CCTV drain survey
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What is a CCTV drain survey?
A CCTV drain survey puts a small camera inside your drain pipes. The engineer records what the camera sees, such as cracks, roots or blockages. You can use the footage when you buy a home, plan a repair or make an insurance claim. Ask what the report will include before you book, because reports vary.
A survey also gives you a record of the pipe. You can compare it with a later survey to see if a defect is getting worse. Written evidence helps with a property purchase or an insurance claim, because it gives others something to check. Insurers and solicitors decide for themselves what evidence they accept.
When do you need a CCTV survey?
- Buying a property. A survey can show problems that a normal home survey cannot see. Think about one for an older home, or one with big trees nearby.
- Recurring blockages. If the same drain keeps blocking, a defect may be catching debris. A camera can show what and where.
- Build-over agreements. If you plan to build over or near a public sewer, you usually need permission from the water company. A survey can show the pipe condition, but ask the water company what it needs.
- Insurance claims. Footage and a written report can support a claim for drain damage. Check with your insurer first, because each one sets its own rules.
- Pre-reline assessment. Before a relining job, a survey shows the pipe condition. The relining contractor can then plan the work.
What's in the report?
Reports vary from one engineer to the next, so ask what you will get. A written report gives you something to share with a solicitor, an insurer or a contractor. A verbal account is harder to check. For a recurring blockage, a report can also show whether the cause is a structural fault.
Ask how the engineer will send the report and footage. Some send a PDF and a video file. You can keep the original footage as a record while you share the PDF.
- Footage of the pipe run
- Photo stills of each defect, with a reference number
- A grade for each defect
- A plan showing where each defect sits
- A plain-English summary of the findings
- The engineer's contact details for follow-up questions
Understanding drain condition grades
Many UK survey reports follow the WRc Manual of Sewer Condition Classification. It grades each pipe run from 1 to 5, where 1 is excellent condition and 5 is the most severe damage. The grade helps you decide how urgent a repair is.
Reports also grade service problems, such as a partial blockage, on a separate scale. A pipe can be sound yet still need clearing. Ask the engineer to explain each grade in plain words, because grades alone do not say what to do.