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Termites
live just about everywhere in New Jersey
Termites are just about everywhere. One week I counted and found 80% of the homes I
inspected that week either had termites at one
time or had active termites. Leading me to
realize that 10% of the time there is no visual
sign of termites at the time of the inspection
and that termites did not find the other 10%
yet!
Once
termites are found in a home the common reaction
of a seller is usually denial a problem exists
and then a gradual reluctance to consent to
paying for a termite treatment.
While it is nice of a seller to treat for
termites the home buyers far bigger concern
should be who is going to pay to fix the
damage.
Treating a home for termites
is usually no big deal. Most treatments
for subterranean
termites
cost $500 to $1,500. Repair of damages can
reach into the thousands or tens of thousands
very quickly.
When
buying a home make 100% sure the termite damages
are addressed if any exist or are suspected to
exist. While you may live in a home for
decades and never fix any of the termite damage
one day you will sell the home and may have a
buyer looking to you to pay for treatment. Termites
do more damage to structures in the USA every
year than all natural disasters combined.
Therefore it is prudent for you to have annual
inspections so the termites can be found and
treated for quickly, before damages are done to
the home. When
we find termites we started to tell buyers:
"Wood destroying insect damage
was observed to the wood structure of the home.
Repairs are believed to be necessary. Please be
aware additional latent damage to the structure
of the home may exist that was not discovered
during today's visual inspection of the
accessible components. Sometimes repairs are
expensive. I was not able to determine if latent
damages exist, because I was not contracted to
perform invasive or destructive testing (such as
opening of walls or ceilings, lifting of carpets
or area rugs or ceiling tiles or insulation,
moving of furniture or appliances or stored
items or debris), or excavation. In order to
determine if latent damages exist, it is
necessary to have invasive and destructive
testing and further evaluation by experienced
contractors and specialists (prior to expiration
of your inspection contingency period) to define
the scope & cost of any necessary corrective
action. Homeowner's loath the idea of invasive
and destructive testing because it is costly,
messy and it can expose latent damages that can
be expensive to repair. Obtain written
documentation from an expert to determine the
extent of wood destroying insect damage that has
occurred. Obtain a treatment and repair history
from the owner."
Realtors and home owners hate the above
comment but we do not work for them, we work for
home buyers. Home buyers have a different
set of concerns than realtors and home owners
do. Professional and independent home inspectors
are out there to protect your interests as a
home buyer and only your interests. If the
home inspector seems to friendly to the realtor
and or home owner you should think about who is
working for who?
Termite information unbiased NJ New Jersey home inspector
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File last updated May 22, 2012 * Copyright © 2012 All rights reserved by: Accurate Inspections, Inc. A New Jersey home inspection firm 56 Woodland Drive, Woodland Park (formerly West Paterson) NJ 07424 973-812-5100 providing New Jersey Certified Home Inspections in NJ, by New Jersey Licensed home inspectors. Inspector of record Michael Del Greco, New Jersey Home Inspector License GI 0121.
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