Sureguard Lawn & Pest vs. The Bug Master
Sureguard Lawn & Pest ranks #3 of 164 and The Bug Master ranks #6 of 164 in the West, with Handshake Scores of 9.0 and 8.8 out of 10. Both have locations on file in Texas.
This comparison sets their verified records side by side: the five scored factors, review platforms, BBB, contract terms, licensing and legal record. It draws no conclusion beyond the scores. The small numbers link to each fact’s source, and each company’s full review has the rest.
At a glance
| Sureguard Lawn & Pest | The Bug Master | |
|---|---|---|
| Rank | #3 of 164 in the West | #6 of 164 in the West |
| Confidence | Medium | High |
| Provisional score | No | No |
| Door-to-door sales | N/Asee record | N/A6, 7, 8 |
| Ownership | PE-backedParent: Perennial Services Group (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania), backed by Tenex Capital Management and Brentwood Associates2, 3, 4, 5 | Independent2, 3, 4, 5 |
| Headquarters | Venus, Texas1 | Austin, Texas2, 3 |
| States on file | Texas17 locations | Texas10 locations |
| Record verified | October 27, 2026 | October 27, 2026 |
Our research
How they score
The Handshake Score is a weighted average of five factors, each scored from 0 to 10 from verified records. The percentage beside each factor is its weight. Each score links to the deductions behind it on the company’s review.
| Sureguard Lawn & Pest | The Bug Master | |
|---|---|---|
| Customer satisfaction 35% | 9.6 | 9.6 |
| Tied on customer satisfaction (9.6 each). | ||
| Complaint record 10% | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Tied on complaint record (10.0 each). | ||
| Sales and contract fairness 15% | N/A | 8.5 |
| The Bug Master scores 8.5 on sales and contract fairness; Sureguard Lawn & Pest isn’t scored on it. | ||
| Licensing and compliance 15% | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Tied on licensing and compliance (10.0 each). | ||
| Legal and regulatory record 15% | 10.0 | 10.0 |
| Tied on legal and regulatory record (10.0 each). | ||
| Handshake Score | 9.0/10 | 8.8/10 |
| Sureguard Lawn & Pest has the higher Handshake Score (9.0 vs. 8.8). | ||
Sureguard Lawn & Pest had no usable inputs for sales and contract fairness, so that factor was left out of its score and its remaining weights were scaled up to 100%.
Workplace
We rate how companies treat employees from employee-review sites and wage-and-hour records. A workplace score is computed and carries 10% of the Handshake Score when there are at least 20 employee reviews on file (otherwise excluded and remaining weights renormalized).
| Sureguard Lawn & Pest | The Bug Master | |
|---|---|---|
| Workplace score | N/A | N/A |
| Neither company has a workplace score. | ||
Review platforms
Google figures cover each company’s western US listings; the average is weighted by each listing’s review count. Ratings and counts are as each site showed them on the date retrieved.
| Sureguard Lawn & Pest | The Bug Master | |
|---|---|---|
| Google listings in the West | 12 | 10 |
| Google reviews | 5,375 | 6,516 |
| Google average | 4.9 | 4.9 |
Sureguard Lawn & Pest 20 review profiles
| Platform and scope | Rating | Reviews | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| GoogleDallas, Texas | 4.9/5 | 1,870 | View |
| GoogleVenus, Texas | 4.9/5 | 1,294 | View |
| GoogleLewisville, Texas | 4.9/5 | 1,178 | View |
| GoogleWaco, Texas | 5.0/5 | 623 | View |
| GoogleMidlothian, Texas | 4.8/5 | 348 | View |
| GoogleTexas | 4.8/5 | 41 | View |
| GoogleTexas | 5.0/5 | 8 | View |
| GoogleTexas | 4.2/5 | 5 | View |
| GoogleSeagoville, Texas | 4.0/5 | 4 | View |
| GoogleWaxahachie, Texas | 5.0/5 | 2 | View |
| GoogleMesquite, Texas | 5.0/5 | 1 | View |
| GoogleGrand Prairie, Texas | 4.0/5 | 1 | View |
| GoogleDuncanville, Texas | — | 0 | View |
| GoogleDallas, Texas | — | 0 | View |
| GoogleAddison, Texas | — | 0 | View |
| GoogleRichland Hills, Texas | — | 0 | View |
| BBBMidlothian, Texas | 1.0/5 | 1 | View |
| BBBWaco, Texas | — | 0 | View |
| FacebookWaco, Texas | — | 0 | View |
| OtherBirdeye profile “Sureguard Termite & Pest Services”, Dallas, Texas | 4.9/5 | 2,562 | View |
The Bug Master 13 review profiles
| Platform and scope | Rating | Reviews | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| GoogleAustin, Texas | 4.9/5 | 2,966 | View |
| GoogleThe Woodlands, Texas | 4.9/5 | 886 | View |
| GoogleTemple, Texas | 4.9/5 | 732 | View |
| GoogleSan Antonio, Texas | 4.9/5 | 605 | View |
| GoogleSan Marcos, Texas | 4.9/5 | 511 | View |
| GoogleHouston, Texas | 4.8/5 | 494 | View |
| GoogleTexas | 5.0/5 | 307 | View |
| GoogleTexas | 3.5/5 | 13 | View |
| GoogleTexas | 5.0/5 | 1 | View |
| GoogleTexas | 5.0/5 | 1 | View |
| BBBTexas: BBB Heart of Texas file 0825-42185 | — | 0 | View |
| Facebookcompany page | — | 48 | View |
| YelpAustin, Texas | 3.5/5 | 82 | View |
Better Business Bureau
Sureguard Lawn & Pest. Its BBB profile shows a NR grade and 0 complaints in the last three years.
The Bug Master. Its BBB profile shows an A+ grade and 3 complaints in the last three years.
| Sureguard Lawn & Pest | The Bug Master | |
|---|---|---|
| BBB grade | NR35, 38 | A+3, 9, 26 |
| Accredited | No | Yes, since 4/1/1988 |
| Complaints, last 3 years | 0 | 3 |
| BBB customer reviews | 1.0/5 average from 1 review | No reviews |
| Profile scope | Texas only: headquarters file (Midlothian, with a Red Oak branch address) plus a separate Waco file; both cover Texas locations only | Not recorded |
| Retrieved | October 27, 2026 | October 27, 2026 |
| Profiles |
Contract terms
Terms as recorded from the linked sources.
Sureguard Lawn & Pest 9 terms
Lawn care: the company says its lawn care programs require no long-term contract.8
Pest control: perimeter service is sold as a recurring plan, typically quarterly; no minimum term, renewal, cancellation method or fee is published.9
Re-service between scheduled visits depends on the customer’s service agreement; the agreement itself is not published.9, 10
The site’s TDA Consumer Information Sheet states a 72-hour right to cancel a contract made through home solicitation (state-required notice).11
The site’s “Terms and Conditions” page covers website use and SMS messaging only; it has no service-contract, renewal, cancellation or arbitration terms.12
A BBB reviewer (April 2026) says the company would not honor a prepaid 5-year contract ($1,900) sold by a business it had acquired.13
A Google reviewer (about 6 years before October 27, 2026) says they asked many times for a written termite contract after a verbal estimate and never received one.14
A Waco Reddit user reports bi-monthly service at about $50 per month (former Hero Pest Control customer).15
Instagram promotion: 50% off the initial service with sign-up for a recurring service plan.16
The Bug Master 7 terms
Company (BBB response, 03/09/2026): the residential Pest Plus plan is an annual program billed monthly with quarterly visits, i.e. a 12-month term.9
Company (BBB responses, 07/18/2024 and 08/07/2024, commercial apartment customer): its termite/Sentricon agreement includes an auto-renewal clause; annual termite and Sentricon station fees renew automatically because the stations are leased.9
Consumer-reported price (BBB complaint 02/25/2026, Pest Plus plan): $179 initial service, then $53.04 per month.9
Company FAQ: residential treatments at least quarterly; monthly for mosquitoes/fleas.10
Guarantee (company): free re-service if a problem persists; warranties vary by service; satisfaction guarantee refunds the last scheduled service if the problem cannot be fixed.4, 11
Consumer report (BBB complaint 02/03/2026): customer says they tried to cancel in November 2025 and kept being billed monthly and threatened with collections; company replied it could not find the account.9
Not published: the website shows no service agreement, cancellation method, early-cancellation fee or arbitration terms (FAQ, location and package pages checked; FAQ accordions expanded).10
Licensing and registrations
Status and expiry dates are shown exactly as the issuing agency’s record showed them on the date retrieved.
Sureguard Lawn & Pest 6 records (Texas 6)
| State | Authority and type | Number | Status | Expires | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Structural Pest Control ServiceCommercial business license (structural pest control) | 0709507 | Active (listed in TDA’s current Commercial Business license report, file dated 26 Oct 2026) | 12/31/2026 | 40 |
| Texas | Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Structural Pest Control ServiceCommercial business license (structural pest control) | 0929791 | Active (listed in TDA’s current Commercial Business license report, file dated 26 Oct 2026) | 02/28/2027 | 40 |
| Texas | Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Structural Pest Control ServiceCommercial business license (structural pest control) | 0956269 | Active (listed in TDA’s current Commercial Business license report, file dated 26 Oct 2026) | 03/31/2027 | 40 |
| Texas | Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Structural Pest Control ServiceCommercial business license (structural pest control) | 0943051 | Active (listed in TDA’s current Commercial Business license report, file dated 26 Oct 2026) | 08/31/2027 | 40 |
| Texas | Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Structural Pest Control ServiceCommercial business license (structural pest control) | 0943052 | Active (listed in TDA’s current Commercial Business license report, file dated 26 Oct 2026) | 08/31/2027 | 40 |
| Texas | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (franchise tax account status; Texas SOS registration status)Texas domestic LLC registration (Sureguard Lawn & Pest, LLC) | SOS file 0802109351 | SOS registration ACTIVE; right to transact business ACTIVE | Not shown | 2, 41 |
The Bug Master 5 records (Texas 5)
| State | Authority and type | Number | Status | Expires | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Structural Pest Control ServiceCommercial Business License | TPCL 0566854 | Active (listed on TDA current-licenses report) | 07/31/2027 | 27 |
| Texas | Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Structural Pest Control ServiceCommercial Business License | TPCL 0566852 | Active (listed on TDA current-licenses report) | 07/31/2027 | 27 |
| Texas | Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Structural Pest Control ServiceCommercial Business License | TPCL 0779874 | Active (listed on TDA current-licenses report) | 02/28/2027 | 27 |
| Texas | Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) Structural Pest Control ServiceCommercial Certified Applicator (individual) registrations tied to the company’s business licenses | 0559088 (Dauphin M Ewart); 0711028 (Keld Ewart) | Listed on TDA certified-applicator report | 07/31/2027 (0559088); 07/31/2027 and 02/28/2027 (0711028) | 28 |
| Texas | Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts (Franchise Tax Account Status, showing Texas Secretary of State registration)Business entity registration (Texas limited partnership) | Texas taxpayer 17421913033; SOS file 0013005810 | Right to Transact Business: ACTIVE; SOS Registration Status: ACTIVE | Not shown | 2 |
Legal and regulatory record
Only resolved government actions count toward the legal and regulatory score. Pending lawsuits, allegations and private matters are listed but not scored. Summaries are our researchers’ wording of the source; allegations are allegations, not findings.
Sureguard Lawn & Pest 2 records
Legal and regulatory score: 10.0/10. Records counted in it: none.
October 27, 2026 · Complaint summaryUsed in complaint record
Texas (BBB serving North Central Texas, headquarters file)
BBB headquarters file “Sureguard Termite Pest Svc” (Midlothian; opened 8/12/2016): 0 complaints, Not Rated, not accredited, 1 customer review (1/5).36
October 27, 2026 · Complaint summaryUsed in complaint record
Texas (BBB Heart of Texas, Waco file)
BBB file “Sureguard Lawn & Pest - Waco” (opened 2/5/2026): 0 complaints, rating A- (time in business), not accredited, 0 reviews.39
The Bug Master 6 records
Legal and regulatory score: 10.0/10. Records counted in it: none.
October 27, 2026 · Complaint summaryUsed in complaint record
BBB Heart of Texas
BBB file 0825-42185 (Austin HQ with San Marcos, Temple and Waco branch addresses; its phone list includes The Woodlands number): 3 complaints in the last 3 years, 2 in the last 12 months. All 3 displayed show business responses (status Answered): a Pest Plus billing complaint (monthly billing vs quarterly visits, 02/2026), billing after attempted cancellation (02/2026; company could not find the account), and a commercial apartment owner’s dispute over an auto-renewed termite/Sentricon bill sent to collections, where the customer alleged a forged signature (07/2024; company kept the account in collections).9
October 27, 2026 · Complaint summaryShown only
Texas (Attorney General; federal)
No Texas Attorney General action, FTC action, consent order or settlement involving The Bug Master or Bug Master Exterminating Service was found. The cited CourtListener RECAP (federal) search returns 4 dockets, none an action by a government body against the company: three list it only as a creditor or notice party in other companies’ bankruptcies, and one cites a private case, “Barsness Service Group, Inc. vs. Bug Master Exterminating Service, Ltd.”, in a 2018 court appendix (not researched). The Texas AG publishes no per-company complaint data.32
August 21, 2026 · EnforcementShown only
Texas (Texas Department of Agriculture, Structural Pest Control Service)
TDA enforcement case 00049359 against TPCL 0566854 (Austin business license): violations “WORKING OUT OF CATEGORY” and “OTHER”; agency action WARNING, no penalty; date final 08/21/2026. A warning with no penalty is not a resolved government penalty and is not scored.29
July 17, 2024 · ComplaintUsed in complaint record
BBB Heart of Texas (complaint 22002354)
Commercial customer (two apartment properties) said it declined a termite renewal, was billed $2,776.61 anyway, had pest service suspended at both properties over the dispute, and that the contract Bug Master gave a collections agency carried a forged signature; it said it reported this to police. The company replied that the signed agreement auto-renews (leased Sentricon stations), work orders show the work was done, and it would let collections proceed. Allegations only; no outcome beyond the BBB exchange is known.9
December 31, 2002 · LawsuitShown only
Texas, Third Court of Appeals (Austin); Travis County 261st District Court No. 99-00846
Abash Exterminating sued a former employee to enforce his employment agreement, then added Bug Master Exterminating Service, Inc. as a defendant, alleging interference with business relations and unfair competition by using Abash’s trade secrets obtained when Bug Master hired him; Abash later nonsuited Bug Master. Bug Master appealed the denial of its sanctions motion; the court affirmed (12/31/2002). Private business dispute, resolved, over 20 years old; not scored.30
June 26, 1997 · LawsuitShown only
Texas, Third Court of Appeals (Austin), No. 03-96-00574-CV
Home buyers who found termites after closing sued the sellers, realtors and others, including Bug Master Exterminating Service, Inc., which had done the FHA termite inspection on closing day and found no termites. The appeal concerns the sellers only; the outcome of the claim against Bug Master is not shown. Private, about 29 years old; not scored.31
Keep reading
- Sureguard Lawn & Pest review#3 of 164 in the West
- The Bug Master review#6 of 164 in the West
- Is Sureguard Lawn & Pest legit?Licenses, BBB record and legal history
- Is The Bug Master legit?Licenses, BBB record and legal history
- The Pacific Northwest pest control rankingsThe full rankings, with every factor score
- How we review companiesThe five factors, their weights and what we count