A property in Los Gatos rarely announces a termite problem loudly. What it does is leave signs: a thin mud tube along the foundation stem wall, a faint dusting of pellet-like frass near a window frame, a section of baseboard that gives slightly underfoot. Those details are easy to dismiss until the inspection shows how far the colony has already reached. Acting on them early is the difference between a contained treatment and a job that has to address years of structural damage. We inspect first, confirm what type of termite is present and how far it has spread, and then match the treatment to what the structure actually needs.
Los Gatos has a mix of older wood-frame homes, raised foundations with crawlspaces, and properties with attached structures, decks, and outbuildings that extend the inspection beyond the main house. Each of those features is somewhere a colony can establish and go undetected.
Call (669) 359-4289 to schedule an inspection, and we will give you a clear picture of where the property stands.
Before the colony does another season of damage, a full inspection maps the situation. We walk the foundation perimeter, check the crawlspace and subfloor, examine slab edges and pier blocks, probe accessible framing, and reach the attic where entry allows. The goal is a complete picture of what is active, what type of termite is responsible, and how far the damage or activity has extended.
Moisture problems pointed out along with termite findings give you a fuller account of what the structure needs. An inspection also notes other wood-destroying insects, such as carpenter ants or wood-boring beetles, when they are present alongside termite activity. Those are not services we treat separately, but they belong in the report because they affect what happens to the wood.
Flying termites appearing indoors, or discarded wings near windows and doorframes after a swarm, are among the clearest signals that a colony is active and expanding. Mud tubes along the foundation wall or across a slab edge are the most reliable indicator of subterranean termite pressure. Neither sign tells you the full story on its own. An inspection confirms the type, locates the entry points, and determines how far the colony has spread before any treatment is quoted.
Not every piece of damaged wood means a colony is still working. Older homes often carry the marks of past infestations that were treated years ago. Part of what an inspection does is distinguish between damage that is historical and activity that is current. That distinction changes the treatment recommendation, and it changes the cost. We do not recommend treatment for damage that is no longer active.
Termites are drawn to conditions that make a structure easier to enter and easier to sustain a colony inside. Moisture accumulation near the foundation, wood-to-soil contact at porch steps or siding, and poor subfloor ventilation are all conditions the inspection flags. Addressing those conditions is part of protecting structural timber over time, because treatment alone does not change the environment that attracted termites in the first place.
When subterranean termites are confirmed, the treatment focuses on the soil around and under the foundation. A non-repellent liquid termiticide is applied to the trenched soil so that termites moving through the treated zone carry the product back to the colony without detecting it. The foundation perimeter, slab edges, and crawlspace perimeter are all covered. In-ground bait stations can be paired with a barrier for broader protection, or used on their own where the situation calls for it.
Porches, front steps, and attached structures are common entry points because they often involve wood close to or in contact with soil. Treating these areas is part of the full perimeter approach, not an add-on. Where the structure's footprint includes a covered porch, an attached garage, or a breezeway, those areas are included in the inspection and in the treatment plan.
Drywood termites in the region can establish in detached structures as readily as in the main house. A deck with untreated or aging wood, a wood fence along the property line, or a garden shed that has not been inspected in years can all carry active infestations that are unrelated to what is happening inside the home. We inspect and treat these structures as part of the overall picture, not as a separate engagement.
For drywood termites, the treatment depends on how far the infestation has spread. A contained infestation in accessible wood can often be handled with borate wood treatment or localized spot treatment. When the infestation has moved through multiple areas of the structure, including wall voids, attic framing, and floor systems that localized treatment cannot reliably reach, whole-structure fumigation is the appropriate method. The structure is sealed and treated so every part of the wood frame is covered at once. Preparation steps are explained in detail before anything is scheduled.
A property that has been vacant for an extended period often has not had a termite inspection in that same window. Termites do not pause while a building sits empty. Before a vacant home is reoccupied, sold, or put back into service as a rental, an inspection confirms whether activity has established during that time and what the structure needs before it is occupied again.
Not every inspection is prompted by a visible sign. Some homeowners want a baseline check on a property they have owned for years without having it inspected. Others are buying or refinancing and need a WDO inspection as part of the transaction. A full inspection of a property with no known activity is still a complete inspection. It covers the same areas, uses the same approach, and produces the same clear account of what is present and what is not.
When a rental property has a termite problem, the conversation involves more than one party. The property owner or manager is the one who authorizes the inspection and the treatment. The tenant is the one whose schedule and access need to be considered. We work through that coordination on the call, so the inspection is booked at a time that works for the occupant and the access is confirmed before the visit.
For property managers overseeing multiple addresses in Los Gatos and the surrounding area, an annual inspection and monitoring plan on each property creates a documented record of inspection history across the portfolio. That record matters when a tenancy changes, when a property is sold, or when a question arises about the condition of the structure. The invoice goes to whoever manages the property, and the visit is arranged around whoever is in it.
We're ready when the termites aren't welcome anymore.
There is no single figure that applies to every situation, and any number given before an inspection is a guess. The cost of a treatment depends on the termite type confirmed by the inspection, the size and construction of the structure, how far the infestation has spread, and which treatment method is appropriate. A spot treatment on an accessible section of framing is priced differently from a full liquid barrier around a large foundation. Whole-structure fumigation involves a different scope again.
The rate is confirmed on the call before the inspection is scheduled. You are told what the quote covers, what the treatment involves, and what to expect before any visit is booked. Ask what it covers and you get a straight answer. The options are set out on our termite services page.
Call (669) 359-4289 to get the rate before anything is committed.
In-ground bait and monitoring stations are placed at intervals around the property perimeter. Termites foraging through the soil find the stations during normal activity. The bait is carried back to the colony, and the colony is reduced over time as it moves through the population.
That process is different from a liquid barrier, which creates a treated zone in the soil that termites pass through without detecting. A barrier acts on termites as they move toward the structure. Bait stations act on the colony itself, working outward from the point of contact. The stations remain in place after the initial colony is affected, and they continue to serve as an early-warning system between annual inspections.
Checking the stations at each annual visit tells us whether new foraging activity has reached the property. That information shapes what the next visit needs to cover. For properties in areas with consistent subterranean termite pressure, combining a liquid barrier with in-ground stations gives the foundation two layers of coverage.
From the inspection on, it's on us.
Booking an inspection in Los Gatos starts with a phone call. Describe what you are seeing, where you saw it, and roughly when. The job is scoped on the call, the rate is confirmed, and the visit is booked at a time that works for the household. You are calling someone who knows the local termite pressure.
If the inspection is needed before a real estate closing date, say so on the call. A WDO inspection, which is the California term for the wood-destroying organism inspection that buyers, sellers, agents, and lenders often ask about at the point of sale or refinancing, is booked the same way. The timing is worked out around the transaction, not around a fixed schedule that does not account for it.
We are available every day from 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM.
Call (669) 359-4289 to get a quote and confirm the schedule.
We serve Los Gatos and the communities nearby throughout Santa Clara County, including:
If your property is in or around the Los Gatos area, a single call confirms coverage and gets a quote started. The inspection is the next step from there.
Mulch holds moisture and can provide a food source close to the foundation, both of which create favorable conditions for subterranean termites. It is one of the conducive conditions the inspector notes. Pulling mulch back from the foundation perimeter reduces that exposure.
A quote is based on the property as described on the call. If the inspection reveals conditions that were not apparent beforehand, such as a more extensive infestation or additional areas requiring treatment, the price is discussed before the work proceeds. Nothing is added without that conversation first.
A WDO inspection covers wood-destroying organisms across the structure: active termites, evidence of past termite activity, and other wood-destroying insects such as carpenter ants or wood-boring beetles when they are present. A standard termite inspection focuses on termite activity specifically. The WDO inspection is what buyers, sellers, agents, and lenders typically ask about at the point of sale or refinancing in California, and it is booked the same way as any other inspection.
Call (669) 359-4289 to ask about one and confirm timing around a closing date.
A liquid barrier treatment involves trenching the soil along the foundation perimeter, which is a targeted process rather than broad excavation. The depth and extent of the trench depend on the foundation type and the property layout. The inspector explains what the process involves before the work is scheduled.
Whole-structure fumigation is used when a drywood termite infestation has spread through multiple areas of the structure and localized treatment cannot reliably reach every active gallery. If the inspection confirms the infestation is limited and the affected wood is accessible, a spot or borate treatment may be sufficient. The inspection determines which approach is appropriate.
The property owner or a managing agent can authorize and coordinate the visit. The tenant does not need to be present for an inspection, though they may need to be notified depending on the treatment type and any preparation required. Discuss the specifics when you call.
Older wood-frame construction, particularly homes with crawlspaces and raised foundations, gives both drywood and subterranean termites more points of entry and more structural timber to work through without visible signs appearing at the surface. Drywood termites in particular can establish in attic framing or wall cavities and go undetected for an extended period. A full inspection of a property with no known activity still covers every accessible area and gives a clear account of what is present and what the structure needs.
Wondering whether that hollow-sounding board is old damage or something active is not a question worth sitting on. An inspection gives you a definite answer, and a definite answer is the only thing that leads to a treatment plan that actually fits the property.
Call (669) 359-4289 to get a quote.
We are open every day from 5:00 AM to 11:00 PM. A protected foundation. A clear report. A plan you can follow.
Termite control in the surrounding towns: Saratoga, Cupertino, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Santa Cruz, Morgan Hill.
(669) 359-4289