Home / Pest control
Hiring a pest control company: what to check first
License, permit, inspection. Three checks that take a few minutes and tell you most of what you need to know before work starts. Pick your city for the local details.
Calls are answered by an independent provider that serves your ZIP code. You decide whether to hire.
- Answered by a local provider
- Matched to your ZIP code
- Hiring is your decision
Guides by city
- Nashville, TNDavidson County
- Chattanooga, TNHamilton County
- Murfreesboro, TNRutherford County
- Franklin, TNWilliamson County
- Brentwood, TNWilliamson County
- Lebanon, TNWilson County
- Huntsville, ALMadison County
- Birmingham, ALJefferson County
- Montgomery, ALMontgomery County
- Decatur, ALMorgan County
- Auburn, ALLee County
- Opelika, ALLee County
- Prattville, ALAutauga County
Questions to ask before you hire
- What is your state charter or permit number? It should match the truck.
- Can I see the applicator's certification card?
- What exactly will be applied, and where?
- What does the guarantee cover, and for how long?
- Is there a yearly inspection charge after the first treatment?
Problems and costs, explained
Fleas in the houseThe fleas you see on a pet are a small part of the problem. The rest are in the carpet and the bedding, waiting to hatch.
Signs of bed bugsMost people look at their skin first. The EPA's advice is to look at the bed instead.
Signs of termitesTermites are found in two ways: someone sees a swarm, or someone pushes a screwdriver into wood that should be solid.- Termite treatment: what drives the costTermite quotes differ on method and on what happens after the first treatment. The second part is where most of the money is.
Termite inspection: what you are paying forAn inspection is either a service you pay for or the first step of a sales visit. Both can be fine, as long as you know which one you booked.
Squirrels in the atticSquirrels in an attic are a hole problem before they are an animal problem. The order you deal with the two matters.- Raccoon in the atticA raccoon in the attic is heavy, strong and usually a mother with young. It is not a job for a broom and a flashlight.
- Mice in the wallsThe scratching in the wall is the easy part to notice. The hole the size of a dime, somewhere outside, is the part that matters.
Pest control: what you are paying forThe first question is not the price. It is whether you are buying one treatment or a year of visits.- Roaches in the houseRoaches need water, food and a warm gap to hide in. Take away two of the three and treatment starts to work.
Jobs people call about
- TermitesInspection, liquid soil treatments, bait systems and wood treatment. Ask what the guarantee covers.
- Bed bugsInspection first, then heat or chemical treatment, usually with a follow-up visit.
- RodentsMice and rats: finding the entry points, sealing them and trapping what is inside.
- Wildlife in the atticSquirrels, raccoons and bats: removal, then closing the way in once the animals are out.
- Roaches, ants and fleasTreatment plus the cleaning and sealing steps that keep them from coming back.
- Regular serviceScheduled visits. The EPA's view is that a contract should mean periodic inspections, with treatment only when pests are found.
About this site
Is ProDoorstep a pest control company?
No. ProDoorstep is a guide and a connection service. When you call, you are connected with an independent pest control provider that serves your ZIP code.
Who do I pay for the work?
The provider you hire. ProDoorstep does not perform work, set prices or collect payment for jobs.
How do I check a company's credentials?
Ask for the state charter or permit number and call the state agriculture department named on this page. The EPA notes licenses can be verified that way.
Do I have to sign a yearly contract?
No. Ask for the price of a single treatment and for the contract terms in writing, and compare.
Talk to a local pest control company
One call. You describe the job, and the provider that serves your ZIP code takes it from there.