Free for most homeowners
Woodworm Survey & Inspection
A qualified surveyor confirms whether your woodworm is active or historic, identifies the species and scopes any treatment — with a written report and fixed quote you can trust.
- Active or historic? We tell you the truth, in writing
- Correct species identification before any treatment
- Written report, fixed quote and 30-year guarantee
Get your free quote
Tell us what you've noticed and where. A local woodworm surveyor will call you back to arrange a free, no-obligation survey.
What's included
What a woodworm survey covers
A proper woodworm inspection is more than a quick look at a few holes. It is a structured assessment of your timber, the beetle responsible and the conditions keeping it alive.
Every accessible timber element
The surveyor inspects roof timbers, floor joists, floorboards, skirtings, staircases, structural beams, lintels and any exposed sapwood — the places wood-boring beetle is most often found.
Species identification
Exit-hole size and shape, frass texture and the timber affected all point to a particular beetle. A 1–2mm hole suggests common furniture beetle; a 3mm hole in old oak points to death watch beetle; a 6–10mm oval hole means house longhorn.
Active or historic assessment
The single most important judgement: is the infestation live and feeding now, or old and long dead? This decides whether you need treatment at all, and what kind.
Underlying damp and decay
Beetles thrive in damp timber. The surveyor checks moisture readings and looks for the damp, wood-rotting fungus or wet rot that let the infestation take hold in the first place.
Extent and scope
Which rooms and which timbers are affected, how far the damage has spread, and whether any timber has been weakened enough to need repair rather than treatment.
A clear written report
Findings, photographs where useful, the species identified, an active-or-historic verdict, and a fixed written quote for any treatment recommended — with no obligation to proceed.
The key question
How we confirm active vs historic infestation
Most timber in older homes carries old woodworm holes. The vast majority are historic — beetles that emerged and died years ago. Treating them is a waste of money. Here is how a surveyor tells the difference.
Fresh, clean exit holes
Sharp, pale, light-coloured holes with crisp edges suggest beetles have emerged recently. Old holes are dull, dark and weathered, often the same colour as the surrounding wood.
Fresh frass
Clean, pale bore dust that trickles out when timber is tapped is a strong sign of an active infestation. The surveyor may clear holes and check whether new frass appears.
Live or recently dead beetles
Adult beetles emerge between roughly May and September. Live beetles near windows, or fresh dead ones on sills and in cobwebs, point to an ongoing life cycle.
Damp, vulnerable timber
Common furniture beetle runs a 3–4 year life cycle and favours timber with raised moisture content. Where the surveyor finds damp, an active infestation is far more likely.
No single sign is conclusive on its own, which is why an experienced eye matters. A surveyor weighs the hole condition, the frass, the season, the moisture readings and the timber together before reaching a verdict. If the evidence is borderline, we may recommend monitoring rather than rushing into treatment. For a fuller explanation, read our guide to active vs historic woodworm and the wider signs of woodworm.
Your paperwork
The report and treatment certificate you receive
After the visit you are sent a clear, written survey report. It sets out exactly what was found, in plain language, so you can make a calm and informed decision — whether or not you treat with us.
- The beetle species identified and the timbers affected
- A clear active or historic verdict for each area
- Moisture findings and any damp or rot noted
- A fixed written quote for recommended treatment, with no obligation
The treatment certificate
When treatment is carried out, you also receive a treatment certificate backed by a 30-year guarantee on the treated timber. This document is what mortgage lenders, solicitors and buyers' surveyors look for. It confirms the work done, the products used and the cover in place.
Keep it with your property paperwork. When you come to sell, it answers a buyer's questions before they are even asked — and can stop woodworm holding up a sale.
See how treatment works →No catch
Why the survey is free for most homeowners
We offer free surveys because an accurate diagnosis benefits everyone. You get an honest answer; we only quote for work that is genuinely needed.
Plenty of people call us worried about woodworm and, after a survey, are told their infestation is historic and needs no treatment at all. We would far rather give that news for free and earn your trust than charge for an inspection. A free survey also means there is no financial reason to hesitate over an active infestation that is quietly weakening your floor joists or roof timbers.
The small number of surveys that do carry a fee — listed buildings, very large or commercial properties, or formal reports needed for a mortgage retention — are always quoted and agreed before any visit. There are never hidden charges.
When to book
When you need a woodworm survey
Some people book because they have spotted exit holes or beetles. Many more book because a property transaction has flagged a concern.
Selling a house
If your survey or a buyer's survey notes wood-boring beetle, a specialist report and treatment certificate reassures the buyer and keeps the sale moving. Sorting it before you list avoids last-minute renegotiation.
Mortgage retentions
When a lender's valuer reports evidence of woodworm, the lender may hold back part of the mortgage until a specialist confirms the position and any treatment is certificated. Our report and certificate release that retention.
Pre-purchase peace of mind
Buying an older property? A dedicated timber survey goes far deeper than a general homebuyer report, telling you precisely what you are taking on before you commit.
A standard RICS homebuyer or building survey will flag the presence of wood-boring insect, but it rarely identifies the species or confirms whether the infestation is active. That is precisely the gap a specialist woodworm survey fills — and why lenders and solicitors ask for one. Landlords also use our surveys to keep let properties compliant and well maintained between tenancies.
How to prepare for your survey
A little preparation helps the surveyor work efficiently and makes sure nothing is missed:
- ✓ Clear access to affected areas — move boxes, furniture or stored items away from suspected timber
- ✓ Ensure loft hatch or sub-floor access is reachable — a step ladder helps for loft inspections
- ✓ Note where you first noticed holes or frass — this helps the surveyor focus on the right areas first
- ✓ If you have historic survey reports or treatment certificates for the property, have them to hand
- ✓ If treatment is likely, pets and children should be out for a few hours after treatment while the area airs
The process
What happens next
Book your visit
Call us or enter your postcode and number. We arrange a convenient time with a local surveyor — often within a few days.
We survey and report
The surveyor inspects your timber, identifies the species and confirms whether it is active. You receive a written report and, if needed, a fixed quote.
Treat with confidence
If treatment is recommended, we agree a date, carry it out — usually in a single day — and issue your certificate and 30-year guarantee.
Helpful next steps
Woodworm Treatment
How we treat active beetle — spray, boron paste and structural repair, all guaranteed.
Learn more →Woodworm Treatment Cost
What treatment costs by room, roof and whole house, and what drives the price.
Learn more →Signs of Woodworm
The tell-tale signs to look for before you book a survey.
Learn more →Active vs Historic Woodworm
How to tell whether woodworm is feeding now or long dead.
Learn more →Common Furniture Beetle
The UK's most common woodworm, behind around three quarters of cases.
Learn more →Frequently asked questions
Is a woodworm survey really free?
How long does a woodworm survey take?
Will I be told if the woodworm is active or historic?
Do I need a survey before selling or buying a house?
What do I receive after the survey?
Get rid of woodworm — for good
Book a free survey today. Fixed written quote, BPCA-trained technicians and a 30-year guarantee on treated timber.
Request your free survey
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