize your team’s routes and tackle emergency jobs without breaking a sweat. (Source)

Pest control software like GorillaDesk may seem like a luxury, but don’t be fooled. GorillaDesk helps optimize your day-to-day operations so you can save on costs, take on more jobs, and get paid on time.

• Optimized scheduling and routing helps you prioritize jobs based on technician availability, proximity, and traffic conditions. This reduces travel time and fuel costs—and it ensures your technicians arrive on time, every time.
• Automated invoices and billing keep customers notified of payment due dates, reducing the number of follow-ups you have to send manually. Automated invoices also help you get paid on time, which keeps your cash flow, well, flowing.
• Automated review and rating requests check in with customers after service is complete. Reviews give you valuable insight into how customers feel about your services—and they can draw in new customers when shared online.
• In-the-field chemical tracking helps you stay compliant while avoiding inaccurate records. Additionally, GorillaDesk includes inventory management features so you can keep supply restock costs under control.

GorillaDesk also helps you manage customer relationships—no sticky notes or Rolodex required. Let customers pay online using the customer portal or send a quick update to remind them of an upcoming appointment.

2. Purchase cost-effective application equipment and traps

Skip the high-end models and opt for basic equipment that still meets safety standards. This Field King 4-gallon backpack sprayer costs almost $350 less than this high-end backpack sprayer from FlowZone, but it still gets the job done.

You can also keep your equipment purchases focused on the items you need to provide more general pest management services to homeowners. For example, Reddit user ItsBugsOrUsFranchise noted they focused on common pest problems and didn’t offer services for pest infestations, which requires specialized equipment, or treatments such as termites or bed bugs.

3. Opt for basic safety gear

While you don’t want to create dangerous situations for your technicians, you can save money by choosing basic safety gear. 

For respirators, you might save by choosing half-masks instead of options that cover your entire face. ULINE offers half-face respirators that start at $40, while its full-face respirators start at $680. 

Keep in mind that you need a NIOSH-approved respirator to safely apply, mix, or load pesticides.

4. Choose used equipment

This electric fogger costs less when bought used on Amazon. (Source)

Used or refurbished equipment is an excellent way to save. Companies going out of business or upgrading their inventory may sell old equipment on sites like Facebook Marketplace or eBay. Amazon also sells used and refurbished equipment—just make sure the shipping fee doesn’t turn a great deal into a not-so-great deal.

5. Attract new customers with marketing

Local SEO is often a good initial marketing investment that helps your pest control business show up in local search results. (Source)

Help customers discover you while staying under budget by focusing on a few marketing strategies to start. Find out where potential customers are searching for pest control services, such as social media or online business listings like Yelp, and start there.

Stand out in the inbox: Connect with both new and existing customers using these 17 local business email templates.

6. Start solo and from home

Instead of sinking money into office space or a dedicated truck, consider working out of your home. This will allow you to save the money that would’ve gone toward office rent and put it toward a branded vehicle or website instead. 

There are benefits to running a business out of your own home, but make sure you understand how to set up your tax accounts, secure funding, and structure your small business before you start.

7. Obtain minimum required licenses

You need a business license to operate legally, but you can still reduce costs by getting only the licenses and certifications you need now.

For example, Washington requires different license types based on your pest control business and the type of pesticides you use. If you’re not applying pesticides to commercial properties, you can skip the $250 license application fee.

How to price your pest control services in your first year of business

In your first year, the key is to set sustainable pest control prices that are competitive enough to build a client base. Once you gain experience and build a reputation, you can optimize your pricing for higher profits.

Step 1: Determine your baseline costs

Start by determining your baseline costs. Add up your operational expenses, service costs, and equipment costs to find the minimum amount you need to charge per job to break even.

Step 2: Factor in your target profit margin

Decide how much pest control business profit margin you’re comfortable making. Typically, new businesses aim for 7% to 10%. Add this profit amount to your baseline costs to find your initial pricing. 

Step 3: Research market rates

Before you call it good to go, look at competing pest control companies in your area to see what they charge for similar services. You want to offer competitive prices, but you don’t want to undercut too much.

Undercutting can signal to customers that your services are lower quality. It can also have long-term repercussions by making customers more averse to rising prices when you try to optimize your pricing later on.

Step 4: Offer service packages

Look for ways to bundle similar services together or offer multiple service visits as a package. This approach encourages customers to sign longer contracts that provide you with recurring revenue.

Step 5: Start low and test pricing strategies

Keep a close eye on your job costs, profits, customer feedback, and local market. You may need to test different pricing strategies, including special offers and referral discounts, and adjust your prices along the way to find and stick with that sweet spot for competitiveness and profitability.

Launch your pest control start-up with minimal costs

Starting a new business inevitably comes with a list of expenses, but smart moves can keep you closer to—or under—the average pest control business start-up cost of $12,272.

Investing money in a few must-have tools, like GorillaDesk’s customer relationship management software, saves you time and money in the long run. With GorillaDesk, you can streamline your operations and spend more time in the field instead of in the office juggling spreadsheets and invoices.

Start your 14-day free trial today and find out why GorillaDesk is such a valuable investment for boosting customer loyalty and operational efficiency.