Formosan subterranean termites are a documented structural threat in New Orleans, not a minor trim problem. They can compromise framing, sills, and joists for years before any visible sign shows up on a wall. We treat termite exposure as a structural question from the start — assessing the real extent of damage, repairing or reinforcing what’s affected, and coordinating treatment so the underlying infestation gets addressed, not just the wood it already ate.
Termite damage rarely stays where it's first noticed. Once we open a wall, floor, or find damage during demolition, we trace it through the connected framing — sills, joists, studs — because Formosan colonies tunnel well beyond the entry point before any surface sign appears. We check structural members for load-bearing compromise, not just cosmetic wood damage, since the difference determines whether a piece needs reinforcement or full replacement. This assessment happens before we continue any adjacent work, so you're not closing up walls over damage that's still spreading.
Once we know the extent, we give you clear options — sistering damaged joists, replacing compromised sills, or reinforcing framing — based on what the structure actually needs, not a blanket replace-everything approach. Repairs are built to match the load requirements of the original structure, particularly in older raised homes where sills and piers carry more weight than they appear to. If the damage is extensive enough to affect a larger structural system, we explain that clearly before proceeding, so the scope and cost are never a surprise mid-project.
Repairing damaged wood without addressing the active infestation just delays the same problem — the wood gets replaced, but the colony causing the damage is still active behind it. We coordinate termite treatment recommendations alongside the structural repair, so the colony causing the damage gets addressed at the same time the wood does. This isn't pest control we perform ourselves — it's coordination with the right treatment approach, timed to your construction schedule, so your repair isn't undone by the same termites a year later.
You’ll get a clear picture of how far the damage extends before we finalize repair pricing, not a guess based on the one spot that’s visible. If termite damage is found mid-project — during demolition or while another repair is underway — we stop, assess, and give you options before continuing, rather than absorbing it quietly into the existing scope. And because treatment and repair are coordinated together, you’re not left wondering whether the underlying infestation was actually addressed once the walls are closed back up.
Yes. New Orleans’ older homes and humid climate make hidden termite damage a common discovery once walls or flooring are opened up. If we find it, we stop, assess the structural extent, and give you clear options before continuing.
We coordinate treatment recommendations alongside the structural repair, but treatment itself is handled through the right pest control coordination — we make sure it happens as part of the same process, not as a separate, forgotten step.
The only reliable way is opening up the affected area — surface damage is often a small piece of a larger issue in the framing behind it. We assess this before recommending repair versus reinforcement.
Termite damage is typically treated separately from storm or water damage claims, since most policies exclude pest-related damage. If your damage overlaps with a covered event, we can help clarify which portion applies to which process.
