Pest control in Parkmore mostly means roof rats, German cockroaches, ants, subterranean termites and spiders, in a suburb where many older family homes now double as offices or have been knocked down for clusters. We inspect first, treat the cause rather than the symptom, and fit the work around whoever is using the building that day.
A suburb in the middle of changing
Parkmore sits just west of the Sandton CBD, close enough that the towers fill the skyline from most gardens. It was built as a quiet residential suburb of face-brick and plastered houses on decent stands, with established gardens and big trees. Its position has since pulled in businesses: consultants, salons, small practices and agencies working out of converted houses, alongside cluster developments that replaced single homes.
That mix matters for pests. A converted house might have a staff kitchen used by fifteen people, a cupboard full of warm network cables and a garden nobody really looks after. Next door could be a building site, and construction is one of the most reliable ways to push rats out of the ground and into neighbouring roofs. A few houses along, a family with a dog, a compost heap and a vegetable patch has completely different problems.
What we treat most in Parkmore
Roof rats, especially near building sites
When an old house is demolished, the rats that lived in its roof, its outbuildings and the overgrown corners of its garden don't vanish. They move to the nearest shelter, which is often the roof next door. We see a run of Parkmore calls whenever a stand nearby is cleared. We set lockable bait stations along the boundary, trap inside the roof space and then point out the gaps they used. The method is set out in more detail on our rat control in Sandton page.
Cockroaches in office kitchens
German cockroaches love shared kitchens: a kettle, a microwave, a fridge motor and crumbs nobody owns. In converted homes they also travel through old plumbing into bathrooms. Gel bait placed into hinges, appliance housings and cracks clears them without anyone having to leave the building, which matters when the property is a working office.
Ants and spiders
Pugnacious ants and black house ants trail in along paving and window frames, mostly in the weeks around the first summer storms. Baits beat sprays here, because a spray kills the workers you can see and leaves the nest working. Spiders follow the insects, so outside lights, eaves and garages collect webs, and the odd sac spider turns up indoors. A barrier treatment around doors and eaves keeps both down.
Termites in older homes
Many Parkmore houses have built-in cupboards, timber door frames and wooden roof trusses that have been there for decades. Subterranean termites reach them from the soil, usually through a crack in the slab or a cupboard against an outside wall. Mud tubes on a wall or a skirting board that sounds hollow should be checked straight away. Our termite treatments in Sandton explain the soil treatment and baiting we use, and the 5-year guarantee and certificate that come with it.
How a Parkmore visit works
We start with a walk-through: kitchen, bathrooms, the roof space where there's a trap door, garage, outbuildings and the garden boundary. For a business we'll ask who uses the kitchen and when, so we can treat before staff arrive or after they leave. Our sprays are odourless and don't stain, and nobody needs to move out; children and pets simply stay off treated surfaces until they're dry. Offices that want regular cover can take a monitoring contract, with a written record after each visit for their own files or for the landlord.
The common mistake: treating only your side of the wall
If a neighbouring stand is being redeveloped, treating your house once and walking away rarely holds. Rats keep arriving for as long as the site is being dug up. It's worth keeping bait stations on the boundary until the building work is finished, and asking the developer or the neighbour whether they have pest control in place. A conversation over the wall saves a lot of repeat visits.
A tip for Parkmore properties
If your house has become an office, look at the old staff quarters, outside storeroom or garden shed. They tend to fill up with archive boxes and broken chairs and are hardly ever opened, which makes them ideal for rats, cockroaches and, if the boxes sit on the floor, termites. Lift everything onto shelves and clear the space out once a season.
What it costs, and why it varies
Price depends on the pest, the size of the building and how it's used. A cockroach treatment in a family kitchen is a small job; a converted house with several kitchens and bathrooms takes longer. Rat work depends on the number of bait stations and follow-ups, and termite work on how much timber is involved and whether the soil around the building needs treating. This page shows a guide "from" price, and the full list sits on our Johannesburg pest control prices page. We quote properly after the inspection, and if a few ant baits from the shop will do the job, we'll tell you.
Parkmore falls within the wider area on our pest control in Sandton page, and neighbouring Sandown has its own page.
Combat Pest Control is owned and run by Jason van Heerden, with 25 years in the trade, SAPCA membership and registration with the Department of Agriculture under Act 36 of 1947. We offer service within 24 hours, and general treatments carry a 3-month guarantee. Call 084 200 2700, or WhatsApp us a photo of whatever you've found.
Questions we get asked
How much does pest control cost for a converted house used as an office?
It's priced on the building and the pest rather than on whether it's a home or a business. More kitchens, bathrooms and roof space mean more time, so we confirm the price after a quick inspection; guide prices are on our prices page.
Can you treat our office without us closing for the day?
Yes. Gel baits and bait stations go in while people work, and if a spray is needed we do it early or after hours so it's dry before staff come in.
The house next door is being demolished. Will the rats come to us?
Quite often, yes. Rats from the old house and garden look for the nearest roof, so it's sensible to put bait stations on your boundary before the demolition starts.
Do we have to leave the house while you treat?
No. Our normal insect treatments are odourless and you can stay at home; just keep children and pets off treated surfaces until they're dry.
How long before the cockroaches are gone?
Most kitchens are clear within two to three weeks of gel baiting, as cockroaches feed and carry the bait back. If they return within three months, our guarantee covers a return visit.
How do I tell termites from ordinary old timber damage?
Look for mud tubes, soft or hollow-sounding wood and soil packed into cracks. Old, dry damage with no fresh mud is often historic, but it's worth an inspection to be sure.
What should I do before you arrive?
Clear the cupboards under the sink and around the stove, open the roof trap door if you have one, and tell us where you've seen activity. That lets us get straight to the right spots.