The combination of this timber house, a notice of a previous termite treatment and a large dead tree in the front yard was the perfect combination to raise suspicions for the presence of termite damage at this house. At a recent pre purchase house inspection in Melbourne our building inspector discovered a durable notice advertising a previous termite treatment. This, coupled with a large hollow dead tree on the property, raised the suspicion to look further. He noted that the termite treatment had been undertaken in 1999, so after looking further, he found that there had been termite damage, and that the repairs were totally inadequate and had generally been covered over. Not only had the owner not properly repaired the damage caused by termites, they had also failed to remove the conditions around the house that were conducive to termite attack, conditions that encouraged the termites to the property in the first place. The large tree was a perfect environment for termites to nest, there was littered timber in the subfloor and the gardens had many railway sleepers used in garden beds. When you’re looking at a house to buy, it is vital to consider the conditions that are conducive to timber pest attack. Pre purchase building inspections look for these conditions. You can learn more about termite habits here or contact us at Melbourne House Check to book a house inspection in Melbourne.
You can view our Google+ post on this matter also here.