Old houses
Termite work on houses built before termite contracts
Cypress sills, brick piers, plaster over lath and long galleries are worth keeping. We plan around them.
An old house is read differently. Original wood is often denser and less forgiving of a drill bit than new framing, and a pier that has stood for a century is not ours to disturb. So we inspect first, mark what we find on a sketch, and tell you what each treatment would touch before we choose one with you.
Exterior changes in a historic district may need approval; tell us before we plan
We ask before we drill into anything original
We prefer the smallest opening that does the job
By house type
What we look at first, house by house
The plan on the page is the usual one. Yours may differ.
Raised cottage
Brick or masonry piers, wood sills and a floor above open air.
Pier caps and the sill where it sits on them
Floor joists from below, where there is room
Porch steps and the soil beside them
Shotgun and camelback
Narrow, long, and often close to the next house.
The side passage, where the soil stays damp
Rear additions and the join to the original house
The front gallery and its posts
Townhouse with galleries
Iron, wood and masonry sharing one front.
Where gallery posts meet the paving
Shutters, frames and window sills
The party wall, where we can see it
Slab house
A later build, often in Gentilly and Metairie.
Slab edges and expansion joints
Garage and utility walls
Plumbing penetrations
How we limit what we touch
Three promises about the fabric
We ask first
Before a drill, a trench or a station touches the original house, you hear what, where and why.
We use the smallest opening
A small hole in trim is easier to repair than a large one in plaster.
We write down what we did
The report lists each opening, so a later owner or a preservation reviewer can find it.
Questions about old houses
My house is in a historic district. Do I need approval?
Some exterior changes do. We can't decide that for you; your district's review office can. Tell us before we plan, and we will keep to the plan you have approved.
Will treatment damage original wood or plaster?
It can, if it is done carelessly. That is why we tell you what each method touches, and ask before drilling or removing anything original.
Can you treat a house with a preservation easement?
We can work within one. Send us the terms, or tell us who holds it, and we will plan around them.
Is old-growth wood termite-proof?
No. Some old wood is denser, but termites reach it through soil, damp and gaps. It still needs to be looked at.
Planning work on an old house?
Tell us what you have, and what you are allowed to change.