Termite TRAILS

Old buildings in disrepair come with lots of unwelcome guests. Termites have eaten their way through the Villas’ woodwork, so Sara gave them an eviction notice.

• DIAGNOSTIC. All the existing walls had to be demoed, which, once complete, revealed the termites’ handicraft. “It was worse than expected,” Sara says. They had eaten away most of the studs, especially on the bottom, resulting in perilous conditions.

• SECOND OPINION. It’s always a good idea to call in the experts. Sara had her pest control expert come over to assess the situation. He confirmed what she suspected— that the termites have been busy and created a lot of devastation.

• PERFECT PLAN. Working with her team, Sara came up with a cost effective yet solid plan to replace the studs. “We decided, in essence, to ‘cut off’ the damaged portion and replace the damaged pieces, bracing them for additional support,” she says.

• PROPERTY TREATMENT. Another important step was treating the property to rid it permanently of the pests. Termite stations will be buried around the estate to ensure the pests stay out. Sara will also ensure the Villas’ future by purchasing a long-term termite insurance policy. The coverage will buy her peace of mind and provision, should they ever try to strike again.

(below) cor some of the arches, no changes were necessary aside from repair and restoration. lthers though, had to be slightly resized. “In order to be more functional for our guests, the kitchen cabinets are wider and deeper than the original ones,” para says. phe resized those arches a small amount in order to allow more space for the cabinets.

(above) Termites are insects that consume wood, often settling into the woodwork of a building and weakening its structure. Their feasting can be dangerous if left unchecked. “torst case scenario, they can bring down an entire house,” para says.