Buying in Townsville
The giant northern termite
Business Queensland calls Mastotermes darwiniensis the most destructive subterranean termite, and the Australian Museum says it's limited to tropical northern Australia. If the report mentions termites, ask the inspector to say which kind, by name.
Storm season and drainage
Most of the Townsville region's 661 mm of average yearly rain arrives between November and April in short, intense storms. Gutters that overflow and downpipes that dump water against the walls create the damp that draws termites, so those notes in a report matter.
Containers in the yard
The dengue mosquito breeds around Townsville houses, in old tyres, pot plant bases and other containers. A walk around the yard at inspection time is a good chance to note what will need clearing once you move in.
What the pest half covers
The inspector works around the outside, through the subfloor or along the slab edge, into the roof void and through each room, looking for live termites, old damage, mud tubes and the conditions that invite an attack. On a raised house, the stumps and where they meet the floor frame get a close look.
In Queensland, the QBCC says only a pest controller holding the right licence can complete a termite inspection, while a pre purchase building inspection needs a licensed residential building inspector. If one person holds both licences, both inspections can happen in the same visit.
Report wording worth a phone call
- Termite activity found, or evidence of past activity.
- Area not inspected, or access restricted, for the subfloor or roof void.
- High moisture readings near the walls, wet areas or the slab edge.
- Timber in contact with soil, or garden beds above the slab edge or weep holes.
- No durable termite notice in the meter box of a newer home.
Ask before you book
- Will the report name the termite species if you find any?
- Which Queensland Health and QBCC licences do you hold, and what are the numbers?
- Are you doing the building inspection as well, or only the pest one?
- When will I have the written report, and can I ring you about it?
Our take on pre purchase pest inspections in Townsville
Book the timber pest inspection the day the contract is signed, ask for the species to be named if termites turn up, and read the 'not inspected' list twice. Tap Buying a home with the postcode.
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.
