Termite Question?

Question

I found some termite droppings in the subfloor when I pulled up a tile floor in an upstairs bathroom. I then cut a 2.5'x3' hole in the subfloor to examine the joists. I hammered a screwdriver into the joists, and they were solid, with no visible or internal damage noted. I also did more spot checks throughout the entire subfloor with the hammer/screwdriver method, and notices no other soft spots or termite tunnels. I had two termite inspectors come out. One guy, who worked for a large termite company, said that it was probably ok and that I didn't need to do anything. The second guy, a lone ranger, told me basically that my house would fall down if it went untreated. He started his pricing at $1,200, but quickly got down to $500 when I would sign on right away.

Question...which guy is right? (Probably can't answer that, I'm sure). And 2, are there any good DIY treatments you would recommend.

Thanks for your input!

BTW - I live in southern CA in a condo complex w/ 2 common walls on either side.

Answer 1

#1 was right, [one that worked for a co,]
#2 is a rip off artiest.
termites don't leave droppings. mice do, if you didn't,t find any soft wood then there's no termites,

Answer 2

home depot has a powder that you cam squirt into the spots that you've dug into. then don't worry. i would take the large company's advice and not sign anything from the little guy.
home depot also has do it your self spikes for that problem that would be way way way less than the 500$ quote.
termites have wings and are larger than ants and also move through mud tunnels from the ground to the walls of the home.
go into the crawl space and look for mud tunnels going up the foundation to the food source.
good luck.

Answer 3

The second guy was just after your money!