Find out how to start a pest control business quickly and make sure you can make a lot of money over time.
Why invest in pest control businesses? The goal is to make money and make your business known as a good pest control service. Everyone agrees that it's because of the growing need for pest control. You can run a successful business for a long time if you become the best pest control person in your area.
The reports say that the pest control industry is growing quickly, with a CAGR of 5.1%. It could even make more than $28 million in sales by 2026. It might seem hard to start a pest control business, but the process can be made easier if you follow the right steps.
This article explains how to start a profitable pest control business.
Let's start with a step-by-step guide on how to start a pest control business and how to do it.
Pest Control Business Start-Up Needs
Without a doubt, the costs of starting up pest control businesses are a big factor. You will also need a truck or van with pest control equipment so you can do the work at the customer's house. You'll need these things to start a business that gets rid of pests:
- Before you start your business, you need to know a lot about how pest control businesses and services work.
- Second, but no less important, is the need for a license that lets people who own pest control businesses run their businesses legally. But running a pest control business means using chemicals, so you will need state and federal licenses to use these chemicals and "restricted use of pesticides" (RUPS) to run your business.
- A third thing you need before starting a business is a way to get around, like a car or truck that can hold the supplies you'll be carrying.
- Getting insurance is also very important if you want to start a pest control business.
- To establish a relationship with business and residential clients, you need to get to know your suppliers and clients.
Quick Steps To Start A Pest Control Business
Outline your services and offerings
Before you start a pest control business, you should figure out which pest control services you think will make you the most money.
First, you should think about where you live and what kinds of pests are common there.
Do some research on the most common pest problems in the area where you will be working so you can make an informed decision.
Here are a few examples:
- Pests like carpenter ants, hornets, termites, shrewbugs, centipedes, and silverfish are always a problem and need to be taken care of.
- It's important to keep your home free of pests during the summer and fall (e.g., bugs, boxelder beetles, and spiders).
- Like cockroaches, bed bugs, and carpenter/invasive ants, an invasive pest has moved into an area without being a nuisance.
- Wildlife (e.g., birds, skunks, sparrows, and wild hogs)
As you can see, this isn't a full list of all the services you should offer to get rid of pests. Choose the niche you can serve best or the one that has the most demand.
During the busiest times of the year, you will need to add certain services to your residential service offering.
Also, don't forget that you have to decide if you want to go after residential, commercial, or a mix of the two. Take a moment to think about any contracts, one-time services, recurring services, or special packages you might be able to offer.
Choose a name and logo for your business
It is important to choose a name for your business that shows what it will do. Your business name is the first thing your customers will notice about you, so you need to make sure it fits with what you do to stand out from the competition.
If you don't know what to call your business, look at the names of other businesses in the area.
Think about what makes your business unique:
- What is your unique selling proposition?
- How do you attract clients?
- How do you want them to feel when they hire you?
- Write down all the words and phrases you can think of.
The next step is to make sure your domain name is available.
If you can't afford to, don't spend a lot of money on your logo. The pest control software can help you create a unique logo for your website, social media, business cards, and truck.
Business structure
Another important part of starting a business is figuring out how your pest control business will be set up legally. You can run a business as a Limited Liability Company (LLC), S corporation, or C corporation. Depending on how your business is set up legally, you will have different taxes, responsibilities, and paperwork needs.
For pest control businesses, it's not a good idea to be a sole proprietorship or a partnership. A business structure like this would make you personally responsible for claims made against your company. This would put your assets at risk since pest control involves using dangerous chemicals, going into clients' homes, and fixing damage that has already been done. You can also get started with a business acquisition.
Open a business checking account
If you want to start a pest control business or get paid for pest control jobs, you need to open a business bank account for your business before you buy equipment or start getting paid.
Use a business account to keep track of how much your business costs and how much money it makes. Putting these funds together could also cause tax problems down the road.
Get insurance for pest control to protect your business
Next, if you want to own a pest control business, you need to think about getting insurance.
But why do these things matter so much?
Let's say you accidentally broke something that belonged to a client, stained an area with chemicals, or forgot to do something.
For these kinds of things, it's important to have insurance to protect your finances.
Since you'll probably hire some pest control workers along the way, you need a worker's compensation policy. Still, don't forget to think about auto insurance and worker's compensation.
Develop a strategy for your business's future success
Your new pest control business's future can be mapped out in detail by creating a business plan. As part of a business plan, you can include things like the following:
- What kind of legal structure does your business have? For example, is it a partnership, a limited liability company, or a sole proprietorship?
- How will you make money from your business?
- A summary of what assets are readily available and what debts are owed.
- It is important to have a formal plan for hiring workers and giving them benefits.
- Goals and plans for long-term growth in sales
You might be interested in a small business loan or financing. Make a simple plan to help you figure out your most important objectives, challenges, and strengths.
Set up a pricing structure
When starting a new business, the price you charge for pest control is one of the most important things to think about. Do market research to find out what similar prices are in your area.
Businesses that deal with termites (or other pests) often use a model called "subscription," which lets customers get services for a recurring or periodic fee. It is important to plan for the management of recurring transactions if you want to succeed. Is it necessary to set up a website to collect payments quickly and safely? By making things easier for users, you can quickly increase your chances of getting paid.
Equipment
To start a pest control business, you will need to buy materials, equipment, supplies, and make some big purchases. You can invest in your small business with money from your own savings or by getting a small business loan.
There are a few things you'll need to invest in if you want to start a pest control business:
Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) like long pants, sweaters, chemical-resistant gloves, chemical-resistant shoes, ventilators, shields, and aprons are recommended for the workplace.
The lawn can be treated with pesticides, ultrasonic repellents, and pest control chemicals. The chemicals you need will depend on the pests and where the job is.
Some types of chemical sprayers are backpack sprayers, green sprayers, and pool sprayers. Depending on the type of pest you want to get rid of, you will have to choose the right sprayer.
You need baits, repellents, rodent traps, and cages to get rid of pests in your client's home. You will also need sealers to fill in any holes that pests have made.
In addition to these things, you may need:
- Ladders, preferably ones that are stable
- Endoscopes to look into nests that are hard to get to
- Tools like headlamps, screwdrivers, drills, saws, and pliers, among other things.
- Pest control trucks
- You must choose a vehicle that you can afford to buy with the money you have. A used or leased car is easier to report than a new one, and it's also the cheapest.
Workers
When you start a small pest control business, you should hire a few pest control workers to help you. As you serve more customers and do more treatments during the day, you will meet more possible clients. Before you hire someone, it's important to think about the application process, the requirements for hiring, and questions about payroll.
Marketing
Think about the following marketing strategies to reach more customers in your area:
- Ads in local newspapers
- Digital Media Platforms
- SEO
- Referrals from people you know
Conclusion
Having a business that does well is one of the best things you can do. To get and keep customers, you need to find your own niche and earn their trust.
Your new pest control business needs the right help to be successful in the market, just like any other new business. With Blinksale, you can keep track of all of the money for your pest control business in one place.
For estimating and invoicing, pest control business owners prefer it.
When you use high-quality professional invoice, estimate, purchase order, and memo templates, your professionalism shines through and your customers are happy.
With this invoicing and estimating software, it's easier to keep track of money.
Start making money today with the 14-day free trial.
