When you buy a house, you check the roof, windows and wiring. The pipes under the ground are easy to forget, because nobody can see them. A CCTV drain survey can show what is inside them.
What is a CCTV drain survey?
A CCTV drain survey sends a small waterproof camera along a pipe. The camera records the pipe's condition while it moves along. An engineer can then spot blockages, cracks and other damage without digging.
Why drains are easy to miss
Drains run underground, so they are hard to judge by eye. A visual survey can only report what the surveyor can see, because most of a drain stays out of sight. Ask your solicitor or surveyor whether your report says anything about drains, and what it could not check.
Faults a survey can find
Tree roots
Roots can enter pipe joints and cracks in search of moisture. In time they can block a pipe or damage it. Trees close to the house raise the chance, since their roots have less distance to travel.
Cracked or collapsed pipes
Pipes made of clay or pitch fibre can crack as they age. A survey can show a crack, a break or a full collapse. A collapsed section, however, usually needs digging to repair.
Displaced joints
Ground movement, traffic and poor fitting can pull joints apart. Waste can then leak into the soil around the pipe. As a result, the damage can spread over time.
Wrong connections
Sometimes a pipe joins the wrong system. For example, a surface water pipe may join a foul sewer, or the reverse. A survey can spot this before you commit, since it may need to be put right.
Fat and debris
Heavy build-up inside a pipe is a warning sign, although the pipe may be sound. It may mean the drain needs cleaning before you move in.
What a survey and a repair can cost
UK cost guides give a rough idea, but they are not quotes. For a home drain survey, less.co.uk gives £100 to £300, and Book A Builder gives the same range. For a pre-purchase survey, less.co.uk gives £150 to £350, while MyJobQuote gives £250 to £350 for the inspection and report only.
Repairs vary far more. Fantastic Services says a blockage that needs digging starts at around £600, and Book A Builder gives £1,000 to £5,000 or more for excavation and replacement. For lining a full drain run, less.co.uk gives £1,500 to £4,000. The engineer's written quote is what counts, because every drain is different.
Using the results
If a survey finds faults, you have several options. Which one suits you depends on the fault, since repairs vary widely:
- Ask for a lower price to cover the repair
- Ask the seller to repair the fault before completion
- Walk away if the problem is too severe
- Go ahead and budget for the repair
Your solicitor can advise on how to raise the findings with the seller. A clear report and footage make that conversation easier, because both sides can see the same evidence.
What to ask before you book
Ask what the survey covers and which pipes the camera will reach. Ask whether you keep the footage, because you may need to share it. Ask whether you also receive a written report. Ask for a written quote before work starts, and ask what the report will say about any repair.
This site passes survey requests on to a drainage engineer. You can request a pre-purchase drain survey for a home in Dundee or the towns around it. Since the engineer runs a separate business, the engineer sets the price and arrival time.
If a survey shows damage, the drain repairs page explains the usual options, including pipe relining and drain excavation. A survey is still only the first step. To start, read about CCTV drain surveys or request a quote online.
Each town also has a page for camera surveys. Buyers can start with CCTV drain surveys in Dundee or CCTV drain surveys in Broughty Ferry. Further afield, there are pages for drain surveys in Perth and drain surveys in Monifieth.
