Termites are often found in CCA treated timber sleeper walling, that is found in most properties on the market.
CCA (copper-chromium-arsenate) Treated timber sleepers are treated to H4 level for in ground use and should last up to 40 years and often longer once installed. H4 treatment has been used as a timber treatment for about 70 years and is suitable for in ground and above ground use, in direct weather. Other treatment levels are available upon request, such as H5 for fresh water positions and H6 for salt water conditions. H4 is not intended to be used in water although often is.
The treatment type used is classified as envelope treated, meaning it was treated to a minimum of between 2mm to 10mm deep. The centre of the timber is not treated, so care must be taken if cutting.
The issue with termites occurs after the timber has been cut, exposing the heart wood and then used in ground. Such as for pergola posts, and specifically retaining walls.
Buying a spray on or brush able treatment to treat cut ends will assist to maintain the protection, although this is rarely done.
The retaining wall that is built by most house owners, if under 1000mm high requires no council development approval and therefore no engineering in most cases.
Most are built without the required treatment to cut ends and unfortunately are quite expensive to repair.
This can however usually be identified by a building and pest inspector prior to you purchasing the property, if you have it inspected.

​Poor installation of insulation is a common problem seen during house inspections.
Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon sight, as the free insulation offer provided by the Government, provided the opportunity for many trades people to enter the insulation market.
The photos shown here are however from a new build that I inspected recently and demonstrate a sub standard installation that is not up to the regulations.
House insulation must be installed to Australian standards AS 3999-2015. The batts should be snugly placed between the joists or between the trusses. Gaps of 50mm from flues or vents is recommended.
Where recessed lighting is installed in an accessible roof space, a permanent and legible warning sign must be installed in the roof space adjacent to the access panel in a position that is visible to a person entering the space. 
The sign must comply to AS 1319, Safety signs for the occupational environment, and contain the words shown  as on the photo above.
Installation of batts require that you leave a clearance of 50mm from the body of heat emitting fixtures such as downlights and flues.
A hole should be cut in the batt to suit the location of the fixture. The transformer should be placed above the insulation.
Importantly, do not use small pieces of batts to form part of the barrier around a fixture as these pieces could dislodge and cover the fixture
potentially overheating/faulting the device (as determined by AS 3999 appendix B)

High moisture readings are an indication of several possible things that could be wrong. Take this first photo for example, this is a bedroom wall opposing a shower.
Firstly there could simply be an issue with the shower tap body not being adequately sealed to the wall sheeting or brickwork, or from leaking plumbing. This allows for moisture to enter the cavity. However the tap body area was dry when tested.
The tiled floor of the bathroom, outside the shower alcove had a very high reading, suggesting that moisture is present under the tiled floors and the timber floor in the adjoining bedroom  also had a extremely high reading.
The flooring in the shower recess was showing signs of grout wear, as the grout had washed away from the tile edges and was exposing the tile spacers. This means that the grout is no longer waterproof and is allowing the moisture to pass through the grout. Tile adhesive and floor screed are not waterproof, so once moisture is present under a floor tile, it can freely move everywhere and be absorbed into concrete flooring , brickwork and timber frames.
Due to the age of the house, it is safe to assume that either the water proofing had failed, or it was poorly applied. Either way the only way to rectify a bathroom with issues like this is a full bathroom renovation.
Wood rot can be seen on the door frame and I could push my finger into the damp wood, resulting in a dent 5mm deep. The timber was so wet, I can only assume that the timber wall frame behind the door frame must be saturated.
Wet timber is attractive to termites, as well as being an issue with mycotoxins (black mold). I recommended if the purchasers really wanted this house to have an invasive inspection done, as my Termatrac unit had picked up movement inside the wall cavity. Invasive inspections are performed with the home owners permission, where access is gained by drilling into the house walls or floor and using a borescope. This is often done after the initial inspection, once an issue had been raised with the selling agent and home owner.
​The borescope image provided by the invasive inspection, clearly showed mud tracking on timberwork under the bedroom area, caused by termite activity.
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Living in a coastal environment can have more issues than just the obviously seen rust. I often find pergola structures that simply require removal as they are no longer structurally sound.
Most coastal environments also have high wind velocity issues, as there is a lack of protection from nearby buildings often on more than just one side of the property. 
Rain driven by the wind can cause issues of wood rot to windows, balustrade hand rails, timber decking and even the houses timber window frames. The external features of the house are damaged the most, especially the outdoor entertaining area. Pergolas are often an add on to a house, to provide an outside entertaining area and can be free standing or attached.
Attached pergolas can however increase your risk of the house roof gutters over flowing if the storm water is directed back towards your roof gutters which is quite common.
The most common damage to pergolas in a coastal environment, is due to wood rot. Unprotected beams, purlins and posts, near the top and at the base or just rusted post shoes.
The timber used in pergolas was primarily Oregon timber in the pre 1980's, this is the most susceptible timber to wood rot. More modern timbers used are CCA, these were used from the early 1980's and still used today. Newer timber treatments such as LOSP have become very popular as the timber used is often laminated from short offcuts. This gives a very strong timber, without wood knots, however any ends cut by the user must be re treated to prevent future wood rot. Wood rot in houses only a 10 years old can be seen if you look at the corners of the house fascia, this is unfortunately very common as the LOSP treatment is solvent based and needs to be painted over or it turns back to untreated pine over time.
The connection point to the house is critical to stop dynamic movement of the structure, that can cause weakening to the whole pergola. Uplift from strong wind can easily remove roof sheeting, especially polycarbonate sheeting that relies on a small dome head Neoprene washer as a connection point, to clamp the sheeting to the timber purlins. These dome head washers perish over time and can crumble away, resulting in sheet lift during high wind.
Free standing pergolas, rely on the roofing as the main diagonal brace, to stop flexing and require knee bracing to the posts or double Tornado type post shoes on each post.
The other alternative is cross bracing or slat walling to reduce movement and brace the structure.
So if your at your next open inspection, give that pergola post a shake, look at the post and beams for signs of wood rot or rusted post shoes. Then think of the expense of removing or replacing the structure. 

When decks are built with no ground clearance, termites can easily attack the decking sub structure.
Consideration must be given to air flow around the joists and bearers. A cross flow of air must also be allowed for in the decking sub floor design, to allow wet soil to dry out. 
Houses are built allowing for a minimum of 150mm under the lowest structural member if it is treated timber or 400mm if untreated, but both these conditions are with the inclusion of ant caps.
A deck should be built with treated stumps, however a low level deck in any form should never be at ground level. It is simply is a termite problem waiting to happen.
I have seen so many decks ruined by termites, that are generally are DIY structures. here to edit.

The reasons you pay for an inspection is easy to understand, you pay for what you get with everything in life, you know that, or you should do by now as an adult.
If you google cheap building and pest inspections Adelaide, you will get all sorts of offers. Some starting from $329 for a building report or $295 from another business.
There is a reason that things are cheap, what you actually want is something reasonably priced.
My prices also start at a reasonable base figure of $350 and do so for a good reason and the price quoted is the price, none of this call and book, then to find out that that price was for a 2 bedroom unit.
My $350 price is for a 4 bedroom house in metro Adelaide. If for a two storey home I add an additional $100 and that is stated at the start of the conversation. If you want a Pest Report written up, sure that's an additional $150
Sure if you want me to check out a two bedroom unit, it still takes 90 mins even for a small unit. It's the set up for wet areas, then crawling through a roof space and a ladder to inspect the roof top. The bed rooms are the easy part and take the least amount of time. What is covered in an inspection is written in another blog if you want to know more, have click and read away.
So most jobs are $500 for both building and pest, but it's your call. I am happy to do just the building and only advise on the pest issues.
I am trained to operate and bring to every job a certified, calibrated Termatrac Termite detector. This offers you peace of mind.
I carry and use a Flir thermal camera and tramex moisture meter at every job.
I bring laser measuring and leveling tools to each job, to check for levels of bathroom floors for water flow issues.
I even have a gas leakage meter, electricity voltage detector that gets used on most jobs.
All my tools carried and used is also on a different blog, so if you want to know, have a click and read away.
So it comes down to what do you want for your money, if its just a report written on a few pages, go cheap and cheerful and try your luck with budget building inspectors.
All my work comes from word of mouth, not click bait, paid google ads or paid advertising, as all these costs are what makes the other inspectors charge more
Call Steve 0499611528 and lets get it done with Integrity.

​If you are wondering what happens during a house inspection, below is a typical inspection and the tools used.
Starting on the roof, loose or damaged tiles are noted, sagging roof lines noted to investigate later, gutters and flashing are checked for holding water or rust.
The exterior of the house is visually inspected for rising damp issues and checked with a moisture meter. Cracks in the exterior walls, wood rot in windows and timber trims are investigated. The eaves are inspected for sagging, moisture issues and asbestos.
The fences are inspected for damage, paths, driveways, are inspected for falls and the house perimeter points of termite access are investigated. Retainer walls, gates, down pipes, storm water and drainage are checked, prior to looking inside the house.
Roof cavity areas are inspected next, looking at why if any roof sagging issues were seen or any other structural faults that may be identified. Insulation is checked and tile battens or purlins checked for faults.  I have seen termite issues, poor construction and especially DIY efforts from renovations that remove walls, resulting in unstable roof construction. Some times the houses are simply not worth buying, as the illegal modifications must be repaired. Your house insurance will not cover work done by unlicensed  trades, so choose carefully that house or be smart and have it inspected prior to purchase if an auction or use your cooling off period if a standard house purchase.
Underfloor areas are then checked for termite activity, plumbing and building defects. I have found some really unsafe under floor areas, that once notified saved clients thousands of dollars.
Bathroom floor areas are checked for falls, walls and flooring checked for moisture issues and cracked or loose tiles. Ceilings are inspected for sagging, paint flake and if the exhaust fan is operable, as is the lighting. Bathrooms and the other wet areas have the greatest issues, so a lot of time is spent in these rooms. Repairs to bathroom areas can cost many thousands of dollars and often they have been poorly renovated, to assist in a fast sale. These bathrooms look great to you, but once I fully check them out the report will show you the defects that need repairs done urgently. Issues such as wood rot, swollen MDF architraves and door frames and the associated hidden mold issues that will be apparent a few months into your home ownership. You may find that your house insurance will pay to rectify the damage but not the cause, leaving you with a hefty renovation bill you never budgeted for.
Other rooms are similarly examined for floor levels, moisture in walls and floors from leaking bathroom areas. Ceilings for sag and electrical switches checked. 
Carport and garages often have failing ceiling areas, due to lack of insulation. This is common on more than half of the houses I inspect. If left unattended, the ceilings will collapse over time. This is another area that is not covered by your house hold insurance, as it is classified as lack of maintenance.  
Having the right technology and knowing where to inspect thoroughly is paramount for your house inspection. Having an accurate, quality tool for inspecting moisture issues, such as leaking pipes or taps in walls. A thermal camera is used at every job to check air flow and heating, cooling and moisture issues if appropriate. Being a qualified operator of the Termatrac termite radar tool and knowing where to use it to locate active termites is very important. Even the knocking stick is a tool used at every job, to locate loose tiles and find areas to check with the moisture meter, to see if a bathroom renovation that will cost thousands may be required.
I use my laser level for checking bathroom falls, especially in DIY renovations, as often this is an area that will be very expensive to rectify.
I carry with me the usual torches etc that are used to locate hard to see things such as patched or repaired walls, but also a cavity camera for checking hard or near impossible areas to see, when required.
I carry on me an electrical tester for testing live electrical wires that look suspect, as the roof space is often an area of DIY electrical work.
I even have a ferro detector for locating the depth and location of steel rebar and mesh. Often poorly installed mesh can cause concrete cancer and this is almost impossible to rectify without cutting out the rebar or mesh,  with large sections of concrete. This is not always an issue just for close to the sea housing.
Of course the most important factor is the experience of your chosen inspector. It is up to you to decide if someone who has bought into a franchise is the right person for you or some one  who has spent his life in the building industry.
Look at the reviews on google and decide yourself. 
As a small business owner, I will check everywhere I can, to ensure you are buying a great house. 

Water testing has shown that Adelaide and regional South Australia has the largest rate of ice usage in the country. This worrying fact does affect you, as the manufacture of drugs in domestic housing is very common. The reality is that rental accommodation makes shifting from house to house to assist in hiding drug labs from police very easy.
When looking at purchasing your next family home this is of concern as the residue from the manufacture of substances such as ice, stay with the house. It is absorbed into the painted house walls and ceilings as well as the grouted floor areas of the home. Carpets, curtains and other soft furnishings absorb the dangerous chemicals as does the timber framework in the roof areas, where the vents are dumping the poisonous chemical vapors. It also is commonly vented into the ceiling space through exhaust fans or holes, as the chemical smell is very strong.
When looking at a house to purchase, several give away signs may be present such as the following.
Vents cut into the ceiling space, through walls or windows.
Hooks or hanging rods hanging from the ceiling.
Unusual chemical smells or other items being used to mask the smell from you at the inspection. Often smelling like cat urine
Hazing on windows.
Burnt areas in the rear yard used to burn up chemical packaging that could not be placed in the bin.
Chemical waste staining around sink areas of the house, such as the bath, kitchen sink or laundry sink areas.
Chemical staining to bench tops, tiled areas and stove cook top areas.
Generally the houses are rental and often not well maintained as no trade repairs would have occurred, as it is primarily a production area for drugs not a family living environment. 
If you see any of the signs as mentioned above combined with recently painted walls and steam cleaned carpets, alarm bells should be ringing in your head. If you seriously are still interested in the property, I suggest you have the contract written allowing for testing and the associated waiting time for the results written into your contract. If this scares off the seller or real estate agent, you should be concerned.
I would suggest talking to the owners of the neighboring houses, I often do when doing the inspection. Why would you want to be told after you bought the house about these issues?
To test for traces of drug related chemicals is a process that is time consuming and also a guessing game as only small swab areas are done due to the costs involved.
Companies such as Asbestos SA / Hazmat Australia can provide this service for you, Andrew Butler can be contacted on 0476943768.

Leaking and dampness in walls, ceilings and floors can be the result of many things.
I recently came across a dwelling with many dampness related issues, from multiple sources.
As a structure with multiple levels, leak points came from all over the building.
Rendered wall sheet cracking had allowed for wall moisture in all 3 floor levels to the extent that the removal of the external wall board sheeting was recommended to rectify this issue.
Cracked mortar to the tiled roof top area and failed sealant joints had allowed for moisture ingress to the ceiling area below. Rectification work would require the ceiling to be removed, as well as the tiling grout joints requiring removal and re grouting. The flooring on the third level had leaked and allowed moisture to soak into the flooring substrate and cause swelling and subsequent tile cracking. To rectify this area, the tiling would need to be removed and the flooring substrate replaced.
An out of view box gutter had blocked due to a curtain blowing into it and allowing the box guttering to overflow. The box gutter overflow however was positioned over the cracked wall sheeting. This allowed for leaking into the wall  areas of the rooms below.
Moisture had leaked right down to the ground floor ceilings and floor areas.
Lack of painting maintenance had also allowed for the window trim timbers to have excessive wood rot, as the timbers were located on the second and third storey.
On this same house the tiled laundry floor area had excessive cracking with moisture visibly leaking out of the cracks.
My job as an inspector is not to judge the property and suggest if the client should or should not purchase it, but to advise on the faults.
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