oldgit Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Hi folks We are looking at buying a house over here in Oz. Today we looked at a lovely house that has numerous tall trees in the back garden and also backs onto bushland. My only concern is that up in these trees there are what appear to be nests, which the estate agent 'brushed off' saying they were just white ants and not a problem. On the way home from viewing the property my 11 year old daughter informed me that white ants are also called termites. As I am a Carpenter and I have seen the devastation that termites cause, I am concerned about these so-called white ants. Does anybody know if these white ants/termites in trees are a problem if in your back garden? As I am unsure whether or not to put an offer in on this property. Cheers The oldgit Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
windswept Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Termites are common in various parts of Australia. The question is whether they have got to the house or not. If you are keen on the property, I would recommend that you get a comprehensive termite check (compliant to Australian Standard AS 4349.3 )and make your offer on the property 'subject to a termite inspection satisfactory to the Purchaser'. That way if there is some very minor damage found to the house, you could perhaps offer a lesser amount ie. it gives you negotiation room on the price, and get the damage removed/replaced etc. (However not all damage will be that easily located or fixed). You might be interested to note that if a house is termite infested, banks will often refuse to lend money for their purchase. However do keep in mind that just because they're in the garden, it doesn't mean that they've got to the house yet. What it does mean though is that you would need to invest in a very thorough termite baiting system around your house, to prevent them reaching it. Typical systems consist of stations every 1-3 metres (depending on which company you go with) that are baited. I think they usually need to be rebaited (this is done by the company who did the installation) every year or couple of years. Good luck, and let us know what you decide to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peacock Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Most deffinetly, they can travel a fair way from the nest for a good feed, the queen has to be poisend to kill the nest, get a good pest examination and clearance of the property before you purchase. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Termites are a huge issue in Brisbane and Queensland generally. We have had them in our house 5 or 6 times and luckily discovered them before much damage was done. We have had a good baiting system in place for years now but it quite honestly doesn't stop them. Basically get the property thoroughly checked before buying. The best defence against termites is vigilance, make sure there is no wood on the ground in your yard, keep the sides of the house clear of plants and just keep your eyes open. Household insurance doesn't cover any damage done so as I said be very vigilant. I think I am right in saying that the termites that build their mud nests in trees don't often damage houses. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest30038 Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Termites need damp to travel. If they're in a nest near to your property, as long as there isn't a damp path that they can travel, you're safe. Termi mesh is the best protection but if you have a (damp) path above the termimesh, then you could have problems. kev Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Petals Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Wherever you live you need to be vigilant in Australia. There used to be areas designated termite free but that has long gone. In the seventies and eighties it was popular to use old sleepers in gardens for landscaping and these brought termites into areas that did not have them before. A friend of mine bought a house and discovered there were termites and every pest company knew the property You can check if a house has been treated. If there are concrete paths around the house then you can often spot little round parts of the contract which show the drilling holes and refill with newer concrete. Never have soil above the membrane. If the slab is not wrapped up properly they will get into the house. Any type of paving on sand is an attraction. CSIRO has a wealth of information about termites if you look at their site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8bug79 Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Now I understand why every house has a metal fence!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted October 23, 2010 Share Posted October 23, 2010 Wherever you live you need to be vigilant in Australia. There used to be areas designated termite free but that has long gone. There is still one - Tasmania - which has no species of termites destructive to buildings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
calNgary Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 We had a few termite nests on our land in in some trees when we bought this house. A pest guy got rid of the nests on the ground, he said to leave the ones in the trees as it will stoop them coming looking for more timber, i.e - the frame of the house. 3 years in and touch wood we have never had a problem ,they must like their tree,lol. A good barrier protection and top up every few years should prevent any issues but always keep an eye out for the termite tracks (which look abit like frog poo) lol. Cal x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest chris955 Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 A barrier will certainly help but nothing will stop them unfortunately as we have found out. As I said prevention is better than trying to cure and the best way to at least reduce the risk is to ensure there is no timber and old logs etc laying around your yard. They even invade steel framed houses and eat the door frames and skirting boards. I hate the little b...........:laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nevsm Posted October 24, 2010 Share Posted October 24, 2010 Get a pest inspection done before completing on your contract, make sure you add this into your contract as agents are not to be trusted or tell agent you will not proceed until nests removed .Termites will eat anything wood in houses they will get up into roof and eat trusses. if you are building it is worth paying for a steel frame. If there are any termite nests either get a professional company in to kill it or knock it over yourself ( very hard ) normal ants eat termites. Get a professional pest inspection done regularly . As Chris says they will still come into steel framed houses and eat skirting, doors ,etc Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest AussieGold Posted October 25, 2010 Share Posted October 25, 2010 if the termite nests are located in the trees, then they are known as abhorial (sp?) termites..above ground and are not generally considered a threat to properties. sub terranean termites...below ground..are the ones to watch for. sub terranean termites will literally eat your house. accepted theory is if a sub terranean termite nest is located within 50 metres of your property it must be destroyed as termites dont usually travel to far from there primary nest. any pestie worth his salt will also look for any secondary nests as well. when considering purchasing a property it is highly recommended a termite/pest inspection be done and if not already in existance a suitable barrier (be it baiting boxes or a continuous barrier) be completed at the owners expense. if not and you wish to purchase the property ask for the cost of a termite barrier to be taken off the purchase price and have it done yourselves. then have yearly checks done to make sure the barrier is still in place. when looking at a property, signs of termite infestation are mud galleries on exterior walls near garden beds, near hot water heaters etc, mud galleries can often look like trails of insect poop up a wall. in some cases a clicking noise can be heard inside the walls as well. hth AG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 Always get a house checked out for termites before you purchase- usually a report is done by someone like Archicentre. We live in a termite area of Melbourne(most of the Eastern suburbs) and have them in the garden and have had some retaining garden bed sleepers eaten by them. They leave the outside intact and it is only when you press the wood that you realise it is hollow. They are white tiny things about the size of a little ant. We haven't had them in the house, thank goodness. You hear horror stories of people having to rebuild their houses ( don't panic because it isn't THAT common) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 We had termites in a tree in our back yard. We did have that treated because they had killed the tree, and as it was only about 3m from the house it was at risk of falling in to the house. The pest guys drilled bore holes in to the trunk and injected termite poison in and then sealed the holes. This meant that when the tree was removed, the termites in the tree were already gone and wouldn't come looking for tasty titbits in our house! We live in a termite area, but we are vigilant and routinely check for them. We also get a termite check once a year. I would agree with the other advice about getting a good pest inspection. We almost bought a house with termite infestation that the owners had tried to cover up. Luckily our pest inspection guy was excellent and spotted the termite muddings in the cavity wall, where there was a sliding door (he took the door off to have a poke round in the cavity). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest One Hour Photo Posted October 27, 2010 Share Posted October 27, 2010 When I bought my property nobody warned me about white ants - funny that, but I now know that a pest inspection is standard practise here before purchasing property. Fortunately my place had no problems but I was lucky. After I had been here a while someone warned me about a peppercorn tree, so I got the inspectors in. They killed off a nest and the tree has since been removed. Take advice from people who know the area and know the problems. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest littlesarah Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 I nearly flipped out when we got our pest report - our house is classed at extrememly high risk of termite infestation. This is due to our proximity to bushland and the fact that the house was built before the advent of modern termite requirements. I looked into the available anti-termite systems, including those with baiting stations; however I found little evidence of scientific merit that supports their use. We instead look over the house regularly and have the place inspected by a professional also. I suspected termite activity & the guy we use came round and had a look - luckily I was wrong & there wasn't a problem. The overwhelming message I got from native Aussies, scientists & arborist friends (who see termites every day) is that vigilance is key. If you can, exposing the slab edge helps with identifying trails, & going around the house lloking for mud trails is also worthwhile. Eliminate sources of moisture & food (i.e. wood) near the house is also advised. We figure that as long as there's lot of wood undisturbed in the National Park behind us, the termites are less likely to move onto our house! But I don't think I'll get totally complacent, though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fish.01 Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Now I understand why every house has a metal fence!!!! Not true here in Brisbane. They seem to be mostly confined to some of the cheaper estates in the outer suburbs and are not popular - maybe for that reason. Would make a lot of sense from a practical viewpoint....maybe we should build our whole houses out of metal :idea: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8bug79 Posted November 2, 2010 Share Posted November 2, 2010 Not true here in Brisbane. They seem to be mostly confined to some of the cheaper estates in the outer suburbs and are not popular - maybe for that reason. Would make a lot of sense from a practical viewpoint....maybe we should build our whole houses out of metal :idea: They are horrid but I guess practical. I can't speak for all areas, as I have actually never been to Oz and have only gone by what I have seen on realestate. I must be looking at the cheap places :wink: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skani Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 They are horrid but I guess practical. Some houses in bushfire prone areas have them for safety reasons: they stop burning embers without catching alight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8bug79 Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Some houses in bushfire prone areas have them for safety reasons: they stop burning embers without catching alight. Ah another reason I didn't think of. Funny when you aren't used to a climate what you neglect to think about. Avery practical idea then. Thanks. It has been nagging at me for a while Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
k8bug79 Posted November 3, 2010 Share Posted November 3, 2010 Lol so now I am loking at the cheap bushfire prone areas :laugh: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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