What is the Cost of Treating Woodworm?
Woodworm are small larvae that feed off timbers. If left to their own devices, an infestation can cause expensive structural problems. Woodworm burrow deep into furniture, walls, doorframes and timbers, causing unwanted (but preventable) destruction to your home.
But how much does it cost to treat woodworm effectively? Woodworm treatments vary in cost from one building to the next. There are lots of factors to consider, from the extent of the infestation to the most effective and long-lasting treatment.
Remember that treatment is always going to be cheaper than having to replace broken timbers entirely, so act fast if you have an infestation! Keep reading, as we discuss the cost of treating woodworm.
Woodworm Survey Costs
If you suspect your home has been invaded by woodworm, you need to get in touch with a woodworm treatment specialist such as Danford, Brewer & Ives. Before anything can be done, a thorough woodworm survey needs to be carried out by an expert.
A woodworm survey identifies the species of woodworm that are present in timbers, while also identifying the extent of any existing damage to the property caused by the infestation. Surveys check under floorboards, in basements and attics, and anywhere else where timbers could be affected.
The cost of a woodworm survey depends on the size of the property and the time it takes for the specialist to compile an accurate survey. In most cases, costs won’t exceed £250 per survey.
Once the survey has taken place, the homeowner is presented with a detailed report containing the findings. A woodworm specialist makes recommendations for treatments, and then provides a more detailed estimate of what the costs would be to carry out the suggested treatment plans.
Woodworm Treatment Costs
Woodworm treatments need to be tailormade to a particular property, as no two infestations and no two buildings are exactly the same.
During the surveying stage, the specialists collect information on three major factors which affect the overall cost of woodworm treatment.
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How big is the affected property?
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What’s the extent of the woodworm infestation?
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What type of treatment is needed?
Variable costs largely depend on the size of the property and the amount of damage that’s already been done. As we already noted at the start of this article, acting fast always saves you money in the long run.
The longer you leave an infestation, the more timber the woodworm work their way through. Damage might at first be superficial and easy to fix (indeed, woodworm can be eradicated without the need for any major works if caught early enough). But give them time and the woodworm work their way through timbers. Eventually, timbers can collapse entirely, causing dangerous structural damage.
As you can imagine, a collapsed wall or broken flooring isn’t cheap to replace.
Type of Woodworm
The overall cost depends on the type of treatment required. A specialist recommends the best treatment based on the extent of the infestation and the type of woodworm causing the damage.
The common furniture beetle, for example, is one of the most common types of woodworm. This species can be eradicated easily, often using simple sprays. If the infestation hasn’t spread far, then the cost is going to be minimal.
Other species have the ability to burrow deep into timbers. These take more time to locate and are more difficult to eradicate. Costs go up if specialists need to inject timbers with anti-woodworm liquids.
If a woodworm infestation has gotten completely out of hand, costs can, unfortunately, become significant for the homeowner. If sprays and gels aren’t sufficient to remove the infestation, woodworm specialists need to resort to heavy-handed tactics. This can mean fogging the home or fumigating the building. These take time to set up and take time to be effective, so of course they will cost more than simpler treatments.
Contact Us for More Information
Our team has been providing woodworm treatment to homeowners in Yorkshire, Teesside, and North East England for decades, and we’re here to help with your infestations. The exact cost of woodworm treatment varies from one home to the next. For more information, get in touch with Danford, Brewer & Ives today.
Please contact our friendly experts on 01765 804050 or fill in our online contact form. Our technical team will be on hand with expert advice tailored to resolve your problem.