Should you buy a home with Termite damage?

So, you think you found the home of your dreams, only to discover termite damage during the inspection? Oh, no. Should you go ahead with the purchase?
Consistent humidity and damp environments can lead to Termite infestations.

Buyer Beware

How to identify and treat termite damage before you buy your home. The seller wants to move into their new house that they're buying, they're going to pay money for another home, they're moving out of this home. So how much do they care really about what is happening in this home and do they want to put a lot of money into this home or do they want to take their money and put it in their new home? So buyer beware, that means you need to pay attention to what's happening with that home. So here's some things that you can look for. Keep an eye out for mud tubes, check door frames, window seals, eaves and rafter tails (exposed exterior portion of a building's wood structural truss). Touch, listen and feel for uneven, crinkly wood on the outside of the home, especially decks and porches. Entry points for Termites can come from cracks in your foundation and anywhere there is wood-to-ground contact.

If you see droppings like multi-coloured coffee grounds, if you see wings, these are evidence of Termites being around. Other things to look for would be water stains. You want to look at the roof and see if the roof is straight. These are all things tto make sure that you're not buying a money pit. So once you have done your own due diligence, along with hiring a professional to come and do an inspection, you want to know how bad is the damage?

According to QBCC, Termite infestations cause millions of dollars in damage each year to timber in homes across Australia. This is not covered on homeowners insurance either, especially if the termites are underground (subterranean termites), they can go undetected and do damage without you ever seeing any evidence.

How to identify when Termite damage is bad

So the question often asked of Termite Inspectors is "how to identify when damage is bad". Based on cost and time of the costs of rectification. So if you have something that is superficial, such as a facia board, something that can be easily replaced without much time or material then that would be relatively cheap. It may just need minor repairs and is not consider as being a real financial burden.

But if you have something that you see where the integrity of the wood has been compromised, where you're going to have to replace a huge beam, or the floor is water damaged or something and you step on it and it creaks (sagging floors) and it gives way then obviously that's going to be a higher cost.

Obviously you don't want to pay 1000s of dollars to repair a home that isn't even yours. You might be able to work it out with the seller to pay for the repairs. But now you have to go through the process of having your brand new home renovated.

When selling your home - preventing Termites

How about if you're getting ready or you're thinking about selling your home? How to prevent termites in the first place?

What are some of the preventative measures people can take obviously, you want to get a termite inspection regularly. QBCC recommend Termite Inspections every 12 months in termite zones and less if there has already been an outbreak in your home.

Termite Barriers can be chemical barriers and or physical barriers.

You want to take precautions and you want to make sure that if there is anything lurking there, you want to take care of it. The sooner you can catch a termite problem, the better, less expensive and less time to fix.

Often. The only way to know you have termites is by having an inspection. So calling a professional is a good first step during the purchasing process. The good news is that once a licensed termite control company comes in and eliminates the termites the process of making the home whole again can begin.