Bat Removal Cost

Evicting bats from a house or other building is usually a process of exclusion -- creating one-way exits through which the bats can leave but not return, while also sealing all other potential bat entrances. Because bats can fly up to 150 miles to return to their original territory, trapping is ineffective, and it is illegal under federal law (and in several states) to poison or fumigate bats.

• The costs for bat exclusion will depend on the size of the bat colony and the condition of the building, including the number of potential bat entry points that must be sealed. Prices can start at $90 -$300 to exclude a single bat with a single entry point. More likely, it will cost $300 -$1,500 to remove a small (50 bats or less) or medium (about 50-200) colony, and $1,500 -$8,000 or more for large colonies. For example, C&C Wildlife Management in New York charges $125 -$275 to deal with a single bat inside a living space, but C&C's bat exclusion services start at $300 for up to a 2,000-square-foot base, with another $100 per additional floor of the house and $100 per additional 1,000 square feet, making it a minimum of $500 for a 3,000-square-foot, two-story home. And GetBatsOut.com estimates that bat exclusion for an average house in good condition costs $2,400 -$5,000, depending on the severity of the problem. Factors that might increase the cost of bat exclusion include a steep roof, the height of the house (requiring a lift or other equipment), a hard-to-reach bat colony or a house in poor repair with lots of potential entry points.
• Once the bats are excluded, it's often necessary to clean up bat droppings -- called guano -- and to repair any other damage caused by the bats. There can be additional charges and prices will vary, particularly if the damage is extensive. For example, BatManagement.com recommends waiting a year (to be sure the bat exclusion worked) for guano cleanup, with costs starting at $500 in attics with finished floors.
• Some homeowners' insurance policies cover guano removal and repairing any damage caused by the bats, but not the costs for removing the bats.

• A bat exclusion specialist will start by inspecting indoor roosting areas such as the attic, roof, roofline and the entire outer structure. Inspections are often scheduled for late afternoon or evening to allow the technician to observe as the bats leave for their nightly feeding. The second step is to seal off all potential openings, crevices and holes, leaving only the primary holes still open. The third step is to cover any holes with a device which allows bats to leave but not to get back inside. Bat Conservation International provides downloadable do-it-yourself bat exclusion instructions as well as a how-to video for removing a single bat inside a human living area.
• Bat exclusions are typically done in the late spring or early fall; exclusions are never done in the summer when baby or juvenile bats are unable to leave on their own.
• Bats are usually quiet creatures. Often the first sign that there's a well-established colony in the attic, eaves or elsewhere in a house is when a single bat strays into the human living spaces. Cornell University describes signs of bats.

• Some people erect a bat house in their yard, to give the flying critters somewhere to live after exclusion. The bats won't automatically leave a human structure to live in a provided bat house, and opinion is divided about the value of installing a bat house. A bat house can cost $20 -$300 or more, depending on size and materials. For example, a standard bat house approved by Bat Conservation International averages $50 -$75, according to TheBatGuy.com, while BatManagement.com offers a 7-chamber steel bat house that can hold up to 210 bats for $159.

• Bat exclusion requires different techniques than standard insect pest control services. Bat Conservation International provides professional guidelines that a bat exclusion specialist should follow, and lists bat exclusion specialists by state.
• For a live bat that needs rehabilitation, batworld.org lists local rescue groups by state.
• Ask about training and experience, and whether the company is licensed by the state. Check for any complaints with the Better Business Bureau.

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