How Much Does Termite Protection Cost for a New Build?

I get asked this a lot, usually by an owner-builder or a new-build buyer who has had one quote already and wants a second opinion. The honest answer is there is no flat number I can give you before I have seen the plans and the slab. Termite protection for a new build is priced by the job, and the biggest driver of the final figure is the perimeter of your slab. Here is what actually goes into the price.

What pre-construction termite protection involves

New-build termite protection is not one product. It is a physical barrier plus a chemical treatment, done at specific points during the build.

The physical barrier I install is TermSeal. It goes in before the slab is poured and carries a 50-year warranty, conditional on keeping up annual inspections. It is not set-and-forget, you get the protection for the life of the warranty as long as someone checks it every year.

Alongside the barrier, I do a pre-pour soil chemical treatment using Termidor to the penetrations and pipes that pass through the slab, the points a physical barrier alone cannot fully seal. Pipes moving through concrete create small paths termites can exploit, so the soil around those penetrations gets treated too. Barrier plus chemical treatment at the penetrations is the combination that closes the gaps a single method leaves open.

Physical barriers like TermSeal are pre-construction only, there is no slab to build one into once a home is finished. If you already have a completed home, the protection options are different, and I am happy to talk you through those separately.

Why sheeting is priced per linear metre

The termite sheeting is billed at $14 per linear metre. That is what makes the total scale up or down depending on your build.

Sheeting runs around the perimeter of the slab. A small, simple rectangular slab needs less sheeting than a larger home with a complex perimeter, wings, alfresco areas, or multiple slab sections. More perimeter means more linear metres and a higher total. It is a straightforward calculation once I have your slab plan, but I cannot quote a single number over the phone without seeing the site and plans first.

This is also why two builds of similar floor area can land at different prices. Floor area and perimeter are not the same thing. A compact, simple shape always costs less to protect than a sprawling one, even with similar internal square metres.

What you receive at the end of the job

Once the barrier and treatment are in, you get a durable notice and a certificate confirming the work was done. That paperwork matters for your building certifier, for any future sale, and for your own records if a question comes up years down the track. I write up what was done on-site before I leave the property, so there is no waiting around for paperwork to turn up later.

Keep that certificate somewhere safe. If you ever need to make a warranty claim, or a future buyer's inspector asks about termite protection history, that document is your proof.

Why this is the moment to get it right

Once the slab is down, your options for a physical barrier close off. Retrofitting means working around a finished slab, a different job entirely that does not offer the same option.

I have been doing this work since 2015, and a barrier installed properly at pre-pour stage, with the soil treatment applied at every penetration, sets a new home up with solid protection and the least disruption. If you are building and want it done right the first time, this stage is where that happens. There is more detail on the pre-construction termite barrier service page.

Common questions

Can you give me a fixed price over the phone?
Not accurately, no. I need to see the slab plan and perimeter to work out the sheeting metres, so every quote is priced on the property. I can talk you through the $14 per linear metre rate on the phone, but the final figure depends on your build.

Does the 50-year warranty cover everything automatically?
The TermSeal barrier carries a 50-year warranty, but it is conditional on annual inspections continuing after the build is finished. Skipping inspections can affect the warranty, so build that into your home maintenance from the start.

Can I add a physical barrier after the slab is already poured?
No. TermSeal and other physical barriers are pre-construction only, they need to go in before the slab is down. Once the slab is poured, protection options for an existing structure are different, and I am glad to talk through what is available.

What is included in the certificate I receive?
A durable notice and a certificate confirming the barrier and chemical treatment were completed, which building certifiers and future buyers may ask to see. I hand over the on-site paperwork before I leave the job.

If you are building and want an accurate price for your slab, call me on 0405 790 927. Send me the plans or the slab perimeter and I will work out the sheeting metres and put together a proper quote, priced on your property.