Pre-construction termite proofing treats the soil under and around a new building before the floor is laid, so termites coming up from the ground meet a continuous chemical barrier. In Karachi we lay that barrier with standard fipronil [1] at each stage of the build, foundation trenches, plinth fill and the soil under the floor, following the IS 6313 [2] specification. It is priced at PKR 18 to 35 per square foot of plinth and carries a 7-year warranty, or 10 years with the Agenda upgrade.
This is the cheapest and most complete termite protection a building will ever get. Once the floor is poured, the soil underneath can only be reached by drilling through it. This page is written for owners, builders and contractors: what goes in at each stage, how to schedule it around the build, what it costs and what the warranty covers.
Why Karachi buildings need it
Karachi's damaging termites are subterranean: Coptotermes heimi and Heterotermes indicola. They live in the soil and reach a building from below, through cracks in the floor slab, expansion joints, the gaps around pipes and conduits, and the joint where the floor meets the wall. They then travel inside walls and woodwork to door frames, kitchen cabinets, skirting and built-in wardrobes, often without any visible sign until the damage is done.
Termites do not need to see wood to find it. A floor slab that looks solid always has joints and service entries, and that is where they come through. A continuous soil barrier under the whole footprint is the only protection that covers every one of those points at once. Our guide to pre- versus post-construction treatment explains why treating later costs more and reaches less.
What goes in at each stage of construction
| Construction stage | What we treat | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Foundation trenches | Trench bottoms and sides, before masonry | Protects the foundation line from the soil around it |
| Plinth and back-fill | The fill inside the plinth, in layers as it is placed | Termites travel up through loose fill |
| Before the floor slab | The levelled soil surface under the whole floor area | Creates the continuous barrier under the slab |
| Around the building | The soil along external walls, after plastering and before paving | Closes the gap where the floor meets the outside wall |
| Service entries | Soil around pipes, conduits and drains before they are covered | The most common entry point for termites |
Each stage has to be treated when it is open. If a stage is covered before we treat it, that part of the barrier cannot be laid properly afterwards. That is why we agree the schedule with your contractor at the start, and the site supervisor calls us before each stage is closed.
The foundation and plinth stages are also the cheapest point for waterproofing at construction stage, on surfaces that cannot be reached once the building is finished. If you are booking both, we schedule them at the same stage of the build, so the soil barrier and the waterproofing go in while the foundation and slab are still open.
The chemistry
Our standard soil barrier is standard fipronil, mixed with water at the label rate. The diluted solution is applied at the volume per square metre that the IS 6313 specification sets for each stage, so the barrier is the same strength across the whole site. Owners who want the longer warranty can choose the Agenda upgrade, a fipronil termiticide that carries 10 years instead of 7; the Agenda upgrade is quoted on request.
Fipronil does not repel termites. They pass into the treated soil without detecting it and carry the active back to the colony, which is why it controls the colony rather than just blocking it. A complete pre-construction barrier, laid before anything disturbs it, gives the longest protection of any soil treatment.
How we schedule it with your contractor
- Site visit and plan. We measure the plinth area, review the drawings and agree which stages we will treat and when.
- Stage-by-stage treatment. The site supervisor calls us before each stage is covered: trenches, plinth fill, sub-floor and the external perimeter. Each visit is short and does not hold up the work.
- Records at each stage. We record the area treated, the date and the stage, so you have proof of what went in under the building.
- Certificate and warranty. When the last stage is complete, we issue a treatment certificate and the warranty: 7 years with standard fipronil, 10 years with the Agenda upgrade. Our page on fumigation certificates explains what a certificate contains.
What it costs
Pre-construction termite proofing is priced at PKR 18 to 35 per square foot of plinth area. The rate within that range depends on the size of the site, the number of stages we treat, access, and how many service entries need treatment. Larger plinths sit at the lower end per square foot. We confirm the price after the site visit. For our other termite prices, see the termite treatment cost guide.
Related work we cover in Karachi:
Compared with the cost of replacing door frames, kitchen cabinets and wardrobes later, pre-construction proofing is a small share of the building budget, and it is done once.
Warranty
Pre-construction termite proofing carries a 7-year warranty with standard fipronil, or a 10-year warranty with the Agenda upgrade. If termites appear in a treated building within that period, we inspect and re-treat the affected area. The warranty depends on the barrier staying intact, so tell us before major works that dig through treated soil, such as new drainage, an extension or relaying the floor.
Already built? What to do instead
If the floor is already poured, the building needs a drill-and-inject barrier instead: drilling along the inside of the walls and the floor joints to inject the barrier into the soil underneath. A full drill-and-inject barrier is still termite proofing, with the same 7-year warranty (10 years with Agenda). It works, but it reaches less of the soil than a barrier laid during construction. Most older Karachi houses are in this position: our page on termite treatment in Nazimabad and North Nazimabad shows what that looks like on 1950s-70s KDA-scheme homes built before soil proofing was standard. See our termite control page for post-construction treatment, and our guide to termite signs in Karachi homes if you are not sure whether you already have termites.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pre-construction termite proofing?+
Pre-construction termite proofing is a chemical barrier laid in the soil while a building is being built: in the foundation trenches, the plinth fill, under the floor slab and along the outside walls. It stops subterranean termites reaching the building from the ground and is the most complete termite protection a building can get.
How much does pre-construction termite proofing cost in Karachi?+
Pre-construction termite proofing in Karachi costs PKR 18 to 35 per square foot of plinth area. The rate depends on the size of the site, the number of construction stages treated, access and service entries. We confirm the exact price after a site visit.
When should termite proofing be done during construction?+
It is done in stages as the building goes up: the foundation trenches before masonry, the plinth fill as it is placed, the soil under the floor before the slab is poured, and the external perimeter before paving. Each stage must be treated before it is covered, so we agree the schedule with your contractor at the start.
Which chemical is used for termite proofing?+
We use standard fipronil, applied at the label rate and at the volumes the IS 6313 specification sets for each stage, or Agenda, a fipronil termiticide, on the 10-year upgrade. Fipronil does not repel termites, so they carry it back to the colony, which controls the colony rather than only blocking it.
How long does pre-construction termite proofing last?+
The treatment carries a 7-year warranty with standard fipronil, or 10 years with the Agenda upgrade. If termites appear in the treated building within that period, we inspect and re-treat the affected area. Major works that dig through the treated soil can break the barrier, so tell us before them.
Can termite proofing be done after the house is built?+
Yes, through a drill-and-inject barrier, which drills through the floor along the walls and joints to inject the barrier into the soil below. A full barrier on a finished building carries the same 7-year warranty (10 years with Agenda). It is effective but reaches less soil than a barrier laid during construction, so pre-construction proofing is always the better option for a new build.
Book a site visit
Call or WhatsApp +92-311-1101810, or book a site visit. We are open Monday to Saturday, 9:30 AM to 8:00 PM. Tell us the stage your construction has reached, so we can plan which stages are still open for treatment.