A wood-destroying organism inspection in a Birmingham home sale checks the wood for termites, wood-boring beetles and fungi, and writes down what was found and what could not be examined. This guide sets out the order of the walk, the timing around a sale and the limits every report must state.
Key takeaways
- The inspection covers termites, wood-boring beetles and fungi, the three groups in Alabama's wood-destroying organisms category.
- The walk runs from the outside in, then under the floor, then the living areas and the attic.
- The report names the findings, the evidence for each, and the parts of the building that were not examined.
- A clean report describes the day of the visit and the areas examined. It is not a promise about the future.
- Whether a lender or a contract asks for the report is for the transaction to decide.
- Book early in the sale, because a report that arrives late can hold up the closing.
What is a WDO inspection, and why is it done in a sale?
A wood-destroying organism inspection is a written check of a building for termites, wood-boring beetles and fungi. It is done in a sale because the wood is hidden under floors and behind walls, and a general home inspection does not test it.
A general home inspection looks at the condition of the building for the buyer. A wood-destroying organism inspection looks at the wood for organisms that attack it, and records the result in a form the buyer, the seller and the agent can each read. The difference matters in Birmingham, where many houses have crawls, cellars and wood that sits close to the soil.
The inspection does not replace the general inspection. The two answer different questions, and a buyer who has only one of them does not have the full picture of the building.
What happens on the day, in order?
The technician walks the exterior first, then the crawl or cellar, then the living areas and the attic. The order matters because each step tells the technician where to look in the next one.
The walk starts outside. The technician checks the wood at grade, the siding bottoms, the porch posts and steps and any wood that touches soil. Each visible point is recorded, and the places that could not be reached are noted before the walk goes inside.
Under the floor the sill, the joists, the subfloor and the foundation wall are sounded and probed. Moisture readings are taken where the wood looks damp. Any tube, frass or exit hole is photographed and placed on the sketch of the building.
The living areas come next. Door frames, window sills, trim and the attic framing are checked for signs of activity, and for damage that suggests past activity. Where a wall or a floor cannot be opened, that is written in the report as a limit.
The report is written after the walk, and the findings are given to the party who booked the inspection. The technician explains them on the phone or at the visit.
| Step | Where | What is recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Exterior | Wood at grade, siding bottoms, porch posts, steps | Each point checked, and any place not reachable |
| 2. Crawl or cellar | Sill, joists, subfloor, foundation wall | Probe results, moisture readings, tubes and exit holes |
| 3. Living areas | Door frames, window sills, trim, floors | Signs of activity or past damage, with the room named |
| 4. Attic | Framing, rafters, roof boards at the eaves | Activity, damage, and access limits |
| 5. Report | Written after the walk | Findings, evidence, the limits, and the recipients |
How should the inspection fit the timing of a sale?
Book the inspection once the parties have agreed to it, and early enough that the report can be read before the closing. A report that arrives after the closing date can hold up the transaction or leave a question unanswered.
A buyer who wants the report before the contract is firm asks for it at the start of the process. A seller who inspects before listing has more time to repair anything that is found. An agent who needs the report for the file asks for it as soon as the parties agree.
A closing that is delayed can make an older report out of date. The report describes the building on the day of the visit, and conditions can change after a wet season or a repair. A re-inspection checks the same locations and refers back to the earlier report, so the history stays traceable.
What does the report say, and what does it leave out?
The report says which organisms were found, where, with what evidence, and which areas were examined and found clear. It leaves out anything that could not be reached, and it makes no promise about the future condition of the wood.
Each finding is listed with its place on the building and the evidence behind it: a mud tube, a live colony, an exit hole, frass, a probe result or a moisture reading. Where there is no finding, the report says which areas were examined, so a reader can see the basis of a clean result.
The limits are stated too. A wall that could not be opened, a crawl that could not be entered or a closet full of stored goods is listed as not examined. That list tells the reader where the report stops and where a second look may be needed before the sale completes.
The report does not decide the sale. It gives the people in the transaction a document to read, and the decisions about repair, credit, price and timing belong to them and their advisers.
- The findings, each with its location and the evidence
- The areas examined and found clear
- The areas not examined, with the reason
- The date of the visit and the conditions on the day
- The recipients named in the booking
What should a seller do before the inspection?
A seller can make the inspection faster and more useful by clearing access, moving stored goods from the crawl and cellar, and telling the technician about any repair to the wood or the foundation.
Clear the access to the crawl or cellar and the attic before the visit. A technician who has to move boxes to reach the sill spends time that could have been spent on the probe. Tell the technician about any earlier treatment, repair or replacement of wood, since those are part of the building's history and should be on the report.
A seller who knows of an earlier finding should say so and provide the paperwork. A report that finds a condition the seller did not mention causes more difficulty than one that records the same condition with the history attached.
Common findings and what they mean
Most reports find one of a small number of conditions. Each one points to a different next step, and the report is written so the reader can tell which applies.
A report may find active termites, which means a treatment decision is needed, and the report says where and how the activity was seen. It may find old damage without active insects, which means a repair is needed and a treatment may not be. It may find moisture conditions, such as a wet crawl or soil against the wood, which are not organisms but are the conditions that bring them. And it may find nothing in the areas examined, with a list of the areas that could not be reached.
Each of those leads to a different conversation between the buyer, the seller and the technician. An active finding usually leads to a treatment plan. A repair finding leads to a carpenter's scope. A moisture finding leads to a drainage or grading decision. A clean finding with limits leads to a question about what was not reached.
A checklist for the closing week
In the week before a closing, check that the report is in hand, that its date is recent enough, that any recommended treatment or repair is documented, and that the recipients have copies.
Check the date on the report and ask whether the building has had a wet season, a repair or a change in grade since the visit. If it has, ask whether a re-inspection is needed. Check whether the recommended treatment or repair was completed, and whether the paperwork for it is with the file. Confirm that the buyer, the seller and the agent each hold a copy.
If the report has limits, check whether the parties have agreed how the unexamined areas will be handled before the closing. A short written note from the technician about the limit is often enough to settle the question, and it is much easier to arrange in the week before than on the day.
- Report in hand, and dated recently enough
- Recommended treatment or repair documented
- Limits agreed between the parties
- Copies held by the buyer, the seller and the agent
Frequently asked questions
How long does a WDO inspection take in Birmingham?
It depends on the building and the access. A house with a crawl or cellar takes longer than one on a slab. The time is confirmed when the inspection is booked.
Does a clean report mean the house has no termites?
It means no activity was found in the areas examined on the day. It does not cover wood that could not be reached and does not promise what will happen later.
Who pays for the report?
The party who books the inspection pays for it. The sale contract may say who is to bear the cost, and the parties agree that before the booking.
Can a repair be made after the report?
Yes. A termite technician treats organisms, and structural repair of wood is a job for a builder or carpenter. The report names the damaged wood so the repair can be scoped.
Sources
This guide is general information for Jefferson County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.