How Much Does Woodworm Treatment Cost?
What is the typical cost for treating woodworm?
Woodworm Treatment | The cost for treating a whole house for each stage of woodworm is between £280-£420.
What is the cost of the survey for woodworms?
A woodworm study would set you back about £100 up to £200 and you’ll need to set aside £135 or £370 to treat furniture for woodworm.
But what does the cost of the entire project be based on?
In addition to the type of issue as well as the treatment utilized, other factors that impact the cost are the extent of damage, the size and type of the property (especially when a complete home treatment is being carried out).

The number of tradespeople employed as well as the ease of access and in which part of the UK you are located.
The reason why the location is crucial is because workers charge different rates across the country, based mostly on cost of living within the region.
What are the rates of employment for different regions in the nation?
The rate of unemployment is typically the highest in the southeast (London particularly) however, they are generally less than the national average for northern England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
Wood-Worm Treatment Prices
Job type | Total cost |
Treat a Full Property for All Stages of Woodworm | £280 to £42 |
Regular Woodworm Survey | £100 to £200 |
Treat Furniture for Woodworm | £135 to £370 |
What are the Supply Costs of Woodworm Treatment?
In this article, we’ll take a look at what the materials costs of treatment for wood worms are. This is different from the cost of labour and therefore is particularly relevant if you intend to carry out a woodworm treatment as a DIY project. The following costs might be applicable.

It costs between £5 and £8 per litre for wood treatment, and £2 to £5 for a litre of woodworm killer. You can anticipate supply prices in the range of £18 to £20 per kilogram to purchase the boron powder, or £13 to £15 per tube of the boron paste. A woodworm spray could cost £10 to £20 per unit. In the majority of cases, treating your house for every stage of woodworm, you’ll cost you around £80 or £120.
If you’re planning to do this work DIY, make sure you select the best treatment for woodworms.
Supply Costs of Woodworm Treatment
Supply | Costs |
Wood Treatment | £5 to £8 per litre |
Woodworm Killer | £2 to £5 per litre |
Boron Powder | £18 to £20 per kg |
Boron Paste | £13 to £15 per tube |
Woodworm Spray | £10 to £20 per unit |
What are the additional costs of Treating Woodworm Problems?
There are a lot of additional costs associated with treating woodworm that you should consider before engaging an expert. The following expenses may be applicable or not according to the type of job as well as other aspects.
Minimum Fee
In some cases there may be a minimum cost to apply for treatment for woodworms. It could be billed as an additional cost to your bill, or as an added component of your existing bill.
A good example of this aspect is when you have to pay the cost of daily labour. This could be essentially an additional cost for the minimum amount because a single day and three hour job will cost the same as a task that lasts a whole day and seven hours.
Size/Type of Property
It’s not surprising that the bigger your property is, the greater expensive a woodworm treatment will cost. However, this will only be applicable in specific instances like when you want to treat your home for every phase of woodworm.

The kind of property is important in this regard, as the type of property is generally related to the size of the property, with detached homes being larger than the majority of semi-detached houses.
Type of Woodworm Problem/Treatment
Another important cost element is the treatment that is used. The most commonly used techniques are permethrin and boron. Both have the same price, however the choice of product and the quality of it is crucial.
Number of Tradespeople
The more laborer are working for you the greater the labour price will become. If there are two contractors on your payroll and you pay for two, you’ll probably have to pay twice the amount for labour than the cost for just one worker. However, the greater number of professionals involved in a task and the more time the job will be completed. Therefore, whether increasing the number of tradespeople will increase your overall cost is contingent on other aspects like how the workers work as a group.
Duration
If you assume that the labour cost is correlated with duration and not per hour, as it would be in the event that it was priced per hour, the longer the duration of the work then the higher your cost at the end of the project.
In certain cases you’ll be assessed per day of work In this case, the length of time will only be significant to the amount when the work shifts into a different working day.In other instances, labour is charged at an amount that is set.
Tradesmen Costs for Woodworm Treatment
Let’s take a closer look at the costs for hiring an expert to deal with woodworm. This does not include the cost of supplies.
A specialist is charged £100 to £150 each day for treatment for woodworm. For specific tasks for having your whole home treated for every stage of woodworms, you’ll be charged the cost of labour, which is around £200-£300.
The price for the tradesman’s services would be in the range of £25 up to £75 for a typical woodworm examination or £100 up to £150 in order to clean furniture of woodworm.
The cost of labor can differ according to the number of tradespeople you hire, the accessibility, time of the job and where you are in the UK you reside.
How Long Do Woodworm Treatments Take?
In this article we’ll examine how long various treatments for woodworms will require. We’ll also examine what factors influence the duration of these jobs.
To treat a whole property for each stage of woodworm can take between one and three days, based on how large the house is.
A woodworm examination however can take anywhere between two to four hours. When it comes to the treatment of furniture for woodworm typically the task will last approximately one day.
Types of Woodworm
Although they are called woodworms, they are actually a species of beetles and larvae that eat wood.There are numerous types of woodworms throughout the UK which could be a problem for the property. In this article we’ll take an overview of some typical examples.
Common Furniture Beetle
The commonly found furniture beetle is the most common woodworm that is found within the UK. The creature’s length is between 2.7mm and 4.5mm. It is characterised by a brown ellipsoid body with a pronotum which gives the appearance of a monk’s cowl.

The beetle is known for its hitting to softwood and leaves exit holes that are one millimeter to two millimeters dimensions.
The is a woodworm that will lay its eggs on wood before grubs begin eating away. Wood that is damp is more susceptible to a typical furniture insect infestation than wood that is dry.
Plywood is particularly vulnerable to attack by this kind of woodworm. These beetles are typically found on damp timbers in lofts and woods. flooring that is damp and furniture, and furniture that has had its polish fade away.
Common Furniture Beetle Facts:
- Damp wood is especially vulnerable to these insects.
- These beetles are usually discovered as woodworms in flooring boards
- The wood worms are by far the most common woodworms in the UK
Death Watch Beetle
The wood boring beetle has an average length of 7mm, but larvae can extend to up to 11mm.The evidence of these woodworms is the ticking or tapping sound that might be heard in the archaic building rafters during peaceful summer evenings. They make the sounds the Beatles use to draw their partners.

The name is believed to have superstitious roots because it was believed that beetles were intended to guard those who are dying or dead.
These beetles are attracted by damp wood. Wet rot could permit death watch beetles to develop quickly.
Thankfully, these woodworms aren’t uncommon in the UK however, for the number which are present they’ll be mostly found in the midlands and south of England.
Death Watch Beetle Facts:
- It can be loud
- Wet rot is often exacerbated by a beetle death watch infestation
- These beetles are found in huge numbers in some parts of England
Powder-post Beetle
It’s more likely to see an insect that feeds on wood with enough porous pores and starch to allow female beetles to lay eggs.

The woodworms are tiny and vary in size between 1-7mm. Their colors vary from dark brown to black.
Powder-post Beetle Facts:
- Wood from the season is at risk of an infestation of powder-post beetles
- More difficult to spot because of the size
- The colour may be a blend with the colour of wood surfaces/fittings
Types of Woodworm Treatments
There are two major ways to treat woodworm. Let’s look at the two primary methods to treat woodworm.
Boron Treatment
A very common method of treating wood worms is by using Boron materials. Biocide is typically available in bags that weigh from half a kilogram up to many.
Like any other biocide such as boron, these substances can be hazardous. The typical cost for boron ranges from £18 up to £20 per kilogram, which is £13 up to £15 for a tube based on the type of packaging you purchase it in.
Pros:
- The most common
- Cheaper
Cons:
- Risky
Permethrin Treatment
Another method of treating woodworm is to use products that contain permethrin. This method is typically used to deal with the common beetles that cause furniture, but it can be utilised in a variety of other situations too.

It is possible to purchase permethrin-based products at £55 to £60 per kg, or £27-£32 per Litre. It’s the more cost-effective of the two.
Pros:
- Might be more efficient
Cons:
- Potentially more risky
- Not as cheap as products made of boron
FAQs
Q: What does a woodworm look like?
A: Woodworms are tiny creates just several millimetres in length. The best way of actually spotting them is by seeing the evidence they leave behind in the form of exit holes on a timber surface.
Q: How can I tell if a woodworm is active?
A: To check if woodworms are alive in/on a timber surface, look out for frass (woodworm droppings). It has an appearance resembling fine sawdust and will most open appear about the edges of the exit holes.
Q: How long until a product will kill woodworms?
A: It should take one day, possibly two.
Q: How can I prevent a woodworm infestation?
A: One of the best ways to avoid this issue is by keeping moisture levels low. In addition, you should make sure that wood remains dry and ventilated sufficiently.
Q: What is the life cycle of a woodworm?
A: The woodworm life cycle lasts for about two to five years. To start with larvae hatch, eat through wood and then re-appear as grown beetles. They mate, lay eggs, and then eventually die with the recycle repeating.