How Long Does Termite Treatment Take, and Do I Need to Leave?

Two things people ask me before they book: how long is this going to take, and do we need to pack up and go somewhere for the day. Fair questions. Here's the honest version of both answers, including why I won't give you a firm number until I've actually seen the property.

What actually drives the time

There's no single figure that covers every job, because every house is different. A few things move the number more than anything else.

The size of the house and the slab perimeter. A chemical barrier is trenched around the foundation, so a longer perimeter or a larger footprint under the house simply means more trench to dig and backfill. A small, simple single-storey property is a smaller job than a large double-storey home with an extended subfloor.

Access. A subfloor that's easy to get into and move around adds no extra time. One that's tight, cluttered, or hard to reach can slow the work down considerably. Same with paths, driveways, or paved areas that need to be drilled through to reach the soil underneath.

Whether it's a full barrier or a baiting system. These aren't the same kind of job. A chemical barrier install is a defined piece of work, I turn up, trench, treat, and backfill, and it's largely done in that visit. A monitoring and baiting system, using Trelona or Nemesis depending on the site, is different by nature. The stations go in relatively quickly, but the job itself is ongoing, monitored over weeks and months rather than finished in a single visit.

How far the activity has spread. If termites are already active in more than one part of the structure, treating those areas directly adds to the barrier work itself. A colony caught early in one spot is a smaller job than activity that's reached several parts of the house.

Because of all that, I can give you a rough sense once I've walked the property, but not a precise number over the phone. It's often a matter of hours for a straightforward barrier job on an accessible property, longer where the perimeter, access, or spread of activity adds to the scope. I'd rather tell you honestly that it depends than make up a figure that doesn't match your house.

How the barrier is actually applied

For an existing home, the treatment I use most is a Termidor chemical barrier, and it doesn't get sprayed through your living areas. It goes into the ground.

The method is a trench application. I dig a trench, typically around 300 x 300 mm, around the areas that need protecting, usually along the foundation, around piers in the subfloor, and at plumbing and other penetrations. I backfill it in layers, soil, then Termidor-treated soil, then soil again, building up a treated zone underground. That's the work that takes the time on a treatment day, not anything done inside the house.

Do I need to leave the house?

Generally, no. Because the barrier is trenched into the ground rather than applied through your living spaces, most households stay home while I work. The main thing to manage on the day is keeping kids and pets away from the open trench and the immediate work area, the same as you'd keep them clear of any tools or dug-up ground on a work site. Once a section is backfilled and tidied, that precaution isn't needed there anymore.

I won't call it risk-free in every sense, no pest treatment honestly can, but I can tell you it's going into the soil around the structure, not through the rooms you live in. I've written more on this in the piece on Is Termite Treatment Safe for Pets and Children, including what to flag before I start if anyone in the household has specific health concerns.

Common questions

Will the treatment be finished in one visit?
For most straightforward chemical barrier jobs on an accessible property, yes. Larger properties, difficult access, or a combination of barrier and baiting work can mean more than one visit. I'll tell you which applies once I've inspected.

Do I need to stay out of certain rooms during treatment?
No. The barrier goes into the ground outside and under the house, not indoors, so there's generally nothing to avoid inside.

Is a baiting system quicker than a full barrier?
The stations themselves go in fairly quickly. What's different is that a baiting system is monitored over time rather than being a one-visit job, so “quicker” depends on whether you mean the install or the whole process.

Can I book gardening or landscaping straight after treatment?
Tell me what you're planning near the treated area and I'll let you know if it needs to wait, so we're not undoing the work by digging into a freshly treated zone.

Get a proper time and price estimate

Every property's different, so I'd rather look at yours than guess over the phone. Call 0405 790 927 to book an inspection. I'll tell you honestly what I find, write the report on-site, and hand it to you before I leave. If treatment's needed, you'll get a written quote covering the treatment type, the scope, the price, and a realistic sense of what's involved for your job.