CCTV Drain Surveys
A camera inside your drains: see what's wrong before anyone quotes for fixing it.
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In short: A CCTV drain survey puts a waterproof camera through your drains to record their condition: cracks, root ingress, displaced joints, collapses, sagging sections and blockages. It's used to find why a drain keeps blocking, to check drains before buying a property, and to support insurance claims or settle who is responsible. A written report with footage is available on request.
Drain problems are hidden by definition. Without a camera, anyone quoting for a repair is guessing from the surface. A survey replaces the guess with footage you can see for yourself, so you know whether you need a simple clean, a small repair or something bigger, and you can get a second opinion on the same evidence if you want one.
What a CCTV survey can find
- Cracks, fractures and holes in the pipe
- Tree roots coming through joints
- Displaced or open joints where the pipe has moved
- Sagging sections that hold water and waste
- Partial or full collapses
- Deformed pitch fibre pipes, common in homes built between the 1950s and 1970s
- Fat build-up, scale and foreign objects
- Where pipes run and connect, and where the boundary between private drains and the public sewer is
When you should get one
Buying a property. The standard homebuyer survey doesn't look inside the drains. A CCTV survey before you exchange is a small cost next to finding a collapsed drain after you move in, and any defects found can be raised with the seller. Recurring blockages. If a drain blocks again and again, something is causing it. Insurance claims. Insurers usually want evidence of the damage and its cause. Building work. Extensions near or over drains need to know where they run, and building over a public sewer needs the water company's agreement. Disputes. Footage shows where a problem is and which pipe it's in.
How a survey is carried out
The camera is pushed through the drain from a manhole, gully or rodding eye, with a lit head that records video as it goes and a counter that measures the distance. Heavy debris is jetted out first if it would hide the pipe. We watch the screen with you and explain what we're seeing, and point out exactly where along the run any defects are, so repairs can be located without guesswork.
What's in the report
On request, we provide a written report setting out the runs surveyed, the condition of each, the location and type of any defects, and our recommendations, along with the footage. It's suitable for sending to a solicitor, insurer, seller or the water company.
Questions people ask
How long does a CCTV drain survey take?
Most domestic surveys take about an hour on site. Larger properties with several runs, or drains that need cleaning first, take longer.
Do you need to dig to do a survey?
No. The camera goes in through existing access points like manholes and gullies. Where there's no access, we'll explain the options.
Can a survey tell me who's responsible for a drain?
It shows where your drain joins a neighbour's or the public sewer, which is what decides responsibility. See who pays for a blocked drain.
CCTV Drain Surveys near you
We cover 20 UK cities and Cumbria. Choose yours for local details, areas covered and a quote.