Termite inspection

[Pins]

Hi all,

I have a brick house in Singleton. I had it inspected for termites in Sept 2011. The agent (who is pretty good actually) is suggesting it's time for another go. It's $176 so would rather not if I don't have to.

Does anyone know how regularly you should conduct this kind of inspection?

Thanks in advance

 

[Scott No Mates]

how prevalent is termite activity in your area? are there trees which may contain a nest? Does your house have good underfloor ventilation? Are the ant caps in good condition? is the underfloor area free of timber, cardboard, paper or other cellulose material? are there any dripping taps or other water leaks or sources of moisture available?

It may not be necessary to have annual inspections (if you can be satisfied that none of the above has changed) but you've had 3 1/2 years between inspections and they can destroy a house in a very short time.

 

[Pins]

Yes when you put it that way 176 doesn't seem like much...

 

[donkey]

My folks didnt get an inspection done for 20 yrs. It cost them $20k in repairs. $176 is nothing mate to protect an asset like a house. dont be tight.

 

[Scott No Mates]

Donkey, was the damage done in year one, 5, 10, 15 or 20?

Regular inspections isn't going to stop the damage occurring but limits your risk. Think of it as preventative maintenance.

 

[MRO]

A company I used to work for bought a large development property with a couple of existing residential homes on it. No inspection had be done in 10 years. When the roof collapsed due to termite damage in the childrens bedroom we had to get the tenants to move out and were quoted over $40k to total re-roof the house.

 

[jaspn]

Pay for it. I've heard too many bad stories to cheap out when it comes to termites. We're getting ours retreated this year which is one year before the retreatment date. There seems to be some confusion between treatment companies and the body corp as to exactly when it was last done, so we'll do it early just as a precaution. It's about $1,500, but $176 for an inspection sounds worth it to me.