Why Pre-Purchase Pest Inspection is Important

Before finalising your purchase of a home or building, first you have to find out if there are any structural and safety problems with it. You have to know if there are construction defects, leaks and electrical and fire hazards. You also have to know if there’s termite and pest infestation in the home or building.

Why pre-purchase pest inspection is important

This is crucial because there might already be severe infestation in the home or building. This means you might have to pay for the costly damages that are already there. And if the damages are severe and extensive already, you might spend thousands of dollars for the repair and replacement of structural materials and fixtures (it’s like starting over because of the extent of the damage).

At first it seems a building is of great value but when you look deeper (e.g. after a termite inspection), you’ll realise it’s not worth it given the money and time you’ll need to fix everything. Although there are cases when the purchase is totally worth it given the property’s low price and strategic location, you still have to include the costly repairs in your assessment and calculations.

What happens during a pre-purchase pest inspection?

As an example, in termite inspection it usually starts with the visual inspection and thermal imaging of subfloor areas, roof voids and both internal and external areas (sites where termites are likely to live and thrive). Non-invasive methods (such as thermal imaging) allow for inspection of obstructed and restricted areas (e.g. internal framing). Invasive methods such as with the use of borescope allow for the viewing and inspection inside wall cavities and other inaccessible areas.

If the infestation and damage is severe already, perhaps it’s time to move on and look for another home or building to purchase. But if after your calculations and assessment you realise it’s still worth it, it’s important to detect all the problems first (structural, future of the site, crime rate, neighbourhood, nearby hazards such as floods and bushfire, pest infestation).

Here at Hills Pest Control, we specialise in comprehensive pest inspection and treatment. We help property buyers and investors make a sound decision in their purchases and gain peace of mind. This way, they will truly get value from their money and minimise the inconvenience from additional expenses and repairs. Contact us today and we’ll do a detailed assessment.