PestChief

Built for the customer, not the pest control company

Know what you have, what it should cost, and what's safe in your home.

PestChief Home is a free AI toolkit for homeowners, renters, and property managers. It identifies pests from real evidence, benchmarks exterminator quotes against typical pricing, checks chemical safety for pets and infants, settles landlord responsibility, and explains what a treatment will actually do over days 1–14.

Identify my pest Check a quote for scams

Every tool also gives you the prompt — copy it into ChatGPT, Claude, or Perplexity.

Start with what you're seeing

AntsRodents (mice/rats)Bed bugsCockroachesWasps / hornetsTermitesFleasSpidersSquirrels / attic wildlife

Common situations

Heard scratching in the ceiling at 2 AMA contractor quoted me $1,400Cat owner facing a flea treatmentBites, but I can't find any bugsMy landlord won't treat the building

The tool suite

Eleven tools covering identification, hiring, household safety, your rights as a renter or owner, and life after the technician leaves.

Identify

Pest ID & Home TriageIdentify what you're dealing with and how urgent it really isIdentify & triageMystery Noise & Activity TriagerScratching at 2 AM? Timing and sound pattern narrow it downTriage the noiseBug vs. Bite Evidence CheckerBumps can't identify a pest — here's how to find real evidenceCheck my evidence

Hire & Verify

Quote Scam & Fair-Price DetectorPaste an estimate: markups, auto-renewals, and missing guaranteesCheck this quoteQuestions for the ExterminatorKnow exactly what to ask before anyone sprays your homeGenerate my questionsPro-Grade DIY vs. Hire a ProWhat store products fail at, what pro-grade IPM does, when to stopGet the honest verdict

Safety

Pet & Infant Chemical Safety MatrixPermethrin and cats, rodenticide and dogs, fish tanks, re-entry timesCheck household safetyTreatment Prep & Safety ChecklistA before / during / after plan built for your exact homeBuild my prep plan

After Treatment

Post-Treatment Timeline & Report DecoderPaste the service report: what happens day by day, and callback triggersExplain my treatmentHome Proofing & Prevention PlanRoom-by-room exclusion so they stop coming backBuild my proofing plan

Rights

Landlord vs. Tenant NavigatorWho must pay, how to document it, and a notice letter you can sendClarify responsibility

Straight answers homeowners actually ask

How much should pest control cost?

General pest control typically runs about $100–$300 for the initial service and $40–$75 per month, or $300–$550 quarterly, on an average home. Bed bug, termite, and wildlife exclusion work is legitimately priced far higher.

What are the biggest pest control contract red flags?

Automatic 12-month renewal, an early-cancellation fee, no named active ingredients, no free re-service between visits, same-day-only discounts, and scope language so vague that any complaint falls outside it.

Do bug bombs work on cockroaches?

No. Total-release foggers barely reach the cracks and voids where German roaches harbor, and their repellency scatters survivors deeper into walls and neighboring rooms. Gel baits and insect growth regulators work far better.

Is my landlord responsible for pest control?

Usually yes for building-related or multi-unit infestations, under the implied warranty of habitability. Tenants may be responsible when their own sanitation clearly caused it. Local law and your lease decide the specifics.

Why am I seeing more roaches right after treatment?

That is normal for days 1–7. Treatment flushes insects out of harborage and dying roaches move into the open. More sightings of slow, disoriented insects means contact, not failure.