Whether you are selling your home, buying a new home or simply want some peace of mind regarding the continued good health of your existing home, a pest inspection is vital. In either case, you need to know the level of insect activity both inside your home and on the grounds. The pest inspector will not only inform you of the insect situation but will suggest ways to manage any problems they may discover. Generally, pests of timber in service are the major concern of both buyers and sellers alike. In Queensland, termites and borers cause millions of dollars worth of damage every year. The evidence of termite and borer infestation is not always obvious to the untrained eye. The inspector has completed various training courses and has an OTEN qualification as well as years of practical experience in dealing with pests of timber in service. A pest inspection ensures peace of mind for the buyer, the seller or the current owner of any building, be it a home or an office, in the city or the country.

How do I prepare for a pest inspection?

Depending on a the size of the building, an inspection will take anywhere from one to three hours and during this time the inspector will be looking at all areas of your home and grounds. It is important that the inspector have free access to all skirting boards, partitions, flooring, staircases, walls, cupboards and window frames. The inspector will need access to the roof space and any areas under the building. Externally, the inspector will need access to the full external perimeter of the building, retaining walls, garden areas, tree stumps, external stairways, decks and supports, handrails, pergolas, eaves, pool surrounds, planter boxes and stored timber (e.g. Firewood, Building materials ect.).

How is the Pest Inspection Carried Out?

All inspections are carried out in much the same way. The inspector will begin with a general assessment of your property that includes the age of the suburb, the ages of the vegetation both in the grounds and surrounding properties and the location an age of any timber in service (power poles, bridges etc.) near the property. Depending on the style of building, the inspector may begin his examination either internally or externally.  The inspector will use a variety of tools to assess your property. These may range from the simple screwdriver to an electronic moisture meter along with a thermal imagining device.  As most pest inspectors are not blessed with x-ray vision, it is essential to remember that the inspection is carried out on a Vision Only basis. While the inspector is trained in the detection of pest activity, it is sometimes impractical to dismantle sections of the building to verify his theories.

More about our Inspection process

If you’re looking to learn more about what’s involved in our inspections, please read through our Queensland Termite Inspection Guide. As always, if you should have any questions please feel free to contact us by email or phone.