The Drain Inspector
A Drain Inspection, Not a Drain Survey
We look at your drains, show you what's wrong and mark where it is. We don't produce formal survey reports. Here's why that matters, and how to tell which one you need.
People often use “drain survey” and “drain inspection” to mean the same thing. They’re not, and booking the wrong one wastes your time and money. We only do inspections, and we’d rather tell you that up front.
What a drain inspection is
A drain inspection is about answering a practical question: what’s wrong with my drains, and where?
- We put a camera through your drains and you watch with us.
- We find blockages, cracks, roots, displaced joints and collapses.
- We locate any faults from above ground and mark them on the surface.
- We explain what we’ve found in plain English, there and then.
It’s for homeowners who want to know what they’re dealing with before they call in a repair firm, or who want to check a problem is really in the drains at all.
What a drain survey usually is
A drain survey normally means a formal, written report. Each defect is coded and graded to an industry standard, the drains are often drawn on a plan, and the report is signed off for someone else to rely on. That’s what you’ll usually be asked for if:
- your mortgage lender, solicitor or home buyer’s surveyor has asked for a drainage survey report;
- your insurer needs a report to assess a claim;
- the water company or building control wants a survey for building over or near a sewer;
- a developer or contractor needs drawings of the drainage layout.
We don’t produce those reports. If you’ve been asked for one, you need a drainage survey company.
Side by side
| Our drain inspection | A formal drain survey | |
|---|---|---|
| The question it answers | What’s wrong, and where is it? | What condition is the whole system in, on paper? |
| Who it’s for | You, the homeowner | Usually a lender, insurer, solicitor or water company |
| You watch it live | Yes | Not always |
| Fault marked on the ground | Yes | Sometimes |
| Formal coded written report | No | Yes |
| Drainage drawings | No | Often |
After our inspection, we email you a report of what we found, with any video footage of your drains. It’s a report for you, not a formal coded survey report.
Not sure which you need? Ask whoever wants the work done whether they need a written survey report. If they don’t, an inspection is usually all you need. If you’re still not sure, send us a question or a WhatsApp and we’ll tell you honestly whether we’re the right people.
Why we only inspect
We don’t do repairs, jetting or surveys. We just inspect. With no repair work to win, we have no reason to find problems that aren’t there, and you’re free to take what we’ve shown you to any contractor you like.
See what we check Check price & book
Questions
Is a drain inspection the same as a drain survey?
No. An inspection finds and locates faults and explains them to you on site. A survey is usually a formal coded written report, often for a lender, insurer or water company. We only do inspections.
I’m buying a house. Do I need a survey or an inspection?
If your lender or solicitor has asked for a drainage survey report, you need a survey company. If you just want to know whether the drains have any obvious problems before you buy, and the seller agrees to the visit, an inspection can do that. More on checking drains when you buy.
Can I use your inspection for an insurance claim?
Ask your insurer first. Many want a formal report from a survey company, which we don’t provide.