CCTV Drain Inspection Sydney
Check the condition of your pipes before you pay for repairs
or
Free CCTV inspection
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★ No call-out fee
★ 7 days · 6am–10pm
★ Footage yours to keep
Quick answer
A standalone CCTV drain inspection in Sydney costs around $200–$400 and generally takes one to two hours, depending on access, pipe length and the number of lines being inspected. Book a same-day appointment when available. We don’t charge any call-out fee across our service areas in Sydney.
A CCTV drain inspection service in Sydney allows you to see clearly what is happening inside your underground drainage before you decide to carry out repairs, digging or excavation after drain blockages.
Thorough clearing of the blockage
Inspection of pipe with a camera
Clear quotes with no hidden charges
Signs That You’ve Got a Problem
A camera inspection helps when symptoms keep returning, but the cause isn’t obvious.
You keep clearing the same drain and want to know why it keeps blocking
You want to understand the condition of its drainage before buying an old property
A drain has collapsed, and you need to locate the damaged section before digging
You want to confirm the problem before accepting the repair quotes
Before renovation, you need to know where an underground drain runs
Your Attractive Heading
A plumber answers, 7 days · 6am–10pm. Two minutes on the phone usually narrows it down.
How Our CCTV Drain Inspection Works
A CCTV drain inspection involves four main steps. We inspect the accessible pipe, locate any faults and explain what the footage shows.
Step 1
We access the drain
A licensed plumber starts by finding the best access point. Depending on your property, this could be an inspection opening, an overflow relief gully, or another accessible spot along the drain.
Step 2
We pass the camera through
A high-definition CCTV drain camera is inserted into the part of the sewer system while the live video feed is watched from above ground.
CCTV Drain Inspection in Sydney: the full picture
A camera is attached to the end of a flexible rod and is inserted into the stormwater or sewer pipe. Simultaneously, we monitor the image on a screen.
The camera can show tree root growth and intrusion, cracked sections of pipe, displaced joints, grease, sediment and debris build-up, and other signs of structural deterioration. A transmitter in the camera head allows us to track its position from the surface, so we can mark the exact location and depth of any fault directly on the lawn or driveway.
We can inspect the main sewer line from an overflow relief gully or inspection opening through to the property boundary, along with accessible branch lines. A single access point allows inspection of around 100 metres. Most residential inspections take one to two hours, including the report, and you receive the recorded footage.
A colour camera with a sonde locator: we see the fault and can mark exactly where it sits above ground.
When a Drain Camera Inspection Is Worth Paying For
A CCTV inspection can help you understand the condition of a drainage line before committing to more expensive work. It is particularly useful when the cause of a drainage problem is unclear or when a proposed repair involves excavation, relining or pipe replacement.
Recurring blockages
If the same drain keeps blocking after it has been cleared, there may be an underlying problem inside the pipe. A drain camera can find out whether roots, cracks, displaced joints, debris or another structural problem is to blame. It can also suggest whether the ideal solution is relining or relaying.
Before buying a property
A pre-purchase CCTV inspection provides information about accessible pipes before you decide to buy a property. Many pre-1970s Sydney homes still have clay sewer pipes, and a collapse under the driveway can be really expensive. CCTV inspection can reveal problems before you buy and give you grounds to negotiate during the cooling-off period.
Slow drains with no obvious cause
Slow drains don’t always need major repairs. The video might show grease buildup, roots, sediment, or a structural issue, helping the plumber suggest the right fix.
Damp areas or unexplained smells
Persistent damp areas, unusual growth in the garden or ongoing smells can sometimes indicate a leaking or damaged drainage line releasing wastewater. A camera inspection can help identify whether there is a visible problem inside the accessible pipe before excavation begins.
Before relining or excavation
A camera can be used to determine if a pipe is suitable for relining or if part of it needs to be excavated. It can also show the length of the damaged section and help to avoid excessive repair costs.
After a repair
A post-repair inspection checks that the liner has cured correctly or that the new pipe section has the correct fall. We include this inspection with repairs carried out by our team.
CCTV Drain Inspections for Older Sydney Homes
The suburbs we cover mostly show the same kind of issues such as root intrusion, cracked or displaced joints, sagging pipes, grease, scale, silt and, in severe cases, collapsed or unfinished sections. Some old houses also have major structural issues in pipes. In some properties, we also find crushed pipes beneath the driveway or pipes discharging into the soil because of faulty or unfinished repairs in the past. Each fault needs a different repair. That’s why our plumbing experts inspect the pipe thoroughly before recommending solutions.
What You Receive After the Inspection
The purpose of the CCTV inspection is to help you decide the next steps. You receive the relevant footage along with a report explaining what was inspected and what was found in plain English.
If a fault is found, the report can state the type of problem, its location and depth, include camera stills, and outline the available repair options. This gives you something more useful than a recommendation based only on symptoms. You can see what the camera found and understand why a particular repair may be required. We give you a cost range based on the inspection and only start the work after approvaI.
What Happens During a CCTV Drain Inspection?
A fully licensed plumber and drainer arrives with the CCTV camera and locator. If the drain is blocked, we clear it before putting the camera through, as it needs a clear path inside the pipe. The camera is inserted through an overflow relief gully or inspection opening and pushed through the drain while the plumber watches the live footage. As it moves along the line, we can see the condition of the pipe, check the joints, spot root intrusion and identify damaged sections. If we find a significant fault, the locator can mark its position and depth from the surface.
Our job is to explain what you’re seeing in straightforward terms, so you can decide what to do without being pushed into unnecessary work.
You see the inside of your own pipe on the screen, and we explain it in plain English as we go.
Why Homeowners Have a Drain Inspected Before Repairs
Without CCTV footage, you may end up paying for another basic drain clearing that only solves the problem temporarily, or for a major repair that the pipe may not actually need. With a camera inspection, the plumber can identify the underlying fault and focus the repair on the section that is actually damaged.
For example, if roots have entered a two-metre section of pipe, relining that section may be enough instead of excavating a much longer stretch of lawn.
Clear pricing also matters. When you receive an inspection price, written report and repair cost range, you have the information needed to compare your options. You can also keep the footage and use it if you want a second opinion.
What is the cost of a CCTV drain inspection in Sydney?
In Sydney, a CCTV drain inspection costs about $200 to $400. A standard inspection can include the CCTV camera, live video feed, locating and marking issues, recording of the inspection and a written report explaining the findings.
When the line is blocked and clearing is needed before the camera can pass, drain clearing may have to be carried out first. The $200–$400 range provides a realistic starting point, but the final cost can depend on access, the number of lines being inspected and the condition of the drainage system. For all drain clearing jobs, we include camera inspection in the total range.
Cost of a full CCTV drain inspection
$200–$400
for a full CCTV drain inspection
This range includes the live footage, a short report of our findings and the recording, which you can keep. If you want the repair work to be done by us, the inspection fee is added to the final service price.
No call-out fee within Sydney
Same price nights and weekends
Footage and report yours to keep
For older Sydney homes
CCTV inspection is especially useful when renovating or buying an older property that is pre-1980s. Older homes in Sydney may have original clay or other ageing drainage systems concealed underneath driveways and extensions. A CCTV inspection can uncover all underlying issues and be done in an hour.
The footage and a written report are yours to keep, whether or not you go ahead with any repair.
Common questions
Other drain services
Drain Cleaning
$350–$650 / hour
Slow, gurgling or smelly drains cleaned back to the pipe wall, not just poked through.
Blocked Toilet
$250–$450
Cleared fast, with the cause checked — so it doesn’t happen again on a Sunday night.
Stormwater Drains
$400–$750
Stop the yard flooding and the side path turning into a creek every time it rains.
7 days, 6am – 10pm
Book a CCTV inspection
This books a camera check — not a quote. We’ll see the problem, show you the footage, and talk you through the options.
Booking Request Received!
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What should this cost?
Ranges are Sydney market bands for clearing and inspecting a drain, not a quote. Repairs are always a separate range you approve first.
Book a CCTV Drain Inspection in Sydney
Book a CCTV drain inspection in Sydney and see the evidence before you approve any repairs. We inspect the accessible pipes, explain what the camera finds, and give you the footage and report so you can make an informed decision.