Carpenter bee damage repair cost after an inspection

How much does carpenter bee damage cost to repair?

Repairing insect or animal damage to fascia and soffit, nest removal included, runs $75 to $2,000 in HomeAdvisor's cost guide. Treat carpenter bee damage repair as two jobs: a pest control company treats the nests, and a carpenter or painter fixes the wood. Get a written bid for each before your deadline, then ask the seller to cover both. The bees bore into exposed wood such as decks, siding, rafters, window trim and fascia.

Key takeaways

• Treating the nests alone is a separate bill: one New Jersey company charges $199 to $324, by story.
• Don't fill active holes until they are treated or the bees have left. UC says filling and painting alone handles most cases, so ask the pest company whether this house needs treatment.
• Standard homeowners insurance usually won't pay for insect damage, so price it into your request now.

Can carpenter bees do structural damage?

They can, but it's rare and slow. The University of California's pest program says the nests create "galleries that can weaken structures; however, they rarely cause severe damage." The University of Georgia Extension says that in some cases they cause "significant damage" to eaves, porches and decks. Purdue Extension says structural damage "only occurs after many years of the bees boring new or enlarging tunnels in the same location."

Each hole starts small. Purdue puts the entrance at about ½ inch, turning to follow the grain for 6 to 8 inches. Over time, the UC program says, tunnels "may extend as far as 10 feet into wood timbers."

Woodpeckers can make it worse. The Georgia extension says the noisy larvae "may attract woodpeckers, which can do further damage to wood as they hunt for the larvae." If the holes are in rafters, beams or deck supports, ask a carpenter to probe how deep the damage runs before you set a number.

Carpenter bees don't eat wood. They only tunnel to nest, the Georgia extension says. If your report also flags conducive conditions for termites, that is a separate finding with its own inspection.

What do treatment and wood repair each cost?

Treatment is priced per story. Wood repair and paint are priced per linear foot.

Kept prices every line of an inspection report for $79, usually under 4 hours, and marks the ones that need a professional quote.

Say the inspector flags 40 feet of bored fascia on a one-story house:

• Fascia repair at $6 to $20 a foot: $240 to $800
• Paint at $2.50 to $6.50 a foot: $100 to $260
• Wood repair and paint: $340 to $1,060
• Treatment, first story: $199 plus tax (Cooper)
• Both together: $539 to $1,259 plus tax

HomeAdvisor adds 7% to 15% for hard-to-reach areas, so a second-story eave costs more. The two written bids replace every figure here.

How do you repair carpenter bee holes?

Treat first, then fill, then paint. The Georgia extension warns: "Do not plug the holes without treating the inside first because the bees will simply drill their way out." The UC program says to wait until the bees have emerged before filling the tunnels.

For the fill, the UC program recommends steel wool and caulk "to prevent their reuse," then paint or varnish. Georgia lists dowel rods, plastic wood or caulk. Purdue adds wood putty. The paint matters: the UC program says bees usually pick sound wood "without paint or bark."

Timing matters too. The UC program says prevention, such as filling and painting, handles the damage under most conditions. It reserves insecticides for heavy infestations or real risk to the structure. For those, it says to treat in early spring before nesting starts, or in fall once the adults settle in for winter. Treating active nests in late spring to summer "does little good," it says. Ask the pest company whether this house needs treatment and when it can do it.

Who prices it before your deadline?

Two trades price this finding. A pest control company prices the treatment. Many of the dusts labeled for carpenter bees are available only to licensed pest control professionals, the UC program notes. A carpenter or painter prices the wood repair and paint.

Book both visits now. Ask each for a written bid that states the scope in linear feet. For booking fast, see how to get repair estimates during the inspection period.

What should you ask the seller for?

Ask the seller to cover both written bids. A request line names the scope, the trade and where the figure came from:

Front fascia, carpenter bee damage: treat active nests, licensed pest control company; repair and repaint damaged fascia, carpenter; per the attached written bids.

Ask for a credit if the pest company says treatment has to wait for spring or fall. A credit lets you book the work at the right time. If the seller does the work before closing, ask for the paid invoices and confirm the holes were treated before they were filled.

What to ask for after a home inspection covers where this line sits on your list. The buyer repair request letter template covers the wording around it.

What if the seller says no?

Once both bids are in, this is a known cost, not a guess. Decide whether you can carry it yourself. When to walk away after a home inspection walks through that call. Your contract sets the deadline and your right to cancel, so confirm both with your agent.

Does homeowners insurance cover carpenter bee damage?

Usually not. Allstate says damage from insects "is usually not covered by a standard homeowners policy." Liberty Mutual says: "Standard home insurance won't cover damages caused by insects like termites and bees." Ask the insurer quoting your policy for its answer on this house before your deadline.

Do carpenter bees come back to the same hole?

They can. The UC program says: "Carpenter bees may use old tunnels for their nests, which they occasionally enlarge." Purdue says bees that emerge in fall can create new holes or enlarge old ones. That's why the fill and the paint belong in the bid, not just the treatment.

How do I know what the rest of my report is worth?

Price every line before you write the request, so the smaller ones don't wait on the pest company or the carpenter. Foundation and structure findings on an inspection report covers the other lines in this section of the report.

If carpenter bees are one line among many, upload your inspection report to Kept and spend your remaining days on the bids that need a visit.

Sources

• University of California Statewide IPM Program, Pest Notes: Carpenter Bees
• Purdue University Extension, Carpenter Bees (E-252)
• University of Georgia CAES, Busy carpenter bees can cause damage but are more nuisance than threat
• HomeAdvisor, Cost to Replace or Repair Fascia Boards and Soffits
• Cooper Pest Solutions, How Much Does It Cost to Get Rid of Carpenter Bees?
• Allstate, Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Animal Damage?
• Liberty Mutual, What Isn't Covered by Homeowners Insurance?