Why nobody can guarantee a house is termite free
The honest answer is also the useful one.
In short: Termites work concealed, so certainty is not available to any inspector at any price.
What the standard provides
AS 4349.3 provides for inspection and reporting of accessible areas. It does not provide for certifying a property free of pests.
Why concealment is the issue
They work their way through the core of timber members and behind wall linings, so what an inspection sees is the surface and not the inside of a stud.
What we do instead
Set out what evidence was seen, list the conducive conditions, and name each area that could not be reached with the reason it could not.
What should make you suspicious
Any guarantee that a property carries no termites. It cannot be supported by the standard the inspector is working to.
What actually protects you
Regular inspection, cleared conducive conditions and a management system installed by a licensed controller.
Written by the Owner Inspections team from inspections carried out in Craigieburn. Licensed building practitioners, Building & Plumbing Commission registration CDB-U 53425.
