Termite Barriers & Baiting
Termidor soil barriers and Sentricon Always Active baiting — how each works, and which your home needs
About this service
Termite protection on a Newcastle home usually comes down to two products: Termidor, a non-repellent chemical soil barrier, and Sentricon Always Active, a baiting system that eliminates the colony. They are not competing versions of the same thing — one builds a protected zone around the building, the other removes the termites and keeps watch. This brochure explains how each works, what the research behind them shows, and how we choose between them (or combine them) after an AS 3660.2 inspection. Barrier installation is from $2,750; baiting programs are quoted by station count.
The products we use — and how they differ
Two products do most of the protective work on homes in this region, and they work in completely different ways. Termidor is a non-repellent chemical soil barrier. Sentricon Always Active is a colony-elimination baiting system. We install both strictly to their Australian labels, and combine them where termite pressure is high.
Termidor
Non-repellent soil barrier · fipronil
- What it is
- A liquid termiticide applied below ground to form a continuous treated zone through the soil around and under the building.
- How it works
- Fipronil is non-repellent — termites cannot detect it, so they tunnel straight in, pick up a lethal dose and transfer it to nestmates as they groom and feed each other.
- Installed by
- Trenching the perimeter, rodding under paths and driveways, and drilling and injecting through concrete slabs and paths, then sealing every hole.
- Best for
- Perimeter protection of an existing home, protection before landscaping goes in, and properties where a continuous zone can be formed around the whole structure.
- Limits
- Trenching and drilling cause some disruption, the treated soil must stay undisturbed, and it does not rapidly eliminate an already established colony on its own.
Sentricon Always Active
Colony elimination baiting · noviflumuron
- What it is
- Locked in-ground bait stations installed around the building and pre-loaded with Recruit HD bait, so the system is working from the day it goes in.
- How it works
- Noviflumuron is an insect growth regulator — foragers carry the bait back to the nest, where termites fail to moult and the colony dies out. Because it acts slowly, feeding and sharing continue until the colony is gone.
- Installed by
- Small stations set into soil or garden beds at regular intervals around the structure, plus above-ground stations directly over active workings indoors when activity is found.
- Best for
- Active colonies, concrete-heavy or tight-access sites where soil can't be trenched, high-moisture ground, and owners who prefer no liquid termiticide.
- Limits
- Colony elimination takes weeks to months rather than days, and protection depends on the scheduled station checks continuing.
The point of difference, at a glance
- Speed — a Termidor barrier is protecting the structure from the day it is installed, while Sentricon eliminates the colony over weeks to months. Where termites are already active we generally do both.
- Protection style — a barrier is a continuous chemical zone the building sits inside. Baiting intercepts foragers and removes the colony, with monitoring that shows where activity is.
- Disruption — a barrier means trenches, rods and drilled holes. Baiting means small station holes and nothing dug up.
- Ongoing requirement — a barrier needs an annual inspection to verify the zone is intact. Stations need scheduled checks and re-baiting.
- Site limits — where soil is inaccessible, waterlogged or heavily paved, baiting covers what a barrier can't reach; a barrier covers what stations can't.
Both products are registered by the Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority (APVMA) and we use them strictly to their Australian labels. The technical claims above come from the manufacturers' technical manuals and independent Australian field work — fipronil soil barriers have been assessed in CSIRO-published efficacy trials for Australian conditions, and Sentricon's colony-elimination performance is supported by published field trials and more than two decades of use internationally. We'll send you the label, Safety Data Sheet and technical literature for either product on request, and your written proposal records exactly which product and rate applies to your property.
Pricing
Termite Barrier Installation is from $2,750, confirmed in your free written quote.
| Service | Unit / Townhouse | Single Storey | Double Storey | Split Level | Large / Rural |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Termite Barrier Installation | $2750 | $2750 | $2750 | $2750 | $2750 |
Depending on your location, a travel surcharge may apply, and depending on the extent of the infestation, an infestation surcharge may apply. Any applicable surcharge is always confirmed in your written quote before work proceeds. Full conditions are on our pricing and warranty page.
Warranty position: Barrier and baiting warranties are set out in your written proposal and stay valid only while the treated zone is left undisturbed and the annual inspection or scheduled station monitoring continues. Damage caused by later earthworks, paving, landscaping, drainage changes or building works inside the treated zone is outside the warranty. Full conditions.
Sentricon Always Active baiting programs are quoted by station count and service frequency after inspection, and include installation, baits and scheduled monitoring.
Before your treatment
Follow these preparation steps so the treatment works as designed.
- Do not disturb termite activity, mud leads or damaged timber before we arrive — it makes the colony harder to find and treat
- Clear access to the subfloor, roof void, external walls, and any paths or driveways that may need drilling
- Move pot plants, firewood and stored materials away from external walls
- Tell us about irrigation, reticulation, bore water, drainage problems or recent earthworks near the slab
- Mention any renovations, extensions or concreting since the last inspection — they change how a barrier can be installed
- Keep children and pets away from the work area on the day — open trenches and drill holes are a trip hazard until sealed
Our treatment process
Inspect & scope
An AS 3660.2 inspection confirms where activity is and what construction type you have, so the right system is specified rather than guessed.
Install
Either a Termidor barrier trenched, rodded and injected at label rates, or Sentricon stations set around the perimeter and over any active workings.
Document
An as-built diagram shows the treated zone or every station, with products, rates and dates recorded for future inspections and any warranty claim.
Monitor
Annual barrier inspections or scheduled station checks keep the system verified — and your written warranty depends on them.
What's included
- AS 3660.2 inspection before any barrier or baiting system is specified
- Termidor non-repellent soil barrier installed at label rates, OR a Sentricon Always Active baiting program
- All drill holes sealed, the site left clean, and paths and gardens reinstated
- As-built diagram of the treated zone or station layout, plus the products and rates used
- Written warranty terms and the inspection or monitoring schedule
Not included (quoted separately)
- Repair of termite damage to timbers, plaster or structure
- Replacement of landscaping, pavers, concrete or irrigation disturbed by trenching (agreed before work)
- Reticulation refill systems and physical barrier products for new construction
- Sentricon station monitoring outside the included program period (maintenance plans quoted)
- Treating termites on adjoining properties, which can only be done with the neighbour's consent
After your treatment
What to do, and what to expect, once we've finished.
- Don't dig, plant, remove soil or lay new paving inside the treated zone — it breaks the barrier and can void your warranty
- Keep at least 75mm of clear slab edge above garden beds and mulch so inspections stay possible
- Never open, move or mow over bait stations — call us if one is knocked over or filled with soil
- Fix leaks, blocked drainage and broken downpipes promptly — moisture is what brings termites back
- Keep the annual inspection or scheduled station check booked; your warranty is conditional on it
- Report new mud leads, swarmers or damaged timber straight away — and don't spray it
Children, pets & safety
Barrier products are injected below ground at controlled label rates and bait is locked inside tamper-resistant stations, so children and pets are not exposed to treated material. The main risk on the day is a physical one: open trenches and drill holes.
- Keep children and pets away from trenches, drill holes and the work area until the site is sealed and cleaned
- Stay off treated soil and reinstated paths until they're dry — usually a few hours
- Bait stations are locked; never open them, and stop dogs digging or chewing at them — call us if a station is damaged
- Wash hands after gardening in a treated bed, and don't plant edible crops directly over the treated zone
- Safety Data Sheets for Termidor and Sentricon bait are available on request at any time
- If a child or pet contacts wet treated soil, wash with soap and water and call us — or the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26
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