Recommendation for termite treatment

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Madeleine
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Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by Madeleine »

We have just had an updated termite inspection for the reports that have to be done when you sell a house. The original report 10 months ago found nothing, but this time the expert found evidence of termites in 2 door frames. We are due to complete on 21st Feb and need to get this sorted out before then. He is getting a company to contact me but I thought I would ask for recommendations for a company which is honest and not likely to prescribe treatment simply to make money as we obviously want to get the problem sorted for the buyers, but not to pay for unnecessary work for what is very limited damage. Does anybody know anyone please?
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by alan »

I have been looking into the question of termite treatment, also for a very small amount of damage. As I understand it, the "preferred" method involves using termite traps adjacent to the property (with an annual maintenance contract) instead of spraying.

This seems well over the top for such a small amount of damage, although it may be insisted upon by your buyers as a "belt and braces" job given the difficulties in identifying where the termites might strike next. I take it your damage, like ours, is on the ground floor.

Something which occurs to me and given your completion date, might it be easiest simply to remove and replace the frames in question. I could suggest a joiner if you don't have one.

Otherwise if you do have to go to specialists, Kate has mentioned previously

SUD TRAITEMENT – TERMITE & PEST CONTROL
22 Rue Benoît Fourneyron
66000 PERPIGNAN

Good luck and please let us know how you get on.

Alan
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by Kate »

Yes, these people are ‘correct’ and do the job well but from what I gather, the whole process is very expensive no matter who you go with. :bomb:
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by Madeleine »

Thanks Alan, my other half was all for ripping out and replacing the frames and treating the wood to stop them eating the new ones, but as the report is going to the notaire and the buyers, I thought it best to have it looked at by an expert.
We had one company (Pami) round yesterday and are waiting for Sud Traitement to come on 14th Feb. According to the guy yesterday, we have to report the fact that we have termites to the Mairie and are legally obliged to treat it, quite apart from the possibility of being sued by the buyers. He was recommending injection all over the ground floor rather than traps as we are selling and traps involve a contract for several years: cost around €3k which will come out of the proceeds of the sale. :?
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by alan »

Thanks for the reply. I would be very interested to know in due course what you decide to do.
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

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I'll report back once we've decided.
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

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alan wrote: Fri 08 Feb 2019 11:15 Thanks for the reply. I would be very interested to know in due course what you decide to do.
Alan
Hi again, I've now heard from the buyer who is quite relaxed about it and would rather not have it treated as he doesn't want toxic chemicals in his house! The notaire says that given we only have just under 2 weeks to the sale, the quickest and easiest thing is to take out and replace the frames and get the expert back in to give us a report saying there are no traces of termites. If we don't do that then he has to alter the compromis to include the amended report, we all have to sign again and they have to wait for the 10 days' cooling off period before the sale can go through.
I've contacted the buyer to confirm that they are happy with this, and John will start ripping out as soon as we've heard back.
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by alan »

Great result!

Hope there are no more hitches and it's good you have a very pragmatic buyer (and notaire!).

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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

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alan wrote: Fri 08 Feb 2019 19:14 Great result!

Hope there are no more hitches and it's good you have a very pragmatic buyer (and notaire!).

Alan
Yes indeed! The buyer has now confirmed that he and his wife are "completely happy" with us changing the affected frames. I might still ask them to sign something just confirming that they are aware that that is what we have done and take responsibility for us not treating the house, although I do have an email trail to that effect.
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

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I spoke too soon, the expert refused to come back and do the new report given that he would be liable if there were any repercussions. The buyers have decided that they will have to accept having the house treated if we are to avoid delaying the sale because of the 10 day cooling off period which they don't want to do. So we are paying for the treatment out of the sale of the house. I've had one devis from a company called Pami, who were recommended by the expert, who is very probably getting a kick-back but there you go. I'd already cancelled the Sud Traitement visit to give a devis and given that we are selling next Thursday and I'm away from tomorrow, we've decided just to go with Pami. I've got too much else on my plate at the moment to worry about it.
I'll report back on the work once it's been done...
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by alan »

Sorry to read this. I presume Pami are spraying. In due course, and if you don't mind, I should be very pleased to know how much it all costs.

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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

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alan wrote: Wed 13 Feb 2019 09:54 Sorry to read this. I presume Pami are spraying. In due course, and if you don't mind, I should be very pleased to know how much it all costs.

Alan
Injecting. The cost is €2450. Better than the initial estimate of €3000 - 3500 but he may have said that to make us feel better when it came in at 2 and a half grand :!:
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by alan »

Thank you, that's very helpful to know.
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by alan »

Hope your completion went OK.

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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by Madeleine »

Yes, thanks for asking. We signed on Thursday. The termite treatment starts in a couple of weeks.
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by Madeleine »

Termite treatment is now finished. It took them just over a day to inject - not bad money for €2450 TTC. There were no termites actually in the property but they did find them in a tree stump outside and in some wooden pallets that John had left outside the garage thinking he would use them. They've sprayed both of those and recommended that the pallets are burnt. They were polite and professional and cleaned up after themselves, so I wouldn't have any qualms recommending them.
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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by alan »

Glad that its been concluded and your sale has been allowed to go through but it does seem to me that treatment hasn't really been necessary and given that your buyers didn't want it anyway, the only winner here has been the contractor.

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Re: Recommendation for termite treatment

Post by Madeleine »

Oh yes, absolutely - it's a money making racket.
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