Not buying, not selling — you just want to know. There are two ways to do that, and one of them is free.
Which one do you want?
| Free estimate visit | Written inspection report | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | No charge | $150 |
| What you get | We look, and we tell you what we found and what it would cost to treat | A full written report documenting findings, conducive conditions and recommendations |
| Good for | “I saw something and I want to know if it’s a problem” | Records, refinancing, insurance, a landlord file, or your own peace of mind in writing |
Most homeowners want the free visit. If you only need to know whether you have termites and what it costs to deal with them, that’s the one — call us and we’ll come look. If you don’t need treatment, we’ll tell you that, and you’ll owe us nothing.
When the written report is worth $150
- Refinancing. Some lenders ask for one.
- You own rentals. A dated written inspection in the property file is worth having if a tenant ever raises a habitability question.
- You’re thinking about selling next year. Finding it now means fixing it on your schedule instead of during a 10-day contingency window. If you’re closer to listing, see pre-listing inspections.
- You want the conducive conditions documented — the drainage, grading and wood-contact issues that invite termites — so you can work through them.
Note that this is a homeowner’s report. If your inspection is for a real estate transaction, you need the NPMA-33 version instead — that’s $295 and documented differently, because a lender is relying on it.
How often should a house be inspected?
Once a year is the usual advice, and it’s reasonable in this region — subterranean termites are established across the Miami Valley and a colony can work for years before anything is visible from inside.
If you’re on an ongoing termite plan with us, monitoring is already included and you don’t need to buy an inspection at all. That’s the point of the plan.
What we look at
Foundation walls inside and out, sill plates and rim joists, the crawl space if there is one, the basement, the attached garage, visible framing, and the grade and drainage around the house. We’re looking for mud tubes, damaged wood, swarmers and discarded wings, and the moisture conditions that make a house attractive in the first place.
We can only report what we can see. We don’t open walls or pull up flooring, and a finished basement or a full crawl space limits what any inspector can assess — the written report says so where that applies.
If we find something
You’ll get a straight explanation of what it is, whether it’s active, and what treatment would cost — in writing, before you decide anything. Our termite pricing is published, so there’s no mystery about what comes next.
If you bought the $150 written report and go ahead with treatment, the fee comes off the treatment price.
Frequently asked questions
Is the inspection really free?
The estimate visit is, yes. We come out, look, and tell you what we found. The $150 buys the formal written report, which is a different deliverable.
Will you try to sell me something I don’t need?
No, and it would be a bad business decision for a two-person local company that depends on referrals. If you don’t need treatment, you’ll be told so.
Does homeowners insurance cover termite damage?
Almost never — insurers treat it as a maintenance issue rather than a sudden loss. That’s exactly why the annual look is worth the trouble.
Do I need to be home?
Yes, for a homeowner inspection — we’ll need access to the basement or crawl space, and it’s more useful when we can show you what we’re seeing.
How long does it take?
Usually 30 to 60 minutes.
See also: signs of termites · termite treatment · all WDI inspections
Greater Dayton Pest & Rodent · 733 Salem Ave, Dayton OH 45406 · (937) 569-3330 · Ohio Department of Agriculture licensed, lic. #170858