How much does a bat survey cost?
A bat survey typically costs £300 to £700 for a preliminary roost assessment. The typical price is about £450.
£300 to £700
For a preliminary roost assessment · typically about £450
Prices are typical UK ranges drawn from firms’ published prices and cost guides, last checked 6 October 2026. They are a guide only: every firm sets its own prices, so get quotes for your own project. The prices above are before VAT.
Example prices
| Job | Typical price |
|---|---|
| Preliminary roost assessment, daylight inspection, any time of year | £399 + VAT (from) to about £500 |
| Emergence/re-entry survey package, multiple visits (from price) | from £799 + VAT |
| Single dusk emergence survey, one garage (forum quote) | £522 + VAT |
| Emergence surveys on four small barns (forum quote) | about £6,000 + VAT |
What changes the price
- Survey type (PRA vs emergence/re-entry vs activity vs hibernation)
- Number of visits required (often 1 to 3 dusk or dawn visits, 2 to 3 weeks apart)
- Building size, number of elevations and complexity (barns cost far more)
- Number of surveyors needed for coverage and night-vision/thermal kit
- Season: emergence work only May to August optimal, April to September/October limit
- Travel, mitigation design and licence work if roosts are found
Where the cost can grow
The range above is for the first visit, a preliminary roost assessment, which can be done at any time of year. If it finds signs of bats, you will normally need emergence or re-entry surveys. These are priced per visit or as a package, from about £800 plus VAT upward, and a house needing two or more visits can bring the total to around £1,000 to £2,000.
Timing matters
Emergence and re-entry surveys are only valid from about May to September, with the best months May to August. Applying for planning in autumn can mean waiting until the following summer, so book the first assessment early.
How to get a fair quote
- Ask whether the quote is only the daytime inspection, or includes the follow-up emergence and re-entry surveys if bats are found.
- Plan ahead. Emergence surveys can only be done in the active season, roughly May to September.
- Get at least three quotes for the same job, and compare what each includes as well as the total.
- Check the provider’s accreditation. See how we check listings.
Common questions
How much does a bat survey cost?
A bat survey typically costs £300 to £700 for a preliminary roost assessment. The typical price is about £450. The prices above are before VAT.
Why do quotes vary so much?
The main things are: survey type (PRA vs emergence/re-entry vs activity vs hibernation); number of visits required (often 1 to 3 dusk or dawn visits, 2 to 3 weeks apart); building size, number of elevations and complexity (barns cost far more); number of surveyors needed for coverage and night-vision/thermal kit.
Does the price include VAT?
The prices above are before VAT. Always check before you accept.
How do I get a fair price for bat survey?
Get at least three quotes for the same job, and compare what each includes as well as the total. Check the provider’s accreditation and ask for a fixed price where you can.
Where these prices come from
Researched in October 2026 from the sources below, which we compared against each other. Where sources disagreed we used the range that covered most quotes. These sites are independent of us.
- Arbtech - Bat survey costs
- Homebuilding & Renovating - Bat surveys: costs and law (updated Nov 2023)
- BuildHub forum - bat surveys thread (user quotes)
Read next: what bat survey is and when you need it.