[arthurjf]

I am a new owner in the villages with a stucco house. A services contractor is suggesting that I need to have termite protection applied. Is this necessary?
What is the typical cost to have this protection applied?

[retiredguy123]

If you have a new house, you should have received a 5-year renewable termite contract from either Massey or Dean's. The contract is good for 5 years as long as you pay the annual renewal and inspection fee. If you don't have a new house, I would call both Massey and Dean's and get a quote from each of them. I recommend Massey because they will treat your entire house by injecting chemicals in the soil around the perimeter. This will cost about $500 and they will provide a 10-year contract that is renewed every year for about $125. The last time I checked with Dean's, they would only provide a year by year contract, with no guaranteed annual price. These companies may also offer a bait system, which I don't like as well as the chemical soil system. I would be very careful about dealing with other smaller companies. Good luck.

[Bay Kid]

I used Massey for their 10 year plan. You can negotiate their price. I didn't go with the bait system.

[Michael G.]

Dean's for annual terminate treatment only with a terminate insurance policy.
They treat the soil around the foundation of our house.
Just paid them for $159.00 for two treatments a year.

[n8xwb]

I am NOT an expert. I have a Stucco over poured cement villa. It seems to me that the only termite worry would be a swarm of termites getting in through the roof. Not sure how treating the earth helps with this threat.

[Toymeister]

The treatment 'Bond' is only as good as the coverage it provides. I have done extensive research on this, the next person who posts a story that they have damage and they are happy, no satisfied, with the coverage/repairs will be the first one.

True story, I owned a 1929 farm home, at sale it had termite/wood boring insect inspection. It failed, the solution was to have the infected area treated at a cost of $110.00 in inflation adjusted dollars.

I don't have a bond, I treat my home for termites myself.

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by n8xwb

I am NOT an expert. I have a Stucco over poured cement villa. It seems to me that the only termite worry would be a swarm of termites getting in through the roof. Not sure how treating the earth helps with this threat.

It doesn't. Treating the earth only protects your house from subterranean termites, not the type that can get into your attic. But, if you get subterranean termites living under your house, they will never go away, and you may not know they are there for years. The type of house you have really doesn't matter. They will eat a lot of things in your house, such as, door frames, molding, window sills, and drywall. Apparently, The Villages does not have as much of an issue with termites as other areas of the country, so some people don't spend the money for the treatment, but it can provide some peace of mind. The builder treats all new houses by poisoning the soil under the house before construction. That treatment should last about 5 years. After that, you need another treatment to extend your contract.

Note that Massey will sell you additional treatment for the type of termites that can get into your attic, but personally, I don't think it is needed.

[PugMom]

Originally Posted by n8xwb

I am NOT an expert. I have a Stucco over poured cement villa. It seems to me that the only termite worry would be a swarm of termites getting in through the roof. Not sure how treating the earth helps with this threat.

sometimes the walls have plywood in them, & i'd be concerned they could get @ that. imo, it a justified cost for the peace of mind. a friend of mine near jacksonville has it for their stucco house, he's warned me to always get the treatment no matter what

[arthurjf]

thanks much for all the advice

[Babubhat]

Ditched Massey. Dean’s was more reasonable

[retiredguy123]

Originally Posted by Babubhat

Ditched Massey. Dean’s was more reasonable

I recently renewed my termite contract and discussed the options in great detail with both Dean's and Massey. The problem with Dean's was that they would not provide a multi-year contract. So, you pay for one year, and then they can either drop you at the end of the year, or raise their renewal price as much as they want. But, Massey provided a 10-year guaranteed renewable contract. So, I think that Massey is a much better option.

[Blueblaze]

If it's a new house, it was pre-treated before the slab was poured, and that treatment is good for 10 years. Keep in mind that the land your house was built on was practically sterile from the massive site preparation the developer does when building out the neighborhood. Any existing colony would have been destroyed and any surviving queen would have to survive for months without food or water before poison was poured on her, when they built your concrete house with steel studs.

If your house is pre-owned, it is surrounded by thousands of similar homes containing wealthy retired people who dutifully pay Massey or Deans thousands of dollars to guarantee their service. A living queen from outside the community would probably need to fly miles to get to your unprotected house.

So there is a reason the only people who seem to know anyone who has ever seen a termite in the Villages are the same people who want you to spend thousands of dollars to defend your home from them.

Back in the real world, I once had a minor infestation in my Houston brick home, where pre-treating for termites is not even required by code. The house was 20 years old when I bought it. It was inspected and free of termites when I bought it, and yet, I could turn over a shovel anywhere in my yard and find termites. The reason I got termites was that I replaced a garage door on an outbuilding with hardiplank when I converted it to an office, and I stupidly allowed it to touch the ground, thinking that termites won't eat concrete board. Turns out they will, if it gets wet. They did about $200 worth of damage before I discovered them. It cost $150 to have both that building and the house treated, and the guarantee was good for ten years. I was NOT required to pay them another $150 every year for the guarantee, like Massey and Deans do.

Personally, the treatment on my current concrete and steel home is expired, but so far I have been unable to find a vendor who will just do the job for a reasonable price, without the $150 yearly ransom. So I've decided to just take my chances.

Bottom line -- you are extremely unlikely to have termites in The Villages (or anywhere else), regardless of what you do. But if you need to give Massey $500 plus ten years of $150 annual payments to sleep at night, then do it.

[Tvflguy]

I may be naive but we also have a block/stucco home on a poured concrete slab. Nylon and metal windows and frames. Metal garage door and other outside doors. The only wood in our home (besides indoor furniture etc) would be some wall studs but majority are metal. Of course there is wood rafters roof and such.

All this said we have never had termite treatment since the house was built in 2014. I simply do not feel the need for this ongoing annual “treatment”. $$$$$

[Kenswing]

Not only is our house built with block on slab, every piece of wood in the house was treated for termites during construction. They sprayed all wood from the slab to at least three feet up. I have Dean’s doing pest control. I augment with Ortho Home Defense. If I by chance see a termite I’ll call someone then.

[BernieJr]

Originally Posted by arthurjf

I am a new owner in the villages with a stucco house. A services contractor is suggesting that I need to have termite protection applied. Is this necessary?
What is the typical cost to have this protection applied?

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