Why Own a Pest Control Franchise?

Pest control is something that is almost always in demand. While there are surges and “critter seasons,” no one is a fan of pests, regardless of the time of year, making pest control franchises a great investment for aspiring entrepreneurs. 

The pest control industry is also valued at $26.2 billion as of this year and has continued to grow 7% per year, on average, between 2018 and 2023. Additionally, a 2020 Harris Poll found that 48% of U.S. homeowners with an annual income of $75,000 or more used licensed professional pest control services within the past year compared to just 18% of homeowners in the same income range in 2001.

With those statistics in mind, the time has never been better to own a pest control franchise. Here are a few more reasons why: 

Home Services are Booming

Pest control falls under the home services category of franchising, one that has seen incredible growth over the past several years. The market is now valued at a whopping $506 billion and is expected to see 53% growth by 2024. As consumers started spending more time at home during the COVID-19 pandemic, they began paying more attention to the state of them and investing money in home improvement. 

In fact, across all three categories of home spending—improvement, maintenance and emergencies—total average spending in 2022 was $12,904 across an average of 12.5 projects, according to a report from Angi.  Home maintenance spending in 2022 came in at an average of $2,467 per household. 

Seasonality

In many areas of the United States, pest control services can be seasonal. This means that there are often ramp-up periods for new investors looking to start their business. 

For example, at Mosquito Hunters*, the rapidly growing outdoor pest control franchise, the brand is leveraging a proven model that allows franchisees to use the off-season for some planning and strategy that will lead to long-term success.

“With our business, the revenue comes in a very condensed window,” Ronald Ens, a franchise development manager for Mosquito Hunters, previously told 1851 Franchise. “Our brand has a 12- to 14-week power window in the spring and summer where a franchisee does 75% of their sales for that year. We want to make sure their business is in order and operational before that window opens and we hit the ground running.”

Recession-Proof and Low Overhead

No matter what the economic climate is, people will always need pests taken care of. When people are looking to cut costs, things like home services are typically not seen as a luxury or an expense to cut out.

In many cases, a pest infestation is not only a nuisance, but dangerous to the health of those in the home. Homeowners are typically quick to remedy the issue by calling a pest control service. 

Additionally, as with many businesses within home services, pest control typically allows for low overhead once up and running. While there are some initial investments to get a pest control franchise started, costs are low due to having a mobile service rather than a brick-and-mortar space. Many of these companies can be run from a home office, saving a huge chunk of change.