A pre-purchase drain survey checks the drains before you buy. A homebuyer's report may not look inside the pipes, so ask your surveyor what it covers. Drain faults can be costly, yet they are hard to see from above. A camera gives you a look inside.
A camera runs through the drains that the engineer can reach. It can show cracks, roots, broken joints and blockages. Older homes with clay or iron pipes may need extra care, since those materials age. However, newer pipes can fail too, for example at a poor joint.
Ask what the report will include before you book. Useful reports show the pipe route, the faults found and how serious each one looks. You can pass the report to your solicitor. It also gives you facts to talk about price, because it shows the faults.
Price depends on the size of the property and how many drain runs it has. Outbuildings and long runs add time. Since quotes differ, ask what yours covers. Ask too whether the report comes with footage.
Not always. Ask your surveyor whether drains are included. If they are not, a separate CCTV survey can fill the gap. Do this before you exchange contracts, because after that you may have little room to negotiate.
You can ask for a repair quote, ask the seller to lower the price, or walk away. Your solicitor can advise on the options. The report gives you facts to work with. However, minor faults may not matter much, so ask the engineer to rank them.
It covers the drains the camera can reach from access points such as manholes. Some runs may be blocked or hard to reach. Ask the engineer to say what they could and could not check. This matters because unchecked runs may hide faults.
This page sits under cctv drain surveys, which covers the wider picture. For local details, see the pages for cctv drain surveys in Kingsbridge and cctv drain surveys in Liskeard, since each town has its own page. You can also read Why Home Buyers Should Consider a CCTV Drain Survey for a wider guide.