Pre-construction anti-termite treatment for new buildings

What is pre-construction termite treatment?

It is a treatment of the soil under and around a new building, applied in stages during construction, to create a treated zone between subterranean termite colonies and the structure. Because the soil is exposed, the treatment can be applied evenly before the floor and backfill cover it.

It is different from post-construction treatment, where the soil can only be reached by drilling through finished floors.

When to call us: construction stages

• After excavation, before foundation trenches are filled.
• Before backfilling against foundation and plinth walls.
• At plinth level, after levelling and compaction and before the soling and floor are laid.
• Along the outer perimeter of the walls after backfilling.
• Before wooden door frames are fixed, if timber treatment is required.

Call us when the drawings are ready, so the stages can be agreed with your contractor in advance.

Why it matters

Most termite problems in Peshawar homes start from untreated soil under the floor. Treating the soil before construction closes those routes at a fraction of the cost and disruption of treating a finished, furnished house.

Site assessment

1. Review drawings

   Foundation layout, plinth area, plumbing and drainage routes, and the construction schedule.

2. Site visit

   Soil type, moisture, nearby trees and old stumps, and any existing termite activity nearby.

3. Stage plan

   We agree the visit at each stage with the contractor and note where water lines and drains will run.

4. Written quotation

   Area to be treated, product, method and number of visits.

Treatment method

• Foundation trenches: bottom and sides of trenches treated before filling.
• Plinth area: the levelled soil inside the plinth treated before soling and flooring.
• Backfill and perimeter: soil against the walls and along the outer perimeter treated after backfilling.
• Service entries: extra attention around pipe and conduit entries.
• Optional: a porous pipe (reticulation) system can be laid at plinth stage so the soil can be re-treated later without drilling.

Application rates and concentrations follow the termiticide label and the soil and construction conditions. They are recorded for each stage in your treatment record.

Good construction practice against termites

• Remove tree roots, stumps, wood offcuts and shuttering timber from the site before the floor is laid.
• Keep treated soil undisturbed. If the contractor digs again or adds fresh soil, the area must be re-treated.
• Provide good drainage away from the walls and avoid long-term dampness at plinth level.
• Keep finished ground level and flower beds below the damp-proof course.

Safety precautions

• Treated soil should be covered (for example by the floor or a polythene sheet) as soon as practical, and protected from rain wash.
• Workers and children are kept away from the treated area until the product has been absorbed.
• Products are chosen for the target pest and the place being treated, and must be registered or otherwise legally authorised in Pakistan for that use.
• Every application follows the manufacturer's label: dose, method, site and precautions.
• Our team wears protective equipment suited to the product and the task.
• Food, drinking water, utensils, toys, animal feed and aquariums are removed or covered before treatment.
• Children, pets and other occupants follow the precautions we give for that specific treatment.
• Re-entry time depends on the product, formulation, ventilation and surface. We tell you on the day, rather than using one fixed time for every job.
• You receive written post-treatment instructions.

Standards we work to: the WHO guidance on pesticide use for vector and public health pest control, the FAO/WHO International Code of Conduct on Pesticide Management, the WHO hazard classification of pesticides, and Integrated Pest Management (IPM) principles, together with Pakistan’s pesticide law. See the standards we follow →