Woodworm and longhorn beetle

Small round holes in a beam or piece of furniture, piles of fine wood dust beneath them: that points to woodworm — or, with larger oval holes in structural timber, to the longhorn beetle. The good news: holes alone say nothing about today. That is why every serious approach starts with an inspection that establishes whether the infestation is active, how far it reaches and whether the structure's load-bearing capacity is at stake.

Expect € 200 to € 750 for inspection and treatment combined, depending on the surface area and the location: a single piece of furniture sits at the bottom of the range, a complete attic floor or roof structure at the top. If the infestation is not active, you will be told so — treating for the sake of treating is bad practice, and an honest inspection report prevents needless costs.

Especially when buying or selling an older home that inspection is worth gold: the report makes the difference between 'old traces, nothing to worry about' and a hidden cost in the roof structure. With an active infestation, do not wait too long — larvae gnaw on invisibly for years before the damage shows.