Timber Pest and Termite Inspections in Perth

When buying a home in Western Australia, a professional timber pest inspection is essential.

Purchasing a new home is often the single most significant investment a person makes in their lifetime, so protecting that investment should be a top priority.

Unfortunately, termites cause billions of dollars worth of property damage in Australia every year, costing huge amounts of money to home buyers. We've all heard the horror stories of houses falling due to termite damage—making the cost of a pest inspection seem insignificant.

Our Termite Inspection Services

Bug Busters is trusted across Perth for our fast and effective pest control services—and our ability to handle just about any pest problem you can throw our way.

Our termite and timber pest inspections fall into general home and building inspections and pre-purchase pest inspections.

Whether you own an existing property (for example, a home or a commercial building) or want to take precautions before buying a new place, our team at Bug Busters are fully insured in inspecting and treating termites and timber pests—all to Australian standards.

Home And Building Inspections

If you already own a home or commercial property and need a general pest inspection, look no further.

Bug Busters' skilled and certified pest inspectors will inspect every part of your existing property to look for wood-boring pests.

By examining your property's interior and exterior areas, our building inspectors can determine the extent of any pest activity and the conditions conducive to termite attacks.

Following our inspection—and after issuing a detailed report—we will follow up with an effective plan to treat termites and other pests, reducing potential damage and hopefully saving the structural integrity of your property.

Our building inspectors will also watch for any wood decay or mould around the property, especially in damp areas, which can attract termites and cause mould infestations.

Pre-Purchase Pest Inspections

Bug Busters' pre-purchase inspection gives you critical information about the property you're planning to buy, including:

  • Details of any pest issues with the property.

  • Information about any damage and defects of the property from pests, with a guideline for potential repair costs.

  • Details of past pest infestation issues at the property, including future risks for infestation.

  • Information about visible and hidden mould issues of the property, including signs of flooding and details of humidity.

Our qualified building inspectors will investigate every aspect of the new property, highlighting all the damage to the property and the estimated repair costs.

Why Is It Important To Get A Pre-Purchase Property Inspection?

Buying a new property is one of the most exciting steps you can take for your family's future—but it also comes with a significant pest control risk. 

Unfortunately, termite activity is prevalent across Western Australia, with wood borers a common cause of property damage, putting your new home at risk of fungal decay, wood rot, and structural damage.

The most common course of action to prevent such problems is to take out a thorough pre-purchase timber pest inspection before buying a new property, highlighting any termite infestations, termite damage, and other timber pests, before it’s too late. 

What Bug Busters Can Do For You

A professional, pre-purchase timber pest inspection could be all that's needed to save you from buying a home infested with timber pests, termites, and other wood-boring insects—saving you thousands of dollars before the building and sale contract is finalised.

As one of Perth's leading pest inspection companies, Bug Busters is proud to offer:

Qualified Timber Pest Inspectors: Our skilled inspectors have many years of experience dealing with timber pests. We will provide a comprehensive report to give you a clear understanding of the property so you feel safe and confident before making a purchase decision.

State of the Art Equipment: We invest in the latest pest detection equipment, allowing us to find any pest-related damage, create heat maps of termite hot spots, and control the inspections of the termite feeding stations with an intelligent barcode scanning, auditing, and reporting system.

Transparent Pricing: We offer obligation-free, upfront quotes for any building inspection you require. Our inspectors will schedule a suitable time with your broker to visit the property for pre-purchase inspections.

Fast, Effective Inspections: Bug Busters prides itself on speed, effectiveness, and customer focus. On-call 24 hours a day, our property inspectors will visit within 48 hours—and issue the inspection report within 24 hours of the inspection.

Home Pest & Termite Inspection Reports

Following the 1-2 hour inspection, our pest inspector will provide a comprehensive pest inspection report that's in accordance with Australian Standards AS4349.3 (the only recognised standard for pre-purchase timber pest inspections).

This report will advise on the status of the property, highlighting any old or existing termite and timber pest activity, the extent of the damage, and the conditions conducive to timber pest attacks.

If applicable, the report will highlight any areas that cannot be inspected (and the potential risks).

Many pest inspection companies will only provide home inspection reports for termites and not borers or wood decay fungi. These pests may have a lower public profile than termites, but their damage potential is such that any inspection which ignores them is incomplete.

Should you plan to proceed with the purchase, your Bug Busters report will allow you to better negotiate with the seller, while helping you prioritise and budget for any repairs and renovation works.

Frequently Asked Questions About Pre-Purchase Pest Inspections

What Do I Get With A Termite Inspection?

  • Beginning with the inspection process, we identify pests using modern tools (thermal imaging cameras, moisture meters) and then document any termites present at the property.

  • After the termite inspection, we create a tailored pest control treatment plan that offers your new property long-term protection.

  • Depending on your decision following the inspection, we will then begin the treatment plan if necessary.

  • Along with the pest control treatment, we also suggest preventive measures and tips for limiting the number of pests in the future (should you wish to proceed with buying the property).

What Does A Termite Inspection Cost?

Prices are based on construction type and size. To learn more about the specific pricing of our pre-purchase building and termite inspection, submit an enquiry, and we’ll contact you.

Should termite activity be found, the cost of the actual treatment plans can be anywhere between $330 to $3500, depending on the type of treatment required.

If the infestation is contained to a small area, the treatment may cost you $350-$800. Treatment for larger, more complex infestations may cost you around $1500 onwards.

Unfortunately, there's no fixed pricing for termite control, but once you get in contact—and following the initial inspection—we can provide an accurate, upfront cost for your situation.

Does Home Insurance Cover Termite Damage?

Home insurance does not cover termite damage in Western Australia or generally anywhere else. This is because insurance policies often consider termite damage as a maintenance issue. The rationale is that homeowners are expected to inspect and maintain their homes to prevent such damage regularly.

How Long Are Pest Inspections Valid For?

Since termites or other pests could move into the property without warning within weeks after an inspection, the report is only valid for four weeks.

This is why we strongly recommend any inspection takes place as close to the sale date as possible. We suggest speaking to your real estate agent to ensure all inspection work remains valid until the property deal is finalised.

Can I Attend The Inspection?

Yes, you can.

For safety reasons, it may not be possible to enter the property, or at least certain areas of it—for example, you may not be able to go into the roof or under the house.

However, you are more than welcome to attend the inspection, which will allow you to ask any questions on the day and for our inspectors to discuss any observations with you.

If you can’t attend, that’s also fine. If possible, one of our team will likely follow up personally on the phone later that day or in the evening to run through the report. We will also, of course, email you the full report.

What Can Be Negotiated After A Home Inspection?

Several things can be negotiated depending on the outcome of the report, like replacing the damaged timber, paying for repairs, or even using the inspection report to negotiate in other ways.

For instance, the seller may be willing to reduce the home's purchase price or provide a seller credit, which is essentially cash that goes toward your closing costs.

We suggest speaking to your real estate agent or seeking legal advice for the most practical advice on what can and cannot be negotiated.

When Will I Receive My Report?

We will send you the full inspection report electronically within 24 hours of the inspection. We're also happy to speak on the phone to discuss the report in more detail and answer any questions.

The report is designed to help you make an informed purchasing decision before buying a new property. Based on the findings, you may decide to negotiate a new buying price or seek other negotiations.

All of our reports are in accordance with current Australian Standards, allowing you to exit the contract of sale based on the report's findings should you need to. For these reasons, it's your responsibility to read it thoroughly.