BEWARE! Coastal Exterminating performed a Wood Destroying Insect (WDI) inspection for us on 9/12/2023 before we purchased our home. The report indicated no WDI issues and no obstacles or inaccessible areas to hinder their inspection. Six months later, we got another inspection by a different termite company since we had seen swarming termites near the house. That inspector accessed the drain trap through an access cover in the wall behind the bathtub. It was obvious that it was not accessed during the initial inspection because there was a coat of paint on the panel, which the inspector scored with a knife to open the panel. He discovered mud tubes and active termites. We had the house treated for termites soon after.
About a month after the treatment, I discovered dead termites on a window ledge in the bathroom above the tub and noticed soft, damaged sheetrock above the window. The termite company came out and found large cartons of Formosan termites that were killed by the treatment, and extensive damage to the 2x4s and header above the window.
I contacted Coastal and spoke to Chris Dennis about the fact that the access panel wasn't opened and the drain trap inspected. He told me that if he had done the inspection, he would have inspected it, and that he would talk to the owner about my request for Coastal to help with the damage repair costs.
I was told a few days later by Chris Dennis that the owner does not speak directly to customers and that he was the owner's mouthpiece, and the only thing the owner was willing to do was return our inspection charge. I was told that the owner said that there was no requirement to inspect the drain trap because standard wording of the report states that any area that would "...necessitate removing or defacing any part of the structure(s)..." was considered inaccessible. In addition, he said there was no proof that there were termites there at the time of the inspection.
I don't consider opening an access panel made for the purpose of inspection as "removing or defacing" part of the structure. Chris further stated that if the access panel cover would have been removed for them they would have inspected the drain trap. Chris said he was authorized only to return the inspection fee, and if I didn't accept that offer right then, even that would be off the table.
Bottom Line: We'll never know if the termites were present at the time of Coastal's inspection because they didn't access the drain trap area. I would never recommend Coastal Exterminating to anyone. read more