A CCTV drain survey lets you see inside your drains without digging anything up. We feed a waterproof camera through the pipes and record exactly what’s down there, from blockages and tree roots to cracks and collapsed sections. Prime Drainage Solutions carries out drain surveys for homeowners, buyers, landlords and builders across Bournemouth.
Call 0330 043 2648 to book a drain survey or ask whether you need one.
What a CCTV drain survey involves
It’s a camera inspection of your underground drains. A small, high-resolution camera on a flexible cable goes in through a manhole or access point and travels along the pipe. Our engineer watches the live picture, notes any problems and records the footage.
Because you can see the inside of the pipe, there’s no guesswork. You find out what’s wrong, where it is and how serious it is before anyone picks up a spade.
When you need a drain survey
Your drains keep blocking
If a drain blocks every few weeks, something in the pipe is catching waste. A survey shows whether it’s roots, a cracked joint, a sagging section or a build-up of fat, so you can fix the cause instead of paying for repeat call-outs.
You’re buying a house
A standard homebuyer survey looks at what’s visible and may lift manhole covers, but it doesn’t send a camera through the pipes. A drain survey before you exchange shows the condition of the drains. If repairs are needed, you can factor them into your offer.
You’re planning building work
Extensions, conservatories and new patios often sit near or over drains. A survey shows where the pipes run and what condition they’re in before work starts. Building close to a public sewer may also need Wessex Water’s agreement.
You’ve noticed smells, damp or rats
Persistent drain smells, damp patches near outside walls and rats in the garden can all point to a broken drain. A survey finds the break so it can be repaired.
You’re making an insurance claim
If you think a drain has been damaged, footage of the pipe gives you clear evidence of what’s wrong and where.
What the camera can find
- Blockages and build-up of fat, scale or debris
- Tree roots growing in through joints and cracks
- Cracked, fractured or broken pipes
- Displaced joints, where sections of pipe have shifted apart
- Collapsed or crushed sections
- Dips in the pipe where water and waste sit instead of draining
- Pipe routes and connections, so you know where the drains go
How a drain survey works
- You book the survey. Tell us why you need it, such as a house purchase, repeat blockages or planned building work.
- We open the access points. Our engineer lifts the manhole covers and checks the drain is flowing.
- We clear the pipe if needed. If the drain is blocked or coated in debris, we may need to jet it first so the camera can see.
- We run the camera. The camera travels through each drain run while we record and note what we find.
- We talk you through it. Before we leave, we explain what we’ve seen in plain English.
- You get your findings.
Your drain survey report
It’s written so you can understand it, share it with a solicitor or builder, and decide what to do next.
Drain surveys for Bournemouth properties
A large share of Bournemouth’s housing was built in the Victorian and Edwardian eras. Those homes often still have their original clay drains, which can crack and shift with age. Add the town’s mature trees and gardens, and root damage is one of the problems surveys turn up most often.
Many older villas have also been converted into flats, with several homes sharing one drain. A survey can show which section is causing trouble and whose responsibility it is.
From survey to solution
If the survey finds a problem, we’ll explain your options and what each one costs. Build-up of fat or scale can often be cleared with high-pressure jetting. Roots can be cut back, but the damaged joint usually needs repairing to stop them returning. Cracked, broken or collapsed pipes need a repair. Our drain repairs page explains how that works.
If the drain is blocked right now, start with our blocked drains Bournemouth service. For overflowing drains or sewage backing up, call our emergency drain unblocking team.
Areas we cover
We carry out CCTV drain surveys across Bournemouth. We also survey drains in Poole and across Dorset.
Book a CCTV drain survey in Bournemouth
Call Prime Drainage Solutions on 0330 043 2648. Tell us why you need the survey and we’ll give you a price and a date.
CCTV drain survey FAQs
What is a CCTV drain survey?
It’s a camera inspection of your underground drains. A waterproof camera on a flexible cable travels through the pipes while an engineer watches the live picture and records any problems, such as blockages, cracks, roots or collapsed sections.
How much does a CCTV drain survey cost?
The price depends on the size of the property, how many drain runs need surveying, how easy they are to reach and whether the drain needs clearing first. Call us with a few details and we’ll give you a price before we book you in.
Should I get a drain survey when buying a house?
It’s worth considering, especially for older homes, properties with large trees nearby or houses with extensions built over drains. A standard homebuyer survey doesn’t send a camera through the pipes. If the drain survey finds a problem, you can factor the repair cost into your offer.
How long does a CCTV drain survey take?
It depends on how many drain runs there are and how easy they are to reach. Most homes are done in a single visit, and we’ll tell you how long to allow when you book.
Can a drain survey find tree roots?
Yes. The camera shows exactly where roots have entered the pipe and how far they’ve spread. That tells you whether cutting them back is enough or whether the damaged section needs repairing.
What happens if the survey finds a problem?
We’ll explain what we found, how serious it is and the options for fixing it. Some problems can be cleared with jetting. Others need a repair. You’ll know the cost before deciding anything.
Is a drain survey the same as a drainage search?
No. A drainage and water search, ordered by your solicitor when you buy a house, shows whether the property connects to the public sewer and where public sewers run. It doesn’t inspect the pipes. A CCTV drain survey shows the actual condition of the drains.