We can’t emphasise enough how termites cause major structural damage to properties in Australia year after year. At the sign of termite activity in your home or business space, it’s crucial that you do all you can to remove the unwanted guests for good. Sadly, many property owners hesitate to even begin the process because they fear termite inspection will cost them a fortune.
In reality, there is a range of factors that affect the cost of timber pest inspections. The property’s size, location, construction, and type of treatment to be done can all impact the price you pay for this kind of property assessment.
And if you’re searching for a new home, all the more you’d want to get this inspection done the soonest. For sure, you wouldn’t want to find out much later that you’ve been living with these destructive pests and that you’ll have to fix extensive termite damage worth thousands of dollars.
Indeed, getting termite inspections done could mean the difference between living in a dream home or waking up to a nightmare.
When Do You Need a Termite Inspection?
Never underestimate the destruction white ants can do to properties. Because they mostly operate under the radar, you’ll often find that they’ve already done substantial damage to timber features by the time you spot signs of infestation.
To keep your property safe from termite damage, you have to watch out for the following around your property:
- Clicking sounds in walls/ceiling
- Fallen, minute wings (usually from flying termites)
- Peeling paint that looks like it has been caused by water damage
- Timber features that sound hollow when tapped
- Wooden doors/windows that are becoming hard to open
Factors Influencing Termite Inspection Cost
The first step to solving any termite problem is to get your property inspected. This is where professional termite inspection comes into the picture.
The average cost for termite inspection in Australia ranges from $250 to $400 but the prices vary slightly depending on which state you live. This is just the typical price when you live in an average-sized house and land, though it may go much higher when your property is large and when specialised equipment becomes necessary for a thorough assessment. Another factor that may influence the cost is the accessibility of the property in question.
To be sure about how much you’re going to pay for this pest inspection, it’s best to get a quote from prospective companies. As you do, make it your objective to give as many details as possible about the property to be inspected.
Are the roof cavity and subfloor easily accessible? How big is the property? What material is the house made of? These are a few of the questions you will likely be asked as you request a quote. As you get and compare a number of quotes from various pest control companies, take note which ones are insured and have a record of good service in your locale. It’s worth mentioning that a trusted termite inspection service will be happy to provide you with references and will even stand behind their work with a service warranty.
Although the initial cost to get rid of white ants isn’t a small sum by any means, the cost of doing nothing is far steeper.
According to a survey by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), 32% of homes in the country will be affected by termites. That means there’s an 80% chance that your property may be standing within 25 meters of a nearby termite colony. Worse, you might not even know about the threat until your place has sustained substantial damage from these miniscule invaders.
Most parts of Australia have been rated to be moderate to high to very high-risk areas by CSIRO and Queensland have been among the states hardest hit by the termite epidemic. This may be why the cost of termite damage in the state is relatively high. The only part of the country that has been rated to be low to very low risk for termite attack is a narrow strip along the Great Ocean Road, west of Melbourne.
Every year, almost 180,000 Australian homes sustain damage done by termite infestation and the annual cost of repairs across the country amounts to a sum of $1.3 billion. Fixing the damage from termite infestation will cost anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 in structural repairs but could shoot all the way up to $30,000 to $100,000 when coupled with treatments and preventive measures. Of course, the cost depends on the location and size of the property.
Mitigating damage isn’t where termite infestation will hurt you most, though. The real damage that comes when you have white ants sharing your space is that their existence can bring down the resale value of your property by as much as 25%. And even if you don’t have a full-blown infestation, the issue may still come up as you put your property on the market because a majority of real estate sales will involve pre-purchase building and pest inspections early on.
To make matters worse, 75% of property buyers will not invest in a home if termites came up on the pest inspection report.
If you suspect termites are active around your property, know that the time is ticking for your property. Get in touch with our team and we’ll set you on track to destroy these wood-eating pests before it’s too late. With our thorough property termite inspections and effective pest control treatments, you’ll soon forget you even had termite problems to begin with!