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Question about home termite inspection report...

purbeast0

purbeast0

No Lifer
EDIT 11-10-11

So I got a little bit more detail as far as the report and stuff goes, however I was wondering if I can get more opinions from people, simply because I don't know exactly what it means.

Here is the termite inspection report with the diagrams and stuff:

http://i.imgur.com/Kbqsi.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/KY3vI.jpg

Here is the treatment report:

http://i.imgur.com/IYfRT.jpg

So could anyone who knows if this is good/bad please leave any more input? Also, this house was built in 1956 so it is not a brand new house or anything.

ORIGINAL POST

So I'm going to closing on a house next Tuesday, and today is the first I've heard about the termite inspection and received the report today. There was some stuff found but since I've never done this before, I really have no idea how bad this really is. So I'm basically looking for some opinions on it.

Here is the report.

http://i.imgur.com/GVth2.jpg

Is that anything to be really concerned about? The seller is supposed to fix any of the issues, but I'm wondering if it is something to be concerned about long term.
 
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purbeast0 said:
So I'm going to closing on a house next Tuesday, and today is the first I've heard about the termite inspection and received the report today. There was some stuff found but since I've never done this before, I really have no idea how bad this really is. So I'm basically looking for some opinions on it.

Here is the report.

http://i.imgur.com/GVth2.jpg

Is that anything to be really concerned about? The seller is supposed to fix any of the issues, but I'm wondering if it is something to be concerned about long term.
Click to expand...

As long as the damage is repaired and the house is treated. Your real estate agent should be helping you with this.
 
Doesn't look like a very through report either...a real house inspector can do this for you and will go into the attic and other obstructed spaces.

Many homes in termite areas will have damage, it's when you never treat it that it's an issue.
 
Buy it if you are intended to do a major reno, otherwise it is best to find another house. The reason is that buyers will be asking the same question as you do now when it is time for you to sell the house.
 
classy said:
As long as the damage is repaired and the house is treated. Your real estate agent should be helping you with this.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't count on your real estate agent to help you with it. Your real estate agent gets paid when a sale happens. They are somewhat biased.

Termites could be a major problem, and on the other hand it might not be a big deal at all. The report indicates that there are quite a few areas that the inspector could not view during the inspection, and that could turn out to be a big problem for you. Are parts of the basement finished so that there are walls and ceilings blocking the view of the structure where there might be termite damage?

I purchased my first home a few years ago. There was some termite damage found but the pest inspector and my regular home inspector didn't seem to think it was much to worry about. The damage seemed insignificant, but almost the entire basement was finished (raised ranch), so the inspection was significantly impaired. It wasn't until 14-16 months after I purchased the home that I found the extent of the damage. I had to have a large section of the sill plate replaced, and the termites went to town on some of the wood that frames some windows. I got water in the finished part of the basement, which led me to rip out the carpet and take down walls to find out where the water was coming from. After doing that, I found that all of the studs in a 30-40 foot section of the finished basement were so damaged by termites and/or water that you could literally push your finger through them.

Personally, I would never consider a house that has visible termite damage again. But if you can see enough of the surrounding area where there is visible damage, then you might not have much to worry about.
 
Im more worried about houses that have never been treated because all houses get termites eventually. I'd rather the homeowner face the issue than bury their head in the sand and let the house get eaten up.

Don't let anyone rush you into anything. If you need a better inspection and more time to look it over than do it. If that means postponing the closing then you better do it.
 
I used to do termite jobs and inspecting homes is common practice. There was previous damage and termites but they have long since been treated. The seller should probably be the one paying for the termite job then you would be doing the yearly inspection/renewal.
 
well the seller has paid for the treatment of the areas where issues were spotted. i am going to hear back about the issue under the stairs tomorrow from the inspector.

and the basement is finished as well. the area where they talk about (under the stairs) is unfinished under there and it's basically like a storage closet under there. the only other unfinished part of the basement is the room with the washer and dryer and stationary tub.
 
purbeast0 said:
well the seller has paid for the treatment of the areas where issues were spotted. i am going to hear back about the issue under the stairs tomorrow from the inspector.

and the basement is finished as well. the area where they talk about (under the stairs) is unfinished under there and it's basically like a storage closet under there. the only other unfinished part of the basement is the room with the washer and dryer and stationary tub.
Click to expand...

Just to draw a parallel to my own situation, the only place my inspector found evidence of termites (mud tubes) was in a small (80 sq ft) utility room, which turned out to be the part of the house with the most insignificant damage when compared to the damage that was found when I had to gut the finished part. For every person with a story like mine, I'm sure there's also a person with similar findings during the inspection that never amounted to anything. So, I'm not trying to talk you out of buying this property...but, as someone who has had to spend way too much money to correct a problem that was covered-up by previous owners, I would never put myself in this situation again.
 
seepy83 said:
Just to draw a parallel to my own situation, the only place my inspector found evidence of termites (mud tubes) was in a small (80 sq ft) utility room, which turned out to be the part of the house with the most insignificant damage when compared to the damage that was found when I had to gut the finished part. For every person with a story like mine, I'm sure there's also a person with similar findings during the inspection that never amounted to anything. So, I'm not trying to talk you out of buying this property...but, as someone who has had to spend way too much money to correct a problem that was covered-up by previous owners, I would never put myself in this situation again.
Click to expand...

yea i totally understand and i really want to hear what they say about the damage when i hear back tomorrow.
 
The whole house needs to be treated, also have any structures such as a shed ect on the property inspected as well including a fence. Yeah I would also be worried about new siding or interior work covering up old termite damage
 
Check out the area mentioned in the report yourself. It's pretty easy to determine if the tubes are recent or long disused. That was a 'rubber stamp' report but, it only cost $35. Seriously, a good inspector brings their own damn ladder. That fact that there is clear evidence that there was some sort of termite damage means you need to be on top of your anti termite campaign. Lucy has some 'Splaining to do. By that, I mean the sellers. This is a major red flag.
 
Termites have to get from ground into structure and can't go through sealed, uncracked concrete.

They need mud tubes and moistures to survive out of ground, so you need to focus on where moisture may have been an issue and where wood structure might be within reasonable distance of ground, if mud tubes can not be seen.
 
Don't let termites scare you. They should be the NJ state bird.

That report says the termites have been treated already. I say treat and not worry another lick about it.

(As in, if you really like the house don't let could-be's prevent you from buying the property)
 
arcenite said:
Don't let termites scare you. They should be the NJ state bird.

That report says the termites have been treated already. I say treat and not worry another lick about it.

(As in, if you really like the house don't let could-be's prevent you from buying the property)
Click to expand...

You don't 'treat' and leave mud tubes. There are no 'could bes,' the inspector found mud tubes. They may not be active but, they're there. That means termites in the recent past if not current problems.
 
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For me, that report is enough to walk away from the house.

First of all, any sign of termites is a red flag.

Then, a poorly written inspection like that shows that they didn't really do a thorough inspection.

IF you're really set on buying this house, insist on an inspection by a pest inspector of your choosing. You may have to pay for it yourself...but IMO, it's money well spent.
 
Where is section one? Where is the diagram? That report says nothing except that the house should be treated for termites.

I do termite work often, I've seen dozens of termite reports and that one is incomplete. Get the complete report and I can help you out.
 
You don't need to walk away but I agree that you should have a second opinion from an inspector of your own choosing. Also, since the house has a history of infestations you should try to negotiate with the seller to have a detection and bait station system like Sentricon installed (Maybe the seller pays half?).
 
You need to inspect the area yourself. See how much damage there actually is and whether or not it is still active.
You should be there during the inspection.

It's $35 and a hassle, but I would get another inspection and be there for it.

Termites are very common (and very treatable) and if you really like the house, shouldn't sway you away from it.
 
Our house had a similar report. Basically the seller agreed to pay for a year of termite control. The problem is they basically transferred their contract to us, and the company wasn't reliable. After the first year we moved to terminix who ended up being even worse, but at least they will cover damage if it occurs.

We still haven't "caught" any termites with the outdoor traps, yet we still see swarmers each spring, so they are still eating away. Our area has issues with termites, even terminix has admitted it is a tough area to control. In some cases there isn't much you can do about it, I think our neighborhood is an example of this. All of our neighbors have the same issues. Hopefully this house is in an area where it's isolated and can be treated easily.
 
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So I got a little bit more detail as far as the report and stuff goes, however I was wondering if I can get more opinions from people, simply because I don't know exactly what it means.

Here is the termite inspection report with the diagrams and stuff:

http://i.imgur.com/Kbqsi.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/KY3vI.jpg

Here is the treatment report:

http://i.imgur.com/IYfRT.jpg

So could anyone who knows if this is good/bad please leave any more input? Also, this house was built in 1956 so it is not a brand new house or anything.
 
The report seems to indicate that there is a live infestation that requires treatment. This should be the seller's responsibility. Make sure they have the problem treated before you sign off on the house and then you will have to stay on top of it in subsequent years.
 
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