What's the pest?
"Pest control" is really six different jobs with six different price logics. Wasps are a one-off. Rodents are a programme. Borer is a structural project quoted after inspection. Pick the pest first: each stream has its own providers, its own prices, and its own Wellington rules.
Wasps
A nest under the eaves or inside a wall cavity. One visit kills the nest, with a no-reuse guarantee. DIY suits tiny early reachable nests only.
Rats & mice
Inspection, baiting or trapping, then proofing to seal the entry points. On hill suburbs and bush fringe a one-off is a reset, not a solution.
Ants & cockroaches
A one-off buys a 6–8 week guarantee. Recurring colonies and German cockroaches need a written guarantee programme instead.
Bed bugs
Professional, multi-visit, priced per bedroom. Treatment must hit every life stage including eggs. DIY effectively never resolves it.
Borer
Wellington's weatherboard villa stock is prime borer habitat. Structural timber needs saturated treatment by registered technicians, quoted after inspection.
Fleas & spiders
Fleas need the pets treated first and a vacuuming regime alongside the spray, and some guarantees exclude them. Spiders sit in the general one-off band.
How the streams compare
| Stream | One-off vs plan | Price range | Best when |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wasps | One visit, no-reuse guarantee | $100–$245 | A single nest; DIY only for tiny early reachable nests |
| Rats & mice | Programme, multiple visits | $155–$325+ | Hill suburbs, bush fringe, recurring pressure |
| Ants & cockroaches | One-off with 6–8 week guarantee | From $150 | Recurring trails, German cockroaches |
| Bed bugs | Multi-visit professional | $250–$450 | Established infestation; DIY never resolves it |
| Borer | Specialist, quote after inspection | Quote-based | Old villas, structural timber, pre-purchase checks |
| Fleas & spiders | One-off or carpet-cleaning bundle | From $180 | Pets with fleas, recurring spiders |
Wellington rules that change the job
Hill suburbs and bush fringe drive rodents. Steep, interconnected sections backing onto bush create persistent rat and mouse pressure. A one-off treatment is a reset, not a solution. 12-month programmes with proofing are the honest answer for those sites.
The villa stock is borer country. Wellington's weatherboard villas and bungalows are prime borer habitat. If you own or are buying an older home, a borer inspection and treatment record belong in your due diligence, not an afterthought.
Restricted toxins need a certified handler. Vertebrate toxic agents legally require a WorkSafe Certified Handler Compliance Certificate. Check PMANZ membership and registered-technician status before booking rodent or borer work, and possum trapping carries animal-welfare duties on top.