When Environpest attend a pre-purchase inspection, we’re there expressly to protect our clients’ interests. The process starts with a timber pest inspection in accordance with Australian Standard 4349.3-2010. In order to comply with Australian Standard 4349.3-2010, an inspection agreement is required to comply with that Australian Standard, and the requirements of our insurers. These inspection agreements are required for all pre-purchase inspections, and for a timber pest inspection for any clients we haven’t previously completed inspections for. These inspection agreements are required by ALL timber pest inspectors completing their inspections in accordance with Australian Standard 4349.3-2010. If you have any queries in relation to the inspection agreements, please don’t hesitate to call our office on (07) 3219 2777, or e-mail us at agreements@environpest.com.au.
When we attend an inspection, if possible, we prefer to attend the inspection with the pre-purchase building inspector. There can be issues discovered in our timber pest inspection that also require input from the building inspector. It’s best for you to get all the answers at the same time. If you don’t have a particular building inspector, we can refer you to and arrange well qualified and experienced pre-purchase building inspectors for you. There is a fair price to pay, to get to deal with inspectors (both building and pest) who are unashamedly there to represent you!
We first check internal walling, trims etc, visually and by moisture meter. A Tramex Moisture Encounter Plus moisture meter is used.
If an area of high moisture that cannot be readily explained is discovered, the area is checked with Termatrac T3i. (Termatrac T3i allows us to look inside the wall by microwave without damaging anything to see if there is any movement). Moisture and NO movement suggests the moisture is unrelated to termite activity. It could be as a result of a leaking shower or a poor damp course installation, and we can guide you to the processes for either. Moisture AND movement can be either termites or black ants, and sometime we may need to drill a hole to look inside a wall by borescope, or cut some plaster to establish what is really there. This is something we can only do with the vendors’ express permission. We’re not in the habit of damaging plaster or timber unnecessarily.
Some inspectors will use thermal imaging cameras in the course of their inspections. We don’t use them in the course of our normal timber pest or pre-purchase timber pest inspections. We are experienced with thermal imaging, and work with arguably the best thermographer in the country, who has the best resolution thermal imaging camera in Australia. He has a track record of finding issues the other thermographers miss. I can’t reasonably justify the cost of these thermal imaging inspections in the course of normal timber pest or pre-purchase timber pest inspections. For more information, have a look at our Thermal Imaging page.
We check the accessible roofing timbers. Roof inspections are probably one of the most important components of a timber pest inspection. Termites put a lot of effort into concealing themselves in the areas where there is a lot of human traffic. In the roof void, there is not a lot of human traffic, and termites don’t put a lot of effort into hiding themselves (even in insulated roof voids). The roof inspection will usually allow us to establish what framing has been used in the home. Has the builder used radiata pine (termite susceptible) framing, or have they used hardwood, steel or cypress pine (termite resistant) framing. The question is: What are the consequences of termites occurring at the home?
We then inspect the subfloor and exterior timbers. We comment on the ventilation and drainage of the home.
We check the electricity meter box for any termite protection notices. From any termite protection notices, we report the labelled expected protection periods of any termiticides used. We look for any evidence of previous treatment (drill holes etc), and sometimes, from the drill spacings used, we can guide you as what sort of treatment has been done. From the information gathered, we can build an overview of the termite status of the home, and prepare a report explaining what we’ve found.
In order to be licenced with the QBCC, we have to maintain public liability and professional indemnity insurances. In order to maintain those insurances, we have to report in a format the insurer approves. We’re fortunate in that our insurers allow us to take some licence with our reports. (Environpest go a bit further than most, and don’t report in a standard format). If you have any queries in relation to the report format, please don’t hesitate to call our office on (07) 3219 2777, or e-mail us at reports@environpest.com.au.
Where possible, we also like to meet our clients on site, at the end of the inspection. That way, we can physically show you what we’ve found, and alert you to any potential concerns. If there are issues raised, they can at times be the responsibility of the vendor, and with your permission, we can raise those issues with the real estate agent and/or the vendor at the time.
Our timber pest inspection reports are usually e-mailed the following working day, and payment is expected upon receipt of our report. Payment can be made by internet banking, direct deposit, over the phone or at the time of inspection by Mastercard or Visa, or by cash.
As a guide, for an Australian Standard 4349.3-2010 compliant pre-purchase timber pest inspection on a normal sized domestic home in the Brisbane metropolitan area, we currently charge $341.00 including GST. For larger homes sight unseen, or outside the Brisbane metropolitan area, we reserve the right to charge a proportionately higher fair and reasonable rate.
Repeat inspections of normal sized homes within the Brisbane metropolitan area, and within 2 years of an earlier Environpest inspection are charged at $220.00 including GST. Normal sized homes within the Brisbane metropolitan area left longer than two years between Environpest inspections are billed at our “Initial Inspection” of $286.00 including GST.
ADDITIONAL ENVIRONPEST INFORMATION / WARNING The most common real estate purchase contract in Queensland is the REIQ (Real Estate Institute of Queensland) contract. There is an alternative contract used by some Real Estate Agents that can limit your rights in relation to the termite issue. To our view, the REIQ Contract best protects the purchasers’ interests. Please seek specific advice from your legal representative if a contract other than an REIQ Contract is used. The other thing to watch for is any annexures added to a contract relating to timber pest or building inspectors. Some real estate agents (including at least one of the majors) haven’t done their industry’s reputation any favours by sneaking an unfair annexure into a client’s contract. As you might have gathered by now, we’re pretty keen to ensure our clients’ interests are protected.
Environpest are not the cheapest timber pest inspection company you’ll find, (and we’re not the most expensive) but as you might have gathered browsing our web site, given what we provide in our inspections and advice, you’ll find we’re incredibly good value. The value of the honest advice you get here will be remembered long after you’ve forgotten the price!
If we can help you in any way, please don’t hesitate to call Leeanne at Environpest on (07) 3219 2777, or e-mail Environpest at info@environpest.com.au.