How to decide which pest control company to hire?

How to choose a reliable animal control and animal removal company in Toronto?

​The internet has turned the contracting of services in skilled trades into a much faster experience. Now, companies can showcase themselves through their online presence and attract clients through online marketing. The abundance of alternatives on the internet presents consumers with a welcome choice but also a new set of challenges. 

How do we make sure we end up hiring the right pest control or animal removal contractor out of the hundreds of advertisements we come across on platforms such as Kijiji and Google?

Make sure to speak to a qualified service agent rather than a marketing or secretarial contact. Many companies operating in the Greater Toronto Area subcontract their work to unqualified or inexperienced technicians and operators. You could be buying service from a large company with a long history, however, end up having your pest problem "tackled" by an inexperienced technician. An inexperienced or unqualified technician will not only fail to resolve the pest issue but could also create new complications. For example, inadequate or improper application of insecticides or rodenticides could amplify the scale of the rodent or insect problem. An inexperienced animal removal technician could misdiagnose the problem, fail to identify the animal entry points or expose the property dwellers and wildlife at unnecessary risk. It is crucial to get your property inspected by an experienced, knowledgeable, and expert animal removal or pest control technician.      

Another matter to pay attention to is the pricing. A private exterminator that quotes $80-$100 for a mouse or rat extermination or cockroach treatment is not going to use proper products and tools to tackle your home's insect or rodent problem. In some cases, the cost of the inspection, treatment, and repair materials used in a rodent inspection will surpass the amounts quoted by some operators advertising on cheap platforms. If the exterminator were to use proper tools and supplies, they would be operating at a loss. These technicians will, in most cases, use inadequate supplies and tools, and low-quality pesticides and the service the provide will, inevitably, fall short of what you need in order to achieve a pest-free environment.

We also recommend staying away from private exterminators with insufficient access to the regulated infrastructures of the pest control industry in Canada, part-time technicians showing up during the peak seasons, and dillatantes trying to juggle multiple trades. Pest control is a job that takes more than a pair of hands or a part-time attention. It requires a stable infrastructure and dedicated professionals. It is not something that a person with a spray tank and a jug of insecticide can excel at. The trade requires an in-depth knowledge of pesticide compositions and pest biologies in addition to years of practical, hands-on experience and immersion in the state of the art control techniques.  

Companies offering comprehensive services such as preparing a house for a bed bug treatment or closing off access points for rodents and wildlife intrusions will end up simplifying your job and delivering a higher quality of service and a better value for your money. 

Also, what is more important than a service warranty is the quality of the inspection, treatment, and post-inspection repairs conducted on your property. In today's volatile business environment, many exterminators go out of business, and an extended warranty offered by a small extermination or removal operation, in most cases, has very little actual value. Also, it is quite dubious that an exterminator who fails to solve your problem in the first couple of attempts is going to have any more success in their subsequent, numerous attempts. 

If you need pest control or animal removal help in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton areas, feel free to call us at 416-268-3408. We offer free over-the-phone assessment and reasonably-priced on-site inspections.