Most commercial termite damage discovered during a fitout was technically detectable years earlier — at a slab edge covered by landscaping, a leaking pipe penetration, a subfloor with poor ventilation, or a stack of timber pallets against an external wall. A superficial walkthrough that ticks a box and leaves finds none of it, and the resulting repair bill lands on the asset owner with no defensible record of due diligence.

For leased and government assets, the inspection record is also the evidence of maintenance obligations being met. If a building suffers concealed damage and there is no history of competent inspections, conducive-condition reporting or corrective action follow-up, the argument about who wears the cost becomes very difficult.

Pre-purchase and pre-lease inspections carry their own commercial weight. A buyer or incoming tenant taking on a warehouse, childcare centre, medical suite or older commercial building needs to know the termite history, the management system already in place (if any), and the remedial works required before fitout begins — while there is still negotiating room.