We recently treated an investment house in the Wakerley, Gumdale area that had termites in a bathroom wall. The termites have created an estimated $7500 -$8500 damage repair bill for the owner.
This house was inspected for termites by Results Home Services, three years in a row. In our reports we noted that this house was at a very high risk of a termite attack and had no current termite protection.
What happened next is very typical of home owner’s response: after 3 years of not finding active termites in the house they decided, despite recommendations, that the house must be safe from termites. As the home was their investment house, to cut costs, they decided to discontinue the annual termite inspection. Now fast forward a few years later. By chance we were in the neighbourhood and while doing a termite inspection spotted a large termite nest on a property close to the above rental house. We did the right thing and contacted the owner, who decided that maybe this year they should get the house inspected.
The tenant who had lived in the house for many years stated that the house would be “termite free”, was shocked when termites were located in both the main bedroom and bathroom walls. What was disturbing was that the termites were in such large numbers that you could clearly hear them working in the walls. The species of termite found in the house was not the same species in the large nest close by but was rather getting attacked by a termite colony that’s nest was not locatable.
Had this house had regular termite inspections and a termite protection program in place, the owner would be not looking at a huge repair bill. Whether your property is your home or an investment house and living in an a state such as Queensland that is prone to termites you should always factor the cost of a yearly termite inspection and protection program into your budget.
It is worth mentioning that should you have a mortgage on your property that most banks will require you to have a comprehensive insurance cover for your property and also an up-to-date termite protection program (check the fine print). The reason for this is that each year more homes are severely damaged by termites than by all other natural disasters. (Flood, fire and storms).
Need to bring your termite protection program up-to-date? Start with a full termite inspection. A termite inspection can be quickly arranged and a full report with our recommendation for an action plan to protect your property from any termite attack will be provided. “Remember – proactive prevention is always better than a painful cure!”