If you’ve heard the heavy thumping of a raccoon in your attic or woken up to trash strewn across your driveway in St. Matthews or the Highlands, your first thought—after “how do I get rid of it?”—is likely, “how much is this going to cost?”

It’s a fair question. In the wildlife control industry, pricing can be opaque. At Critter Removal of Louisville, we believe in transparency. While every home and infestation is unique, this guide will give you a realistic expectation of the costs involved in professional raccoon removal in the Louisville metro area for 2025.

The Breakdown: What Are You Paying For?

Professional wildlife removal isn’t just about setting a trap in a cage. It is a multi-step construction and sanitation process designed to permanently solve the problem. Here is how the costs break down.

1. The Inspection Fee ($0 - $250)

Most reputable wildlife companies in Kentucky charge an initial service call or inspection fee. This covers the technician’s time, fuel, and expertise to physically inspect your roof, attic, crawl space, and perimeter.

• Industry Average: $89 - $159

• Our Price: $0. We offer a 100% free, no-obligation inspection for homeowners in our service area. We believe you shouldn’t have to pay just to find out what’s wrong.

2. Trapping and Removal ($300 - $600)

This is the “emergency” phase—getting the animals out. Pricing models vary by company:

• Per Animal: Some charge a setup fee plus a fee for every raccoon caught. This can get expensive quickly if you have a mother and four kits.

• Flat Rate: A set fee for the trapping duration (usually 5-10 days) regardless of how many animals are caught.

• Eviction Fluids: For female raccoons with babies in a chimney or tight eave, we may use male raccoon gland scents to force her to move her own babies. This is often cheaper and more humane than physical trapping.

3. Entry Point Exclusion & Repair ($200 - $1,500+)

This is the most critical part. If you trap a raccoon but don’t seal the hole, another one will smell the den and move in within weeks. Raccoons are strong; they can tear through shingles, plywood, and plastic vents.

• Minor Repairs: Sealing a single entry point with heavy-gauge steel mesh or metal flashing typically costs $150 - $300.

• Chimney Caps: Installing a professional stainless steel chimney cap (not the cheap galvanized ones from big box stores) ranges from $150 - $450 depending on flue size.

• Full Home Exclusion: If your home has multiple vulnerable areas (common in older neighborhoods like Old Louisville or Germantown), a full exclusion package sealing all soffits, eaves, and vents can range from $1,000 to $3,000+.

4. Attic Restoration & Cleanup ($1,500 - $10,000+)

If raccoons have been living in your attic for weeks or months, the damage can be extensive. They trample insulation (ruining R-value) and leave behind urine and feces that carry dangerous parasites like raccoon roundworm.

• Spot Cleaning: Removing a small latrine area and sanitizing: $300 - $600.

• Full Restoration: Vacuuming out all soiled insulation, sanitizing the attic floor, air sealing, and blowing in new cellulose or fiberglass insulation. This is a major construction project and costs vary by square footage, but often fall between $4,000 and $8,000.

Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Raccoon Removal?

This is the most common question we get. The answer is a nuanced “Yes and No.”

• The Animal: Insurance almost never covers the cost of trapping the raccoon. That is considered “maintenance” or “pest control.”

• The Damage: Insurance frequently covers the damage the raccoon caused. This includes the torn roof, the ruined insulation, the drywall repairs, and the decontamination labor.

The “Sudden and Accidental” Clause:

Insurance covers sudden damage. If a raccoon tears a hole in your roof tonight and ruins your attic, it’s likely covered. If you’ve had a raccoon family for three years and ignored it, the adjuster may deny the claim due to negligence or “long-term damage.”

The Cost of DIY vs. Professional

You can buy a trap at a hardware store for $50. However, DIY raccoon removal often leads to higher costs down the road:

1. Trapping the wrong animal: You might catch a neighborhood cat or a skunk (good luck releasing that!).

2. The “Baby Factor”: If you trap a mother raccoon and relocate her, you’ve left a litter of babies to die inside your walls. The smell of decomposition is unbearable, and cutting into walls to remove them costs hundreds.

3. Ineffective Repairs: Raccoons can rip through spray foam, chicken wire, and wood. Only steel withstands them.

The Bottom Line

For a standard raccoon issue in Louisville involving inspection, trapping, and sealing a main entry point, you should budget between $500 and $1,200.

If you suspect you have a raccoon issue, don’t wait. The longer they stay, the more expensive the restoration becomes. Call us today for that free inspection—knowing the exact price costs you nothing.