What sets a Rockhampton inspection apart
Right on the Tropic
Rockhampton Regional Council's Tropic of Capricorn Spire marks the southern entrance to the city. CSIRO says the risk of termite attack on the mainland rises toward the north and peaks in the subtropics and tropics.
The West Indian drywood termite
Business Queensland says it occurs throughout Queensland and has caused considerable economic damage to timber homes in the state. The QBCC lists dry, sand-like pellets in cone-shaped piles or circular patterns on wood among the signs.
Ground termites as well
Coptotermes and Schedorhinotermes reach houses from the soil inside enclosed mud galleries, and they occur throughout Queensland too. A good inspection looks for both.
Two kinds of termite, two places to look
| Ground termites | Drywood termites | |
|---|---|---|
| Where the colony lives | A nest in the soil, usually within 30 m and occasionally 100 m or more away | Inside the timber itself |
| The usual sign | Damaged wood, and mud tubes over brick or concrete | Gritty frass like sand or ground pepper under tiny holes |
| Where the inspector looks | Subfloor, stumps, walls at ground level and the garden | Architraves, window frames, roof timbers and wooden furniture |
Who checks what
A Queensland building inspector looks for defects such as a faulty roof, cracked walls or damaged foundations. The QBCC says they'll also point out possible asbestos, and that most homes built before 1990 contain some. None of that is the termite inspector's job, and termites aren't the building inspector's.
Each needs its own licence. The QBCC says only a licensed residential building inspector can do the building inspection, while termite inspections need a pest controller holding termite licensing. One person with both can do the two together.
On your own walk-through
- Look under the sinks and around the hot water system for leaks.
- Check the rainwater tank screens: Rockhampton's dengue mosquito breeds in unscreened tanks and roof gutters.
- Note timber touching soil, such as garden edging, old sleepers or a lattice skirt.
- Open the meter box and photograph any termite notice.
- Leave any mud tubes or frass exactly as you found them, and mention them to the inspector.
Where we'd start with pre-purchase pest inspections in Rockhampton
We'd ask the termite inspector, before booking, whether they'll look inside for drywood signs and not just under the floor. Then we'd read both reports together before the contract conditions expire. 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.
