Installing a Sentricon bait system on an average-sized home typically runs $1,500 to $2,500, plus about $30 to $40 a month for ongoing monitoring. Spot and trench jobs get quoted per linear foot after an inspection. The exact figure swings with the method, the size of your house, and how far the termites have already spread. Below, we break down what you're paying for and which factors push the quote up or down, so the number you eventually hear doesn't catch you off guard.
Quick answer
Most homeowners pay $1,500 to $2,500 to install a Sentricon bait system, then about $30 to $40 a month for ongoing monitoring. Spot or trench treatments are quoted per linear foot after an inspection. Where you land depends on your home's size and foundation and how far the termites have spread. These are typical ranges, and your exact quote is free.
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What drives the price
There's no flat fee, because no two houses are alike. The method you choose carries the most weight, followed by square footage, construction, and how bad the infestation has gotten. A small problem caught early costs a fraction of a colony that has worked its way through the whole structure.
Foundation and access matter more than people expect. Drilling through a concrete slab or working around finished landscaping eats labor hours, and those hours land in the quote. A clean, open perimeter is cheaper to treat than a buried one.
- Treatment method: bait system, liquid barrier, or a targeted spot job
- Home size and the linear feet of foundation that need treating
- How severe the infestation is and how widely it has spread
- Foundation type and how easy the treatment areas are to reach
- Whether monitoring or a warranty is bundled in
What you'll actually pay
Here are the typical ranges for the most common termite jobs. Treat them as a planning starting point, not a quote. Where you land inside each band comes down to your home's size, your foundation, and how far the termites have spread.
Your exact quote is free, and it's the only number that really counts. These ranges just keep you from being surprised when it lands.
| Treatment | Typical range | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Termite inspection | Free | Many companies inspect at no charge or fold it into treatment; a documented inspection for a home sale may carry a standalone fee |
| Sentricon bait system (install) | $1,500-$2,500 | Stations around the perimeter, no major trenching; the most common whole-home option |
| Sentricon monitoring | $30-$40 / month | Recurring fee for the visits that keep the system protecting the home |
| Spot / localized treatment | Quoted per linear foot | Targets one contained, reachable area; priced after an inspection |
| Trench / liquid barrier | Quoted per linear foot | Treats the soil around the foundation; priced per linear foot after an inspection |
Liquid barrier treatment
This is usually the bigger upfront check. A liquid barrier treats the soil around your entire foundation, which often means trenching and sometimes drilling. A larger perimeter and a trickier foundation both push the number higher.
You get longevity for that money. A liquid barrier is typically a one-time job that holds for several years before anyone talks about retreatment. So the upfront cost buys a long stretch of coverage with no recurring fees in between.
Bait systems
Installation costs less to start than a full liquid barrier. Stations go in around the perimeter without major trenching, which keeps the entry price approachable for a lot of homeowners.
Then comes the annual monitoring fee. A bait system earns its keep through continuous protection and early detection, so you pay each year for the visits that keep it working. Stretch that out over five or six years and the running total can creep toward what a liquid barrier would have cost. It just arrives in installments instead of one bill.
Spot and localized treatment
When termites are penned into one small, reachable area, a spot treatment hits just that section instead of the whole house. It's the cheapest route, sometimes a fraction of a full job.
The risk is certainty. Spot work only pays off if the infestation really is contained, and that's hard to confirm without a professional inspection. If the termites have traveled further than they look like they have, a spot treatment leaves the rest of the colony alone. Save it for cases that are clearly boxed in.
The inspection comes first
Almost every plan starts with a professional termite inspection. Some companies do it for free or fold it into the treatment. Others charge a small standalone fee, particularly for a documented inspection tied to a home sale.
This step decides everything downstream: the species, how much damage is done, and which treatment fits. An accurate read costs a little now and saves a lot later. Pay for the wrong treatment and you'll pay twice.
Getting a quote you can trust
Since the price rides on details specific to your house, the only honest way to learn your number is to have the place inspected and quoted. Treat any figure offered over the phone, before anyone has seen the property, with suspicion. A real estimate follows a real inspection.
A licensed local pro can size up the infestation, match the method to your foundation, and write a quote that accounts for monitoring and any warranty. Line up a couple of estimates and compare. That's how you budget without overpaying.