Termite Inspection and WDO Reports in Temecula, Murrieta and North County
Termite inspections and California WDO reports for home sales, refinances and homeowners who want a check, by our termite inspector Tyler Williams. $99 for a sale or refinance. Accessible areas checked for termites and other wood-destroying organisms, findings written up the way escrow asks for.
Our termite inspections are done by Tyler Williams, our termite inspector, and for a home sale or refinance the inspection and WDO report are $99. He checks the accessible areas of the home for termites and other wood-destroying organisms and writes up what's active, what's damaged and what could lead to trouble, in the format escrow asks for.
What's included
Inspection of the accessible areas
Tyler Williams inspects every part of the structure he can reach: exterior trim and fascia, eaves, patio covers, garage framing, interior baseboards and door frames, bathrooms and kitchens for moisture damage, the attic, and the subarea or crawl space where the home has one. Areas that can't be reached are listed as inaccessible, so the report is clear about what was and wasn't seen.
Section 1 findings
Section 1 is evidence of active infestation or infection, or damage from it, whether the cause is termites, wood-boring beetles or fungus. These are the items a buyer or lender usually wants corrected, so each one is keyed to its spot on the diagram. If Section 1 work is needed, the price is quoted separately from the inspection, and Dylan Reed handles the termite treatment side of it.
Section 2 findings
Section 2 is a condition likely to lead to infestation or infection, with no evidence of one yet. On homes here that usually means moisture or wood touching soil. Many Section 2 items are fixes a homeowner can make, and fixing them is cheaper than treating what they invite. The report lists them so you can decide, and in a sale the parties agree which ones get done.
The WDO report for escrow
The written report follows the format the Structural Pest Control Board sets, with the diagram, the inspected and inaccessible areas, and the Section 1 and Section 2 findings. It goes to the parties the purchase contract names, and your agent and lender will know how to read it. Corrections are quoted separately from the inspection, and you can use any licensed company for them, including us.
Questions about your findings
If an item on the report isn't clear, ask Tyler Williams where the pellets, the tube or the soft wood behind it are, and what that item means for the sale or for your house. If a question comes up later, call (951) 535-4220 and ask about the report.
How it works
Book the inspection
Call (951) 535-4220 Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm, or send the form with the property address, whether the home is in escrow, and the date the report is needed by. Jenni schedules Tyler Williams. To prepare, clear access to the attic hatch, the garage walls and the crawl space opening, and unlock any shed or side gate so nothing has to be listed as inaccessible.
Exterior and interior inspection
Tyler walks the outside of the home first, then the inside, the attic and the subarea where there is one, checking the accessible wood for drywood and subterranean termites, fungus and dry rot, wood-boring beetles and the moisture conditions that lead to them. He notes what he finds and the areas he couldn't reach.
Findings sorted into Section 1 and Section 2
The findings go onto the report in the format the Structural Pest Control Board sets: a diagram of the structure with each finding keyed to a location, the list of inspected and inaccessible areas, and every item marked as Section 1 (active infestation or damage) or Section 2 (a condition likely to lead to one). That sorting is what agents, buyers and lenders read first.
Questions and delivery
Ask Tyler Williams about any item on the report you don't understand. The report is sent to the parties the contract names, which for a sale is the agents and often the escrow company. If any Section 1 work is recommended, the price for it is quoted separately, and you're free to have us do it or to take the report to another licensed company.
Corrections and the completion notice
If the parties agree to correct Section 1 items, the work is scheduled, and Dylan Reed handles the termite treatment side. Once the work is done, a completion notice is issued stating what was completed and what was not, which is the document buyers and lenders look for after the report. For a home that isn't in escrow, the same inspection works as a yearly check on the house.
More about termite inspection
In California, a termite inspection for a home sale is called a Wood Destroying Organism inspection, or WDO inspection, and the written result is the WDO report. The Structural Pest Control Board, part of the California Department of Consumer Affairs, licenses the inspectors who write these reports and sets the format they follow. That format is why WDO reports in California follow the same layout: a diagram of the structure, a list of the areas inspected and the areas that couldn't be reached, and findings sorted into Section 1, evidence of active infestation or damage, and Section 2, conditions likely to lead to one. Our complete guide to WDO inspections on the blog covers the report section by section. A report full of codes is hard to read on your own, so ask Tyler Williams about any item you don't understand, and if your agent has a question later, call the office.
Here's what a WDO inspection covers. The inspector walks the exterior first: fascia boards, eaves, window and door trim, patio covers, garage door jambs, the stem wall and the foundation line, looking for pellets, mud tubes, swarmer wings and wood that's been hollowed out. Inside, he probes baseboards and door frames, checks under sinks and around tubs and showers for moisture damage, and goes into the attic and, where there is one, the subarea or crawl space, because that's where subterranean termite tubes and fungus damage hide. He notes anything inaccessible, such as a locked shed or a finished attic with no hatch, so the report is honest about what couldn't be seen. Then the findings are written up with Section 1 separated from Section 2, and that's the moment to ask about anything unclear, before anyone starts quoting repairs. If the home is in escrow, the report goes to the parties the contract names. If work is done to correct Section 1 items, a completion notice follows the work, and that notice is the document buyers and lenders look for after the report.
Many California home sales call for a WDO report, through the purchase contract or the lender. Customers tell us they chose us for fast response, and an escrow calendar doesn't leave much room for waiting. Jared Brown has 27 years in the trade, in every position it has, and the inspection side runs the same straight way as the rest of the business: the report says what's there, the price for any Section 1 work is quoted separately, and you're free to take the report to anyone. If you're buying or selling, ask about our realtor services when you call. Our office at 29990 Technology Dr Ste 13 in Murrieta is open Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm. Call (951) 535-4220 with the property address and the escrow timeline, and Jenni will get Tyler scheduled.
What do people ask about termite inspection?
How do I book a termite inspection?
Call (951) 535-4220 Monday to Saturday 8am to 6pm, or send the form. Have the property address ready, say whether the home is in escrow, and give the date the report is needed by, so Jenni can schedule the inspection around it. If you're selling, raise it with your agent early, so any Section 1 work has room before closing.
What does a termite inspection involve?
Our termite inspector, Tyler Williams, checks the accessible areas of the home: exterior trim, eaves, patio covers, garage framing, interior baseboards and door frames, bathrooms for moisture damage, the attic and the crawl space where there is one. He looks for live termites, pellets, mud tubes, wings, hollowed wood, fungus and dry rot, notes what couldn't be reached, and writes the findings up as Section 1 and Section 2 items.
What is a WDO report and what do Section 1 and Section 2 mean?
A WDO report is the written result of a Wood Destroying Organism inspection, in the format the Structural Pest Control Board sets. Section 1 lists evidence of active infestation or infection, or damage from it, such as live termites, pellets, mud tubes or dry rot. Section 2 lists conditions likely to lead to an infestation that show no evidence yet, such as earth-to-wood contact or a leaking shower pan. Inaccessible areas are listed separately.
How do I prepare for a termite inspection?
Clear access to three places that often get listed as inaccessible: the attic hatch, the garage walls and the crawl space opening. Move stored boxes away from the garage perimeter, pull items out from under sinks, and unlock sheds and side gates. Anything that can't be reached gets listed as inaccessible, and in escrow that can lead to a request for a second visit, so a half hour of prep saves time.
How much does a termite inspection cost?
A termite inspection and WDO report for a home sale or refinance is $99. Call (951) 535-4220 with the address and the reason for the inspection, and Jenni will book the inspection. For an inspection with any other purpose, such as a yearly check on a home you're not selling, ask her when you book. Any Section 1 corrections are quoted separately from the inspection itself.
Can I do a termite inspection myself?
You can and should look for the signs yourself: pellets under window frames, mud tubes on the stem wall, wings on a sill, soft baseboards. But a WDO report for a home sale has to come from an inspector licensed by the Structural Pest Control Board, and a trained inspector finds activity in attics, subareas and framing that a homeowner walks past.
How long does a termite inspection take?
Long enough to reach every accessible part of the structure, so it varies with the house. A single-story slab home with a clear attic hatch is a smaller job than a raised home with a crawl space, a detached garage and a finished attic. Ask Jenni for an idea when you book, and if the report has a deadline, give her that date so the inspection is planned around it.
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