A method for contacting the soil about a building with one or more insect active agents. The method includes providing an insect active agent, providing a soil permeability modifying agent, contacting the soil with the soil permeability modifying agent to provide a modified soil, and contacting the modified soil with the insect active agent. The soil permeability modifying agent improves the soil permeability to facilitate penetration of the insect active agent into the soil.