Termites work quietly, often under your feet or behind finished walls. By the time a homeowner notices soft baseboards or a buckled floor, the colony may have been feeding for years. That is why choosing the right local specialist for termite damage repair is as important as treating the infestation itself. A good contractor does more than swap out chewed boards. They follow the load path, stabilize what carries weight, coordinate with pest control, and leave you with a structure that is safer than before the termites showed up.
Why local knowledge matters
Termite behavior varies by region, and so does construction. A 1950s crawlspace in the Southeast, framed in Southern yellow pine, demands a different approach than a slab-on-grade stucco home in the Southwest or a damp coastal cottage with cedar rim boards. A seasoned pro who regularly handles termite repair near you will know common failure points by neighborhood, the soil conditions that drive moisture, and how your local inspectors interpret codes around sill plates, treated lumber, and fasteners. That local pattern recognition saves money and prevents callbacks.
I once inspected a 1920s bungalow two streets from my shop. Three houses in that area had the same chronic issue: a low porch that trapped splashback and funneled water under the skirting. Every few years, another sill plate rotted, which invited subterranean termites. A contractor unfamiliar with the block might have repaired the plate and moved on. The local crew shortened the gutters, added a diverter, and installed a vent fan on a humidistat in the crawl. Ten years later, that porch still tests dry.
What termite damage really looks like
People expect dramatic tunnels and frass, but many repairs start with a whisper, not a shout. Tap baseboards with the handle of a screwdriver. If the sound changes from a crisp tick to a thud, the paper-thin paint may be hiding galleries. Probe wood with an awl around plumbing penetrations, door thresholds, and where siding meets soil. In floors, the first hint is often a springy step near the dishwasher or a powdery line under a throw rug where moisture softened the subfloor. In attics, look for blistered sheathing around a roof leak that later drew in drywood termites.
Inside walls, termites love studs that bridge slab to roof. They follow the backside of drywall where a bathtub or laundry room leaks wisp moisture. After treatment, termite wall repair might involve peeling back finished surfaces, replacing studs or plates, and then performing termite drywall repair after termite treatment with moisture-resistant board in wet areas.
Structural damage can be sneaky. A rim joist chewed behind insulation may not sag on day one. Months later, a door sticks and the floor cups. That is why I treat every visible gallery as a flag to inspect the entire load path: roof to foundation, foundation to soil.
Treat first, then repair, with rare exceptions
No one wants to rebuild only to feed a live colony with fresh lumber. The sequence almost always goes like this: a licensed pest control operator performs a full treatment, marks locations, and provides a written report. Then the carpentry team moves in. If the structure is unsafe, temporary shoring goes up before treatment, but long-term termite wood repair waits until the insects are eradicated. Many municipalities require a termite clearance before structural repairs larger than cosmetic.
Ask your termite damage contractor near me candidates how they coordinate with the pest company. The best crews demand documentation and do not rely on a client’s memory. They schedule the repair a few days to a week after treatment, depending on whether soil termiticides or bait systems were used.
How pros assess the damage
A solid inspection blends tools and intuition. Moisture meters catch wet sills. A borescope reveals hidden galleries. Pros tap, probe, and lift where needed. In crawlspaces, we look for mud tubes on piers, irregular notches in joists, and crushed or missing sill shims. On slabs, we peel back carpet corners and base to check for damage where tack strips were installed. In attics, we check the heel of trusses, valley framing, and around bath fans. We also look beyond the wood. Termites follow moisture, so a plan that does not address grading, downspouts, or plumbing leaks is half a job.
The result should be a written scope, not a shrug and a number. Good scopes note which components will be replaced or reinforced, whether termite structural repair affects bearing walls, and how finishes will be restored.
Common repair scopes and how they are performed
Most termite damage restoration falls into a few buckets: full replacement of destroyed sections, reinforcement of weakened members, and cosmetic repairs once the structure is secure. Choosing between them depends on extent of damage, location, and code.
Sill plates and rim boards. Termite sill plate repair often involves jacking and shoring the affected section so the load transfers safely. We cut back to sound wood, slide in pressure-treated lumber rated for ground contact, and use sill sealer against masonry to limit moisture wicking. Anchor bolts or straps may need upgrading to meet current code. In older homes, you might find 3 or 4 foot piecemeal plates. Replacing with longer, continuous segments improves racking resistance.
Floor joists. For termite floor joist repair, sistering works when the original joist retains at least half of its capacity and there is access. We add a new joist of equal or greater size, glued and bolted, sometimes bearing on a fresh ledger or a new pier. If the joist end at the sill is dust, we cut it back to sound wood and add a hanger on a new treated ledger. When several joists are compromised, a dropped beam with posts may be faster and stiffer than a dozen sisters.
Beams and girders. Termite beam repair depends on load and span. For a girder with localized loss, we might scab flitch plates or LVL laminations along both sides with through bolts. If decay runs the length, replacement is safer. Shoring is nonnegotiable here. We crib the floor, relieve load gradually, make the swap, then bring the structure back down so the new member takes the weight evenly.
Subfloors. Termite subfloor repair starts with chasing damage beyond the obvious soft spot. We cut out panels back to the center of joists, or we install blocking to support edges, then lay new plywood or OSB of matching thickness. In kitchens and baths, we favor exterior glue plywood and, where applicable, a waterproofing layer before tile goes back.
Walls and framing. Termite wall repair and termite framing repair often mean replacing studs, bottom plates, and sometimes headers. Load-bearing walls require temporary walls on both sides before a section is opened. When studs are lightly tunneled, we sometimes add a sister stud rather than cut back finishes in adjacent rooms. Heavily damaged corners and shear walls call for new sheathing and careful nailing patterns to restore lateral strength.
Attics and roof framing. Termite attic wood repair targets rafters, purlins, or truss members with drywood damage. Sistering rafters works when bearing surfaces are intact. With trusses, any modification needs an engineer’s repair detail, often involving gusset plates or plywood scabs glued and nailed per a specific pattern. Never cut a truss chord on the fly.
Drywall and finishes. After structural elements are secure, termite drywall repair after termite treatment involves replacing affected gypsum, treating any stained framing with borate where allowed, and restoring texture and paint. In baths and laundries, a switch to moisture-resistant board helps, though cement board is reserved for true wet zones.
Epoxies and consolidants. Wood epoxies have a place in termite repair services when damage is cosmetic or when a historic molding cannot be replicated. But they are not a cure for structural loss. If you can sink a screwdriver to the hilt, it is replacement time. In window sills and decorative trims, epoxy saves labor and keeps profiles crisp.
Costs you can expect, with the usual caveats
Prices swing based on region, access, and scope, but there are ranges that help frame budgets.
- Localized termite sill plate repair in a crawlspace, including jacking and a few feet of treated plate, often lands between 900 and 2,000 dollars. If anchor retrofits and sheathing repairs are involved, 2,000 to 4,000 is common. Sistering a few floor joists might be 800 to 1,500 per joist when access is decent. A new dropped beam with posts can run 3,500 to 8,000, more if footings are deep or soil is poor. Termite subfloor repair in a bathroom, with finish rebuild, might total 2,000 to 6,000 depending on tile or cabinet work. Rebuilding a load-bearing wall section with new bottom plate, a handful of studs, and partial drywall and siding patches can range from 2,500 to 7,500. Full termite structural repair for a major beam or long girder replacement, including shoring and permits, can span 6,000 to 20,000 plus.
If an engineer needs to design repairs for trusses or long spans, add 500 to 2,500 for consultation and stamped details. Pest treatment is a separate line item, typically 800 to 2,500 for a single-family home depending on method and size.
Licenses, insurance, and when to involve an engineer
For anything more than cosmetic termite wood repair, hire a licensed general contractor or a specialty framing contractor who regularly performs structural termite repair near me. Ask for proof of general liability and workers’ comp. If someone gets hurt in your crawl, you do not want your homeowner’s policy carrying that load.
Bring in a structural engineer when the damage affects primary load paths, long spans, or engineered components like trusses and LVLs. Many jurisdictions require engineering for beams over a certain span or when significant portions of a bearing wall are replaced. A good wood repair contractor termite damage near me will know the trigger points and will already have an engineer on call.
Choosing the right pro close to home
You have probably typed termite damage repair near me or termite damage contractor near me into a search bar and found a long list. Google stars help, but they do not tell you whether the crew owns cribbing, carries borate, and knows how to lower a jacked floor without cracking plaster. A short interview sifts the experts from the dabblers.
Here is a tight checklist to use when screening:
- Ask how they sequence work with the pest control company and whether they require a treatment receipt or WDI/WDO report. Request photos and addresses of three recent termite repair services, ideally within 20 miles, and call those clients. Confirm experience with your specific needs, like termite sill plate repair, termite beam repair, or termite attic wood repair, not just deck replacements. Verify licensing and insurance, and ask who will be on site daily, not just who sold the job. Get a written scope that identifies materials, fasteners, moisture control steps, and what finishes will be restored.
If a contractor waves away permits for structural work, keep looking. If they refuse to open exploratory sections during the bid phase when red flags are present, be cautious. Surprises lurk under floors, but a professional narrows the unknowns.
Permits, inspections, and code wrinkles
Many cities require permits for structural https://s3.us-east-005.backblazeb2.com/Articles101/daily-learnings/uncategorized/plywood-vs-osb-in-termite-subfloor-repair.html termite repair. Permits protect you. Inspectors check anchors, positive connections, treated lumber where wood meets masonry, and modern uplift and lateral connections that older homes often lacked. Expect two or three inspections: one after demo for verification of limits, one for framing and anchorage, and one for final finishes. In flood zones or high wind areas, hardware selections may change. For example, a sill anchored with old cut nails in a 1965 ranch will be upgraded to anchor bolts or approved straps at prescribed spacing, and rim-to-joist connections might get clips.
One practical note: some regions require stainless or hot-dipped galvanized fasteners with pressure-treated lumber. ACQ and other modern preservatives corrode plain steel. If your quote does not mention fastener type, ask.
Materials that last and why they matter
Pressure-treated lumber earns its keep where wood touches concrete or masonry. For plates and rim patches, use UC4A or UC4B rated materials depending on exposure. In the rest of the frame, matching species and grade to existing members maintains stiffness. Where termites tunneled but did not obliterate members, borate treatments can be applied to exposed wood before close-up, provided local rules allow it post-treatment.
Engineered lumber, like LVLs, makes clean replacements for beams in tight spaces. They are straight, strong, and predictable. When space is tight but stiffness is needed, a pair of LVLs can outrun a chunky sawn beam while keeping finishes aligned.
On the adhesive front, construction adhesives help sisters and patches act as one with the original member, but they are not a bandage for rot. Mechanical fasteners still carry the day. For subfloors, tongue-and-groove panels and ring-shank nails or screws keep squeaks at bay.
Dust, safety, and living through repairs
Termite damage restoration churns up dust and sometimes old paint. In houses built before 1978, lead-safe practices apply when disturbing painted finishes. If plaster or old linoleum shows up, crews may pause for asbestos assessment. Good contractors set containment with plastic and zipper doors, run negative air with HEPA filtration, and clean daily. In crawlspaces, they stage ground covers so they are not grinding soil into your living room.
Noise during jacking and shoring is short but memorable. Expect creaks as loads transfer. Doors may need to be planed back to square. A friendly crew will warn you before big moves, ask you to open cabinets as needed, and check upstairs for any drywall stress while they work below.
Moisture control is half the battle
Termites chase moisture. Repair without moisture control invites a rerun. In crawlspaces, that may mean adding a vapor barrier, improving ventilation, or installing a dehumidifier in stubbornly wet areas. Outside, correct grade so soil slopes away from the house 6 inches over the first 10 feet where possible, extend downspouts, and keep mulch or soil 6 to 8 inches below siding. On slabs, seal plumbing penetrations, and consider a borate pretreatment to exposed wood in walls during repairs if code and the pest plan allow it.
Plumbing leaks deserve quick attention. I have opened more than one wall where a slow drip at a tub spout fed a highway for drywood termites. Once the wall was closed and tiled, that line would have run undisturbed for years.
A simple roadmap from first call to final paint
Most homeowners appreciate a clear, predictable sequence. It lowers stress and keeps everyone honest about timing and expectations.
- Initial inspection by pest control and repair contractor, with limited exploratory openings if needed to set the scope. Termite treatment, plus moisture mitigation steps that can be done immediately, like downspout extensions or temporary drying. Structural shoring, demolition of damaged sections, and framing repairs: sill plates, joists, beams, studs, or subfloor as needed. Inspection of framing and anchors, then close-up with sheathing, drywall, and flooring patches, followed by finishes. Final walkthrough with documentation: photos of concealed repairs, material specs, and any maintenance recommendations.
That packet of photos and notes will matter when you sell. Buyers and inspectors love evidence that problems were found, fixed, and inspected.
A quick case from the field
A couple called about a soft kitchen floor near the fridge in a 1978 ranch on a crawlspace. The pest company found subterranean activity at the rear wall and treated the perimeter and piers. Our inspection showed tunnels in the sill, a chewed rim, and three joists with end rot where the icemaker line had dripped for months.
We set three temporary posts, lifted the sagging bay a quarter inch over two days, replaced 10 feet of sill with UC4B treated stock, installed a new rim board, sistered the three joists 8 feet past the damage with construction adhesive and bolts, and patched 32 square feet of subfloor in two sections. The kitchen vinyl was discontinued, so we installed new LVP across the entire room. The total repair and flooring came to 9,400 dollars, plus 1,350 for the treatment. We left a packet with photos of each step and a recommendation to add a leak detector under the fridge. Two years later, they called us back to rebuild a deck, not because of termites, but because they liked how the first project ran.
When repair meets restoration
Historic homes invite a light touch. You may want to preserve hand-planed beams or irreplaceable trim. In these cases, blending reinforcement with conservation is the art. Steel flitch plates hidden within notched beams, epoxy only where loss is superficial, and millwork profiles matched, not approximated. A local craftsperson who has worked on houses from your era will know which species to use, how to source vertical grain stock, and how to hide modern hardware so the room reads right.
Finding local help that actually shows up
Search results for termite repair near me can turn up national franchises and one-truck shops. Both can be excellent. What matters is fit and follow-through. In my market, the best results come from a pest control company that is comfortable sharing reports and a contractor who writes scopes with photos, not poetry. If you are out of town or managing a rental, ask for time-stamped progress photos and short videos. It keeps the team accountable and lets you catch misunderstandings early.
If you struggle to get bids, improve your ask. Provide the pest report, note access limitations, and give permission for small exploratory cuts. Clarify who will handle finishes, especially flooring, tile, and paint. With those pieces clear, your quote will be faster and more accurate.
The payoff
Repairing termite damage to a house is not glamorous. It is crawlspace dust, tight corners, and careful decisions about where strength matters most. Done right, termite structural repair restores safety and often upgrades an old frame to modern standards. With smart materials, better moisture control, and a clean handoff between pest control and carpentry, the chance of a repeat drops dramatically.
If you are staring at a buckled baseboard or a soft step, start close to home. A seasoned crew that does local termite damage repair weekly will finish faster, coordinate inspectors, and leave your place stronger than it started. And if you ask the right questions up front, you will know exactly what is behind the fresh paint and straight floor when the dust settles.