Pest Control · Service

Termite inspection, and reading the report properly

The wood-destroying insect report a lender, buyer or seller asks for — what it covers, what "inaccessible" means, and what to do when it comes back with findings and a closing date attached.

Get matched free All pest control services

In short

What is termite inspection?

A termite inspection is a visual examination of a structure for evidence of termites and other wood-destroying insects, ending in a written report on a standard form. Most are ordered because a real-estate transaction requires one — the wood-destroying insect or WDI report. The critical thing to understand is its scope: it is an opinion about what was visible and accessible on the day, and the areas the inspector could not reach are listed on the form for exactly that reason.

Triggers

Signs you need termite inspection

You are buying a house and your lender or your purchase agreement requires a wood-destroying insect report
You are selling and want to know what a buyer's inspector is going to find before they find it
Your general home inspector noted possible termite evidence and recommended a specialist look
A spring swarm happened somewhere in the house and you need it documented, not just treated
You are refinancing or completing a transaction where the lender asked for a clear report
You hold a termite warranty and the annual re-inspection that keeps it in force is due
You are buying a property that has been vacant, or one where a previous treatment shows on record and you want its current condition assessed

Seeing something not on this list? Browse pest control problems by symptom →

The job

How termite inspection actually works

Scheduling against the transaction, not against convenience

Order it early enough that a positive finding still leaves room to negotiate. An inspection booked days before closing turns any finding into a crisis rather than a conversation.

Watch for: Waiting for the general home inspection report to recommend one. That sequence costs you a week you may not have.
Access is arranged in advance

The inspector needs into the crawl space or basement, the garage, the attic hatch, and around the whole exterior. Someone has to unlock the gate, clear the hatch, and move stored boxes off the garage walls.

Watch for: Access failures are the most common reason a report comes back heavily qualified. A crawl space the inspector could not enter becomes a line on the form, and that line is what the lender or the buyer will query.
The exterior and perimeter examination

Foundation walls, piers, the soil line, siding in contact with grade, porch and deck supports, the wood-to-soil contact points, and any visible mud tubing. Conducive conditions — poor drainage, mulch piled against siding, stored firewood — are noted whether or not there is active infestation.

Watch for: Findings recorded as generic "conducive conditions" with no location. You want to know which wall, so you can go and look at it.
The interior and substructure examination

Crawl space joists, sills and piers; basement framing; the garage; window and door frames; plumbing penetrations; and accessible attic framing. The inspector sounds and probes suspect timber rather than only looking at it.

Watch for: A twenty-minute inspection on a house with a crawl space. The substructure is where the evidence is and it takes time to cover on hands and knees.
The written report

You get a standard form recording evidence of wood-destroying insects, whether any is judged active, any visible damage, any previous treatment observed, conducive conditions, and — explicitly — the areas that were obstructed or inaccessible.

Watch for: The inaccessible-areas section is the most important part of the document and the part nobody reads. It defines the limits of what you were actually told.
What happens if there are findings

Evidence, active infestation and damage are separate findings with different consequences. Evidence with no activity may need nothing beyond disclosure; active infestation usually triggers a treatment requirement; damage may need a structural opinion the pest inspector is not the right person to give.

Watch for: A treatment quote arriving in the same envelope as the report. It is legal and common, but it means the person who found the problem is bidding on the fix. Get an independent quote before agreeing anything.

Money

What does termite inspection cost?

A standalone termite or WDI inspection is generally a modest flat fee, higher for large or complex structures and lower when bundled with other inspections. Many treatment companies inspect at no charge, which is a sales visit rather than a report. The Cost Guide explains where the difference matters.

See the full termite inspection cost guide — by material, size and region →

Straight answer

When termite inspection is the wrong call

Everyone else ranking for this is paid when you say yes. Here's when you shouldn't.

You need a report for a transaction and are accepting a free inspection from a treatment company. Free inspections are marketing visits and often do not produce the standard form your lender or contract requires. If the paperwork matters, pay for the paperwork.
You already know you have an active infestation. Once you have seen mud tubes or a swarm and there is no transaction in play, you are buying an inspection to confirm what you know. Go to identification and treatment quotes instead.
You expect it to cover structural damage. A WDI report records visible damage from insects. It is not a structural assessment, it does not tell you whether a joist still carries load, and it does not price repairs. Significant damage needs a separate structural opinion.
The house is inaccessible in the places that matter. A sealed crawl space, a finished basement and a full garage will produce a report qualified into near-uselessness. Fix the access first — otherwise you are paying for a document that mostly lists what nobody saw.
You are relying on it as a whole-house pest inspection. The scope is wood-destroying insects. Rodents, roaches, ants that are not carpenter ants and wildlife are outside it, and a clear WDI report says nothing about them.
You want the seller's existing report to serve as yours. It reflects one day, possibly months ago, and it was commissioned by the other side. Fine as information, weak as protection.

Your options

Types of termite inspection

Termite species

What the inspector is distinguishing between.

Prevention and conducive conditions

The items a report flags that you can fix yourself.

Treatment methods

What a positive finding is likely to lead to.

Compare pest control options side by side →

Before you sign

What to check when hiring for termite inspection

Will you issue the standard wood-destroying insect report form my lender requires?

Requirements differ by state, lender and loan type. Confirm the specific document before booking so you do not discover mid-closing that what you bought was an informal letter.
Do you also sell termite treatment?

Not disqualifying, but it is a conflict you should price in. If they do, get any treatment recommendation quoted by a second company before you commit.
How long will you be on site, and will you enter the crawl space?

A crawl-space entry is the difference between an inspection and a walk-around. If they will not go in, the report will be qualified and you should know that before, not after.
What will be recorded as inaccessible, and can I do anything about it beforehand?

Moving boxes off the garage walls and clearing the hatch converts qualifications into actual findings. It is the cheapest improvement available to you on this job.
Does the report distinguish evidence, active infestation and damage separately?

Those three findings have very different consequences in a negotiation. A report that blurs them is a report you cannot argue from.
Are you licensed for this in this state, and can I see it?

Who may perform and sign a WDI report is regulated at state level and the categories differ. Ask directly rather than assuming a pest control licence covers it.
How quickly will I get the written report?

You are working to a contract deadline. Get the turnaround in writing when you book, not the day you need it.

All pest control hiring checklists →

Local pros

Termite Inspection near you

Local pro matching for termite inspection is rolling out by metro. Enter your ZIP and we'll match you with vetted pros in your area today.

Related work

Often done at the same time

Termite Control

What a positive finding leads to

Pest Inspection

Whole-house scope, no lender form

Wildlife Removal

Outside a WDI report's scope

Pest Control Service

Ongoing cover after you move in

All pest control services →

FAQ

Termite Inspection — questions people ask

Still have a question? Talk to our team →

What exactly is a WDI or WDO report?

A wood-destroying insect (or organism) report is a standardised form on which a licensed inspector records what evidence of wood-destroying insects was found in the visible and accessible areas of a structure on a given date. It typically covers termites plus other wood-destroying insects such as carpenter ants and wood-boring beetles, and in some states wood-decay fungus. It is a scoped opinion, not a guarantee that the house is free of termites.

Does a clear report mean the house does not have termites?

No, and the form itself says so. It means no evidence was observed in the areas the inspector could see and reach that day. Termites work inside timber and behind finishes, and a structure with a finished basement, insulated crawl space or full garage can conceal a great deal. This is the single most misread aspect of the document.

Who pays for it, the buyer or the seller?

It depends on the contract, the loan type and local convention, and it is negotiable. What matters more than who pays is who orders it: the party who commissions the inspection chooses the inspector and receives the report first. If you are the buyer, commissioning your own is worth the fee even where the seller offers theirs.

The report came back with findings — does the sale fall through?

Usually not. Findings most often become a negotiation: treatment at the seller's expense before closing, a credit, or an escrow holdback. What escalates it is damage rather than evidence, because damage needs pricing and sometimes a structural opinion. This is why ordering the inspection early matters — the same finding is routine with three weeks left and a crisis with three days.

How is this different from a general pest inspection?

Scope and purpose. A WDI inspection targets wood-destroying insects and produces a transaction document on a standard form. A general pest inspection looks at the whole pest picture — rodents, roaches, ants, entry points, conducive conditions — and produces a findings report for you, not for a lender. Buying one when you needed the other is a common and avoidable mistake.

How often should a homeowner get one outside a sale?

If you hold a termite warranty, the annual re-inspection is generally what keeps it in force and skipping it can end your coverage. Without a warranty, an inspection every few years is reasonable in areas with real termite pressure, and sooner if you see a swarm, find mud tubes, or have had persistent moisture at the foundation.