Termite treatment

[Badger]

I have a a small old 1955 concrete block beach house on a slab that is now worth a considerable amount of money due to its location. A lot on my block of the same size as mine sold for a bit over $1MM. It is up for termite treatment renewal and the cost skyrocketed to more than 5x the previous 5 years. That would be about $5k+. I read the contract and realized that if I developed a termite infestation the company would only retreat but not be responsible for the cost of repairs. It seems as though all pest control companies are the same except for a more expensive contract from one company.


I can buy the exact same chemicals to treat the perimeter of my house for about $200. All I have to do is dig a 6 inch trench around the house to pour the treatment. They do a similar treatment by injecting the chemical 6 inches deep every 18 inches. For about the same cost they will use Sentricon baits every 15 feet around the house. Although I can't buy Sentricon I can purchase another bait that is known to have similar effectiveness and place them every 10 feet for about $200.



Other than the expense of some rubber gloves, mixing the chemical, and digging the shallow trench in sand why would anyone pay for a company to treat when they won't accept liability for termite damage? I could even pay $100 for someone to dig the trench if I was too lazy.


I wonder if others know the termite treatment companies don't cover damage and you are on your own for repairs when you can save $5k for DIY.


Cheers!

 

[Aerides]

As far as warranty, some do cover repairs, some only cover retreatment, it depends on the provider and contract. Most homeowner policies exclude termite damage.

Are there other options between the $5k company and a home-do? I would get a few more quotes.

Thing about termites is don't they take a while to develop? IE, if your home has been treated for years, the odds they show up today....slim to none. I'd be tempted to do something far more cost effective in your shoes, especially if there's not much structural wood in your home.

 

[Breedlove]

Talk to one of the home rental guys , they always know the cheapest guys . Or treat it yourself. Been down that road while I lived in the city prices are all over the place in Houston. One thing to think about is you ever decide to sell that certificate from a licensed company is Golden . Home inspectors in Houston always look for the sticker . We live in a steel house now with galvanized paint .....We sell dental work to termites lol.

 

[W2R]

The termite companies around here don't cover repairs. But then, actually I don't know anybody that needed repairs, who kept up with their professional termite treatments. I mean, maybe that happens here but if it does, I hadn't heard about it.

I don't mind paying for termite treatments. It doesn't seem like so much, if you figure out what it costs per year.

 

[RetireeRobert]

I have a a small old 1955 concrete block beach house on a slab that is now worth a considerable amount of money due to its location. A lot on my block of the same size as mine sold for a bit over $1MM. It is up for termite treatment renewal and the cost skyrocketed to more than 5x the previous 5 years. That would be about $5k+.

I guess my first question is, if the house is concrete block on (cement) slab, just how often do similar houses actually have any appreciable termite damage?

Is it routine in your area for homeowners to do annual termite treatment?

If yes to both questions, I guess I would suggest get more quotes for the treatment, $5k seems an awful lot for a "small concrete block house"!

Only if other quotes are unbearably high as well would I opt for DIY. Those are some potent chemicals I would be unsure of dealing with safely.

 

[harley]

That sounds ridiculously expensive. We just had an infestation, and the treatment for a nearly 3000sf foundation was $1600. I also was thinking that for a smaller house it would be a DIY project. But for a house this size with me not being a spring chicken anymore it was well worth the cost.

In our case too the warranty is only for retreatment. I don't know of any company that will pay for damages. If you can't find a reasonable price I would suggest doing it DIY, although hiring someone to dig the trench sounds like a good idea.

 

[RetireeRobert]

In our case too the warranty is only for retreatment. I don't know of any company that will pay for damages.

If one looks at it from the companies' side (imagine "you" were the one doing the treatments for pay), by the time they get called in to do a treatment, usually there are already visible signs of the termites being around. And if one can tell they are around, is there not a good chance there is "already" damage that is likely "not" visible? So, I would not want to guarantee against damage when I apply the treatment---because the damage is "probably already there"!

So I would warranty the treatment, guarantee the termites will be got rid of, but damage? That is on you, customer.

 

[Dean56]

All I have to do is dig a 6 inch trench around the house to pour the treatment. They do a similar treatment by injecting the chemical 6 inches deep every 18 inches....... I could even pay $100 for someone to dig the trench if I was too lazy.

There are 3 types of termites. The treatment you mentioned is for subterranean termites.

Drywood termites & Dampwood termites will not be effected by a treatment applied to the soil, because they do not require contact with the soil.

https://www.orkin.com/termites/types-of-termites

 

[Badger]

There are 3 types of termites. The treatment you mentioned is for subterranean termites.

Drywood termites & Dampwood termites will not be effected by a treatment applied to the soil, because they do not require contact with the soil.

https://www.orkin.com/termites/types-of-termites

When I read the contract it made it clear it was only for subterranean termites and not for the others that invade the home differently.



I sent them an email yesterday cancelling future treatments. I have a decade of experience with handling toxic chemical so I will treat the house myself.

I just need a trenching shovel to remove the sand (no dirt this close to the ocean so easy digging), some plastic to hold the sand while treating, a 5 gallon bucket for mixing, and some rubber gloves.

The Fipronil that is used to treat the perimeter of the house for termites is good for 5-10 years. According to that I should be good for 5 more years anyway. Total cost is less than $200.

Another easier option the pest company prefers to use is to install about 15 Sentricon bait traps. They charge more for that. I could even use both methods and still be be at 1/3 their cost for the first year.

Although I can easily afford to continue with the pest control company it is annoying to have the cost increase by so much when there is no liability for infestation, their material cost have not increased, and the treatment by injection or installation of bait traps is a 30 minute job for them. It will certainly take me longer to trench the house but trenching will make for an unbroken barrier, and I have the time.

I doubt I will need a certificate for resale since the house will be torn down to make way for another McMansion just like all the rest on my block.



Thanks for all the posts. They gave me things to consider to make my decision.



Cheers!

 

[Breedlove]

Yes like someone else said you live in a concrete block home ...unless you have wood facia . Termites don’t eat concrete.

 

[MichaelB]

Concrete block homes usually have plenty of wood, including the roof and underfloor, and possible furniture. Still makes sense to protect against termites, though $5K is way too much.

Termite treatments can give lasting protection against subterranean termites, and it seems as if the OP can handle that. Pest control companies do little more than spray around the perimeter, look for mounds, and put some treatment underground if there are other signs of activity,

Treatments don’t prevent drywood termites. The termites fly in and out, a treatment can dislodge them, but next week a new swarm can fly back in. This requires regular monitoring, with treatment only if they appear, but that shouldn’t cost more than a couple hundred $$ per year.

 

[Bamaman]

My close friend has a pest control service in Atlanta, and I once had an infestation when I lived there. My buddy refused to take my $1,200 normally charged to treat a home my size. He taught me to treat my own house.

In case nobody's told you, pest control companies are actually insurance companies that sell unsuspecting homeowners on monthly contracts to come out and spray ineffective pesticides around your house. It's a big rip off--as are those big tanker trucks they use.

I went to BugSpray.com in Stone Mountain which is the largest online retailer of termicides in the U.S. He has tutorials online on how to get rid of over 150 bugs and pests. And he sells all of the insecticides, chemicals and traps that no pest control outfit uses--the really good stuff.

I was instructed to dig a 6" x 6" trench around my foundation and fill it with pea gravel. Then I got a graduated yard sprayer and mixed up the right amount of termicide to spray 10'. I walked back and forth with the yard sprayer until it was empty before going on to the next 10 feet. All in all, it took $120 for a gallon of termicide to treat my home. I also used my big hammer drill to drill across the garage door and I injected termicide under that slab.

That's how a termite man would treat his own home. Not at all a difficult project.

 

[Badger]

My close friend has a pest control service in Atlanta, and I once had an infestation when I lived there. My buddy refused to take my $1,200 normally charged to treat a home my size. He taught me to treat my own house.

In case nobody's told you, pest control companies are actually insurance companies that sell unsuspecting homeowners on monthly contracts to come out and spray ineffective pesticides around your house. It's a big rip off--as are those big tanker trucks they use.

I went to BugSpray.com in Stone Mountain which is the largest online retailer of termicides in the U.S. He has tutorials online on how to get rid of over 150 bugs and pests. And he sells all of the insecticides, chemicals and traps that no pest control outfit uses--the really good stuff.

I was instructed to dig a 6" x 6" trench around my foundation and fill it with pea gravel. Then I got a graduated yard sprayer and mixed up the right amount of termicide to spray 10'. I walked back and forth with the yard sprayer until it was empty before going on to the next 10 feet. All in all, it took $120 for a gallon of termicide to treat my home. I also used my big hammer drill to drill across the garage door and I injected termicide under that slab.

That's how a termite man would treat his own home. Not at all a difficult project.

+1 But i will be using a different product that contains Fipronil (Taurus SC) that will be taken back to the nest and actually kill the termites instead of just being a repellent. This is the active in the products the pest control companies use in my area of Florida. It is also good for 5-10 yrs. Unlike other products that are toxic to cats and dogs (especially cats) like the termite product Maxxthor that contain Bifenthrin.
Same method of treatment by trenching around the foundation, same quantities for application, and same price. The only difference is one is a repellent and the other kills the termites at their nest.


Cheers!