Termites damage more Australian homes each year than fire, storm and flood combined, and home insurance almost never covers it. The reliable approach is a timber pest inspection every twelve months, from $159, followed by a barrier or baiting program if activity is found. Never spray or break open a live termite trail - it scatters the colony.
- Before you treat anything
- Signs worth acting on
- Which method suits which situation
- What you are paying for
- Preparation that makes it work better
- Sydney prices, without the runaround
- What this means if you have kids or animals
- DIY or call someone?
- Four things you can stop worrying about
- Is this urgent?
- What to check before you book
- Frequently asked questions
Before you treat anything
It helps to separate two things: what is making you call someone, and what is causing it. The visible termites are the first; the moisture, the gap or the food source behind them is the second, and only the second decides whether the result holds.
A licensed technician works through that in order, which is why the first part of a visit is looking rather than spraying.
Key points
- A fixed quote should come before any work starts.
- Treat the source, not the sightings: the nest or harbourage is the target.
- Fix the conditions - moisture, food, entry points - or it returns.
- Ask what the warranty covers and for how long.
If you want to see how the treatment is actually carried out, how termite control works walks through each stage.
Signs worth acting on
Before numbers become obvious there is almost always a quieter stage. What to look for:
- A faint musty, earthy smell in a closed room or subfloor.
- Floorboards that feel spongy underfoot, particularly near wet areas.
- Mud packing visible in the weep holes along an external brick course.
- Pencil-width mud tubes running up foundations, piers or brick walls.
- Doors and windows that start sticking without any change in the weather.
One of these on its own may mean nothing. Two or more in the same area is worth a professional look, and it is better not to disturb the site before someone has seen it.
Because the early signs are so easy to miss, an annual termite inspection every twelve months is the standard advice for Sydney homes.
Which method suits which situation
The honest trade-offs:
| Method | Works well for | Limitations |
|---|---|---|
| In-ground baiting system | Eliminates the colony, low disruption | Works over weeks to months; needs monitoring |
| Annual timber pest inspection | Finds activity while it is still cheap | Detection, not treatment |
| Above-ground baiting | Targets active workings directly | Only where live activity is accessible |
| Chemical soil barrier | Full perimeter protection, long service life | Needs trenching or drilling; priced after inspection |
When comparing quotes, compare methods rather than prices - that is normally where the difference sits.
The method itself, product by product, is explained on our page about what the treatment involves.
What you are paying for
A licensed technician follows a repeatable process rather than blanket-spraying a property. In order:
- Inspect and identify. Work out the species and find where the population actually sits - usually not where it was seen.
- Treat the source. Apply the right method for that species - gel bait, dust, residual, baiting system or trapping - where it does the most work and the least harm.
- Allow the method to run. Colony treatments take time by design. The technician will say how long before you should expect a change.
- Close the conditions. The gaps to seal, the moisture to fix and the habits to change - this is what makes the result last.
All of that is done by a licensed and insured technician, with general treatments backed for six months.
How that is done in practice is covered under the termite control page.
Preparation that makes it work better
A little preparation makes a measurable difference to the result, and none of it takes long:
- Arrange for pets to be out of the way for a couple of hours.
- Put food, utensils and pet bowls away or in sealed containers.
- Tell the technician what you have already applied yourself.
- Clear access to kickboards, under sinks and around appliances.
- Make a note of where you have seen activity and when.
Avoid washing down treated areas for at least a week, and resist adding your own spray on top.
Sydney prices, without the runaround
Our rates are published rather than quoted on the spot. Starting points:
| Service | From | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Timber pest inspection with report | from $159 | Annual check; the report is the deliverable |
| Termite treatment or barrier | quoted on inspection | Depends on construction, soil and extent of activity |
| Wasp or bee nest treatment | from $150 | Priced on access and nest location |
| Rodent treatment and proofing | from $150 | Baiting or trapping, plus entry-point work |
| General pest treatment (internal & external) | from $89 | Covers cockroaches, ants, spiders and silverfish |
Nothing is charged beyond the quoted figure. Where a job turns out to need more than expected, you are told before it is done, not after.
We set out the full process, timelines and warranty terms under termite control.
What this means if you have kids or animals
Fair question, and worth more than a one-word answer. Professional treatment is safe around families and pets because of how it is applied, not because the products are inert:
- You are given a specific re-entry time, usually just until treated surfaces are dry.
- Fish tanks are covered and pet bowls and bedding moved before any treatment.
- Baits, gels and dusts go into cracks, voids and secured stations - not across open surfaces.
- Nothing is applied to food preparation surfaces or anywhere food is stored.
Mention any health considerations at the booking stage and the technician plans around them.
That is worth checking before you book anyone, including us - who actually turns up covers our licensing, insurance and how long we have been doing this.
DIY or call someone?
This is worth being straight about, because DIY is not always the wrong answer. It is the wrong answer once a population is established, for reasons that are fairly mechanical:
- Repellent sprays can split colonies - with ants especially - turning one nest into several.
- Guessing the species usually means the wrong product entirely.
- Without identification there is no way to know whether it is working or just scattering.
- Concentrations are lower and residual life shorter than professional-grade equivalents.
Where it crosses over is roughly when you have treated twice and it has come back, or when the species itself is a safety question.
The rest of what we handle is set out under the services we offer across Sydney.
Four things you can stop worrying about
Some of these are harmless. Others actively cost people money, which is why they are worth correcting:
- Insurance will cover it. Standard home insurance excludes termite damage. That is the main reason inspections matter.
- A spray from the hardware store will do. Surface products kill the few termites they touch and leave a colony of hundreds of thousands intact.
- One treatment lasts forever. Barriers and baiting systems have a service life and need monitoring. An old treatment is not current protection.
- You would see them. Termites work inside timber and inside mud tubes. Most owners see damage long before they see an insect.
If you are not certain which pest you are dealing with, everything we treat lists what we treat and the signs that point to each.
Is this urgent?
Not everything needs a same-day visit, and it is reasonable to want to know which this is. Treat it as urgent when:
- It is a food business, childcare centre, medical premises or aged care.
- Numbers have visibly increased over a week or two.
- Anyone in the household has a known allergy to stings.
- You have found live termite activity in or against the building.
Outside those, a booking in the next few days is generally fine. Waiting a month is where it starts getting more expensive.
If your suburb is not mentioned above, the Sydney suburbs we cover will confirm whether we are out that way.
What to check before you book
Pest control is licensed work in New South Wales, and the gap between operators is wider than the price difference suggests. Before you book anyone:
- Get the quote in writing, fixed, before any work starts.
- Ask for the technician's NSW pest management licence number, not just the company name.
- Confirm they hold current public liability insurance.
- Ask which method they intend to use and why that one.
- Be wary of a price quoted over the phone without any questions about the property.
None of those questions are unreasonable, and the answers tend to sort operators quickly.
Anyone you let into your home for this work should be licensed and insured, and about the team sets out ours.
Frequently asked questions
What will treating termites cost?
Starting prices are $89 for a general treatment and $159 for an inspection with a written report. Anything larger is quoted on inspection rather than over the phone. The quote is fixed, so the invoice matches what you were told.
How often do termite inspections need doing?
Annually is the standard advice for Sydney, and more often for high-risk properties - those with a history of activity, a subfloor that holds moisture, or heavy planting against the walls. Termite damage is excluded from almost every home insurance policy, which is why the annual check is the cheap part.
Are your technicians licensed and insured?
Yes - every technician holds a current NSW pest management licence and we carry public liability insurance. You are entitled to ask any operator for both, and it is worth doing. Ours are available on request.
How soon can you get here?
Most bookings in Sydney are filled within 48 hours. Urgent situations are prioritised, and we will tell you honestly if yours is not urgent rather than selling you a priority visit.
Is there a guarantee on the work?
Covered pests returning within six months are re-treated free. Termite barriers and baiting systems have their own longer warranties, generally conditional on annual monitoring. You get the terms in writing on the day.
What if the problem is coming from next door?
In a tenancy it usually depends on whether the problem existed at the start of the lease and on the terms of the agreement - raise it with the agent in writing either way. In a strata building, anything in common property such as risers, voids and bin rooms is the owners corporation's responsibility.
Why have termites come into my home?
Food, water and shelter, in roughly that order. In most Sydney homes it comes down to accessible food or bins, a moisture source such as a leak or blocked gutter, and a gap big enough to get through. Remove any one of the three and the property gets much less attractive.
Do we need to leave the house during treatment?
Yes - and if anyone in the household has asthma, allergies or there is a newborn, tell us when booking and the technician adjusts the method. Re-entry is normally once treated surfaces have dried, and you are told the exact time on the day.
Want this sorted properly?
We treat termites across 650+ suburbs of Sydney. Fixed quote up front, licensed and insured technicians, child and pet-safe application, and general treatments backed for six months.