Key points.
Describe the signs and where they are before naming a pest: identification is the professional’s job.
The company must hold a permit and its employees a certificate, both verifiable in the public register.
Have it written down what the intervention covers: inspection, treatment, follow-up are three different things.
Describe what you have actually observed
Note the rooms involved, the date of the first sightings and how often they recur. A photo taken from a distance and a wide shot of the spot are worth more than an insect name found online. Do not open a wall and do not handle an animal or a nest to complete your file: explain what remains out of reach instead.
Mention anything already done, including products applied and dates, if you know them. In a shared building, state whether you own or rent and who authorizes access to common areas.
Naming the pest is not your job. The observations are: they are what guides the inspection.
Understand the method before agreeing
In Quebec, pesticide application is governed by the Pesticides Act. The company must hold a permit for its activity, and the work must be done by certified employees or under the supervision of a certified employee. Both are verified in the public registers of the ministry of the Environment.
Then ask the quote to separate three things clearly, because they are not paid for the same way and a company may only offer one of them.
The inspection
Confirming the presence and identifying the pest. Billed or not, it comes before any serious treatment.
The treatment
The products or methods used, how many visits, and what triggers another one.
The follow-up
What is included after the first visit, and for how long.
- Permit
- Issued to the company for the activity it carries out, such as pest management.
- Certificate
- Held by the person applying the product, or supervising whoever applies it.
- Public registers
- The ministry of the Environment’s registers, where permits and applications can be checked by the public.
References : Gouvernement du Québec ↗ · Registre public des pesticides ↗
Plan the visit and your return to the premises
Preparing the home is part of the treatment, and it changes with the pest and with the products used. Ask for the instructions in writing, for your specific situation, rather than following a list found online.
Ask explicitly about the occupants: children, babies, pregnant women, people with allergies or asthma, pets, aquariums. Health Canada publishes guidance on protecting pets when pesticides are used, and the delay before going back inside depends on who lives there.
References : Santé Canada ↗ · Gouvernement du Québec ↗
Know what happens after the first visit
A first visit rarely settles everything. Have them say what happens next: is a second visit planned, when, and on what conditions? Is it included in the price or billed separately?
Finally, ask what is left on your side to keep it from coming back: repairs, sealing, storage, habits. Prevention is not a service, it is a list of actions: it should be handed to you.
- Inspection
Confirming the presence, identification, and what was examined.
- Intervention
Method, products, rooms treated, preparation and re-entry instructions.
- Return visit
Planned or not, when and on what conditions.
- Prevention
What is left to do in your home: repairs, sealing, storage.
Compare two pest control proposals
| What to compare | What to clarify with the professional |
|---|---|
| First visit | What is inspected, what is identified, and whether the inspection is billed |
| Treatment | Method, products, rooms treated, number of visits included |
| Follow-up | Second visit, timing and conditions, and what is billed on top |
| Prevention | What is left to do in your home, in writing |
Your preparation checklist
Frequently asked questions
- How do I check that a company is allowed to do this work?
- In the public registers of the ministry of the Environment, where permits issued under the Pesticides Act are verified. Ask for the exact company name and its permit number before agreeing to anything. Registre public des pesticides ↗ · Gouvernement du Québec ↗
- Will one visit be enough?
- It depends on the pest and the extent, and nobody can promise it over the phone. What can be asked before signing: how many visits are included, on what conditions another one is added, and whether it is billed.
- Can I apply a product myself in the meantime?
- That is the reflex that complicates interventions the most. Misused products are dangerous to health and can make insects more resistant to treatment. Describe what you observe instead, and let the inspection decide. Gouvernement du Québec ↗
- What about my pets?
- Mention them on the first call, along with aquariums. Health Canada publishes guidance on protecting pets when pesticides are used, and the company must give you the instructions that apply to the products used in your home. Santé Canada ↗
Sources and references.
- Gouvernement du Québec : Permis pour la vente et l’utilisation de pesticides ↗Quebec
- Santé Canada : Protéger vos animaux de compagnie lorsque vous utilisez des pesticides ↗Canada
Conditions and rules may change; consult the relevant organizations for your project. The questions, tables and examples are preparation tools provided by Projet Maison 360. Source titles and links are in French.
