Would Woodworm Put You Off Buying?

martinsurrey

I have the woodwork survey I got from my house purchase (2013), it was done in 1970, and it tested the wood treatment from the 1960's, (130 year old house 1887)

I still have the holes but the poor wood worms would need carbon steel teeth...

It wouldnt worry me as long as it wasnt active.

Beancounter

If I get a treatment company in will they be able to tell me if it is active?

I guess they will tell me it is anyway to get a few hundred quid out of me.

kingstreet

Always pay an independent surveyor to comment on damp, timber, woodworm, wall-ties etc so you can be sure you are getting an objective report and not someone who only earns if they are treating "problems" they find.

http://www.independentdampsurveyors.co.uk/

jimbog

I would think they are long gone

princeofpounds

Yes.

People are so silly around woodworm sometimes. They think it is like termites, munching away.

In reality it is pretty common anywhere outside towns and any holes are usually the result of a low level infestation in the first couple of years after the wood is out in place. Then it gets really dry and no more woodworm ever.

It is only really a worry when the wood stays damp.

If the wood in question is aged and only has a moderate scattering of holes, realistically it almost certainly was never a real problem.

If it is carpeted with holes or especially if you see little sawdust rings around the holes, then you need to look further.

Treatment is not normally that expensive and is reliable. But it is probably applied way more than it is ever needed.

Beancounter

We have someone interested in the flat but he is concerned by the mention of woodworm, My solicitor has arranged a specialist to visit the property tomorrow to survey the flat.

The home report also mentioned "slightly high damp levels at some skirtings", is this something else that a timber specialist will pick up on?

SG27

Beancounter wrote: »

If I get a treatment company in will they be able to tell me if it is active?

I guess they will tell me it is anyway to get a few hundred quid out of me.

Not necessarily. We tried to get rentokil to treat our house, purely to get certificates to sastify future buyers mortgage companies. They refused after finding no active infestation. Due the hazardous chemicals they won't treat unnecessarily. We had to pay for the survey though. However, id get an independent surveyor to be on the safe side.