Buying on the Sunshine Coast
Hinterland or beachside, same termites
The subterranean termites that go after houses occur throughout Queensland, Business Queensland says, so a timber pest inspection matters as much on a Maleny acreage as in a Maroochydore unit block with gardens.
Fire ants at the property
Sunshine Coast Council says fire ants have been found on the Coast. If you notice loose, crumbly mounds while you're inspecting a place, report them to Biosecurity Queensland within 24 hours, and don't take plants or soil from the yard.
Buying to rent
Under Queensland's rental rules, the owner or property manager must make sure the place has no pests when a tenant moves in and throughout the tenancy, unless the tenant caused them, and the minimum housing standards rule out vermin, damp and mould. Knowing the termite position before you buy saves an awkward first year.
What the timber pest inspector checks
Live termites, old termite damage and other timber pests come first. Then the conditions that make an attack likely: leaks and poor drainage near the walls, timber in contact with soil, and garden beds or paving built up over the slab edge or the weep holes. On newer homes, they'll look for the termite notice usually fixed in the meter box, with the system installed and its inspection schedule.
The building side is a separate profession. The QBCC says only a licensed residential building inspector can complete a pre purchase building inspection, so cracking, the roof and the structure belong in that report, not the pest one. One person can do both in a single visit if they hold both licences.
What neither report promises
The QBCC is clear that a pre purchase building inspection isn't a warranty against future defects. A timber pest report is the same kind of snapshot: it tells you what was visible and reachable on the day, and the sections marked 'not inspected' deserve as much attention as the findings.
Read the report for these
- Live termites, with the exact locations.
- Past termite work, and whether there's any record of it being treated.
- Roof void, subfloor or rooms the inspector couldn't reach, and why.
- Moisture, leaks and drainage problems close to the walls.
- Any termite management system, its notice and its last inspection.
- How often the inspector suggests checking from here.
Ask the inspector
- Are you doing the timber pest inspection only, or the building inspection too?
- Will you get right into the roof void and under the floor?
- Can we talk the report through by phone before my contract deadline?
- If there's a termite system, is there a record of when it was last inspected?
If we were buying here
We'd book the timber pest inspection straight after signing, ring the inspector about anything flagged, and keep the report on file, especially buying to rent. Tap Buying a home to start.
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.
