Termites in a Tampa Bay Home: WDO Reports, Costs, and When to Walk

What should you do if the WDO report on a Tampa Bay home shows termites?

A Florida WDO (wood-destroying organism) report that notes termites is a negotiation point, not an automatic deal-breaker. Most findings in Tampa Bay involve subterranean or drywood termites. Treatment typically runs from roughly $1,200–$4,800 for a liquid perimeter treatment on a larger home to $3,000–$12,000 to tent a 3,000-square-foot house, with structural repairs on top when damage is found — and homeowners insurance pays for none of it. The decision comes down to three questions: is the activity live or historical, is the damage cosmetic or structural, and will the seller treat, repair, or credit before closing.

Termite questions used to sit near the bottom of a Tampa Bay buyer's checklist, somewhere after the roof age and the flood zone. Two things changed that.

In March 2023, UF/IFAS confirmed that the Asian subterranean termite was established in South Tampa — at the time, the most northern point of that species in Florida — and estimated the infestation had started seven to ten years earlier. Then a February 2026 University of Florida study found that both the Asian and Formosan subterranean termites are spreading faster than predicted, with Formosan colonies now established in most coastal counties and large urban centers, including samples from the Tampa area.

Layer that on top of the drywood termites that have always lived in the older wood-frame homes of Hyde Park, Palma Ceia, Old Northeast, and the beach communities, and the WDO report has become one of the first documents I read on any resale.

Here's how to read one, what it costs when something turns up, and how to decide between negotiating and walking.

What a Florida WDO inspection covers — and what it doesn't

A WDO inspection is a separate inspection from the general home inspection, and it has to be performed by a licensed pest control operator or an employee holding a WDO inspector endorsement from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS). The findings go on a standardized state form, FDACS-13645. Many Tampa Bay inspection companies bundle it with the general inspection, but the person signing it still has to hold the license.

The report covers subterranean and drywood termites, wood-decay fungi, powderpost beetles, and old house borers. It records four things: live activity, evidence of past infestation, visible damage, and prior treatment. It also notes conditions that invite termites, such as wood-to-soil contact, moisture around the slab, and tree limbs touching the structure.

Two limits matter:

• It covers visible and accessible areas only. Nobody is opening walls or pulling insulation. Damage behind drywall, under tile, or inside a finished attic goes unreported.
• There's no pass or fail. The report documents what was seen on that day. Lenders typically want a report dated within about 30 days of closing.

The cost is modest — generally $150–$350 as a standalone — and it fits inside the 10–15 day inspection period under the FAR/BAR AS IS contract. Schedule it the same day as the general inspection so you have both results with time to negotiate. If you're deciding what else to order, my earlier post on what to expect during a luxury home inspection in Tampa Bay walks through the full list.

One more step that most buyers skip: verify the inspector's license on the FDACS website. In a widely reported Tampa case, a buyer's "clear" WDO report turned out to be signed by someone who wasn't a licensed exterminator. Termites were already active at move-in, and the family reported spending more than $30,000 before they knew the full extent of the damage.

Who requires the report

• VA loans require a WDO report in Florida. Who pays for it is negotiable under current VA rules, and the lender will want treatment completed and documented before closing if activity is found.
• FHA and conventional loans don't require one by default, but the lender will ask for it if the appraiser notes evidence of infestation or damage.
• Jumbo lenders set their own rules. Some want a WDO on any home older than a certain age; ask your lender early.
• Cash buyers aren't required to get one. On a pre-1980 home, get one anyway. It's the cheapest line item in your due diligence.

Reading the findings: live, historical, or structural

The same report can describe three very different situations.

Live activity. Mud tubes along the foundation or in the garage, swarmers or discarded wings near windows, or the small ridged pellets (frass) that drywood termites push out of infested wood. Live activity needs treatment before closing, or a credit that covers it, full stop.

Past infestation with prior treatment. This is common in Tampa Bay, and it's often the least concerning finding. Ask the seller for the treatment records, the name of the company, and whether a bond is in place and transferable. A treated, documented history with no visible damage is paperwork, not a problem.

Visible damage. Here's where the species and the location of the damage matter. Damage to a door frame, fascia board, or window trim is a repair. Damage to sill plates, floor joists, roof decking, or wall framing is a structural question, and the pest inspector isn't the right person to answer it. Bring in a contractor or structural engineer, and ask the seller for permission to open a section of wall or attic if the report hints at more than it can see.

A few Tampa Bay specifics:

• Subterranean termites — including the Formosan and Asian species — come up from the soil and do the most structural damage. Treatment is a liquid termiticide barrier or a bait system.
• Drywood termites live inside the wood itself, which is why they show up in attic framing, trim, and cabinetry in older homes. Treatment is localized injection for small areas or whole-house tent fumigation for widespread activity.
• Waterfront homes deserve extra attention. UF researchers note that the Asian subterranean termite has been intercepted in private boats along the coast, including near St. Petersburg, and that winged termites can fly from an infested docked boat to start colonies on land. If the home comes with a dock and a boat is part of the deal, inspect both. My post on buying a boat slip or dock with a Tampa Bay waterfront home covers the rest of that due diligence.

What treatment and repairs cost

These are Florida ranges from national cost guides, updated in early 2025, and Tampa Bay quotes will vary with the size of the home and the company. Get two local quotes before you negotiate.

• Liquid perimeter treatment (subterranean): $4–$14.50 per linear foot. A larger South Tampa footprint with 300 linear feet of perimeter lands around $1,200–$4,800.
• Bait system installation: $8–$12 per linear foot, plus $660–$900 per year for monitoring.
• Localized drywood treatment: $1,000–$6,500 depending on how many areas are affected.
• Tent fumigation (drywood, whole house): $1–$4 per square foot. A 3,000-square-foot home runs roughly $3,000–$12,000; a 5,000-square-foot home with a screened pool enclosure costs more because the tent has to cover the added volume. Plan on being out of the house for about two to three days.
• Repairs: framing repairs in a single area typically run $500–$2,000, while damage that reaches foundation-level or load-bearing members can reach $5,000–$10,000 and beyond. Hidden damage behind finishes is the wildcard, which is why investor forums are full of advice to get a contractor's number rather than a pest company's estimate.
• Termite bond: $500–$2,000 for the first year, with renewals around $100–$400 per year. A retreatment-only bond covers future treatment; a repair bond also covers damage, within the contract's limits. They're not the same thing, so read which one you're being offered.

And the part that surprises relocating buyers: standard Florida homeowners policies exclude insect damage. Insurers treat termites as a maintenance issue, not a sudden event. A narrow collapse provision exists in some policies, but you shouldn't plan around it. The 4-point inspection your insurer wants doesn't look for termites either; it covers the roof, electrical, plumbing, and HVAC, as I explained in the Florida 4-point inspection for Tampa Bay homes. Whatever the termites cost, it comes out of the buyer's pocket or the seller's — which is why this becomes a negotiation.

Negotiating it under the FAR/BAR AS IS contract

Under the AS IS contract, the seller has no obligation to make repairs. The buyer's protection is the inspection period: cancel before it ends and the escrow deposit comes back. That gives you four paths.

1. Seller treats before closing. A licensed company treats the home, issues a treatment certificate, and ideally provides a transferable bond. This is the cleanest outcome for financed buyers, and it's what VA and FHA lenders expect when activity is found.
2. Seller credit at closing. Useful when you want to choose the company and the method yourself. Check your lender's cap on seller concessions first; jumbo programs vary.
3. Price reduction. Works for cash buyers, but a $10,000 reduction only lowers a financed buyer's payment slightly while they still need $10,000 in cash for the work. Credits usually serve financed buyers better.
4. Walk. The right call when structural damage can't be quantified, the seller won't allow an invasive look, or the repair estimate keeps growing each time someone opens something.

Whichever path you choose, put it in a written addendum before the inspection period expires. Verbal assurances from a listing agent don't survive closing. If you're weighing a credit against a reduction, my post on dealing with home inspection problems covers the mechanics.

If you're the seller

Florida's Seller's Property Disclosure asks directly about termite or WDO infestation, damage, and prior treatment, and Florida's duty to disclose known material defects that aren't readily observable applies regardless of what the form says. Undisclosed termite damage is one of the classic post-closing lawsuits, and it's an avoidable one.

Three moves protect your sale:

• Order a pre-listing WDO on any home built before 1980. For $150–$350, you learn what the buyer's inspector will find and you get to fix it on your schedule instead of in the middle of a contract.
• Treat before listing and keep the paperwork. A treatment certificate and a transferable bond turn a liability into a listing feature. Buyers relocating from states where termites are a footnote find it reassuring.
• Disclose prior treatment plainly. A documented, treated history with no damage is not a red flag to an informed buyer. Concealing it is.

A note on condos

Concrete high-rises in Downtown Tampa, Westshore, and Downtown St. Petersburg carry little structural termite exposure, but drywood termites turn up in trim, cabinetry, and furniture at any floor — inspectors in Florida report finding them ten stories up. Older low-rise buildings and townhomes with wood framing are a different story. During the condo document review period, ask for the association's pest control contract and check the declaration for where the unit boundary falls, because that determines who pays for treatment inside versus outside your walls. It's one more item for the list in how to read a condo association's financials before buying in Tampa Bay.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a termite inspection required to buy a house in Florida?

No state law requires it. VA loans require a WDO report, FHA and conventional lenders ask for one when the appraiser notes evidence of infestation, and jumbo lenders set their own rules. Cash buyers can skip it, but on an older Tampa Bay home the $150–$350 cost is small relative to what it can find.

Who pays for the termite inspection and treatment in Tampa Bay?

The buyer usually orders and pays for the WDO inspection during the inspection period. Treatment and repairs are negotiated under the FAR/BAR AS IS contract — the seller can treat before closing, offer a credit, or reduce the price, and the buyer can cancel within the inspection period if no agreement is reached. On VA loans, the lender expects treatment to be completed before closing when activity is found.

Does homeowners insurance cover termite damage in Florida?

Almost never. Standard policies exclude insect damage as a maintenance issue, and a 4-point inspection doesn't screen for termites. A termite bond from a pest control company is the closest thing to coverage, and a repair bond covers more than a retreatment-only bond.

Should I buy a Tampa home that was tented for termites?

Usually, yes, if the treatment was done by a licensed company, you have the certificate, and the WDO report shows no live activity or unrepaired structural damage. Tenting is a complete treatment for drywood termites. Ask whether a bond is in place and whether it transfers to you.

How long is a WDO report good for?

The report reflects the day of the inspection only. Most lenders want a report dated within about 30 days of closing, so order it inside your inspection period rather than before you go under contract.

The bottom line

A termite finding on a Tampa Bay home is a cost to quantify, not a reason to panic. Separate live activity from history, cosmetic from structural, and get a contractor's number before you negotiate. Sellers who inspect and treat before listing take the issue off the table before a buyer can use it as leverage.

If you're weighing a sale, start with a current valuation of your home — not an algorithm's guess, but a number grounded in what's actually closing in your neighborhood and building, including how a treated termite history or a transferable bond affects it. Request yours at shanevanderson.com/evaluation, or call 813-205-5430.

About Shane Vanderson

Shane Vanderson is a Broker Associate and License Partner with Engel & Völkers South Tampa, licensed in Florida since 2012 and specializing in luxury and waterfront residential real estate, condos, and new construction across Tampa Bay. He advises buyers and sellers across South Tampa, Downtown Tampa, St. Petersburg, and the beaches, and is part of the Engel & Völkers Professional Athlete Advisory program. Reach him at 813-205-5430 or shane.vanderson@engelvoelkers.com.