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MOST OF WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TERMITE REPORTS
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| | Q: WHY SO MANY PAGES? | Termite reports are on forms proscribed by the Board. The first page usually has the diagram, unless the structure is unusually large or is multiple units. Our second and third pages contain clauses required by the Structural Pest Control Act. Our fourth page contains the findings and recommendations.
"Found fungi decay at window trim" is a finding.
"Repair/replace as necessary" is the recommendation.
All reports must have "findings" and "recommendations."
If A chemical treatment is recommended, a chemical statement will be added to the report adding one more page. Anything more than the above is called "fluff" and "filler" or disclaimers of liability.
"Repair as necessary" means all dry rot in that are must be repaired. |
| | Q: Are all disclaimers of liability valid? | | A: Depends. Some reports may say second story eaves are inaccessible. That is a disclaimer. However, if dry rot to the 2nd story eaves is visible from the ground by looking up, then the disclaimer is not valid. The dry rot was visible, if not accessible. Each disclaimer must be judged on its own merit. |
Q: Who can do termite reports?
A: Termite reports are part of the Structural Pest Control Industry. Structural Pest Control is a government regulated industry controlled by the Structural Pest Control Act. Only those persons licensed by the Structural Pest Control Board can perform termite reports. It is a violation of the Structural Pest Control Act for any person not so licensed to give any opinion about the presence or absence of termites or dry rot.
Q: How long is a report valid?
A: Reports are on file with the Board for 2 years. Any lending institution in the business of loaning money on real estate can set its own parameters of how long it will accept a termite report as being current. If a termite report contains recommendations for repairs and those repairs are not completed within 4 months, any subsequent report will be a new original inspection and not a re-inspection. Consequently, most people believe a termite report to be good for 4 months.
Q: What's the difference between a termite report and a home inspection?
A: The Home Inspection Business is not a government regulated industry. A termite inspector will not check your heating and air system, or your appliances, or your roof covering, or your electrical system. Building code violations may be reported by both inspectors if the violations are a direct cause of termite/beetle infestations or dry rot. If you want a building code compliance inspection, you should contact the building department in the appropriate jurisdiction. For more information on home inspections you can call:
Gary Federer of River City Home Inspections at 916.498.9738,rchigary@yahoo.com,
Bill Eaves of Silver Eagle Property Inspections at 916.870.5389
Erich Scharf of Sacramento Home Inspections at 916.529.3948
or ask your agent for a referral.
Q: Can I do my own repairs?
A: Any homeowner can work on his/her own house. The building department for the city of Sacramento has a list of repairs that require a building permit. Chemical treatments for termites can only be done by licensed termite companies. If you call the original company that did the inspection within 4 months, that company must schedule the re-inspection within 10 days. If you call a different company after you do the work, that company will perform a new original inspection report. If you call any company after 4 months, a new original inspection must be performed. You must disclose previous reports.
Q: What is the cost of a Re-Inspection?
A: By law, a re-inspection fee cannot exceed the cost of the original inspection. At GWTC, we charge the same for a re-inspection as an original inspection. If you do the repairs yourself, you take the responsibility that the repairs are completed before ordering a re-inspection. Every re-inspection requires a trip to the property, the preparation of another report, dissemination of the report, and registering the report with the Structural Pest Control Board. Although GWT&PC does not guarantee work done by others, we still have to defend ourselves from any complaint that arises where damage was covered up by others in the course of repairs and discovered later in the course of re-modeling.
Q: Can I exclude my attached deck?
A: Any structure attached to the house must be inspected for a "complete" report. If the structure is included on the diagram, it must be inspected. If you want to exclude a deck or patio cover, instruct the inspector to do a limited report, (Limited to the house and garage). Limited Reports must be clearly defined on the first page.
Q: What is a "Certification"?
A: "Certifications" are statements prescribed by the Board in exact language. A "Certification" describes the condition of a house at a particular time. A "Certification" is not a guarantee that the house does not have termites or dry rot. It is a statement that on a particular date there was no "evidence" of termites or dry rot in the "visible and accessible areas." What was visible and what was accessible at the time of inspection are often subjects of debate and different interpretations. Lending institutions rely on "Certifications" as part of the decision making process in loaning money on a particular house.
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