A termite bond is a contract, and what it covers depends on its wording, especially for Formosan termites.
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A termite bond is a written contract with a holding company, and its terms decide what is covered. Clemson advises homeowners to read the current contract and ask exactly which subterranean termites and which damage are included, because Formosan coverage is often not what people assume.
Many homeowners ask about a termite bond once termites come up, and it is easy to misread. A bond is a contract with a holding company, not a description of the house. The document decides what is covered, for how long and under what conditions. Clemson's Home and Garden Information Center advises reading the current contract closely before relying on it.
The local species make the question sharper. Formosan subterranean termites are established in the three counties North Charleston spans, and depending on its terms a contract may need to be amended or rewritten. Do not assume a bond written for termites in general covers the species in the house. Ask about it by name, and about the repairs that follow any damage.
Reinspection is the other half. A bond may include a scheduled reinspection, and if it does, the homeowner should know when it happens and what it covers. This page does not describe typical schedules, since the contract is the only reliable source for that. For the inspection side, see the termite control overview.
A bond covers what its contract names, which may be specific species, structures and kinds of damage. The safest reading is the current written contract, not what was said at signing.
Clemson advises a homeowner already under a bond to read the current contract and ask the holding company which subterranean termites and which damage it covers. The sales conversation is rarely the full answer, and the exclusions matter as much as the coverage.
Ask one plain question: is Formosan subterranean termite activity covered, and what does that include if activity is found? Get the answer in writing. If the contract must be amended to include the species or a structure, raise it early.
Formosan termites have been established in the coastal counties for decades, so people assume a general termite contract covers them. Coverage is written in the contract, not implied by the species' name or local history.
Clemson's entomologists say the species has been present in the Charleston area for around 60 years. That familiarity makes people feel they understand it, but familiarity is not coverage. The contract is the document that says whether activity in a particular structure is included.
Clemson's bond advice points to the same gap: the contract may need amending before it fits the homeowner's situation. The question to bring to the holding company is specific. Name the species, name the structure, and ask what happens if activity is found.
Some contracts include a scheduled reinspection and some do not. Whether a bond includes one, how often it occurs and what it covers are set by the contract, so check those terms rather than relying on a general rule.
A reinspection is a scheduled check for termite activity under the bond's terms, and its value depends on what it covers. Ask whether the visit includes the crawl space, the perimeter and any exposed wood, and whether any part of the house is excluded.
If one is included, note the schedule in writing and keep each report. A reinspection that finds activity raises a separate question: whether treatment and repair are covered. Every schedule depends on the individual contract.
Check the species named, the structures covered, the damage included, the exclusions and whether reinspection is part of the deal. Each item should be answered in writing before the bond is relied on.
A contract that names subterranean termites in general, without addressing the species established locally, leaves room for doubt. Look at the damage clause for what repairs or treatments are included, and read the exclusions with the same care as the coverage.
Then check the reinspection terms and how a claim is raised. Know who to contact and how the holding company decides what is covered. A technician can explain what is found, but coverage answers come from the holding company in writing.
This site publishes no prices for bonds or reinspections. Size, construction, access, scope and the number of structures change the work, and the price is explained and approved before work starts.
A crawl-space house requires inspecting the sub-floor and its access, while a slab house has a perimeter and penetrations to check. A reinspection of the whole house is a different job from a check of one area.
A sale can add a separate need. A CL-100 wood infestation report has its own inspection area and standard, and it is priced on its own terms. No amount is given here, because the price depends on the house in front of the technician.
Do not treat a bond as a substitute for an inspection. Do not sign a renewal or amendment without reading the coverage and exclusions and asking for answers in writing. Do not ignore a reinspection report or a note that activity was found. Between scheduled visits, contact the holding company as the contract requires and call (855) 974-4733 for a technician.
Start with the document the homeowner already has, not a sales summary. Note the species, the structures, the covered damage and the exclusions, and mark any term that is unclear.
Write down whether the species is named, whether the sub-floor or slab is included, what damage is covered and whether reinspection is part of the terms.
Send the questions to the holding company and ask for written answers. A verbal answer given at a visit is harder to rely on later, so each reply is kept with the contract.
Compare the contract with the construction and with any findings. A crawl-space house, a slab house and an older house with exposed framing each need a different match. Where the contract does not fit, ask whether it needs amending.
If reinspection is included, note the schedule and keep each report. If it is not, the homeowner can still ask a technician for an inspection at any time, and keeping visits and findings together shows what has changed.
Sub-floor framing is open to inspection, so the contract should say how that area is covered and whether it names the species. A technician can show what is found under the house, which gives a basis for comparing the contract with the actual condition.
A slab has no sub-floor, so coverage should describe the perimeter, slab penetrations and utility lines. Newer homes around Cane Bay and Nexton are often built this way, so confirm the contract matches the layout.
If activity has been found, the question is what the contract covers for that activity and any repair. Report the finding as the contract requires, and get the answer on coverage in writing before relying on the bond.
Most termite bonds and annual reinspection calls are scheduled the same day when a technician is free, and you approve the price before any work starts.
North Charleston spans Berkeley, Charleston and Dorchester counties, and Clemson lists Formosan termites as established in all three. A bond question applies wherever a house sits in the city, and the homeowner should ask about the species by name.
Mid-century houses on crawl spaces in West Ashley and Hanahan meet the species in the sub-floor, while newer slab homes around Cane Bay and Nexton need a perimeter inspection. A bond written for one kind of house may not describe the other. The slab home pest control page covers the slab side.
Sales and closings often bring termite paperwork in, and the state's CL-100 report is separate from a bond. The two should not be confused, and whether a bond affects a particular sale is a question for the parties and the closing process. See the CL-100 page.
Formosan subterranean termites are established along the Charleston coast, and the crawl spaces here give them a steady supply of damp wood.
What South Carolina's CL-100 termite letter covers, what it leaves out, and how a North Charleston inspection is scoped to it.
Inspection and treatment for Formosan and native subterranean termites in North Charleston homes, from vented crawl spaces to slab edges.
Why damp vented crawl spaces in North Charleston feed wood decay and termites, and how the sub-floor inspection is scoped.
Not sure if you're covered? Check your ZIP code.
A pest control quote in North Charleston depends mostly on the house: its footprint, whether it sits on a crawl space or a slab, how much of the sub-floor and perimeter a technician can reach, and the species and scope of the work.
The CL-100 is South Carolina's official Wood Infestation Report, covering visible insect infestation and damage.
Native subterranean termites swarm in early spring, usually in the afternoon.
This site does not say whether a bond is needed for a particular house or sale. Whether one applies depends on the homeowner's situation and any lender or closing requirements. A technician can explain what is found, and the homeowner decides what contract fits.
It depends on the contract. Clemson advises asking the holding company directly whether the species is covered, because Formosan coverage is frequently not what people assume. Get the answer in writing and check whether the contract names the species at all.
An inspection is a visit to look at the house and report what is found. A bond is a contract that sets out coverage with a holding company. A homeowner can have an inspection without a bond, and a bond does not replace someone looking at the house.
That depends on the individual contract, and this page does not state a typical schedule. Read the terms, ask when the next visit is due and keep a written record of each reinspection and any report that comes with it.
Ask which subterranean termites are covered, whether Formosan activity is named, what damage is included and excluded, and whether reinspection is part of the contract. Keep the answers in writing, and ask about any needed changes before you sign.
A technician can inspect the house and explain what is found, which helps compare the contract with the actual condition. Coverage answers should come from the holding company in writing.