Why damp leads in Mackay
A wet half of the year
Rain in the Mackay region falls mainly between November and April, and the tropical cyclone season runs from December to April. A house you inspect in May has just been through all of it.
Termites follow the damp
The QBCC says termites seek moisture, and its list of fixes reads like a pre-purchase checklist: water pooling in gutters, leaking pipes and taps, and wood touching the ground near the house.
The tropical species
Business Queensland says the giant northern termite occurs in tropical northern Queensland, on top of the ground termites found statewide. Ask your inspector which kinds they're finding around Mackay.
Where the two reports meet
The building inspector looks for obvious defects, and the QBCC's examples include a leaking ceiling, poor waterproofing and drainage issues. The termite inspector looks for termites, termite damage and any existing termite system. In Mackay, read them side by side: a drainage note in the building report is a termite question in the pest report.
They're separate licences in Queensland. A residential building inspector holds a QBCC licence for the building report, and the termite report needs a pest controller with the matching termite licensing, unless one person holds both.
Signs worth a second look in either report
- Sagging floors, doors or ceilings.
- Cracked or blistered paint or plaster.
- Mud tubes on brick foundations or external walls at ground level.
- Damaged skirting boards, door jambs or architraves.
- Timber that sounds hollow when tapped.
- Water stains near wet areas, or garden beds banked against the walls.
Found a mud trail yourself?
Leave it intact and photograph it for the termite inspector. CSIRO says control options often depend on finding the termites still active, which matters to you if you go ahead and buy.
If something was missed
Read both reports before your contract conditions run out. The QBCC warns that if you buy a house with defects you knew about, you can't later claim insurance for them.
If an inspector missed a problem, the QBCC says you must lodge a complaint with it first. It then provides a letter so you can take the matter to QCAT, the state's civil tribunal.
Our take on pre-purchase pest inspections in Mackay
Book the building and pest inspections for the same week and be there for both. Ask the termite inspector to note every damp spot, even small ones. When you have a contract, tap Buying a home with the suburb.
Want someone to look at it?
Tell us what you've seen and your postcode, and a local pest business that handles exactly that calls you to talk it through.
