What actually happens during the visit
The engineer starts by locating the inspection chambers and any rodding points around the property. Covers are lifted, the flow is checked and the direction of each run is noted. A waterproof camera on a push rod or crawler is then fed into the pipe, recording as it travels so the footage can be reviewed later.
Each length of pipe is inspected from one access point to the next. The operator watches for cracks, displaced joints, root intrusion, standing water where the pipe has settled and any build-up of fat or scale. Distances along the pipe are recorded so a defect can be found again from the surface.
Things that make a survey quicker
- Clear, known chamber positions with covers that are not buried under paving or soil.
- A drain that is flowing freely, so the camera has a clean view without jetting first.
- A short, simple system, such as a single run from the house to the boundary.
- Someone at home who can confirm where toilets, sinks and gullies connect.
- A clear reason for the survey, so the engineer can focus on the section that matters.
Things that make it take longer
Blocked or heavily fouled pipes need clearing before any camera can see the pipe wall. Where that happens, we jet the line first and then survey it, because footage of a pipe full of standing waste tells you very little.
Larger or older properties can have several branches, shared runs and chambers that have been covered over during garden or driveway work. Tracing and exposing those points adds time, as does a survey that has to cover a commercial site with multiple connections.
When you get the results
You will usually get a verbal summary on the day, so you are not left guessing about anything serious. The written report, with stills, footage and a plain explanation of each observation, follows after the visit. Our guide to what a CCTV drain survey report contains explains how to read it.
If the survey finds a defect, the report is what any repair quote should be based on. It shows where the problem is, how far along the pipe it sits and which repair method suits it, whether that is a patch liner, a longer liner or an excavated section.
How to prepare for the visit
- Move cars, bins and planters that sit over chambers or on the driveway.
- Tell us about any recent blockages, smells or damp patches, and where you noticed them.
- If you are buying, check with the seller or agent that access has been agreed.
- Avoid running baths or washing machines during the inspection if we ask you to.
Is it worth the time?
A survey replaces guesswork with footage. Instead of digging to find a fault, or repeatedly clearing the same blockage, you see exactly what is wrong and where. That makes it useful before buying a property, when a drain keeps blocking, after subsidence or tree growth near the line, and before any repair work is priced.
Curran Drainage carries out CCTV drain surveys for homeowners, buyers, landlords and commercial premises across West Lothian, Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife and Lanarkshire. There is no call-out charge, and you can ring us on 07427 195142 to talk through what you need.
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Questions we get asked
Do I need to be at home for a drain survey?
Not always, as long as the engineer can reach every chamber and knows which fixtures to run. Being there helps if there are internal connections or questions about where pipes run.
Will the survey make a mess?
No. The camera goes in through existing chambers or access points, so there is no digging. If a line needs jetting first, that is done through the same access.
Can a survey be done if the drain is blocked?
The blockage has to be cleared first so the camera can see the pipe. We can clear it and survey it on the same visit where access allows.
Is the survey the same as a drain tracing?
They often happen together. A survey records the condition of the pipe; tracing works out where the pipe runs. The report can include both.