Drain survey guides

• What does a CCTV drain survey cost?

  Compare published contractor prices, report options and extra charges.

• Do I need a drain survey when buying a house?

  Check what your house survey already covers and who needs the report.

• What should the report include?

  Know what to ask for, including any limits to the inspection.

• Print a booking checklist

  Keep the questions to hand when comparing quotes.

• Compare quotes you have received

  Check VAT, the report and extras, then copy questions for anything missing.

• Drain mapping: what to ask for before you book

  A drain mapping survey records where the drains run. A CCTV survey checks what the camera can see inside them. You may need both, but ask for each explicitly: a camera inspection does not automatically include a measured plan.

• Drain surveys for rats: what to ask for

  If a pest controller suspects a drainage entry route, ask for a rat-entry investigation rather than just a blockage check. Agree which pipes will be examined, what evidence you will receive and how the findings will be shared with the pest controller.

• Tree roots in drains: what to check before paying for repairs

  A nearby tree is not proof that roots are causing a drainage problem. Ask for evidence showing whether roots are inside the pipe, where they enter and what condition the pipe is in before agreeing to treatment or repair.

• Build-over drain surveys: check the requirements first

  Before booking a drain survey for an extension or other building work, ask the relevant sewerage company and your designer exactly what evidence is needed. A standard homebuyer report is not automatically suitable for a build-over application.

• Drain relining or replacement: what to ask before choosing

  Ask the contractor to show the defect, locate it and explain why the proposed repair suits that pipe. A lining quote and an excavation quote are only comparable when you know what each will fix.

• Shared drain blocked: who should you contact first?

  If a drain serves more than one property, check responsibility with your sewerage company before commissioning private work. A pipe running under your garden is not automatically yours to repair.

• How long does a drain survey take?

  Allow for two separate timings: the inspection at the property and delivery of the written report. DASA gives around one to two hours for many domestic visits, but that is a provider’s guide, not a guaranteed slot for every property.

• Drain keeps blocking? What to ask before another clearance

  If the same drain keeps blocking after clearance, ask what is causing the repeat problem. Restoring flow deals with the immediate blockage; it does not by itself establish that the pipe is sound.

• Drain camera hire or a professional survey?

  Hiring a drain camera gives you equipment; it does not automatically give you a diagnosis or a survey report. Start with the question you need answered, then check whether hiring equipment or booking a contractor will answer it.

• Drain inspection chambers: access before a survey

  A drain inspection chamber is an access point for examining and maintaining underground pipework. For a homeowner booking a survey, the useful question is whether the contractor can safely reach the drain you need inspected.

• Pitch fibre drains: what your survey needs to establish

  Being told you have pitch fibre drains is a reason to ask for a clear condition report, not a diagnosis that every pipe needs replacing. Establish which sections are affected, what the inspection actually shows and what remains unexamined before deciding on work.

• Drain damage insurance: prepare the evidence before repairs

  Buildings insurance may cover damage to outside drains, but the pipe, cause, responsibility and policy wording all matter. Before paying for non-urgent investigation or repair, ask your insurer what it needs and keep the survey evidence separate from the repair quotation.

• Buying a house with a septic tank: scope the survey properly

  A camera survey of the drains is not a complete assessment of a property's private sewage system. Before buying a house with a septic tank or treatment plant, agree which parts will be inspected and who will check the discharge arrangements and records. The rules discussed here apply to England.

• Drain misconnections: ask where each appliance discharges

  A drain can carry water away without taking it to the right destination. A misconnection investigation asks which outlet each appliance uses, not simply whether the pipe is blocked. Explain that question before booking a general CCTV survey.

• Drain air tests, water tests and CCTV: which evidence is needed?

  A CCTV survey records what can be seen inside accessible pipework. An air or water test assesses water tightness under specified conditions. Before booking, ask the person requesting evidence which question needs answering. The building guidance discussed here applies to England.

• Drainage search or CCTV survey: what is the difference?

  A drainage and water search provides information for conveyancing. A CCTV survey examines the inside of accessible drains. One does not replace the other: ask whether your unanswered question concerns records, ownership, location or the physical condition of a particular pipe.

• Soakaway surveys: what a camera can and cannot tell you

  A CCTV survey may help inspect the accessible pipe leading to a rainwater soakaway, but camera footage alone does not establish how well the surrounding ground absorbs water. Ask for an investigation that separates the connecting pipe, the soakaway and the ground conditions.

• New-build drain surveys: check the handover evidence first

  Do not assume a new-build handover includes an internal camera survey, or that every new home needs another one. Ask what drainage evidence already exists, whether it covers your plot and what remains unanswered before commissioning a separate inspection.

• After a drain repair: what completion evidence should you keep?

  Agree completion evidence before a drain repair starts. Where a post-repair CCTV survey is included, it should be possible to match the inspected section to the original defect and the work agreed. Keep footage, test results, invoices and guarantee terms as separate records.

• Drain surveys in rented homes: reporting and booking in England

  If you rent privately in England, report a drainage problem to your landlord or managing agent before commissioning non-urgent work yourself. Agree who is arranging the investigation, who will pay and how access will work. A camera report should record findings, not be treated as an automatic ruling on blame.

The free checklist asks about your reason for the survey, access and who needs to use the findings. It does not diagnose a pipe or ask you to leave contact details.