Wildlife removal cost depends on six things: the animal, how many there are, where they are, how many openings need sealing, the damage they’ve done, and the building. That’s why the price comes after an inspection, not before. At NYC Extermination, the on-site inspection and the estimate are both free, so you know the price before any work starts.
The cheapest quote isn’t always the cheapest job. A quote that takes the animal out but leaves the way in open sets you up to pay again when the next one moves in. University of Missouri Extension’s wildlife damage guide (2020) says the most economical and effective way to reduce damage may be to exclude wildlife, which means keeping them out for good.
What drives the cost
| What we look at | Why it changes the job |
|---|---|
| The animal | Bats can only be excluded at certain times of year. Raccoons are big and can tear off shingles. Squirrels chew. Each one needs its own plan. |
| How many, and whether there are babies | More animals take longer. Babies can’t be left behind, so the work may have to wait until they can leave with their mother. |
| Where they are and how hard it is to reach | A gap at the gutter of a two-story house is easier to reach than one on a six-story roof or deep inside a wall. |
| How many openings need sealing | Every gap the animal uses, or could use, has to be closed. More openings mean more work. |
| Damage and cleanup | Chewed wiring, torn vents, soiled insulation and piles of droppings can add repair or cleanup work. |
| The building | A house, an apartment building and a store each have different roofs, vents and shared spaces. |
Sources: our own wildlife, squirrel and bat service pages, and Missouri Extension’s guide, which says to estimate the number of animals and assess the extent of the damage before you choose a method.
Why babies and timing can change the plan
Timing matters most with bats. The New York State Department of Health says not to batproof buildings from late May to mid-August (guidance revised May 2001), because young bats that can’t fly yet would be sealed inside. The Internet Center for Wildlife Damage Management (ICWDM) gives a similar window: May 15 to August 15. So if you find bats in June, the work may happen in two steps, and bat exclusion and sealing can take more than one visit anyway.
Raccoons and squirrels have babies too. Humane World for Animals advises waiting until raccoon kits are around 10 weeks old before trying to get the family out. That can change when the job gets finished.
What can add to the cost
Cleanup can add to the job. The CDC says large amounts of bird or bat droppings should be cleaned up by professional companies (April 2024), because the dust can carry the fungus that causes histoplasmosis, a lung infection. Raccoon droppings can carry roundworm eggs, and the CDC says most chemicals don’t kill them.
Repairs can too. Squirrels chew wiring and vents, and raccoons can rip off shingles or fascia boards. Some of that damage only shows up during the inspection, which is another reason a phone quote can’t be exact.
How to keep the cost down
- Call early. Fewer animals and less damage mean a smaller job.
- Don’t seal a hole yourself while an animal may be inside. A trapped animal can chew a new way out or die in the wall, and both cost more to fix.
- Take away what draws them. Close up trash, bring pet food inside and clear sheltered spots near the house.
- Ask what the quote includes. Check that inspection, removal and sealing are all covered, so you’re comparing the same work.
Is it cheaper to do it yourself?
A store-bought trap costs less than a visit, and for a chipmunk in a garden shed it can be enough. For most attic and wall problems, it isn’t the cheaper path. A trap removes one animal and leaves the way in open. Under the New York State DEC’s rules, you can’t move a trapped animal off your property, and NYC Health’s raccoon flyer says never to try to capture or trap a raccoon. Our guide to DIY wildlife trapping covers the risks.
Two jobs, two very different prices
Here’s a simple example. Say two Queens homeowners call in the same week. The first has one gray squirrel using a chewed gap at the gutter of a two-story house. There are no babies, and the gap is easy to reach from a ladder. That’s one opening to seal and a short job.
The second has a raccoon with kits in the chimney, a torn attic vent and a pile of droppings in the attic. That job means waiting for the kits, capping the chimney, fixing the vent and cleaning up the droppings safely. Same borough, same week, and very different work.
What you get from NYC Extermination
We start with a free on-site inspection to find the animal, how it got in and the damage so far. The estimate is free too. Then we remove the animal humanely, with live traps watched by cameras or with exclusion, which lets animals leave but not come back. We handle the animal the way New York State rules require and seal the way in so the next one can’t follow. A simple case takes a few days, and several animals can take a week or more.
See our wildlife removal service, our bat removal service, or call (347) 988-2315.
Frequently asked questions
Is the wildlife inspection free?
Yes. NYC Extermination’s on-site inspection and estimate are free. You find out what animal it is, how it gets in, and what the job will cost before you decide anything.
Why can’t I get an exact price over the phone?
Most of what sets the price only shows up on site: how many ways in there are, whether babies are inside, and how much damage or cleanup there is. Two calls about the same animal can turn into very different jobs.
Does wildlife removal include sealing the entry points?
With us, yes. Sealing the way in is part of the job, because removal without it leaves the door open for the next animal. When you compare quotes from other companies, ask whether sealing is included.
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