If a drain keeps blocking, smells wrong, or you're buying a house and want certainty before exchange, a CCTV drain survey is the only way to know what's actually going on underground. Guesswork leads to repeat call-outs and, eventually, a bigger bill.
We put a camera into the pipe, watch the live feed, and record everything. You get footage plus a written report that names the fault, gives its approximate location within the pipe run, and tells you what needs doing. No vague diagnoses, and no work recommended that isn't justified by what the camera shows.
What the Survey Actually Involves
A push-rod or crawler camera goes into the drain through the nearest access point, usually a manhole or rodding eye. We work through the run methodically, checking for:
- Fractures, cracks and collapsed sections
- Root ingress, common on older clay pipes across estates like Old Basing and Worting
- Displaced or misaligned joints
- Silt, grease and debris build-up that's heading towards a blockage
- Structural deformation where ground movement has squeezed the pipe
- Illegal connections or poorly installed pipework
The camera records HD footage throughout. Fault location is measured by distance from the access point using the camera's counter, which on a calibrated system gives reliable results. On longer or more complex runs we may use a sonde locator above ground to cross-check. The written report includes timestamps, pipe dimensions, condition ratings and a plain-English summary of what the drain actually needs.
When You Need One
Some situations make a survey the obvious call. Others, people overlook until the cost is much higher.
Recurring blockages. Cleared twice in twelve months and it's blocked again? Jetting treats the symptom. A survey finds the cause, whether that's root ingress, a collapsed section, or a joint that's dropped and trapping waste every time.
Pre-purchase. Your solicitor's searches won't tell you whether the drainage is about to fail. A pre-purchase CCTV survey can save you from buying a property in Chineham or Hatch Warren with a cracked sewer that needs relining the year you move in. We can usually turn a report around within a few working days, which fits within most conveyancing timelines without pressure.
Post-repair verification. After a drain repair or relining job, a follow-up camera check confirms the fix is sitting correctly and the pipe is clear. Where we carry out the remedial work ourselves, that work carries a 20-year guarantee, and the survey record forms part of the documentation backing it.
Subsidence concerns. Parts of Basingstoke, particularly around Kempshott and some of the older South Ham streets, sit on ground that moves. Cracks appearing in a driveway or garden settling unevenly can point to pipework that's shifted underground.
New build sign-off. Developers and contractors finishing sites in Lychpit, Viables or anywhere across RG21 to RG29 use a pre-handover survey as documented proof that drainage is installed correctly before keys change hands.
Pre-Purchase Surveys: What to Expect
Buying in Basingstoke town centre, Brighton Hill, Oakridge, or one of the villages from Tadley to Sherfield-on-Loddon? A pre-purchase drain survey is worth arranging before exchange, not after the fact.
We survey the drains serving the property, including shared runs where relevant. The written report covers pipe material, condition rating, faults found or confirmed as absent, and a clear recommendation on whether work is needed before or after purchase. You can pass the report straight to your solicitor or use it when negotiating on price.
Call us to agree a time at the property. We'll confirm a date within a few days in most cases, and you'll have the report before your next solicitor's deadline.
How a CCTV Survey Compares to a Visual Check
A visual check from ground level is genuinely sufficient for some situations. A new-build property with accessible drainage and no history of issues might not need a camera at all. For most older or pre-owned properties, though, the picture is different.
| CCTV Drain Survey | Visual Inspection Only | |
|---|---|---|
| Sees inside the pipe | Yes | No |
| Detects root ingress | Yes | Rarely |
| Locates fault position within the run | Yes, with calibrated equipment | No |
| Produces written evidence | Yes | Sometimes |
| Accepted for conveyancing purposes | Usually | Unlikely to satisfy solicitors |
| Guides repair method choice | Yes | No |
| Useful for simple new-build sign-off | Yes, but may be over-specified | Can be enough |
The column isn't stacked to sell you a survey you don't need. It's there to show where the difference matters.
Where We Work
CCTV surveys come up most often in the older clay-pipe streets of Popley, Winklebury, Buckskin and Black Dam, where pipes laid in the 1960s and 70s are showing their age. Pre-purchase surveys are common in Chineham, Sherborne St John, and the surrounding villages, where buyers are spending more and want proper due diligence. We cover the full RG21 to RG29 area, including Hook, Hartley Wintney, Overton, Whitchurch, Kingsclere, Oakley and Bramley, with no additional travel charge.
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Engineers are on call 24/7 across RG21 to RG29. Every survey is priced individually on the phone before we start. There's no call-out fee, and you'll know the price before we lift a cover. To book or ask what a survey would involve for your specific drain, call 01256 639464.