How Much Does Bat Removal Cost?

Bat Removal Cost Breakdown

Bat removal costs typically range from $500 to $1,500 for most homes, and generally don’t exceed $4,000. These prices are separate from most animal removal costs, as bats have specific methods and regulations surrounding their removal. 

Most professionals charge a flat rate for the removal process and will include everything from the materials to the labor. Most homes find bats in the attic, but bats can also live in crawl spaces and walls. 

But removal is just one step in the process. Each step has varying costs:

Sealed spaces of your home, like the attic and walls are incredibly appealing locations for females that need a warm, protected space to raise their young. Because an attic infestation often includes more than one bat, removal can be difficult and dangerous due to possible rabies exposure.

Bat Exclusion Cost

Bat exclusion is the humane method of removing bats from your home, which often entails one-way exits, sealing entrances and holes, and creating a less habitable location for the colony. Bat exclusion costs anywhere from $500 to $1,500 or more, depending on the colony's size, state laws, and accessibility. DIY exclusion kits run from $25 to $150. 

Some animal control services also deal with bats, but because of the specialized nature of the work, you’ll likely need to hire a bat removal specialist. The most common way to deal with bats is through exclusion, which removes the bats humanely and seals up any holes as small as a quarter of an inch. It’s a laborious process in difficult and dangerous conditions, which generally causes the average homeowner a bit of sticker shock when they see the estimate. 

Exclusion involves four steps:

1. Inspection: Inspect the location for entry points, colony size, and bat species. The pro uses this information to determine the best way to go about the process.

2. Exclusion installation: Pros use tubes, netting, and other tools to allow the pests to leave, but not get back in. They include the materials in your project price.

3. Promoting the colony to leave: Your pro might use harmless chemicals, light, or sound to encourage the colony to leave. Most simply wait for your furry flying pests to leave since they eat nightly.

4. Sealing the entries: The final step involves removing the exclusion tools and traps and sealing the entry points so they can’t get back in.

In addition to making your home less hospitable, it’s a great idea to provide the colony a bat house: it gives them a hospitable location away from your home while keeping the benefits of having the colony around your property. Handyperson costs run only $50 to $200 to hang a bat house.

Factors That Impact the Cost of Bat Infestation Removal

Bat removal services are highly specialized with unique licensing and liability costs. The professionals are typically well paid for enduring harsh conditions, specialized training, regular rabies boosters, and dealing with disease-spreading guano. 

Factors include:

• Number of bats

• Number of entry points

• How much cleanup you need

• Location of infestation and accessibility

• Damage

Location and Accessibility of Bat Infestation

The location of the colony plays a small role in bat exclusion costs. Most bat colonies exist in attics, walls, crawl spaces, barns, and other outbuildings. In almost all cases, bats prefer warm and safe locations, which makes accessibility an ongoing issue. 

While location plays a role, it’s on a case-by-case basis, making estimating location costs almost impossible. However, expect to pay less for easily accessed areas. Chimneys and walls tend to run higher than attics and barns since they are hard to both access and clean.

Size of the Bat Infestation and Number of Bat Entry Points

The size of your infestation plays the largest role in the final price. The average colony in a typical two-story home costs $1,000 to $5,000.

The larger the colony, the more entry points they make. The number of bat entry points increases the amount of time it takes to do a complete exclusion. Since each point requires either sealing or an exclusion device to keep them from returning, finding and setting each one up takes time.

Costs for colony sizes & entry points include:

• 1 bat with a single entry point: $200–$500

• 2–50 bats with multiple entry points: $500–$1,500

• 50–200+ bats and multiple entries: $1,500–$8,000

Attic Restoration

Restoring your attic costs anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 or more after you’ve excluded the pests and cleaned any guano. You’ll need to consider restoring the insulation and sometimes the wall and floor coverings.

• New attic insulation costs $1,700–$2,100

• Blown-in attic insulation costs $1,000–$2,300

• Installing drywall costs $1,000–$3,000

Providing an Alternative Bat Habitat

Bat houses cost $200 to $3,000, with labor adding another $100 to $500. However, you can save labor costs by hanging it yourself. Placing one of these human-made structures on your property, away from your home, gives these vital creatures an alternative roosting space. But a couple points to note before you call the handyperson:

• Effective some of the time: Bat houses only work about 35% of the time. The low success rate likely has to do with placement. While 35% isn’t great, it’s still better than zero. 

• Place them properly: Install them at least 100 feet from your home and at least 12 feet high. Talk to a specialist to optimize placement even if you hang it yourself. 

• Relocate instead of exterminating: If rabies or other diseases aren’t an issue, consider this a way to promote natural insect control.

Other Pests

Where you find bats, you might also run into other issues like raccoons, rats, and termites, which often make holes that bats take advantage of to get into your home. You might also get a flea infestation. Beside bats, you might pay $75 to $1,000 or more to deal with other pests. 

But not all pest control companies deal with bats nor do bat removal pros always deal with other types of pests. If you suspect raccoons, termites, or other pests that have created the holes for your flying colony, consider getting a free consultation from a local pest control company today.

Other pests also add to the price:

• Insect control services cost $100–$300+

• Rats, mice, and raccoon removal costs $175–$550

• Termite control services cost $225–$1,000

• Flea exterminator costs $75–$400

Interior vs. Exterior

Removing bats inside or outside your home costs about the same. However, you may end up saving a little outside of the home for a few reasons. Most of which include repairs to your home, including 

You’re more likely to:

• Remove guano in your home

• Need to make repairs to your home vs. an outbuilding

• Need to check for histoplasmosis

• Hire a professional rather than attempt a DIY job

Bat Guano Removal Cost

Bat guano is another term for bat excrement or feces. It’ll cost anywhere from $600 to $8,500 to remove guano from your home, depending on how much guano is present. Generally, the larger the colony and the longer it’s been there, the more it’ll cost. 

Your home’s size might also affect the price if the infestation is in multiple places. It’s not always necessary, and your professional will let you know if they would recommend it or not.

A few things to note about guano cleanup:

• Determine if you need removal. Talk to your professional to see if the location and quantity are worth removing.

• Wait to clean it up until the bats have left. Generally, a few weeks is enough to make sure the exclusion repairs work.

• Avoid histoplasmosis by hiring a professional. If you do it yourself, make sure to use an approved respirator and protective clothing. 

Bat Exclusion or Extermination

You’ll almost always need to opt for removal and exclusion over extermination. Some facts to consider:

• It’s often illegal to exterminate them. Depending on the state and the type of bat, you might not have a choice.

• There are no approved bat pesticides. Harmless bat deterrents are the only chemicals available.

• Because of white noise syndrome, some species are endangered. You cannot kill them and must remove them safely and alive.

• They provide excellent flying insect control. In fact, one bat eats between 6,000 and 8,000 insects in one night—about 1,200 mosquito-sized insects.

• Extermination poisons harm humans and pets. There are no chemicals licensed in the United States for use on bats.

Use exclusion followed by sealing entry points and providing an alternate roosting location. It’s the most effective, safe, and humane way to deal with a colony.

Signs of a Bat Infestation

These three signs may signal that you have a bat infestation:

1. Sounds in the walls or attic. You’ll likely hear them when they’re crawling around and squeaking, most often near dusk and dawn. 

2. Bat guano. Bat feces found around the home, on eaves, or on walls. Have an inspection if you suspect bat guano.

3. Stains at entry points in the wall or around the eaves. They leave an oily residue when they enter and leave your house, much like a mouse or rat.

What to Do if You Find a Bat in Your Home

The first thing to do if you find bats in your home is call a professional to do a thorough inspection. It may be one bat or a large colony. Generally, you’ll want to follow these steps:

1. Call a professional for an inspection. Although this costs $200–$400, they will credit it against the removal cost.

2. If anyone has been bit or scratched. See your doctor to check if you need a rabies shot or not. 

3. Don’t disturb any guano. In case of histoplasmosis, it’s best not to disturb any droppings you might find. Let a professional handle the cleanup.

Can I Remove Bats on My Own?

While there are plenty of websites and DIY experts offering free bat-removal solutions for homeowners, trying to eliminate a colony on your own is both dangerous and often futile. Before trying a DIY approach, consider the following:

• Bats carry diseases—namely rabies—and fleas, which carry other parasites and viruses. Coming into contact without the proper protection and vaccinations puts homeowners at extreme risk.

• Guano presents a serious health risk. Bat droppings are known carriers of histoplasmosis, an infectious fungus that causes lung and breathing problems.

Always hire a professional local bat removal service to inspect your home and perform all exclusion and cleanup services.

FAQ

Why is bat removal so expensive?

Bat removal is expensive due to the specialized nature of the job, added training, permits, licenses, and the dangerous nature of the work. Some things to consider:

• Labor: It requires hours of work by a professional to place traps, make one-way exits, seal holes, all while in often hot and hard-to-access locations or on ladders and scaffolding.

• Specialization: Bats usually cannotand should not be exterminated, so live removal is generally preferred.

• Dangerous working conditions: Pros usually work in small, high-up spaces. Not to mention their exposure to rabies, guano, and bat bites means that insurance rates for this type of work are higher than average.

• Attention to detail: Bats can fit in incredibly small spaces, which is why detecting and sealing off existing holes can take time.

• Limited season for exclusion: Most professionals only work seven to eight months a year, when bats are active and not raising young.

How do exterminators get rid of bats in an attic?

Most professionals do not exterminate bats in an attic, instead using methods to exclude them from the space. It’s often illegal or harmful to the local environment to exterminate bats, since they eat an amazingly large amount of insects. Pros drive them out with repellents and stop them from entering again with tubes, nets, and sealing entry points—a process called “exclusion.”

How long does bat remediation take?

Bat remediation usually takes two to four days but can take as long as a week. During colder months, when they hibernate, remediation can take far longer. Most pros don’t do exclusion during this time. Because bat removal specialists don’t use chemicals, you do not need to leave your house during this process.

How can I keep bats out of my house?

You can keep bats out of your house by sealing up any entry points around your home over ¼- inch wide. Bats can fit through openings 3/8 of an inch or more. Have a bat exclusion expert inspect your home for possible entry points and seal them. Also consider putting in alternative habitats, like a bat house.

How do I know I have a bat infestation?

The easiest way to know you have a bat infestation is by the noises they make. You’ll often hear scratching, squeaking, and movement as they come and go around dusk and dawn. You may also see bat droppings (guano) on your walls or around the home. You may also see oily patches where they enter and exit the house. 

What deters bats?

Bat deterrents include mothballs, electronic or ultrasonic devices, devices with flashing or strobing lights, and chemical repellents which contain naphthalene. Electronic audio and light deterrents claim to confuse and repel the flying creatures, with some mixed reviews. It’s usually best to rely on your professional to place and maintain any deterrents or chemicals.

Does homeowners insurance cover bat removal?

Homeowners insurance typically doesn’t cover bat removal. Talk to your insurance rep to make sure, but it’s unlikely. Most companies consider it a maintenance issue. Bats can squeeze in holes as little as ⅜- inch wide, and it's your responsibility as a homeowner to plug or screen all entry points.