Do I Need a Termite (WDI) Inspection With My Home Inspection?
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- Do I Need a Termite (WDI) Inspection With My Home Inspection?
You need a termite inspection, or WDI inspection, if you are buying with a VA loan in Texas, because the VA requires one before closing. Other buyers are not required to get one, but a home inspection does not cover termites, so many add it. The Smart Inspector’s booking form lists the WDI inspection at $135 and up.
What a WDI inspection is
A wood-destroying insect inspection is a separate inspection, with its own report, that looks for evidence of insects that eat or tunnel through wood: subterranean termites, drywood termites, carpenter ants and wood-boring beetles. It also notes conditions that invite them, such as wood in contact with soil, moisture against the structure and mulch piled against siding.
It is not part of a TREC home inspection. Texas home inspectors inspect the structure visually and will note damaged wood when they see it, but a WDI inspection is a pest inspection governed by different rules and documented on a different form. That is why it appears as its own add-on on our booking form, at $135 and up, rather than being included in the base inspection.
The end product is a written WDI report that states whether there is visible evidence of active infestation, previous infestation, previous treatment or damage, and lists conducive conditions. Lenders, title companies and sellers all recognize the format, which is why it is the document a VA loan requires.
Why a termite inspection is required for a VA loan
The Department of Veterans Affairs requires a termite inspection for a VA loan on homes in areas where termites are a known risk, and Texas is one of those states. Before a VA-backed purchase can close, the lender needs a WDI report showing the home was inspected and describing what was found. Our booking form asks directly whether the purchase is a VA loan so the WDI inspection can be arranged along with the home inspection.
If your purchase is a VA loan, answer yes to the VA question on the booking form and select the Termite / WDI Inspection add-on. Doing both at once keeps the timing simple: the WDI report is arranged through the booking form, and our administrator coordinates it with your home inspection appointment so you are not scrambling for a separate report at the end of the option period.
Other loan programs do not carry the same blanket requirement, but a lender can still ask for a WDI report on any purchase. Ask your lender early if you are unsure what your loan expects.
Why buyers without a VA loan still order one
Most buyers in Dallas-Fort Worth are not using a VA loan, and nothing in Texas law requires them to inspect for termites. Plenty of them add the WDI inspection anyway, and for good reasons.
Subterranean termites live in the soil across North Texas and reach a house through the foundation, expansion joints, plumbing penetrations and any wood that touches the ground. Their damage is inside the wood, so a house can look perfect and still have an active colony in a wall. A home inspector will report visible damage and conducive conditions, but a TREC inspection is not a pest inspection and does not certify the house one way or the other.
Rule of thumb: if the home is more than a few years old, has wood siding or trim near grade, has a pier-and-beam foundation, sits under mature trees, or has any history of treatment on the seller’s disclosure, the WDI inspection is worth adding regardless of your loan type.
The other reason is negotiating leverage. A WDI report that finds evidence of activity or damage supports a request for treatment and repair before closing. A clean report gives you a documented baseline on the day you bought the house, which is useful if you later need to make a claim under a treatment warranty.
What the WDI inspection looks for
A WDI inspection is visual and covers the accessible parts of the structure, inside and out, including the attic and crawl space where they can be entered. The inspector is looking for the insects themselves, the traces they leave and the conditions that attract them.
- Mud tubes on foundation walls, piers, plumbing penetrations and inside the garage where the slab meets the wall
- Damaged wood: hollow-sounding trim, blistered paint, galleries in framing, soft baseboards and door jambs
- Discarded wings on window sills and in spider webs, which point to a swarm inside the house
- Frass, the small pellets drywood termites push out of infested wood
- Carpenter ant activity and sawdust-like debris around damp wood
- Exit holes and powder from wood-boring beetles, most often in older hardwood floors and framing
- Conducive conditions: wood-to-soil contact, form boards left under a slab, firewood against the house, mulch above the slab line, leaking hose bibs and poor drainage
- Evidence of previous treatment, such as drill holes in the slab or a treatment sticker in the garage or attic
Because it is visual, a WDI inspection cannot see inside a wall. When the report notes damage or activity, the next step is a treatment estimate from a pest control company, and often a closer look at the affected framing during repairs.
Termite inspection versus home inspection
Buyers sometimes assume one inspection covers the other. They overlap at the edges, since both inspectors will notice rotten wood and water against the foundation, but they answer different questions and produce different documents.
| Home inspection | Termite (WDI) inspection | |
|---|---|---|
| Question it answers | What is the condition of the home’s systems? | Is there evidence of wood-destroying insects? |
| Governing rules | TREC Standards of Practice | Texas pest control rules, separate from TREC |
| Report form | TREC Property Inspection Report | Separate WDI report |
| Required for a VA loan | No, the buyer’s choice | Yes, in Texas |
| Wood damage | Noted where visible as a structural item | Identified by cause and mapped on the report |
| On our booking form | Base inspection | Add-on, $135 and up |
The home inspection is the larger document and the one that covers the roof, foundation, electrical, HVAC and plumbing. What a home inspection covers in Texas is laid out on this page, and the limits of what a home inspector can say are explained on what home inspectors cannot do. The WDI report is short, specific and focused on insects.
How the WDI inspection is scheduled with your home inspection
Arranging the termite inspection alongside the home inspection is the simplest path, and it is how most of our clients handle it.
- Book the home inspection. Fill out the booking form with the property address, the inspection type and your preferred date.
- Answer the VA loan question. If it is a VA loan, say so. That flags the file so the WDI report is not overlooked.
- Select the Termite / WDI Inspection add-on. It is listed at $135 and up; the final figure depends on the property.
- Let our administrator coordinate timing. The WDI inspection is arranged through the booking form and scheduled around your home inspection appointment.
- Receive both reports. Your home inspection report arrives the same day with an in-person walkthrough at the property. The WDI report is a separate document you can forward to your lender.
If you booked without the add-on and your lender later asks for a WDI report, call (817) 842-0330 and we will add it. The factors that set the total for an inspection with add-ons are described on home inspection cost in DFW.
What to do if the report finds termites
A WDI report that shows evidence of active infestation is not a reason to walk away from a house by itself. Termites are a treatable problem, and the report gives you the information to handle it during the option period rather than after closing.
Start by getting a treatment proposal from a licensed pest control company, and ask whether the proposal includes a renewable warranty. Then look at what the home inspection found in the same areas. If the termite damage is in framing, trim or subfloor, the home inspection’s structural findings will tell you whether a contractor needs to open the wall and replace wood, and that repair is a separate negotiation from the treatment.
Evidence of previous treatment with no current activity is common on older DFW homes and is usually reassuring rather than alarming. Ask the seller for the treatment records and any warranty that transfers. Conducive conditions, such as wood touching soil or mulch above the slab, are cheap to correct and worth doing in your first month of ownership regardless of what the report found.
Frequently asked questions
Is a termite inspection required for a VA loan in Texas?
Yes. Texas is a state where the VA requires a wood-destroying insect inspection before a VA-backed purchase closes, and the lender will ask for the WDI report. The Smart Inspector's booking form asks whether the purchase is a VA loan for exactly this reason. Select the Termite / WDI Inspection add-on, listed at $135 and up, and the report is arranged along with your home inspection so it is ready when your lender needs it.
Does a regular home inspection check for termites?
Not as a pest inspection. A TREC home inspection is a visual review of the home's systems, and our inspectors will report damaged wood, wood-to-soil contact and moisture problems when they see them. What the home inspection does not do is inspect specifically for insect evidence, identify the cause of damage or produce the WDI report a lender needs. For that you need the separate termite inspection add-on.
Why is the termite inspection priced at $135 and up instead of a flat fee?
The booking form lists the Termite / WDI Inspection at $135 and up because the fee depends on the property. Larger homes, additional structures, crawl spaces and other factors can change the cost of a WDI inspection. When you select the add-on, the final figure is confirmed for your address. If you want a total before you book, the Get a Quote form or a call to (817) 842-0330 will get you an exact number.
Can I add the WDI inspection after I have already booked?
Yes. Call (817) 842-0330 and our administrator will add the Termite / WDI Inspection to your appointment. The sooner you add it the easier it is to coordinate the timing with your home inspection, so if your lender mentions a WDI requirement or your agent recommends one, let us know right away rather than waiting until the end of the option period.
What is the difference between a termite inspection and a termite treatment?
The inspection is a visual examination that produces a report on evidence of wood-destroying insects, damage and conducive conditions. It does not apply any chemicals or fix anything. A treatment is the work a pest control company does to eliminate an infestation and protect the structure, usually with a warranty. If your WDI report shows activity, the next step is a treatment proposal, which you can negotiate with the seller during the option period.
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