FAQ

Yes. Even if the house is on a concrete slab, you should have a Termite Inspection. Termites only require a gap of 1.6mm in the slab, around pipe penetrations through the slab (pipes for water, sewer, power etc.) or if there have been two different concrete pours in the construction of the dwelling, they will be able to get to the structural timbers. Also, you are at a higher risk on a concrete slab as subfloor inspections are not possible due to the concrete being on the ground.

Yes. Our inspectors will be able to inform you of the chemical that were used and the rate applied to see if it is still working or has expired. Some chemicals only last one to three years and some up to 10 years. Also, our inspectors will be able to inform you if the treatment is to Australian Standards 3660 and if the treatment to the building was a preventative treatment or eradication treatment as there was a termite problem with structural damage. You cannot always trust the vendor as they want to sell the property.

No. Your friend may know a lot in regards to the construction of a building and be able to do the inspection cheaper, but they will not have the insurance required to perform such an inspection. If a problem does arise in the future to the property that he has missed, then it will be your friendship that will suffer the most. Also, our inspectors have performed thousands of inspections and have the equipment and reporting software to document all defects minor or major for your record.

If there was termite damage or evidence found to the house, you would need a builder to ascertain the damage to structural timbers to determine if the house is structurally sound and what was required to be fixed with the cost of repairs. Also, you would be surprised with the poor workmanship that we have detected from a building inspection with homes that are not very old and even new homes.

Yes. There is no problem with attending the inspection, and we encourage it. After the inspectors have gathered all the information for the report, you are able to talk to them about issues they have found, or you may have some questions regarding removing walls, etc. It is advised to inform the office when you are booking an inspection that you are going to attend so enough time is allocated.

There are two answers to this question. First, the builder is not qualified and experienced for termites and inspections of termites, so he could miss activity due to his inexperience as termites are very hard to find. Secondly, by having both inspectors at the same time, you will save 20 percent. If a Pest Inspector goes out to the property later due to activity the building inspector found and is not sure what it is, then the total cost would be $120 – $150 more than getting both together. Also, the building inspectors don’t carry with them the latest equipment used for detecting live termites.

Quotes can vary dramatically, and if you obtain two to three quotes, all might be very busy so prices can jump as more profit is added. Also, the inspector can inform you to the extent of the work required so that you are not paying for work that is not required.