How many of you like me owe a debt of gratitude to the Termite?
This is proof Gods a carpenter. Who else understand the value of this little guy.
When I spot an indention running along a clients wallpaper I get excited!
They know how far to eat stopping microns from exposing their destruction.
In my own house I recently bought I discovered to late a lot of damage but I’m a carpenter and I can fix it besides my labors free.
The termite, what a wonderful partner to have.
Anybody have stories of small jobs going big because of this little guys help?
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I'm working on a job right now, painting the shutters on a two story house. The woodmunchers have made it so that I'll probably get some additional business.
And last summer, I felt bad for a guy that asked me to quote on his repair. It was a rather large ranch, on a crawlspace. The termite inspectors had found at least 30 floor joists, and a main bearing beam, all of which needed replaced. The poor HO thought that a couple of guys should be able to fix that in a day -- maybe a bit longer.
And of course, the pest-control company had refused to treat the house until after all the bad wood was replaced. So the entire job would have been lying on my back, with live bugs falling in my face, praying that the house and furniture didn't do the same. "Sorry sir, no bid."
"Sorry sir, no bid"
Lying on your back with live termites shouldn't be a problem unless they find wood on your person. So just keep clean thoughts.
Oh, and by the way there high in protein, you wouldn't have had to take a lunch.
we dont have termites in maine, where do i order them can i get them online, do they come by the ton. do they like pergo? I dont . oh ya can you send them in a plan brown wraper. if i get them now can you guarentie ill have work next winter? dogboy
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Here's 2 for starters, can't tell if there male or female. Good luck
looks like an ex mother in law i had.
"Here's 2 for starters, can't tell if there male or female."
The one on the left is female. You can tell because she's right on the a$$ of the other one.Diarrhea is a hereditary illness. It runs in the family.
I didn't notice before, your right. LOL
Sorry we can't export termites. Endangered species and they have a strong union. You can however ship your house down here, Florida, where we have wildlife expositions featuring termites, very similar to the alligator ranches.
Wood homes are dangled over termite mounds as the the termites snap and snarl to be fed. Great fun this, the northern builders always gasp in awe as entire wings are swallowed whole by the massed insects. We recently got bad press when a local celebrity took his infant son into the pit with him as he teased the beasts with small logs until they chew through several inches of concrete.
we are the termite capital of the world, They eat 24/7. i have a termite bond on a concrete house, they that bad. The termite wings have U.S Air Force painted on them. They not only eat your house they go after your relatives.
nuthing but happy thought.
Here, just for fun, are the African mound building termites:
http://www.insecta-inspecta.com/termites/macrotermes/
-- J.S.
Cool. Good site. Thanks.
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Formosan Termite.
'my labors free' Really? I have some work you could do for me. I ll feed you though;-) Remember your labor is NEVER free. You could be doing work for somebody and getting paid. Always keep that in mind. Lord knows the lawyers do(by the minute).
"Lord knows the lawyers do(by the minute)."
By the tenth of the hour, in my experience. ;-)
You must have not seen my house..ol kentucky home pics...I have logs that are 8x16 and up to 30' long..HOLLOW..outside looks fine..inside? FRASS and tunnels...wall paper? I wish they had finised that part..I still have to strip all that off to find MORE termite chewem ups..my time also is mine (not free) and I can fix it (or die tryin)..the good news..no one else would buy the house..so I got it!
Same here with my place. I couldn't afford this if it had been perfect.
Interesting how they stop short of showing themselves, must be unionized with a great steward.
Bottom line...
If God hadn't invented termites, carpenters would have.
Passed on a 'light fixer upper' with a 'spot in the floor where the original owner had a chair that he leaned back in a lot'. I had noticed the 'wet look' plaster repair in the front at the triple window that was most of the front den wall. Had to get a clear termite report for the loan so I called an inspector. 3 hours later, he goes "pink, pink, THUD" with his little pick/hammer and goes, "Wow, there's a good bit of termite damage here!" from under the house.
I noticed now 5 months later it's still for sale.... wonder if I put some of that 'free' labor in and ......
These little guys have made my winter. I was asked to do a remodel/addition on a cabin for a friend of mine this fall. I was doing an inspection before work began, checking joists and whatnot. I grabbed a joist with my left hand and stuck my knife tip in the other side of the joist and stabbed myself in the hand. The blade went completely through the joist. Every joist in the place was eaten through. A new layer of subfloor had been scabbed on to cover up the problem. Long story short, the owner wants it done right so we tore the whole house down. We set roof trusses yesterday, and because of termites, I have work through the winter. Fortunately for me the owner wasn't surprised and was into doing things the right was the first time. Thank you termites.
I had a sole plate that I demoed using nothing but the shop vac. It was a paper-thin shell filled with frass.
-- J.S.
we didn't even have a sole plate. that might have been part of the problem.
Kitchen reno last summer, very first day. Removed plaster/lath from exterior wall, yikes! Critters in the mud sill, critters in the studs. Change order, m'aam.
One of my recent encounters was a clients bedroom that they wanted painted before the holidays and guest arrive. While on my knees cleaning the baseboard I crushed it in. After opening the wall found the little guys had been busy. My $400.00 paint job wound up costing them about $1100.00.