What the price is based on
- How much pipework there is: a mid-terrace flat is a short run, a detached house with outbuildings is not.
- Access to chambers: covers that are sealed, buried or under a structure add time.
- Whether the run needs cleaning first: a camera cannot see through standing silt.
- The report level: a simple footage and summary differs from a full coded condition report.
- Turnaround: a report needed inside a purchase deadline is prioritised.
We own our own equipment
Cameras, jetting units and the reporting software are ours, not hired in for the day. That keeps the cost down and it means we can go back and look again if a solicitor or a lender asks a question about the footage.
What a proper report includes
- Video footage of the whole surveyed run, supplied to you.
- The location and depth of each defect found.
- Plain language explanation of what each defect means in practice.
- Which defects need work now and which can be monitored.
- Costed repair options rather than a vague recommendation.
Cheap surveys that cost money later
A survey that produces a few photographs and no locations is close to useless in a negotiation or an insurance claim. If a report cannot tell you where a defect is and how deep, nobody can price a repair from it, and you will end up paying for a second survey.
Buying a house?
If a homebuyer report has flagged drainage, the survey is being read by a solicitor and possibly a lender, so it needs to stand up to that. Pre-purchase work is written accordingly and turned around quickly, because missives rarely wait.
Questions we get asked
How long does a survey take?
A typical domestic survey takes one to two hours on site. Larger or commercial sites take longer, and cleaning the run first adds time.
Do I get the footage?
Yes. You receive the footage along with the written report, and it is yours to pass to a solicitor, insurer or another contractor.
Does the drain need cleaning before the survey?
If the run is holding silt or standing water the camera cannot see the pipe wall, so a jet clean is done first where it is needed.
Can the survey be used in a purchase negotiation?
That is one of the most common reasons for having one. Defect locations, depths and costed repairs give a solicitor something concrete to work with.