The Short Answer
On our estimates, a private pest controller charges about £70 to £200 to treat a wasp nest, with extra nests at the same visit £15 to £35 each. Councils that offer the service can be cheaper: Chelmsford City Council charged £78 a nest when we checked in October 2026.
Chelmsford City Council says its treatment takes about 30 minutes, and that wasps never go back to an old nest.
Wasp nest prices
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| One nest, private pest controller | £70 to £200 |
| Each extra nest at the same visit | £15 to £35 |
| Inspection fee, if charged separately | £50 to £100 |
Some firms add an inspection fee on top, so check what the quoted price covers before they come.
Council wasp treatment
Here's what Chelmsford City Council published for April 2026 to March 2027:
| Nests | Price | On certain benefits |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | £78 | £39 |
| 2 | £93 | £54 |
| 3 | £108 | £69 |
| Each extra nest | +£15 | +£15 |
How the council treats a nest, and its conditions:
- An insecticidal dust is puffed into the nest entrance with a telescopic pole. It takes about 30 minutes.
- If the nest is still active after 3 weeks, it's re-treated free.
- The nest must be big enough to treat, with an entrance visible from outside, not obstructed, and below the eaves gutter of a two-storey house.
- You pay a call-out fee if they can't treat it, or if it turns out to be bees.
- It doesn't treat for landlords of rented homes (that's commercial work).
When to deal with it
Nests are small and easier to treat in spring and early summer; wasp activity peaks, with the biggest nests, in late summer and early autumn. Wasps that are disturbed can become aggressive, and stings can cause allergic reactions. I'd book a treatment as soon as you spot regular traffic in and out of one spot, rather than wait for it to grow.
Will it go away on its own?
Chelmsford council says wasps never go back to an old nest. If you see more wasps next year, it's a new nest.
Bees are different
Chelmsford's council service doesn't treat bees, and charges a call-out if it turns out they are; check with your own council or pest controller. For a honeybee swarm, Chelmsford points people to the British Bee Removers Association or a local beekeeper. If you're not sure what you've got, I'd take a photo from a safe distance and send it with your enquiry.
Get wasp nest removal quotes
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Frequently asked questions
How much does wasp nest removal cost?
On our estimates, £70 to £200 for one nest from a private pest controller. Councils that offer it can be cheaper.
Will a wasp nest go away on its own?
Wasps don't return to an old nest, Chelmsford City Council says. A live nest near the house is a different matter: disturbed wasps can become aggressive, so I'd have it treated.
How long does wasp nest treatment take?
About 30 minutes, according to Chelmsford City Council.
Will the council remove bees?
Not always: Chelmsford's service doesn't treat bees. For a honeybee swarm, it points people to the British Bee Removers Association or a local beekeeper.
When are wasp nests biggest?
In late summer and early autumn, when wasp activity peaks. Spring nests are smaller and easier to treat.
How we priced thisView sources (2, 2 official)
Rules come from the legislation and official guidance, read at source. Prices are our estimates: we check them against trade price data, retailer shelf prices and specialists' price lists, then build them up from their parts so the totals add up. Below are the sources behind the page; the trade price guides we only compare against aren’t listed. Where sources disagreed, we've said so. More on our method.
- OfficialHow we treat wasps and hornets (prices 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027), Chelmsford City Council. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
- OfficialPest control: our treatment charges, Manchester City Council. Checked 16 Oct 2026.
