Birmingham City Council area only, B1 to B48 and Sutton Coldfield B72 to B76
An introduction service: you hear the firm's name before your details go anywhere.
Heat treatment raises the rooms, and everything in them, to a temperature bed bugs and their eggs cannot survive, then holds it there. Done properly it deals with every life stage in one long visit, with no insecticide on the mattress.
As a guide, heat costs £700 to £1,100 for a one-bedroom flat and £1,000 to £1,700 for a three-bedroom house. It is the dearest method, so it pays to know what a sound job involves before you book one.
Free to use. This is an introduction service, not a pest control firm: we pick a bed bug specialist who covers your postcode, tell you who they are, and pass on nothing until you agree. About this service
| Job | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Studio or 1-bed flatWhole home in one day | £700 to £1,100 |
| 3-bed semi or terraceWhole home in one day | £1,000 to £1,700 |
| One confirmed roomUsually after an inspection | £500 to £800 |
National guide figures from Fantastic Services (updated 30 September 2026, VAT included) and Checkatrade (May 2026). Neither lists a West Midlands rate. A guide, not a quote; see the cost and schedule planner.
Times are a typical example for a two-bedroom home starting at 8am. Larger homes take longer, and the specialist sets the pace by the probes, not the clock.
| Time | Stage | What happens | Done when |
|---|---|---|---|
| 8:00 | Survey and set-up | The specialist walks the rooms, checks what has been removed, and places heaters and fans. Wireless probes go inside the mattress, the sofa, wardrobes and wall gaps. | Every hiding place has a probe in or near it. |
| 9:00 | Heat-up | Heaters bring the room air up fast. Furniture, mattresses and piles of fabric heat far more slowly, which is why the probes matter more than the thermostat. | The coldest probe passes 45°C. |
| 11:30 | Hold | Once the coldest probe reaches 50°C the clock starts. The specialist turns cushions, opens drawers and moves the fans so the heat gets into every corner. | All probes at 50°C for two hours, or 52°C for one. |
| 14:00 | Residual and cool-down | Heaters go off. Some firms apply a residual insecticide to skirting and edges at this point, which they should have told you about in writing beforehand. | Rooms safe to enter; doors and windows opened. |
| 15:30 | Hand-over | You are walked round, told what was found, and given the temperature log. Ask for it if it is not offered: it is the only evidence the target was reached. | You have the log and a date for the check visit. |
Targets from the British Pest Control Association: 50°C for two hours or 52°C for one hour, measured at the hiding places. See the curve below for how the air and a mattress probe differ.
A heat treatment day, measured two ways
Most of Birmingham's older housing is brick terraces and inter-war semis, from Small Heath and Sparkhill to Kings Heath and Erdington. These are good candidates for heat: rooms are a manageable size and solid walls hold the warmth. Bay windows and single glazing lose heat quickly, so expect the specialist to cover or insulate them.
Tower blocks and converted flats are harder. Bed bugs travel along pipe runs and through gaps between flats, and a heat treatment in one flat can push a few into the next. In a block, ask the firm whether neighbouring flats should be inspected and how they handle the edges of your flat.
If you rent, check who is arranging and paying before you book: our landlords and HMOs page explains how responsibility usually falls. For the figures behind the temperatures, see the BPCA guide to heat treatment.
Want to know whether heat suits your home? Send the details and the specialist we introduce will tell you after looking round.
Request a treatmentPut the same six questions to every firm and their quotes line up side by side.
| Item | What to look for |
|---|---|
| Target and probes | The temperature they aim for at the hiding places, how long they hold it, how many probes they use and where they put them, and whether you get the log. |
| Visits and dates | How many visits, how far apart, and whether the follow-up is booked now or left for you to chase. Spray courses are normally two or three visits; heat is one long day and a check. |
| What is in the price | Which rooms, whether sofas and divans are included, steam, mattress encasements and the follow-up. A low headline figure often leaves these out. |
| Products and re-entry | Which products are used, the time to keep out of each treated room, and any change in approach for babies, pregnancy or pets. |
| Your preparation list | What to wash, bag and leave in place, written down for your home rather than read out on the phone. |
| If bites continue | Whether a call-back within an agreed number of weeks costs extra, and what proof the firm wants first. |
Three short steps. Detail about the home and the signs helps us choose the right specialist and helps them price it accurately.
| 1 | We read the request and pick a bed bug specialist who covers your postcode and your type of property. |
|---|---|
| 2 | We get in touch to tell you who that is, by name. |
| 3 | Only if you say yes do they receive your details and contact you to arrange a visit. |
This is a free introduction service, not a pest control firm. No firm rings you about it until you have accepted the one we put forward.
Treatment request
Step 1 of 3