Buyers and sellers
A termite inspection for the sale of a house
The report your lender or agent asks for is a record of what an inspector could see on the day. It is useful, and it has limits.
We inspect what we can reach: the outside, the attic, the crawl space and the walls and floors we can see. We say what we could not reach. If we find activity or damage, the report says where, and a separate plan says what we would do about it.
Plain words
What a report says, and what it doesn't
A report is not a guarantee. Read both columns before you rely on one.
| About | The report does not say | The report says |
|---|---|---|
| Activity | The report does not sayThat there are none inside walls, floors or places that could not be reached. | The report saysWhether the inspector saw signs of live termites on the day. |
| Damage | The report does not sayHow much hidden damage there is, or what repair would cost. | The report saysWhere the inspector saw damage, and how far it seemed to go. |
| History | The report does not sayThat past treatment worked. | The report saysPast treatment, if anything shows it or the owner provides it. |
| The future | The report does not sayThat termites will not come, or will not come back. | The report saysConditions that favor termites: wet soil, wood against the ground, leaks. |
Before the closing
How it usually goes
Book early
Tell us the address, the closing date and who needs the report. Say if the attic or crawl space is hard to reach.
We inspect
An inspector walks the outside, then the attic, crawl space and visible walls and floors, with a moisture meter.
You get the report
It goes to you and, if you ask, to your agent and lender. It says what we found and what we could not check.
If there is activity
A separate plan says what we would treat, how, and what it would cost before anything starts.
Questions from buyers and sellers
Does the report guarantee the house is free of termites?
No. It describes what the inspector could see on the day. It is not a promise about the inside of the walls or the future.
What if the report finds activity?
You can ask us for a plan and a written price. Many buyers and sellers use that to decide who treats, before the closing.
Who gets the report?
You do. We send it to your agent or lender when you ask.
Can the seller order the inspection?
Yes. Say who it is for, so we write it to the right person.
Closing soon?
Tell us the address and the date, and we will tell you when an inspector can get there.