After writing my article about if I should get a yearly termite inspection I have been reading more about termite protection on our house. One of the things that I have read about a bit are “Termite Bonds“.
A termite bond is very similar to a termite warranty that we have with our termite treatment. It is provided by the company that treats the house for termites and protects the home owner from future termite infestations.
There are generally two different types of Termite Bonds: a retreatment bond and a repair bond.
- Retreatment Termite Bond:
The retreatment termite bond requires the company to retreat the house and property if a termite infestation is discovered in the treated areas. - Repair Termite Bond:
The repair termite bond not only requires retreatment of the site if termite infestation is found, but also requires the company to repair any damage caused by the termite infestation. The amount of repair covered will depend on what is written up in the original bond. Some bonds also require high deductibles on any repairs that are required, or any materials needed during the repair of the termite damage.
Like the warranty on our termite treatment, many termite bonds require annual inspections, and some may even require a top up of the treatment used. It is very tempting at those times to skip the inspection and let the bond expire (as we debated when our annual termite inspection came around), but if your house came with a bond, it is probably best to keep up with it.
Here in Australia the average repair bill for a house with termite damage is about $7000. Given that most termite bond inspections only cost about $200, it is well worth it if you live in an area that has termite infestation problems (like most of Australia from what I understand).