How Much Does Bat Removal Cost in 2025?
$477 is the average cost of bat removal
Bat removal costs average between $228 and $726 and can reach up to $1,500, depending on the colony's size.
Factors impacting bat removal cost include number of bats, number of entry points, cleanup needed, and infestation location.
Signs of a bat infestation include noises in the walls or attic, bat guano around the home, and oily stains at entry points.
Bat removal benefits include preventing potential rabies exposure, reducing the risk of disease-spreading guano, and maintaining a pest-free home.
Professional bat removal involves specialized methods, dealing with potential diseases, and ensuring humane treatment.
This article was updated using automation technology and thoroughly reviewed for accuracy by HomeAdvisor Editor Ryan Noonan.
Most homeowners spend between $228 and $726 on bat removal, with an average cost of $477. Removing a single bat or small colony under 50 bats costs about $100. If you're dealing with a larger infestation, costs can escalate to $1,500 or more. Because bats can carry rabies and cause significant damage to your home, you must hire a professional bat removal service as soon as you notice them taking up residence. Here's what you need to know to start budgeting for bat removal costs.
What is Bat Exclusion?
Bat exclusion is the humane way to remove bats from your home, involving one-way exits and sealing entry points to prevent re-entry. Bat exclusion costs range from $400 to $8,000, depending on colony size, state laws, and accessibility. DIY exclusion kits cost between $25 and $150, but due to the specialized nature of the work, it's often best to hire a bat removal specialist.
Bat exclusion involves four steps:
Inspection: Inspect the location for entry points, colony size, and bat species. The pro uses this information to determine the best way to go about the process.
Exclusion installation: Pros use tubes, netting, and other tools to allow the pests to leave but not get back in. They include the materials in your project price.
Promoting the colony to leave: Your pro might use harmless chemicals, light, or sound to encourage the colony to leave. Most simply wait for your furry flying pests to leave since they eat nightly.
Sealing the entries: The final step involves removing the exclusion tools and traps and sealing the entry points so they can’t get back in.
Bat Removal Cost Factors
Bat removal costs for most homes range from $228 to $726. Still, total expenses can reach $5,000 depending on the number of bats and entry points, how much cleanup you need, and the location and accessibility of the infestation.
Removal Method
Bat removal is just one step in the exclusion process. Each step has associated costs, depending on the size and complexity of the infestation.
| Step | Average Cost | What It Entails |
|---|---|---|
| Inspection | Up to $300 | Initial survey of the site. Most pros charge for an inspection and deduct it from the removal cost. |
| Exclusion | $230–$8,000 | The actual removal. The price depends on colony size and accessibility. This cost often includes sealing entries for smaller cases but can increase for larger colonies. |
| Sealing | $100–$500 per hole | Sealing up any entryways to prevent future bats. The cost can vary if multiple holes or difficult-to-access areas exist. |
| Cleanup | $500–$8,000 | Removal of excrement (guano). Hazardous work is often necessary if the colony is large or droppings have accumulated. |
| Repairs | $2,500–$5,000 | Any needed repairs, such as replacing insulation saturated by guano or fixing drywall damage. |
Infestation Size
Bat removal costs vary based on the size of the infestation. You can expect to pay up to $300 for the initial inspection, which is often credited back if you sign on for removal. The inspection will reveal how large the infestation is, with average prices including:
Single bats or small colonies (up to 50 bats): $230 to $1,500
Medium colony (50 to 200 bats): $1,500 to $5,000
Large colony (200 or more bats): $5,000 and up
Guano cleanup (if necessary): $500 to $8,000
Location and Accessibility
The location of the colony plays a role in bat exclusion costs. Most bat colonies exist in attics, walls, crawl spaces, barns, and other outbuildings. In almost all cases, bats prefer warm and safe locations, which makes accessibility an ongoing issue.
Expect to pay less for easily accessed areas. If they’re in chimneys or walls, expect to pay more than you would for attics and barns since they are hard to access and clean.
Size of the Infestation and Number of Entry Points
The size of your infestation plays the most significant role in the final price. The larger the colony, the more entry points they make. The number of bat entry points increases the time it takes to do a complete exclusion. Since each point requires sealing or an exclusion device to keep them from returning, finding and setting each one up takes time.
Costs for colony sizes and entry points include:
One bat with a single entry point: $430
Two to 50 bats with multiple entry points: $400 to $1,500
50 to 200 bats and multiple entries: $1,500 to $8,000
Attic Restoration
Restoring your attic costs anywhere from $2,500 to $5,000 or more after you’ve excluded the pests and cleaned any guano. You’ll need to consider restoring the insulation and possibly the wall and floor coverings. Common attic restoration costs include:
New attic insulation costs, which range from $1,700 to $2,500.
Blown-in attic insulation costs, which run from $980 to $2,320.
Installing drywall costs, averaging $990 to $3,210.
Alternative Bat Habitats
Bat houses cost $100 to $2,700, with labor adding another $100 to $500. Placing one of these human-made structures on your property, away from your home, gives these vital creatures an alternative nesting space. You can hire a handyperson to hang a bat house, with hourly rates averaging $50 to $150 per hour.
Other Pests
Where you find bats, you might also run into other issues like raccoons, rats, and termites, which make holes that bats use to get into your home. Because these creatures attract pests, you might also deal with a flea infestation. To eliminate other pests, budget an additional $75 to $995.
Common pest control services you may require include:
Insect control services costs ranging from $110 to $260.
Rats, mice, and raccoon removal costs between $175 and $615.
Termite control services cost averaging $240 to $995.
Flea exterminator costs between $75 and $400.
Bat Guano Removal
Bat guano is another term for bat excrement or feces. It’ll cost anywhere from $500 to $8,000 to remove guano from your home, depending on how much is present. The larger the colony and the longer it’s been there, the more it’ll cost.
There are a few things to note about guano cleanup:
Determine if you need removal. Talk to your professional to see if the location and quantity are worth removing.
Wait to clean it up until the bats have left. Generally, a few weeks is enough to make sure the exclusion repairs work.
Avoid histoplasmosis by hiring a professional. If you do it yourself, use an approved respirator and protective clothing.
Bat Exclusion vs. Extermination
When dealing with bats, you’ll almost always need to opt for removal and exclusion over extermination. Some key points to consider include:
It’s often illegal to exterminate them. Depending on the state and the type of bat, you might not have a choice.
There are no approved bat pesticides. Harmless bat deterrents are the only chemicals available.
Because of white noise syndrome, some species are endangered. You cannot kill them and must remove them safely and alive.
They provide excellent flying insect control. One bat eats between 6,000 and 8,000 insects in one night—about 1,200 mosquito-sized insects.
Extermination poisons harm humans and pets. There are no chemicals licensed in the United States for use on bats.
It’s best to use exclusion followed by sealing entry points and providing an alternate roosting location to remove bats from your home. It’s the most effective, safe, and humane way to deal with a colony.
Signs of a Bat Infestation
Here are some common signs that you might have a bat infestation:
Sounds in the walls or attic: You may hear scratching or squeaking noises, especially near dusk and dawn.
Bat guano: Bat droppings around your home, on eaves, or walls indicate activity. If you notice guano, consider scheduling an inspection.
Stains at entry points: Bats often leave oily residue at their entry and exit points, similar to marks left by mice or rats.
What to Do if You Find a Bat in Your Home
If you find a bat in your home, here are the steps to take:
Call a professional for an inspection: They can determine if you have a single bat or a larger colony. Inspection costs up to $ 300 but are often credited toward removal.
Seek medical attention if necessary: If anyone has been bitten or scratched, consult a doctor about potential rabies exposure.
Avoid disturbing guano: Bat droppings can pose health risks. Leave any cleanup to the professionals to prevent exposure to histoplasmosis.
DIY Bat Removal vs. Hiring a Pro
Attempting to remove bats on your own can be dangerous and often ineffective. Bats can carry diseases like rabies and parasites like fleas, and handling them without proper protection puts you at risk. Bat guano also poses health hazards, as it may carry histoplasmosis, a fungus causing respiratory issues.
Hire a local bat removal professional to inspect your home and perform exclusion and cleanup services to ensure safe and effective removal.
How HomeAdvisor Gets Its Cost Data
No place is more important than your home, which is why HomeAdvisor connects homeowners with local pros to transform their houses into homes they love. To help homeowners prepare for their next project, HomeAdvisor provides readers with accurate cost data and follows strict editorial guidelines. After a project is complete, we survey real customers about the costs to develop the pricing data you see, so you can make the best decisions for you and your home. We pair this data with research from reputable sources, including the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, academic journals, market studies, and interviews with industry experts—all to ensure our prices reflect real-world projects.
Frequently Asked Questions
Exterminators typically do not kill bats but instead use exclusion methods to remove them from your attic. Since bats play a vital role in controlling insect populations, and it can be illegal to harm them, professionals use repellents, install one-way devices, and seal entry points to stop them from returning.
Bat remediation often takes two to four days but may take up to a week, depending on the size of the infestation. During colder months, when they hibernate, remediation can take far longer. Most removal pros don’t do exclusion during this time because bats are in a state of torpor and may be sealed inside the structure.
To keep bats out of your house, seal any openings larger than ¼-inch. You can also use bright exterior lighting or ultrasonic devices to discourage them from coming near your home. Have a bat exclusion expert check your home periodically for infestations and provide tips on keeping these pests away.
Some of the top bat deterrents include mothballs, electronic or ultrasonic devices, devices with flashing or strobing lights, and chemical repellents that contain naphthalene. Electronic audio and light deterrents claim to confuse and repel flying creatures. It’s best to rely on your bat removal professional to place and maintain any deterrents or chemicals.
Homeowners' insurance does not cover bat removal costs because these expenses fall under home maintenance. In rare cases, a policy may contribute toward guano removal or repair of damages. Review your insurance policy carefully and contact your provider for a definitive explanation. Securing all entry points remains the homeowner’s responsibility to prevent future incursions.
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