A Comprehensive Guide to CCTV Drain Surveys

Your drains are an unseen but constantly used part of your home or workplace, and it’s easy to forget just how important they are, but without digging up your pipes, how do you know whether there’s trouble brewing down there?

A CCTV drain survey is the best way to get a complete overview of the health of your drainage system, and could potentially save you a lot of money in the long run. In this comprehensive guide, we’re going to look at what a CCTV drain inspection is, why you need one, why they’re important when buying, leasing or building a property, what’s involved in a drain camera inspection, how much they cost, and whether you can do one yourself.

What is a CCTV drain survey?

Because you can’t exactly just peer down your drains and see what’s going on, we have to find another way to inspect them. This is where Closed-Circuit Television, or CCTV, drain survey cameras come in.

We feed these tiny waterproof cameras with long wires or adjustable rods down into the drains so we can see any issues before they develop. This way, we can spot potential blockages, any signs of cracking, or emerging risks such as root ingress and have them addressed before they become costly.

Why are CCTV surveys needed?

A drain survey allows our specialists to identify and flag any issues like blockages, damage to the pipes, loose joints, and root ingress that can all become very costly and potentially cause hygiene issues if not addressed early on.

Not only are CCTV drain surveys recommended as part of regular preventative maintenance, but they’re particularly useful when it comes to certain milestones such as buying, leasing, or building a property, which we’ll touch on next.

Drainage CCTV When Buying a Property

Property is a big investment, so wouldn’t you want to know that every inch of it is in top condition before you commit your hard-earned cash? Even below ground level.

A CCTV drain survey can give you a complete review of the condition of the drains and highlight any existing or potential issues. These might be so severe you decide it’s no longer worth it, or they could be easy fixes, or they may even give you grounds to negotiate the asking price based on the cost of the repairs.

CCTV Drain Inspection Before Leasing a Property

Ordering a CCTV drain survey before renting a property benefits both landlords and tenants. Disputes between the two over damages and repairs are unfortunately common, but official records like a drainage survey can help.

The survey acts as a record of the exact condition of the drains at the time of leasing. For tenants, this indicates any potential issues that they might run into during the course of the lease and can help inform their decisions. Tenants could reference the survey in asking the landlord to address any issues before a lease is signed.

For landlords, the survey serves as a reference point, so if any drainage issues develop during the course of the new tenancy, you can prove that the drains were in good condition previously, and determine whether they were caused by the new tenants or by any ongoing faults.

CCTV Drain Surveys for Building a Property

This is where a drain inspection isn’t your choice, it’s a legal requirement. If you’re building or extending property on or near existing pipework, the local water authority will likely insist on a CCTV drain survey both before and after any work is done.

This is so that the water authority can be sure that your construction project hasn’t damaged public infrastructure.

The Process of a CCTV Drain Survey

A CCTV drain inspection involves feeding a waterproof CCTV camera down a drain and making acute observations along the way. At the end of the inspection, you’ll be issued with a detailed report on the condition of your drains as well as a recording of the inspection so that you can see any highlighted issues firsthand.

Your report will also offer remedial suggestions for any faults or problems that are found during the inspection.

CCTV Drain Survey Cost

So, how much will your CCTV drain survey cost? Well, that largely depends on the scale of your property and the extent of the survey that you need.

The average cost in the UK for a full CCTV drain survey with a report is in the region of £300, our surveys start from just £190 + VAT. Contact our friendly team today to get started.

Can I do my own CCTV drain survey?

While technically yes, you could purchase or borrow your own CCTV equipment and look inside your drains, without years of drainage expertise, how would you know what to look for? The signs of faults can be very subtle, and it takes a trained eye to spot and identify them.

Additionally, you wouldn’t be able to produce the official report that serves as proof that the inspection took place. In some cases, such as during construction, these reports are legally mandated, and a DIY drain survey won’t be sufficient.

You’re much better off contacting the experts and getting your CCTV drain survey performed properly.

Who better to conduct your CCTV drain survey than our team of expert drain care specialists? At Cotswold Drainage, we have more than a quarter of a century of experience in drainage inspection, maintenance and repairs.

To get your free, no-obligation quote just get in touch with our friendly team today.