Basic inspection versus full written report
| Deliverable | Basic inspection | Documented package, if quoted |
|---|---|---|
| Verbal explanation | Confirm whether this is the only output before booking. | May be provided alongside the documents. |
| Retained footage | Do not assume it is included. | Request the file format and delivery method. |
| Written observations | May be absent or limited. | Ask how inspected and inaccessible areas will be identified. |
| Still images | Do not assume. | Request images tied to the written observations. |
| Drainage layout or mapping | Confirm separately whether it is included. | Include only where the written scope promises it. |
| Suitable for a third party | Confirm with that recipient first. | Still confirm the recipient’s exact requirements. |
The price evidence supports treating these scopes separately. Aspect, for example, displayed distinct prices for an inspection and for mapping/homebuyer work when reviewed. See the current provider page (opens in a new tab) and our dated cost guide.
Possible report deliverables to discuss
Select only what supports the stated purpose and confirm it in the contractor’s quotation. This list is not a claim about mandatory report contents.
- Instruction and purpose: why the survey was requested and who is expected to use it.
- Scope: the accessible chambers, routes and property boundaries the contractor was asked to inspect.
- Method: the inspection method used and any preparation or clearance undertaken.
- Coverage record: what was inspected, what was not and why access or visibility was limited.
- Evidence: retained footage and still images that can be matched to the written observations.
- Observations: plain descriptions, locations where possible and a distinction between what was seen and what is inferred.
- Layout information: only if mapping was within scope, with the method and accuracy limitations stated.
- Summary and next steps: questions that need specialist follow-up, without overstating certainty beyond the inspected areas.
Questions about inspection limits
Ask the contractor how the proposed report will record any chamber, route or view they say was inaccessible, obscured or outside scope. Confirm that observations apply only to the areas actually inspected; this site cannot infer anything about hidden or uninspected drainage.
If a blockage prevents the planned inspection, agree who can authorise clearance work and its price. Do not let an open-ended repair decision replace the original written survey scope.
Match the report to its recipient
Ask the intended recipient what they need before booking. A homebuyer may want a durable visual record; a solicitor or surveyor may be following up a particular concern; an insurer, lender or water company may have its own evidence requirements. This site cannot certify that a generic report will satisfy them.
The distinction also matters alongside a general building survey. The RICS Level 2 scope (opens in a new tab)describes accessible drainage inspection within that product; it does not turn the main home survey into a specialist internal CCTV survey.
Questions to ask before instruction
- Can you show a redacted example of the report format?
- Will I receive the original footage and stills?
- How will each observation be tied to a location or drain run?
- What access and run-length assumptions are included?
- What happens if the drains are blocked or inaccessible?
- Is drainage mapping included, and how is it produced?
- What is the total cost including VAT and likely extras?
- What relevant training, insurance and experience will the attending contractor have for this scope?
Sources
We link to the underlying source so you can check the wording, scope and current position yourself. Access dates record our review, not a promise that a third-party page has not changed since.
- CCTV drain surveys (opens in a new tab)Aspect · Provider price page · Greater London and South East England provider coverage · reviewed 30 August 2026
- Home Survey Level 2: scope of inspection (opens in a new tab)Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors · Professional guidance · UK · reviewed 29 August 2026
- House surveys in the UK: costs, types and benefits (opens in a new tab)Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors · Professional guidance · UK · reviewed 29 August 2026