How to Schedule a Pest Inspection for a New Home
Rodents, termites, and cockroaches are far easier to deal with in an empty home. A $75–$150 professional inspection before you move in is one of the best-value items on this checklist—it catches infestations your purchase inspection may have missed and gives you documented baseline conditions before your belongings arrive.
Quick Summary
Time Required
60 minutes DIY walk / 60 minutes pro
Difficulty
Easy DIY check / hire pro for report
Cost
$75–$150 inspection / $200–$500 treatment
Walk Through and Look for Signs of Pests
Before calling a professional, do your own walk-through. You are looking for evidence, not the pests themselves.
Look for droppings and nests
Mouse droppings are rice-grain size and dark. Rat droppings are larger. Check under sinks, in pantry corners, inside appliance compartments, and in the backs of drawers. Nests appear as shredded paper, insulation, or fabric clumps in quiet corners.
Check for termite signs
Mud tubes on foundation walls, discarded wings near windows, hollow-sounding wood, and tiny piles of what looks like sawdust (termite frass) are all red flags. Termites can cause tens of thousands in structural damage before they are visible.
Scan for insect activity
Cockroach egg cases (small brown capsules), spider webs in corners, ant trails along baseboards, and wasp nests under eaves all need attention. Empty homes often reveal pest activity that furniture hid from previous residents.
Check the Problem Zones: Attic, Basement, and Crawl Space
These areas are where infestations start and where inspections matter most.
- Attic: Look at insulation for tunnels or matted areas suggesting rodent activity. Check wood framing for termite damage. Scan for wasp nests, bat droppings, or squirrel entries near roof vents and soffits.
- Basement: Check corners, behind appliances, along sill plates, and around water heater bases. Damp basements attract everything—silverfish, earwigs, spiders, centipedes, and rodents.
- Crawl space: Requires the most care but reveals the most. Look for mud tubes on piers, rodent trails in dust, and wood damage on floor joists. Crawl spaces under 30 inches tall typically need a professional.
- Garage: Often an entry point. Check weatherstripping at the bottom of the door, corners, and any stored materials. Rodents travel along walls and enter through damaged door seals.
Hire a Professional and Consider Preventive Treatment
A licensed inspector sees things you won't—and gives you documentation.
Book a $75–$150 inspection
Ask for a written WDO (wood-destroying organism) report plus general pest notes. Schedule before your move-in date so any treatment can happen in empty rooms without disturbing your belongings.
Consider preventive perimeter treatment
Quarterly or annual perimeter spraying runs $200–$500 per year and prevents most general insect issues. In termite country, a liquid termiticide barrier or bait-station program with a warranty is an excellent investment.
Get multiple quotes for treatment
Pest control pricing varies dramatically. For any treatment over $500, get three quotes and compare scope, chemicals used, and warranty terms. National chains and independent local firms both have merits.
Seal Entry Points
Exclusion is more effective than extermination. Close the doors before the pests arrive.
- Pencil-width rule: A mouse can enter any gap wider than a pencil. Walk the exterior foundation and look for openings around pipes, wires, AC lines, gas lines, and dryer vents.
- Steel wool plus foam: Stuff gaps with steel wool (rodents cannot chew through it), then seal with expanding foam for a weather-tight closure. Both items cost $15–$25 at any hardware store.
- Door sweeps and weatherstripping: Replace worn garage door sweeps and exterior door weatherstripping. These gaps let in both drafts and pests year-round.
- Screen vents: Attic and crawl space vents need intact hardware cloth (1/4-inch mesh). Damaged or missing screens are an open invitation to squirrels, bats, and rodents.
Pro Tips
- •Inspect at dusk: Cockroaches and rodents are most active after dark. A flashlight sweep with lights off reveals activity that daytime checks miss.
- •Ask about the previous owners' pest history: Your agent can request disclosure of any past infestations or treatments. This context helps you know what to watch for in year one.
- •Keep 3 feet clear around the foundation: Remove mulch, wood piles, and dense plantings that touch the house. These provide hidden highways into the structure.
- •Save the inspection report: File it in your home binder. Annual re-inspections become much more useful when you can compare against a known baseline.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a pest inspection if the seller provided one?
A fresh inspection is still worthwhile if the seller's report is more than 60 days old, if the home has sat vacant between contracts, or if you live in a termite-prone region. Pest activity can change quickly and infestations are far cheaper to handle before your belongings are inside. A new baseline inspection also documents the home's condition on move-in day for any future warranty claims.
What does a pest inspection actually cover?
A standard inspection covers wood-destroying organisms (termites, carpenter ants, wood-boring beetles), rodents, cockroaches, and general insects. The inspector checks accessible areas including attic, basement, crawl space, garage, kitchen, and exterior foundation. Some inspections include a written WDO (wood-destroying organism) report that lenders and insurers may request. Bedbug inspections are typically separate and require a specialized service.
Can I do preventive pest treatment myself?
DIY perimeter sprays with bifenthrin or permethrin products cost $30–$60 and work well for general insect prevention. Rodent prevention is best handled through exclusion—sealing every gap wider than a pencil with steel wool and expanding foam. Termite prevention almost always requires a licensed professional because it involves soil treatments, bait stations, or direct wood treatment that hardware-store products cannot match.
Related Guides
Before You Move In Checklist
Complete 18-step guide for new homeowners between closing and moving day
Verify Agreed-Upon Repairs
Confirm every seller-promised repair before closing
Start a Home Binder
Organize closing docs, warranties, manuals, and maintenance history
Deep Clean the Entire Home
Clean cabinets, appliances, bathrooms, and floors while the home is empty