Termites · Building and Plumbing Commission, City of Casey, Health Victoria
Termite areas and building work
If you build, extend or renovate in an area your local council has designated as subject to termite infestation, Victoria’s building regulator says you must have some form of management against termite attack, and its first advice is to check with your council. In the City of Casey, the property information certificate for land where you intend to build states whether the land is in a termite area.
A guide published by Dotto from Victorian Government and City of Casey pages. General information, not building or legal advice; a registered building surveyor applies the rules to a particular job.
Whose guidance this is
The building regulator’s termite page is published by the Victorian Building Authority, which now trades as the Building and Plumbing Commission. It opens with a warning that termite damage may not be covered by household insurance.
Checking the land in Casey
The City of Casey issues two property information certificates under the Building Regulations 2018. The one for property where you intend to build is the one that carries termite information.
- What it shows
- Whether the land is flood prone, in a termite area, in an alpine area or area of significant snowfall, or designated land for uncontrolled overland drainage.
- Who usually asks for it
- Building surveyors, architects and other professionals, and sometimes owners, so the design of proposed building work meets the regulations.
- Fee
- $55.10 for one certificate or $110.20 for both, non-refundable, and valid until 1 July 2027.
- How long
- The council says it processes applications within 7 days.
Termite management in new work
The regulator describes the aim as keeping timber and other cellulose away from soil, and making termites build their mud tubes in the open where a regular, careful inspection can find them.
| Approach | What it involves | What to know |
|---|---|---|
| Termite-resistant primary structure | Concrete slabs, termite-resistant timber and steel frames | Uses conventional materials and methods, and does not rely on a maintenance system |
| Physical or chemical barrier | Installed during construction, in line with Australian Standard AS 3660.1 | Some barriers need ongoing inspection, maintenance or replenishment of chemicals |
For new building work, the regulator says clearing away tree stumps, roots and timber off-cuts lowers the risk, as does compacting the soil well so that a concrete slab is less likely to crack. A slab that is properly designed and built on well-prepared ground makes a very good barrier, it adds, yet a crack only 1.5 mm wide can be enough for termites to reach wall cavities and the space under floors.
Around the house
The regulator’s tips for owners, drawn on one house.
- 1Don’t build up garden beds or mulch against the walls, which gives termites an entry point that can’t be seen.
- 2Don’t stack materials against the walls.
- 3Keep the sub-floor well ventilated, with vents clear, and store no cellulose products under the house.
- 4Fix roof leaks promptly; termites are attracted to damp. Look for changes in the corner fascia under the gutters.
- 5Fix plumbing leaks and drainage problems promptly, and look for mud-like tubes around service pipes and electrical fittings.
- 6Use metal stirrups for verandah posts and gateposts, and check timber decks regularly.
- 7Check wood piles and garden beds for an active colony nearby.
- 8Check surrounding trees too: the regulator suggests looking up to a 50 metre radius around the home.
The regulator also suggests having a pest controller inspect the house every 12 months, especially in a high hazard area, and understanding the termite management system in your own house and what it needs to keep working.
Victoria’s pest termites
Health Victoria says there are more than 350 termite species in Australia, of which only about 20 damage buildings; in Victoria, five species damage buildings and wooden structures. It adds that “white ants” is the wrong name, because termites are neither white nor ants.
The one to know is Coptotermes. Found right across Victoria, it accounts for more than 80 per cent of the termite damage done to buildings. A typical colony is about half a million termites. It may nest in a tree (eucalypts are its favourite), a stump, beneath a concrete floor, inside a wall cavity or in an enclosed verandah, and it forages 50 metres or more from the colony along underground tunnels.
If you find termites
- Leave the timber aloneThe regulator says not to use surface spray or rip out floorboards or other affected material: it may kill a few termites but reduces the chance of an expert treating the main nest, and the termites will probably attack another part of the house.
- Engage an approved pest controllerThey can recommend treatment, which may include chemical spray options, reticulation or baiting systems. Checking a pest control licence.
- Tell the neighbours and the councilTermites regularly re-infest, with nests attached to a colony over a radius of more than 50 metres, so the regulator says to notify neighbours and the local council immediately.
The regulator strongly recommends having an expert inspect a house for termite activity before you buy, with a report that covers any termite management system installed and the materials used for critical structural elements.