Woodworm Treatment Cost – Everything You Need to Know

It’s likely you will have experienced woodworm in your property or have seen it in an item of furniture at some point in your life. Most of us can recognise the signs of woodworm from the exit holes that the adult beetle makes when leaving a piece of timber they have been feeding on. 

The age of older houses, their location and how they have been maintained since they were built determine whether they are likely to have suffered from woodworm.

If it’s a very old property or suffered from damp, it’s almost certain that it’s had woodworm at some stage. 

This may sound unsettling but it is necessary to point out that it’s not unusual for period (or newer) homes to suffer from woodworm and come through the experience relatively unscathed. Having woodworm doesn’t condemn a property to the wrecking ball.

And while antique furniture is easier to treat than heavily infected structural timber, both are treatable. But it is good to have some idea of what costs are involved in treating woodworm before you take on the project. 

treating woodworm

How Much is a Woodworm Survey? 

It’s always good to call the experts in for structural timber, wooden home elements or for more costly items of furniture such as antiques.

If you notice any signs of woodworm infestation or you suspect that an item of wood in your home needs a second opinion, get a survey. 

With regards to furniture, before bringing something into your home or as a preventative measure it might also be worth getting a woodworm survey or at least keep your eye on it for signs of woodworm – making sure to remove it from your home if you spot any of the warning signs. 

Woodworm thrive in humid conditions so most damp experts will be totally familiar with diagnosing woodworm in your property. Pest controllers are also you’re go-to experts for this type of work.

Depending on the level of service and what you want surveyed, prices will vary. The determining factors in your contractor’s estimate will be dependent on the following:

  • Property size 
  • Property age
  • Occupied (and ease of access) at the time of the survey 
  • Extent of the infestation
  • Treatment Choice
  • Location 
  • Level of Expertise of your Contractor

As a ballpark figure, though, it’s likely that you might expect to pay between £100 – £500 for a professional house survey. 

Suffice it to say that the expert will first determine if the infestation is active and whether your property needs any treatment at all.

Whatever the outcome, it’s a reasonable price to pay for peace of mind and pales in comparison with how much you may be paying for the woodworm infestation treatment costs of the property or for treatment if woodworm is present in a new house purchase. 

What to do if Woodworm is Found in a House Survey  

If woodworm is found in a property survey, it’s definitely worth getting some experts in to perform a separate woodworm survey.

Most surveyors may know the signs of woodworm but an expert will determine which type of wood-boring beetle is present in the property. The charges will be the same as for a regular woodworm survey: £100 – £400.  

While an infestation of woodworm may not necessarily put you off buying your home, different types of wood-boring beetle can pose more of a threat, be harder to treat or cause more damage than the more common furniture beetle.

The expert can also determine whether the infestation is older and no longer a threat. Either way, it’s always good to know what extra expenses may accrue before committing to a house purchase. 

How Much is it to Spray a Loft for Woodworm?

loft insulation

Woodworm love damp timber. And you want your home to stay as warm and dry as possible. Not just for your own comfort but to make sure you prevent structural problems to your timber and attracting wood-boring beetles.

It is obvious then, that the integrity of the roof needs to be maintained to stop leaks. This means the structural timber that maintains the roof’s soundness, usually accessed in the loft, is one of the first areas that should be treated. 

You may assume that for such a big space using an insecticide isn’t an option but, sadly, it may be essential in such an important area of the home.

Of course, your experts will advise on the level of treatment your timber needs, but for a thorough treatment of woodworm in the loft it is worth applying insecticide to any area of the timber that is untreated before fumigation takes place.

While this may be more labour intensive, it will make sure that the expense of further treatments is avoided. 

woodworm treatment cost

Ultra Low Volume (ULV) fog treatment of your loft timber will be more penetrating in terms of getting into cracks and joints in the wood that may not be noticeable to the human eye.

It’s also a better treatment for flying insects like adult beetles that may be present on the surface of the wood or airborne. 

Cost of Woodworm Treatment in Loft

Fumigation of your loft offers a deeper penetration into the wood which will mean that the woodworm larvae under the surface will eat contaminated timber and die.

In the case of either treatment, if there are signs of intensive activity in any of the timbers, your expert might add another layer of insecticide for more topical treatment.  

The costs of fogging and fumigation are likely to run between £100 – £500. But this is again dependent on the size of your property and the scale of the problem. 

How Much Does Professional Woodworm Treatment Cost? 

It’s very difficult to put an exact price on professional treatment costs for woodworm because each case is different.

Like most specialists, pest-control experts will need to provide a quotation based on what they can gauge is the level of the problem and all of the other factors that can affect the cost that were mentioned above. 

Some of the treatments that can be completed by a professional team are dependent on the size or location of the infected timber. But let’s look at the most likely professional treatments for structural timber and their costs:

Boron Woodworm Treatment Cost

A water-based boron treatment can be sprayed onto the woodworm-infected area. As this treatment is vapourless and odourless it is a little safer for homes that are inhabited. Boron treatments can also be brushes on timber for more precise application.

WYKABOR 10 Boron Wood Treatment 5L - for Wood Treatment

Boron is still toxic, but occupants can return to the building a little earlier after treatment has been completed without suffering from the ill effects associated with more toxic processes.

The costs of the treatment can range from £100 – £1,000 depending on how many coats are applied and how large the area is. 

Permethrin Insecticides and Fungicides Woodworm Treatment Cost

Permethrin is another water-based treatment for woodworm that can be applied by brush or sprayer. It can be sprayed on the surface of the timber to treat it for the common furniture beetle.

But injecting the timber with permethrin gels will be needed for deeper penetration to kill other types of wood-boring beetles. The process can cost between £100 – £1,000+ depending on the size of the area and the scale of the infestation. 

ULV Fogging and Fumigation Woodworm Treatment Cost

As mentioned before, these different treatments will call for specialist equipment and experience. These are intensive treatments for timber and can be used both for the treatment of woodworm infestation and also as a preventative measure.

To be done thoroughly, specialists often apply two layers of treatment, 72 hours apart.

Both treatments cost approximately £400 – £1,000 for a medium-sized house and the owner will have the added cost of vacating an occupied property for the duration of the application process.  

Woodworm Treatment Cost in the UK

With all professional treatments undertaken in the UK, you need to consider the cost not only of the treatment itself with also the expertise and experience of the pest controller.

Most pest control experts charge between £40 – £80 per hour. These rates can of course vary depending on the location of your specialists and their level of experience. 

DIY and Low Cost Woodworm Treatment

If you are concerned about the toxicity of woodworm treatments there are other options open to you. While not all are strictly environmentally friendly, they may reduce the amount of chemicals unleashed on your property. 

Topical Insecticide Treatment 

A great option for reducing chemical application is to apply your treatment only to the infected and closest surrounding area of the infected timber.

This may work better on furniture or smaller areas of the home which allow for easy access to make sure all of the areas are coated. A 500 ml bottle of spray insecticide can be bought here:

Provanto 86600244 Ultimate Bug Killer, Insecticide Protects For up to Two Weeks, 1L, Ready-To-Use

Pheromone Lures or Pest Tape

A pheromone lure gives off the sex scent which will attract male beetles into the trap. Pesticide, which is also contained in the trap, will kill the beetles before they have a chance to mate.

They retail at about £25 in shops and online. Pest Tape is cheaper but not as reliable and they range from about £8.99 – £14.99. 

EFA International Copper Foil Tape, Pest Tape 20m x 3cm, Pet Safe Slug Repellent, Snail Deterrent, Garden Repellent Pest Control, EMI Shielding Conductive Tape

Creating A Barrier

By far the most environmentally-friendly option is to remove and replace infected timber. You can place a barrier such as plastic between new wood and wood that you may be concerned about.

Quite obviously, though, this is unlikely to be the cheapest option if you consider the price of timber and labour costs if you are unable to do it yourself. 

Consider Insurance Costs

When insuring a property it is always worth checking to see if your home is covered for a woodworm attack and perhaps adding it to your cover if you are buying a property with untreated timber.

If the woodworm infestation has happened in your existing property there may still be the possibility that you can claim for the cost of the treatment through your emergency cover. 

Of course, the best and cheapest form of prevention against woodworm is to keep your home both warm and well-ventilated to avoid the build-up of condensation, humidity and damp in which they thrive.