“I forward the report to the buyer and the lender together, and the buyer gets a call that explains it. Fewer worried texts the night before closing.”
Joseph B.Buyer's agent
Wood-destroying insect inspections
The termite report, explained line by line
A WDI inspection records what was visible on one day, in the places we could reach. We write it on the standard form your lender asks for, then go through every line with you in plain words.
Sample report, line by line
What each line of the report says, and what it doesn't
Every WDI report has the same few lines. This is an illustrative one: the line as printed, what it means for you, and what it does not mean.
| Line on the report | In plain words | What it does not mean |
|---|---|---|
| Live wood-destroying insects | In plain words"None visible" means we saw no live insects in the places we could reach that day. | What it does not meanThat there are none inside the walls, under a finished floor or behind stored boxes. |
| Evidence of past activity | In plain wordsMud tubes, shed wings, frass or old galleries, and whether they look active or old. | What it does not meanA date for when the activity ended, or a record that anyone treated it. |
| Visible damage | In plain wordsWood that is soft, hollow or tunneled where we could probe it, with the location noted. | What it does not meanA repair estimate or a structural opinion. That is for a contractor or an engineer. |
| Areas not accessible | In plain wordsThe spots we couldn't reach: a screwed-down crawlspace hatch, insulation, a locked room. They are listed with the reason, not skipped. | What it does not meanA clean result for those spots. |
| Conducive conditions | In plain wordsThings that invite insects: wood touching soil, a leaking gutter, a damp crawlspace. | What it does not meanA finding of insects. A condition is a risk, not an infestation. |
| Recommendation | In plain wordsOur next step in writing: nothing, monitor, correct a condition, or treat. | What it does not meanA promise about next year. A report is not a guarantee. |
In plain words
A report is not a guarantee
It is a dated record of what one inspector could see on one day. That is useful. It is not a promise about next spring.
Termites don't read inspection reports. A house that was clear on Tuesday can have swarmers in May, and a house with an old finding may have been treated long ago. The report says what was visible and where we looked. A treatment warranty, if you buy one, is a separate agreement with its own written terms.
What it can and can't do
It tells you what was visible on the day, and where.
It lists the areas we couldn't reach, so you can ask for access.
It can't see inside walls or under finished floors.
It can't say how long insects have been there, or that none will arrive.
It isn't a structural opinion or a repair estimate.
Padma Aiyar
Owner and lead inspector
Where we look
Four checks on one raised house
A slab or a crawlspace gets the same four questions: what's touching the soil, what's holding moisture, what's blocking the view, and what has tubes.
- 1
Floor framing
We probe the underside of the floor beams where we can reach them, and note wood that is soft or hollow.
- 2
Where beam meets post
Joints hold moisture. We look for mud tubes and press the wood with a probe.
- 3
The post and the soil line
Wood that touches soil is the easiest way in. We check the base of every post we can reach.
- 4
Open ground under the house
We follow piers, pipes and walls for tubes, and note any stored boxes that block the view.
Photo: a raised coastal house on wood pilings.
On the record
Licensed, insured and signed
Every report carries the signature of the inspector who was on site.
License
Pest control business license
SC License no. 000000 · Clemson University Department of Pesticide Regulation
Lets the firm inspect for and treat wood-destroying insects for hire in South Carolina
Insurance
General liability
Covers the firm's work at your property
On every report
Date and time on site
Recorded when the inspector arrives
Areas not reached
Listed, with the reason
Inspector's signature
From the person who was there
From the file
What agents and buyers say about the walkthrough
“I had never read one of these. They went through it line by line and showed me which lines were about the house and which were about the lot.”
Ainsley W.Homebuyer
“The report listed the crawlspace hatch they couldn't open. They came back once the seller cleared it, and that line changed.”
Emmanuelle D.Homebuyer
Sample reviews.
Where we inspect
Four counties, one office on Spring Street
Type your ZIP code to see whether we come to you.
- Charleston County: Charleston, Ravenel, Adams Run, Meggett, Rantowles, Kiawah Island, Seabrook Island · Peninsula, the Johns Island side and the sea islands
- Berkeley County: Moncks Corner, Bonneau, Jamestown, Cross · Inland, up the Cooper River
- Dorchester County: Ridgeville, Lincolnville, St. George, Harleyville · Along the Edisto and the old rail line
- Colleton County: Walterboro, Cottageville · The southern edge of our map
We don't inspect in Beaufort County or north of Georgetown County.
Questions
Before you order
What is a WDI report?
A wood-destroying insect (WDI) report is a written record, usually on a standard form, of what an inspector could see in and around a building on one day: live insects, signs of past activity, visible damage and the areas that couldn't be reached. Lenders and purchase contracts often ask for one.
Is a report a guarantee?
No. A report describes one day. It doesn't promise that insects won't arrive later, that none are hidden where we couldn't see, or that the structure is sound. A treatment warranty is a separate agreement with its own written terms.
How long does an inspection take?
Most houses take one to two hours. A large crawlspace, an attic with little headroom or several outbuildings take longer. Access is the biggest factor.
Who gets the report?
Whoever you name when you book: you, your agent, your lender and your closing attorney. Each gets the same signed report.
What if the report finds something?
We explain which lines matter and write the next step: nothing, monitor, correct a condition, or treat. A finding doesn't always end a sale. Buyers and sellers usually settle treatment or a credit between themselves, with their agents.
Order
Order an inspection
Tell us the address and who needs the report. We reply by phone or text during office hours with a written quote and a day.
Phone(843) 555-0104
Emailhello@
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- 8 a.m. – 12 p.m.
- SundayToday
- Closed