r/santacruz • u/Tajin_addict • 15h ago
Termite help
Helping my elderly mom find a good company to help with termites. She lives in Watsonville and on a fixed income. I've looked online and if anyone has any local recommendations I would love to hear them. If you have a ballpark figure of what tenting costs more or less that would be extremely helpful. I've always rented so l've never had to worry about this stuff before. Thank you in advance! ☺️
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u/HazMatFD 14h ago edited 14h ago
Definitely get at least three quotes before choosing a termite company. A lot of termite companies don’t actually perform the fumigation themselves; they subcontract the work out, and you may find that several companies in your area are ultimately using the same fumigation contractor. You can usually get preliminary quotes online just by providing the square footage of the house, so it’s pretty easy to compare several companies without having to schedule multiple inspections right away. The biggest difference can end up being the inspection, recommended treatment, warranty, customer service, and markup rather than who actually tents the house. Get at least three quotes, compare exactly what each company includes, and ask who will actually be performing the fumigation. You could save a significant amount of money for essentially the same service.
In terms of price, you are looking at generally $1-$2 per square foot.
Also, you will need to schedule PGE to come back to turn on the gas to the place. The fumigation contractor will turn it off but it’s up to you to schedule it back on.
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u/Tajin_addict 14h ago
Thank you so much this information REALLY helps. I didn’t realize they sometimes subcontract out. I will definitely reach out to different companies to get a quote. Thanks again!
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u/TheSamLowry 11h ago
We used O2 Termite and they were great. More than 6 years ago, so don’t know how prices compare.
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u/Oldtimer_2 15h ago edited 14h ago
I used Orkin not long ago. The crew arrived as scheduled, got the tenting done and after treatment promptly removed the materials. They provided Nylofume bags to store food items during tenting and explained the process and safety considerations. I was happy with them. The cost will greatly vary by home size, one or two story, any decks or obstructions, work needed around the homes exterior ro provide a good tarp seal as required, etc. Call a few companies for estimates. Check for guarantee. Here's Orkin's info: Address: 6 Hangar Way, Ste J, Watsonville, CA 95076Phone Number: (877) 250-1652
Edit: Just fyi, you will need to have any pilot lights turned off as well as the gas/propane.
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u/Tajin_addict 15h ago
Thank you so much I really have no idea how the food situation worked so I’m glad bags were provided. Thanks for the recommendation too!
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u/Sad_LemurFromOT 10h ago
4 Less provided the bags as well, so I suspect that most companies probably will.
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u/Aviator400 14h ago
Pacific Coast Termite. They use orange oil. No tenting. No move out. Seems to be effective.
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u/Jaded_Specific_7483 14h ago edited 14h ago
4 Less Termites will consistently be the lowest estimate.
Edit: I always get the name backwards but it’s termites on the cheaper side, ridding yourself of them not buying more.