How to prepare for a termite inspection in Arizona

Before booking: name the deliverable

Ask whether the appointment includes a written Arizona WDIIR, an inspection for a treatment estimate, or another service. Request the price and included deliverables in writing. For a home purchase, confirm the required report, recipient, and deadline with the party requesting it.

Use the Arizona Pest Management Division license-search resources to check the business you plan to hire. Confirm which business will perform the inspection and whose name will appear on the report, especially when you book through another inspection company.

Arrange access with the inspector

Arizona law describes WDIIR evidence in terms of what was visible and accessible at the time of inspection. Access therefore matters to how you read the result. Arizona Legislature: A.R.S. § 3-3633.

The following is our planning checklist; the inspecting business should give you the specific preparation instructions for your property:

• Confirm gate, garage, room, and detached-building access with the owner or occupant.
• Ask which areas of stored belongings should be moved and how much space the inspector needs.
• Tell the business about locked or blocked access points before the visit.
• Arrange for pets to be kept away from the work area.
• Identify attic or crawlspace access, but let the inspector decide whether entry is appropriate.
• Ask before moving heavy items, opening fixed surfaces, or undertaking any preparation that needs special equipment.

Put the property’s paperwork in one place

Gather earlier reports, treatment invoices, warranty documents, renewal records, and any correspondence about repairs. Add dated photographs of the concern that prompted this appointment. If a document is missing, label it as missing rather than filling in its details from memory.

A simple cover note can help: “We found this material on this date; this is the location; these are the earlier documents we could find.” Include the address and unit or building identifier consistently so the business can tell which records belong together.

A five-minute brief before the appointment

Write down the property address, the reason for the visit, who will provide access, the requested deliverable, and who should receive it. Keep any transaction deadline separate from the appointment time so the business can confirm both.

Illustrative example: “We need the report requested by our lender. The property has a detached garage and a locked storage room. The owner will meet you. Please confirm whether both structures are included and when the completed report will be delivered.”

Afterward, use the five-pass WDIIR reading guide. For older paperwork, our termite-history guide explains where to begin looking.

Before the visit ends

Ask when and how the written report will arrive. Keep these questions ready:

• Which structures and areas did you inspect?
• Was anything inaccessible, and what would be needed for another look?
• Can you show me where each reported concern is located?
• Which questions need another professional or a separate appointment?
• Who should I contact if the report and my understanding of the conversation differ?

Preparation cannot make concealed areas visible or turn a visual inspection into a guarantee. Its purpose is to reduce avoidable access problems and make the resulting report easier to discuss.