Termite Inspection When Buying or Selling in Maryland

What is a wood-destroying insect report on Form MD-1?

A wood-destroying insect report is a written record of what an inspector found in a building. In Maryland the report is made on state Form MD-1, and it describes wood-destroying insect activity and conditions at the time of the inspection.

The report is written up by a firm that holds a Maryland pesticide business license, and the inspector records activity, damage and the conditions in the structure that bear on it. The form is the standard the state uses for this kind of inspection, which is why a buyer or lender will often ask for it by name.

The report is a snapshot. It describes the structure on the date of the inspection and the areas that could be reached. It does not promise that the building will stay free of wood-destroying insects, and it does not replace a treatment plan if activity is found. A report that is clean on one day can be followed by activity later, which is why the report should state its scope plainly.

Because the report is written, its wording matters. Read the scope, the list of areas inspected and the list of areas not inspected before accepting it. A short report that does not say what was left out is not the same as a complete one.

Who orders the inspection, and who receives the findings?

The person who orders the inspection receives the findings in writing. In a sale, the contract usually settles who orders the report, who pays for it and who else is entitled to see it.

The firm's written findings go to the person who ordered the inspection. That may be the buyer, the seller or an agent acting for one of them, depending on how the sale is arranged. The point of the rule is that a written finding should not depend on a conversation nobody can later prove.

Ask at the start who will be named on the report. A report addressed to the wrong party can leave a buyer or seller without the document they need at the closing table. Getting the name and address right before the inspection saves a second visit and a second fee.

The contract and the lender decide the rest. Who pays, what date the report must carry and whether a copy goes to the lender are questions for the people running the transaction. This page does not set those terms, because they belong in the sale contract rather than in a general guide.

Why do lenders and contracts ask for one?

Lenders and contracts often ask for a wood-destroying insect report because a wood-destroying insect problem can affect the value and condition of the structure. Whether Maryland law itself requires the report at sale is not confirmed by the sources for this page.

A wood-destroying insect report gives a lender and a buyer a written record of the structure's condition on a given day. Lenders and sale contracts often ask for one because they want that record before the transaction goes forward. The request is a matter of the transaction, and the wording of the request controls what has to be delivered.

Whether state law requires the report in a home sale is a separate question, and it is not answered here. The sources used for this guide do not confirm a statutory requirement at sale. A reader should ask the lender, the agent or the contract what is needed, rather than relying on a general statement from a web page.

The practical lesson is to read the requirement in the sale documents before the inspection is ordered. If the report is needed, it is cheaper and faster to order it with the right scope and addressee on the first attempt than to repeat the job.

What does the inspection look at, and what does it miss?

The inspection looks at the structural wood, the sill plates, the crawl space, the joists and any wood in contact with soil. It misses anything it cannot reach, so the report should list those areas as not inspected.

The inspector checks the places where wood-destroying insects usually work: the foundation, the sill plates, the crawl space, the joists and any wood that touches the soil. The inspector also looks for signs of activity, such as mud tubes on foundation walls and damaged or hollow-sounding wood. Moisture conditions are recorded because they can make a structure easier to attack.

The inspection misses what cannot be reached. Wood behind finished walls, under flooring that is nailed down, or in a crawl space with no safe access is only inspected to the extent the inspector can see it. A report that says a space was not accessible is more useful than one that implies the whole structure was checked.

The inspection is not a structural engineering review. It does not measure how much strength a wood member has lost, and it does not replace an assessment by a structural engineer if the condition of the framing is in question. The report should say that its scope is wood-destroying insects and related conditions only.

Before accepting a report, check that the form, the inspector's name and the firm's name are all on the document, and that the date of the inspection is clear. A report with a missing signature or an unclear date is a weak record, even if the findings are good. Ask for a corrected copy at the time rather than sorting it out at the closing table.

What happens if the report finds activity?

If the report finds activity, the findings are written down and any treatment is quoted separately. The sale contract decides who handles the treatment and who pays for it, so those questions should be answered before the closing date.

The inspector's findings should describe the location and extent of the activity and the conditions that allowed it. A treatment plan is a separate job. It is priced on the findings, and it can include a method such as a soil treatment or a monitoring system, depending on what the inspector recommends.

A buyer or seller who receives a finding should not sign anything that binds the work before the scope is clear. Ask what the treatment covers, what it leaves out and whether a follow-up inspection is included. The written quote for the treatment is the document to compare, not a verbal summary from the person who ordered the inspection.

The contract and the lender may require a specific treatment or a re-inspection after the work. Those requirements belong in the sale documents, and a technician can confirm the work in writing once it is complete. Calling (855) 974-4733 is a good way to start the conversation about a treatment quote, as long as the findings are in hand.

How do you check the firm before the inspection?

The Maryland Department of Agriculture licenses pesticide businesses and certifies applicators, and its public search tools show whether a firm and its applicators are in good standing. Check both before ordering the inspection.

Under Maryland's pesticide rules, a firm doing structural pest control must hold a pesticide business license and name at least one certified applicator in each category it works in. Wood-destroying insect inspections fall within the structural category. The category numbering used in older and current department documents differs, so the best check is the category name rather than a number.

The department's public search tools list licensed businesses and certified applicators. A complaint form is also available if a firm or applicator is in question. Running the search before booking takes a few minutes and gives a reader a record that does not depend on what the firm says about itself.

Ask the firm which applicator will sign the report, and check that person on the same search tool. A report signed by an applicator who is not certified in the right category is a problem the buyer or lender will not be happy to find later.

Write down the firm's license details and the name of the applicator on the search result, and keep a copy of that page with the date. A copy of the check is useful if the report is questioned later, and it costs nothing to make.

What should a buyer or seller ask before the inspection is booked?

Ask who the report is addressed to, what form it will be on, which areas will be inspected and which will not, and how the findings will be delivered in writing. The answers should be on paper before the inspector arrives.

Ask the firm to confirm the form, the addressee and the delivery method for the report. A report on the state form, sent in writing to the right person, is what most transactions need. A verbal summary at the end of the visit is not a report and should not be treated as one.

Ask which areas will be inspected and which may not be. A crawl space with no safe entry, a basement with stored items against the walls and a finished wall with no access panel all change the scope. The list of areas not inspected should appear in the report, and the buyer or seller should read it before the sale moves forward.

Ask whether a treatment quote will be given at the same visit or separately. Keeping the inspection and the treatment apart means the report can be read on its own terms, and the treatment can be compared to other quotes without the pressure of a closing date.