A wood-destroying insect inspection in a Blue Springs home sale checks the wood for termites and related insects, and writes down what was found and what could not be examined. The termite category used for the work is 7B under the Missouri Department of Agriculture's Bureau of Pesticide Control. This guide sets out the order of the walk and the limits every report must state.
Key takeaways
- The inspection checks the wood for termites and other wood-destroying insects, and records the evidence.
- The termite category in Missouri is 7B, and a technician for this work should hold it.
- A secondary source quoting a Missouri statute ties this work in a real estate transaction to 7B. The statute should be checked with the Bureau.
- The walk runs from the outside in, then the crawl or cellar, then the living areas and the attic.
- The report names the findings, the evidence and the parts not examined.
- A clean report describes the day of the visit. It is not a promise about the future.
What is the inspection, and why is it done in a sale?
A wood-destroying insect inspection is a written check of a building for insects that attack wood. 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 insect inspection looks at the wood for organisms that attack it, and records the result in a form that the buyer, the seller and the agent can each read. The difference matters in Blue Springs, where many houses have crawls, cellars and wood that sits close to the soil.
The two inspections answer different questions, and a buyer who has only one does not have the full picture of the building.
Where does the 7B category fit?
The termite category is 7B. A technician who carries out the inspection should hold the 7B credential, and the report should say which category applied to the work.
The Bureau of Pesticide Control sets the structural categories, and 7B is the termite category. A wood-destroying insect inspection in a sale is recorded under 7B. A secondary source quotes a Missouri statute as tying an inspection for wood-destroying insects in a real estate transaction to 7B. This page does not give the statute's number, and the Bureau is the place to check whether it applies to a given sale.
The practical step is simple. Ask the technician for the 7B credential before the visit, and ask the Bureau to confirm it if the sale depends on the report.
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 next.
The walk starts outside. The wood at grade, the siding bottoms, the porch posts and steps and any wood touching soil are checked. 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 is read where the wood looks damp, and each tube, frass pile or exit hole is photographed and placed on the sketch.
The living areas come next. Door frames, window sills, trim and the attic framing are checked for activity and for damage that suggests past activity. A wall or floor that cannot be opened is written in the report as a limit.
The report is written after the walk and given to the party who booked the inspection.
| 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 and the roof space | Activity, damage and any access limits |
| 5. Report | Written after the walk | Findings, evidence, limits and the recipients |
How does the inspection fit the timing of a sale?
Book the inspection once the parties have agreed to it, early enough that the report can be read before the closing. A report that arrives late can hold up the transaction.
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 what is found. An agent who needs the report for the file asks for it as soon as the parties agree.
A delayed closing can make an older report out of date, because the building can change after a wet season or a repair. A re-inspection checks the same locations and refers back to the first report, so the history stays traceable.
What does the report say, and what does it leave out?
The report says which wood-destroying insects were found, where, on 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.
Each finding is listed with its place and its evidence: 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.
The limits are stated plainly. 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, so the reader knows where the report stops and where a second look may be needed.
The report does not decide the sale. The decisions about repair, credit, price and timing belong to the parties and their advisers.
- The findings, each with its location and 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 when the job was booked
What should a seller do before the inspection?
A seller makes the inspection faster and more useful by clearing access, moving stored goods from the crawl and cellar, and telling the technician about any earlier treatment or repair.
Clear the access to the crawl, the cellar and the attic. A technician who has to move boxes to reach the sill spends time that could have gone to the probe. Tell the technician about any earlier treatment, repair or replacement of wood, since those belong in the building's history.
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 its history attached.
Typical findings and what each one implies
Most reports record one of a small number of conditions. Each points to a different next step, and the report should make clear which one applies to each finding.
An active finding, such as live termites or fresh tubes, calls for a treatment decision, and the report says where the activity was seen. Old damage with no active insects calls for a carpenter's repair and may not require any treatment. A moisture condition, such as a wet crawl or soil against the wood, is not an organism but is the condition that brings organisms. A report with no finding lists the areas examined and the areas that could not be reached.
Each of those leads to a different conversation. An active finding generally leads to a treatment plan. A repair finding leads to a scope of work from a builder. A moisture finding leads to drainage or grading work. A clean area with stated limits leads to a question about what was not reached, and whether a second look is worth booking.
A checklist for the closing week
In the week before closing, confirm the report is in hand, that its date is recent enough, that recommended treatment or repair is documented and that every party holds a copy.
Check the report's date and ask whether the building has had a wet season, a repair or a regrade since the visit. If it has, ask whether a re-inspection is needed. Check whether any recommended treatment or repair has been completed and whether the paperwork is in the file.
If the report states limits, confirm that the parties have agreed how the unexamined areas will be handled. A short written note from the technician about the limit often settles the matter, and it is much easier to arrange the week before closing 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 an inspection take in Blue Springs?
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 happens later.
Who pays for the report?
The party who books the inspection pays for it. The sale contract may say who bears the cost, and the parties agree that before the booking.
Can a repair be made after the report?
A pest technician treats organisms. Structural repair of wood is a job for a carpenter or builder, and the report names the damaged wood so the repair can be scoped.
Sources
This guide is general information for Jackson County homeowners, not a substitute for an on-site inspection. Prices are estimates. See our disclaimer.