Pest control is one of those services where the difference between a good outcome and a frustrating one is usually decided before any work happens. The treatment itself is fairly standardised. What varies is the diagnosis, the thoroughness, and what you actually agreed to.
Verify the licence first
In Texas, structural pest control is regulated by the Texas Department of Agriculture, and both businesses and individual applicators are licensed. Any legitimate company will give you their licence number without hesitation, and you can verify it with the TDA directly.
Ask for it. A company that is evasive about licensing has told you something useful.
Also confirm they carry liability insurance, and that the person actually performing the treatment is licensed — not only the business owner.
Questions worth asking before you sign
- What specifically did you find, and where? A good inspector will tell you what they saw, where they saw it, and what it indicates. An answer that goes straight to a treatment plan without describing findings is a warning sign.
- What are you treating for, and with what? You are entitled to know the product and the method.
- What is the conducive condition? Meaning: what is it about this house that allowed the problem? Any technician who cannot answer this has not really diagnosed anything.
- What does the price include, and for how long? Is it a single treatment, an initial plus follow-ups, or an ongoing agreement?
- What happens if it comes back? Re-treatment terms vary widely and are often the most important clause.
- Is there a contract, and what is the cancellation term? This is where most disputes originate.
- Will you put the findings in writing? The answer should be yes without qualification.
Read the cancellation clause specifically. Ongoing quarterly agreements are normal and often sensible, but terms differ a great deal — some require notice, some have an early-termination fee, some auto-renew annually. None of that is unreasonable in itself; being surprised by it later is what causes the problem.
What a free inspection should actually involve
A free inspection is a genuine service and a legitimate way for companies to win work. It should not feel like a sales visit with a torch. A thorough one covers:
- The accessible interior — kitchen, bathrooms, utility areas, under sinks, the garage
- The attic, or at least the accessible portion, where relevant
- The full exterior perimeter, including the foundation line
- The roofline and soffits where rodents are the concern
- Moisture sources, drainage and irrigation
- A clear explanation of findings, given before any pricing is discussed
Expect it to take real time. A walk-through that takes ten minutes and ends in a quote has not inspected much.
Warning signs
- Pressure to decide immediately, or a price that is only available today.
- A diagnosis without an inspection — a quote given over the phone for a problem nobody has seen.
- Vagueness about what was found. If they cannot tell you where, specifically, they saw evidence, be careful.
- Unwillingness to put findings in writing.
- Alarming language without evidence. Structural damage claims should come with something you can look at.
- No licence number offered.
Where to be sceptical of yourself, not them
Two things genuinely do cost more and are not upselling: termite work and rodent exclusion. Termite treatment involves either treating the soil around the entire structure or installing and monitoring a bait system — both are labour-intensive. Rodent exclusion means physically sealing every opening, which takes time and is the only part of rodent work that produces a permanent result. A quote that seems high for those two may simply be a quote for doing it properly.
Go in with evidence
The single best thing you can do is arrive with documentation. What you have seen, where, when it started, how often, and photographs. It shortens the diagnostic conversation, it makes vague answers more obvious, and it gives you a record of what was said.
Our free PestCheck tool produces exactly that — a written evidence report with your photos, timeline and observations. It is free, it needs no signup, and the report is yours to take to any company you like.
Document it before you call anyone
Two minutes, no signup. You get a Pest Evidence Report with photos, a timeline and the details a professional actually needs — yours to keep either way.
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