Drain Survey Cost

How Much Does a Drain Survey Cost?

You can expect to pay between £90 to £500 for a drain survey, depending on the type of survey needed. If the job is relatively straightforward, some surveyors will have a fixed cost, whereas in other instances they may need to visit the property in order to help generate a quote.

Are Drain Surveys Expensive?

The standard cost of drain camera inspection usually falls between £90-£500, with the average price being £250 for a standard size house inspection and mapping of all the drains. If you only wish to have a basic survey in order to identify the problem area, this will be towards the lower end of the scale, although costs in general tend to be higher in areas such as London and the South East.

CCTV drainage surveys in the past were costly. Still, in recent years the cost of this technology has reduced considerably so be very wary of expensive survey prices, even a large drainage system should not cost more than a few hundred pounds, with the average cost being much less.

What Are Drain Surveys Used For?

Drain surveys can be very useful in determining the condition of your existing pipework and identifying any blockages. These surveys are often used to diagnose drains that keep blocking, even after being cleaned out using a pressure wash and will return CCTV footage, a diagnostic report, pipe mapping and recommendations for repairs (if any are needed).

As a general rule however, a standard drain survey cost won't include any physical drain cleaning, unblocking or repairwork unless specified within the quote.

Drain Survey Prices

Below are some estimated costs of hiring a surveyor to undertake a drain inspection and survey:

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Labour Costs and Timescales

As with many jobs, the cost and time required can vary, depending on the size and complexity of the situation. Especially when it comes to any work that's required to be carried out after a drain survey.

Labour Fees for a Drain Survey

For a basic drain survey it typically costs around £90, while a full CCTV drain survey may cost up to £350.

The exact cost will depend on the property, and as such may require a brief visit before providing a quote and carrying out the survey itself. However, in some cases a professional may have set prices or provide a price based on a quick phone or email consultation.

Location and access can also impact the cost, with labour fees being generally higher in areas such as London and the South East.

Timescale Required for a Drain Survey

The time it takes to complete a drain survey differs depending on the entire length of the home’s drainage system.

Typically, larger houses have a lengthy drainage system; this will take the engineers longer to complete as they will need to ensure that the drain CCTV has covered every corner to ensure an extensive and thorough survey.

Below is an overview of the estimated duration for completing the various drain survey jobs:

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Factors That Impact Drain Survey Costs

A drain survey and report can usually fall anywhere between the price range of £100-£300 depending on a few different factors.

CCTV drain survey cost, inspection and reporting is typically based around the size of the property and drainage system that’s being surveyed, and this is where the price changes for each person.

What else can change the prices of a drain survey?

Below are a few points of what may affect your cost factors when hiring a surveyor for a drain survey.

Pre-Survey Cleaning and Jetting

If the drain or surrounding area is severely blocked or overflowing, a surveyor may not be able to get a clear picture of the wider situation. In these instances it is possible you may be charged for cleaning and jetting separately (typically around £100 to £150).

Type of House

Different types of properties tend to require their own unique drainage specification depending on how the house has been designed. Some homes have more intricate designs than others, with winding dips and sharp corners, wider pipes will need a large camera to correctly frame the piping structure which can be more costly than a miniature camera for small pipes.

Length of Drain

As to be expected, a larger household will have a bigger drainage system which will take longer for a camera to inspect. The average price for a CCTV inspection for a larger property is between £350-£450 and can take up to 4-6 hours.

Ease of Access

Not all drains are easily accessible, and it may hike up your prices if you have to excavate ground or hire someone to locate the entrance/exit to your drain. This can add an extra £100-£300 worth of labour costs and additional time onto your overall job.

Number of Access Points

While this makes it easier to access the drainage system overall, it does extend the time required to complete the drain survey which will potentially add to the labour fees. If there are several manhole covers, these need to be lifted and inspected, along with the drainage below. This can also increase the level of detail needed to be reported, which all takes time to complete.

Location of Property

Whereabouts in the UK you are can also make a difference. In particular if you are located within London or the South East, this is due to a higher cost of living meaning labour rates are generally above the National average. Certain areas such as central London also have congestion charges that need to be covered, and some tradesmen may require a contribution to travel expenses if they're visiting more rural destinations.

Emergency Drain Survey

If you require the survey to be carried out at short notice or need an urgent appointment in the event of an emergency, these can come at a price and you may be charged an additional call-out fee. As such, it's always a good idea to ask for the quote before agreeing to a visit, especially if it's something that can realistically wait until a routine appointment.

What's Involved in a Drain Survey?

A drain survey is a fantastic way of checking out your drainage system and locating any problems and it is recommended to use a professional service rather than DIY.

In summary, a CCTV drain surveys involve feeding a camera into your drains to identify and pinpoint leaks, blockages and any other potential issues. They can be particularly useful in aging properties or homes already known to have a history of drainage problems. Especially as old buildings tend to be affected by rust, rotting pipework, corrosion and general wear and tear.

Below is a general step-by-step guide to what a drain survey inspection entails when hiring a tradesperson.

• Inspection – The technician will arrive with any equipment needed to inspect the drains, including a waterproof camera, access rods, remote-operated crawlers, and solar units. This involves gaining entry to your drainage system and positioning the CCTV camera inside, pushing through the entire system using the access rods.
• CCTV survey – Once the camera has completed a full inspection, the CCTV footage will be fed back to the engineer. Once the footage is ready, this can be used to examine the condition of your drains and drainage system.
• Analysis – By using the findings, the engineer will be able to discover any potential blockages or damage, along with corrosion or rusting of the pipework, as well as if there are any pest infestations.
• Results – The engineer will then report their findings, and offer advice and recommendations on what you should do to resolve any issues where required. Depending on how urgent the issue is, you may need to book in for a repair appointment at a later date.
• Drain survey report – A thorough drain survey report should include the results of pipe diameters, material, invert levels of accessible manholes, length, direction of flow, drain usage, and water levels. It will also contain images, a plan of the manholes, conclusions/findings along with recommendations, and a digital file (or hard copy) of the entire report with videos and images of each drain.

Can I Conduct a Drain Survey Myself?

Technically, you can potentially carry out a drain survey yourself. However, it's usually not recommended unless you have prior experience and knowledge, due to the cost of the equipment, complexity of job, and any risks involved.

Whereas professionals will be fully equipped with industrial standard cameras and drain rods, whereas with a DIY survey, you will likely have to buy or hire this equipment and learn how to use it before even starting.

This may still be possible, and you could look for second hand equipment to keep the cost down, but realistically without knowing what you're doing trying to go DIY can soon become a waste of time and money.

Do I Need a Drain Survey?

If you have recently moved into a new property and want to check it out, or are you experiencing poor drainage and are not sure exactly what the problem is? If you're considering an single storey extension, then you could look into hiring someone to carry out a CCTV survey of your property drains.

If you have experienced recurring issues with your drains such as slow flushing toilets and nasty smells coming from your sink, then a CCTV survey can identify the root cause so the problem can be resolved for good. Likewise, if you have recently moved into a new property and want to give it the once over, then it's worth hiring someone to carry out a CCTV drain survey.

What Are the Main Causes of Drain Issues?

The most common drain problems causing blockages are cracked or collapsed pipes, caused by the deterioration of the materials, from tree roots, or other accidental excavation.

As for spotting potential issues, below we take a look at things to look out for:

Bad Smell

Bad smells coming from your drains may mean something is up. After frequent shower usage, our drains tend to build up with dirt, grime, clogged hair, soap, and any other bodily debris that gets washed down. All of these things can create foul odours and block up the drain, meaning you’ll need to complete a drain survey to find the culprit.

Water Backing Up

Regular plumbing usage can cause a large amount of sewage backup or a plumbing issue elsewhere. You’ll be able to notice this if your toilet is making funny sounds after you flush your toilet that you’re not used to hearing, this could mean that your water has been blocked up and is trying to find a new exit.

Bubbles

Look out for bubbles forming around your drains when showering, bathing or washing your hands. Bubbling from water can mean that air is trapped in the train as the water attempts to flow through.

You may want to test this out with several drains in your property before hiring someone to do a drain survey just to make sure it’s not a one-off.

Toilets Aren't Flushing

If your toilet isn’t flushing properly and isn’t relieved after plunging, then there’s probably an issue in your drainage system. A drain survey will be your best option to figure out the problem before any more water gets clogged up and causes damage or spilling.

What Can a Drain Survey Find?

The main conclusion of a drain survey and report is to figure out what issues or problems your pipes and drainage system might be holding, or what time, weather and chemicals have done to the pipes themselves. Below is a list of the general reasons for a drainage report and what they can find.

Blockages

Tree roots and blockages are a common issue with drains; they can acquire access by seeping through cracks or fractures that are found on the pipe’s surface. You’ll be able to notice this if your water is flowing slowly as the tree root is making the water difficult to pass through the drains.

Cleaning and unclogging drains may be required straight away once the survey has taken place, costing around £100 and taking between 1-2 hours.

Collapsed Drains

Collapsed drains can be hard to notice and are caused by regular blockages and flooding. However, if you notice a bad smell, slow running water, damp and building damage then it's worth getting checked out.

If you suspect you have a collapsed drain, then you should contact a professional to inspect your drainage system. If they find a collapse or leaking drain, then they’ll typically have to excavate the ground before fixing and replacing the pipes.

Surface Water Issue

In the event your drain survey highlights a drainage issue with surface water, then you may wish to install a soakaway drain below your driveway. This is a more intricate job and can take anywhere between 1-3 days, costing anywhere around £500-£1,000 (depending on which size of soakaway you choose).

Corrosion

Corrosion, wear and tear, and rusted pipes are all issues that will happen to every drainage system at some point. These things tend to occur because metal pipes react to different chemicals and minerals, as well as general rusting from cold air, dirt, and frozen water within pipes.

It’s essential to get your pipes, and drainage checked if your water starts running colder, slowly, and with a foul odour.

Additional Damage

If your drain survey shows that your line is damaged, then you’ll need to repair the drain line breakage.

This is another large job which will cost around £850, and can take anywhere between 1-2 days.

Animal Infestation

During the winter months, you may find that furry creatures like to nestle inside your drains for warmth and shelter, causing a lot of problems for you and your house. Animals carry a host of diseases including salmonella, tuberculosis, fleas and ticks, which can find their way to your house’s interior.

Be aware of any droppings and sounds throughout the evenings, and if you suspect an infestation, you must act quickly. The first step is to contact pest control to clear the area, once safe, you’ll need to undergo a drain survey to check that no other parts of your drains have been damaged in the process.

Checklist: Hiring Drain Survey Specialists

• Do they have the correct qualifications? Make sure your surveyor has the correct qualifications including a completed CCTV drain surveying training such as the NADC Certified Drain Surveyor (CDS) course.
• Have you spoken to more than one surveyor? Make sure to talk to a few different surveyors and see all your options, asking for a handful of quotes before locking in on one tradesman.
• Can they show evidence of past work? Confirm that your surveyor is fully authorised to complete a drain survey and report, and has completed jobs like this in the past. Ask for previous pictures and references from their former clients and jobs.
• Do they have positive reviews? Check for any recent feedback on their MyJobQuote profile and look for consistent ratings and comments on reliability, quality of work and value for money.
• Is there a clear written agreement? Sign a written agreement with your chosen surveyor before any work takes place, ensuring that you both have a clear outline of the job specification and what costs will be included.
• Will you receive proof of payment? Ask for a receipt or payment confirmation to protect you from any possible disputes in the future.
• Do they have public liability insurance? This helps protect you in case of property damage or injury during the job. Ask to see proof before work starts.
• What is included in the quote? Some companies will clear minor blockages free of charge while carrying out the survey, whereas others will charge extra, so ensure when comparing quotes you are doing so on a like for like basis.
• Is waste removal included? Some surveyors include this in their quote, others don’t. Always confirm if disposal of debris or old pipework is covered.

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