Terminix renewal situation

[jeremy_ho]

I share a wall with my neighbor in a duet building. Just about 1 year ago my neightbor found drywood termites, both units were inspected and mine didn't have drywood termites. The neightbor and I went with terminix to do the fumigation (vikane gas) as one big structure. Paid per volume because our units are different sized.

I spent about $1100. Termite activity seemed to have stopped after the treatment but now I am received a renewal plan for $150. (was not a surprise as this price was listed in the original contract, and discussed verbally) I am thinking of renewing it at this year.. only because I am afraid the original problem might come back and it is costly.

The renewal covers re-treatment of drywood termites only and not other types, and repairs for new damage. But hey, it does not say they will always use fumigation as the treatment whenever there is drywood termites under the plan. I read the original paper work and it does not say it is automatic renewal.. and the $150 is not inflated until after 3 years. I know people have strong dislike with this company.. though the original service I received was decent, so what should I do?

At this stage I don't mind if the infestation does not come back and wasted $150, but I do care if something does not happen, the company give me run arounds. Any comments or experiences?

[Richard J Kinch]

They are promising *nothing*, and that is exactly what they will deliver. The small-premium non-insurance is just a sucker game.

[Norminn]

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Our 35 y/o condo has been tented twice for drywood termites (years ago). For the second go-around, the board had let the insurance lapse so tenting wasn't covered by insurance.

My hubby was the building manager for several years, so we were involved in all of the maintenance and contractor projects. I know for sure that I can do as well or better than the folks who do the annual insprections. Homeowners would benefit from understanding the different types of termites and the methods for prevention and inspection. Your county extension website is a good place to start .. or your state if the county does not have it.

Whether the insurance is a good idea depends, perhaps, on the prevalence of termites in your area and how risk-averse you are. You can be certain you will spend $1500 over the next 10 years for premiums, but local experiece might tell you whether it is worth it.

In doing maintenance projects and helping other owners with remodel projects, we saw a lot of old termite damage but it would take a whole lot more to make the building structurally at risk.

Our neighbors on both sides, condos about 8 years old, have both been tented in the past 2 or 3 years. Subterraneans are almost guaranteed if a piece of damp wood is close to the ground, and Fla last year had more than average infestation due to more rain.

You can pretty much "sterilize" your yard by treating everything that crawls, but the result is that we will have more and more pesticide in our drinking water and other waterways. Don't worry if you see a bug or two in the yard .. they belong there. Work on keeping them out of the house.

[HeyBub]

No you won't. That's just plain hysteria.

Modern pesticides are designed to degrade into harmless substances in a relatively brief time.

[Lar]

The fumigation treatment for dry wood termites will have no residual effect as would treatments for other type of termites, so it is possible that next year a new crop of termites could be found in the structure, so it would be a cheaper way of dealing with future problems. If 4-5 years from now drywoods showed up again it probably was worth the money paid for the renewals...if 15-20 years and you have never seen another termite you have basically been paying for peace of mind. The biggest problem you will probably have with the company itself will be after the

3 years you probably will see a steady increase in the renewal cost and at some point you will question is it worth the cost or worth the chance to deal with any situation that might show up later. For any other type of pest problem (rodents, spiders etc) you probably will be more inclined to call them since you use them for the termite work but you will probably be better served looking elsewhere as to not be tied up in a long term, costly contract of such pests.

Lar

[Norminn]

The typical application is too much, too often. A good deal of it runs off next time it rains. And while they are degrading they are doing what? Some folks want to exterminate every ant hill and spider within

100 feet of the house, which is totally absurd.

[trader4]

$150 a year for termite guarantee sounds a little high. I think I'm paying less than a $100 for mine. However, since you had a recent major problem, I think it's probably worthwhile, as opposed to possibly paying $1100 again.

[jeremy_ho]

They automatically scheduled me for a annual inspection and only notified me by voice mail, on top of the renewal notice also rang my phone with an automated voice message to remind me of the renewal notice. And terminix was not my choice in the first place, the neighbor's house was getting chewed away and he didn't want to shop around. Definitely I have become an accounting number now. I read my original contract few times and could not find any tricks they could bill me for anything, as I did not let them come inspect my place this year yet.

My last inspection was poor, just coming to look around and peek into the attic and crawlspace. Where as I go into these spaces myself regularly.

Lastly I look at other people's houses alot I had not seen tents going up, maybe only once.. so at this point I think I might just self- insure.

[Norminn]

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It has been my understanding of Terminix that annual inspections are free, and that the insurance covers retreatment and any structural damage that has occurred since previous treatment. I could be wrong. The "iffy" part would be determining the timing and extent of structural repair. We have Terminix for our condo, but they deal with the board. The inspectors have always been decent and seem quite knowledgeable.

I think some Terminix, and perhaps other chains, contract out locally for tenting. That would be another factor to consider.

[Lar]

what happens is they have record of such contacts a few times and can now within the guidelines of how the state requires them to operate cancel the contract, but they will gladly let you get back on track, with a little extra money paid

It can't be as bad as this guys Terminix service (for subterranean termite)...

original tube is in the light about a fingers width, treated in

1999. I treated it in 2005 and would guess that the large tube that is there now is 4-6 years old. If they would of at least "peeked" in this guys crawl space, it was about 5 feet from the opening. He paid over $400 a year for his damage warranty protection.

Lar