BPC Licensed · CertLoc Certified · 40+ Years Experience

CCTV Drain Camera Inspections Melbourne:
What Is Wrong Inside Your Drain?

Call 0413 522 220 · Footage supplied if wanted

Slow drains, bad smells or a blockage that keeps coming back?

Yes, a drain camera can show what is wrong inside the pipe, and an experienced specialist can attend. A clogged pipe is jetted clear first so the camera can see.

Call 0413 522 220 and talk it through. You get the options and an honest opinion. Footage is supplied if wanted.

Call 0413 522 220 Book Online Now

What is a CCTV drain camera inspection?

A CCTV drain camera inspection is a video inspection of the inside of your sewer or stormwater pipes, showing blockages, cracks, tree roots and displaced joints without any digging.

The camera goes into the pipe through an existing access point, such as a drain pit, gully trap or inspection opening, and sends live footage to a screen. Unblocking and a camera inspection are two different services. Many blocked drains only need to be cleared, and a camera inspection can be added to see the cause.

Often the inspection is the whole job: a buyer wants to know the drains are sound, a strata manager needs a report, or a plumber needs footage before making a repair decision. If the inspection shows work is needed, the footage shows what that work is. BPC licensed plumbers, Licence No. 21741. Call 0413 522 220.

CCTV drain camera reel and monitor set up on a footpath inside safety barriers and cones

Footpath drain inspection site outside a bluestone building with cones, barriers and a camera reel

When do you need a CCTV drain inspection?

You need a CCTV drain inspection when a drain keeps blocking, before drain relining, before buying a property, for an insurance or strata report, or before digging near underground pipes.

A drain that keeps blocking

When a drain blocks repeatedly or the cause is not obvious, the camera shows exactly where the blockage is and what is causing it: tree roots, grease, a pipe that has silted up, a collapsed section, a foreign object or a broken junction.

Before drain relining

Every pipe is inspected on camera before relining, to confirm the diameter, the length to be lined, the type and location of damage, and whether the pipe is suitable. We do not reline a pipe we have not seen on camera.

Before buying a property

A pre-purchase drain inspection records the condition of the drains before settlement. Most building inspections do not include the drains, so cracked or root-filled pipes can go unnoticed until after you move in.

Insurance claims, strata and renovation reports

Footage and a written report are used for insurance claims, owners corporation records, end-of-lease reports and drainage checks before renovation work.

Before digging near underground pipes

The camera is used with ground penetrating radar and radio frequency locators to confirm where a pipe runs and how deep it is. Drain Solutions is a CertLoc Certified Locating Organisation (CLO), authorised to access Telstra and Optus underground assets, and BYDA registered.

Drain Solutions truck parked on a suburban street during a stormwater drain investigation in McKinnon

Drain plans and reports for larger jobs

Some inspections need more than the footage. Drain Solutions investigates subsurface, agricultural, stormwater and sewer drains as a plumbing consultant across Melbourne, and can prepare a plan and report with vision, photos and notes after the CCTV drain inspection. The level of detail is agreed with you first, so the reporting matches what your job needs.

The work is done by a plumber with more than 40 years of experience installing drainage and more than 20 years of CCTV inspection, drain relining and high pressure water jetting. Call Drain Solutions on 0413 522 220 to talk about your drain.

What happens during a CCTV drain inspection?

The camera is fed through the pipe, the footage is recorded, and we explain what it shows before we leave.

Step 1: Find an access point

We locate the nearest access point: an inspection opening, inspection shaft, boundary trap, drain pit or gully trap. No excavation is needed for the inspection.

Step 2: Run the camera through the pipe

The camera travels along the pipe, upstream or downstream from the access point, while we watch the live footage. You are welcome to watch on the screen with us. If the pipe is dirty or partly blocked, we clean it first and inspect it again, so the footage shows the true condition of the pipe.

Step 3: Pinpoint any problems

Blockages, cracks, root intrusion and displaced joints are logged by their distance in metres from the access point. The camera head has a built-in transmitter, so we can mark the exact spot on the surface above.

Step 4: Footage, report and next steps

If you want the recording, it is supplied on USB or by a shared online link. A written report is available at an added cost. If work is needed, we give you a written quote before anything else is done.

A written report is available on request and is charged separately, as it adds time to the job. Every CCTV inspection includes the live camera view and a clear explanation of what we find. If you need a written report, for example for a property sale, an insurer or an owners corporation, ask for it when you book and we will confirm the price.

CCTV vision can be supplied while onsite or downloaded to the cloud to share.

What is in a CCTV drain inspection report?

A Drain Solutions inspection report sets out the property, the pipe diameter and material, the access points used and the length inspected. It includes an executive summary, the inspection method, the key findings logged by metre, a condition assessment, recommendations, limitations, and the CCTV footage. A sewer plan with callouts shows where the drains run, and a photo appendix shows snapshot images with matching metre references.

Typical recommendations include locating and exposing the boundary trap, high pressure jetting and root cutting, jetting and inspecting the branch drains, and relining compromised clay sections.

What camera equipment does Drain Solutions use?

Drain Solutions uses a push rod camera for household pipes from 50mm to 150mm and a tractor camera for commercial pipes over 150mm, both recording full colour footage.

Push rod camera: homes and light commercial

Handles pipes from 50mm to 150mm in diameter, including household sewer lines, stormwater drains and kitchen waste pipes. The flexible camera head navigates bends.

Tractor camera: large commercial and industrial pipes

Handles pipes over 150mm in diameter, including commercial sewers, stormwater infrastructure, industrial drainage and council assets. The tractor drives along the base of the pipe and shows the full circumference clearly.

What happens if the camera finds a problem?

Whatever the camera finds, Drain Solutions can fix it in-house: blockages are jetted clear, damaged pipes are relined or repaired, and underground services are located before any digging.

Blockage: cleared first with high pressure water jetting. A camera inspection can then be added, at an extra cost, to see the cause and show whether the pipe has any damage.
Cracked or root-damaged pipe: repaired from the inside with no-dig drain relining.
Collapsed or badly damaged pipe: targeted drain repair or replacement at the exact spot the camera found.
Digging needed: underground services located first with GPR and radio frequency equipment.

No subcontractors and no second company. No one pointing at each other while the problem waits. You get a written quote before any repair work starts.

How much does a CCTV drain inspection cost in Melbourne?

The cost of a CCTV drain inspection in Melbourne depends on how many pipe runs need inspecting, the pipe size, access, and whether you need a written report for a sale, insurer or owners corporation.

A standard residential CCTV drain inspection in Melbourne typically costs $250 to $550, depending on the number of drain lines, how far the camera has to run and how easy the drain is to reach. A standard inspection with Drain Solutions starts from $300 including GST, with the footage supplied on USB. A written report is available on request for an extra charge. Call 0413 522 220 to confirm the price for your drain.

Things that affect the price:

Number and length of pipe runs to inspect.
Pipe size: push rod camera or tractor camera.
Access to drain pits and inspection openings.
Whether the pipe must be cleared first so the camera can see.
Time on site: how long an inspection takes is not known until we see the pipe.
Whether you need a written report, or a sewer plan bought from the water authority.
Parking: if we cannot park near the access point, parking fees and the extra time to carry equipment are added.
Site inductions, meetings or plan reviews on commercial sites.

A standard inspection does not include removing fixtures, cutting new access openings, opening manholes, permits or traffic management. We explain our rates when you book, and you get a written quote before any repair work.

We accept Visa, Mastercard, Direct Debit, and Cash on completion.

Is a drain inspection worth it before buying a house?

Yes, especially for older homes: a pre-purchase CCTV drain inspection can uncover cracked or root-filled pipes that a standard building inspection does not check, before you are committed to the sale.

In Melbourne's inner east, many homes built before the 1950s still have their original clay or cast iron drains. If the footage shows damage, buyers use the report to negotiate on price or ask the vendor to repair before settlement. Book the inspection during the cooling-off period or before the contract is unconditional.

Recent CCTV drain inspection jobs in Melbourne

Case study: Pre-purchase inspection in Camberwell

The job: A buyer had an offer accepted on a large Edwardian home in Camberwell and wanted the drains checked before settlement. The vendor had not mentioned any drainage issues.

What we found: The CCTV camera showed a 4 metre section of 100mm clay sewer with significant circumferential cracking and roots coming in through the cracks.

What we did: We provided the USB footage and a written report of the damage and its location.

Result: The buyer used the report to negotiate the price with the seller before going ahead with the purchase.

Case study: Recurring blockage in Richmond

The job: A terrace house owner in Richmond had the sewer cleared four times in two years by different plumbers. The roots had been cut back each time without addressing the entry point.

What we found: The camera showed a cracked clay pipe 8 metres from the access point, with tree roots growing through the crack.

What we did: We cleared the roots and sealed the crack with a patch reline.

Result: The blockage has not returned.

Case study: Strata drainage report in South Yarra

The job: A strata manager for a 1970s apartment block in South Yarra needed a full inspection of the shared drainage.

What we found: The CCTV push camera inspected 100mm clay sewer and found two sections with significant joint displacement needing relining.

What we did: We supplied the written report and USB footage.

Result: The owners corporation used them to get quotes and approve the works at its next meeting.

Which Melbourne suburbs does Drain Solutions cover for CCTV drain inspections?

Drain Solutions carries out CCTV drain inspections across Melbourne's inner and middle suburbs, including Kew, Hawthorn, Camberwell, Balwyn, Toorak, South Yarra, Richmond, Fitzroy, Carlton, East Melbourne, Glen Iris, St Kilda and Brighton.

These suburbs have some of the oldest drains in Melbourne. Homes built between the 1880s and the 1930s often still have their original clay and cast iron pipes, and a camera inspection is the only reliable way to check them before problems start. We are based in Kew East. Call 0413 522 220 to confirm we cover your area.

Why choose Drain Solutions for a CCTV drain inspection?

Drain Solutions has two cameras for every pipe size, explains the findings on site, and can fix whatever the camera finds without a second company.

40+ years of specialist drainage experience. Drainage is all we do.
Full colour footage supplied if you want it, with a written report available at an added cost.
Push rod camera for homes, tractor camera for commercial pipes over 150mm.
Problems pinpointed on the surface, so any repair is targeted.
Clearing, relining, repairs and locating all in-house.
BPC licensed, BPC Licence No. 21741.
CertLoc Certified Locating Organisation, authorised to access Telstra and Optus underground assets, and BYDA registered.
Rates explained when you book, and a written quote before any repair work.

FAQs

CCTV Drain Camera Inspections Melbourne: Frequently Asked Questions

What does a CCTV drain camera inspection involve?

A camera goes into the pipe through an existing access point, such as a drain pit, gully trap or inspection opening, and sends live footage to a screen while it records. We look for blockages, cracks, root intrusion and displaced joints. Footage is supplied if you want it, and a written report is available at an added cost.

Does every Drain Solutions job start with a camera inspection?

No. Unblocking and a camera inspection are two different services. Many blocked drains only need to be cleared, and a blocked drain is cleared first. A camera inspection can then be added to see the cause. Sometimes the inspection is the whole job; other times it leads to clearing, relining, locating or repair.

If the camera finds a problem, do I need another company?

No. Drain Solutions handles whatever the camera finds in-house. Blockages are jetted clear, damaged pipes are relined from the inside, and repairs or replacements are done by our own team. You get a written quote first.

What size pipes can you inspect?

Our push rod camera inspects pipes from 50mm to 150mm, covering most household drains. Our tractor camera inspects pipes over 150mm, covering commercial sewers, stormwater infrastructure and industrial drainage. Call 0413 522 220 to confirm which camera is right for your job.

Do you provide footage and a report after the inspection?

Footage is supplied if you want it. Inspections are recorded in full colour, and the footage is provided on USB or by a shared online link. A written report with findings by metre, a sewer plan, photos and recommendations is available at an added cost, for insurance claims, strata records, pre-purchase negotiations, building applications and repair quotes.

Can a CCTV inspection miss anything?

It can. A camera may not show defects hidden by debris or standing water, which is why dirty or partly blocked pipes are cleaned and inspected again. Distances are approximate and based on the camera's metre counter. Any limitations are listed in the report.

Can a CCTV inspection be used before buying a property?

Yes, and it is one of our most common jobs. The footage and report show the condition of the drains before settlement, so buyers can negotiate on price or ask the vendor to repair. Most standard building inspections do not include the drains.

How long does a CCTV drain inspection take?

How long a job takes depends on the pipe and what is found, so we explain before we start. Call 0413 522 220.

Can you inspect a pipe under a slab or driveway?

Yes. The camera travels through the pipe from an existing access point, so pipes under slabs, driveways, garden beds and walls can be inspected without digging. If a repair is needed, we mark the exact spot so any excavation is targeted.

Can the camera show exactly where the problem is underground?

Yes. The camera head has a built-in transmitter that we trace from the surface, so we can mark the exact location and depth of a crack, root entry point or collapse. That keeps any repair work small and precise.

How much does a CCTV drain inspection cost?

It depends on how many pipe runs need inspecting, the pipe size, access, time on site and whether you need a written report. We explain our rates when you book, and you get a written quote before any repair work. Check out our CCTV Inspection Pricing page to see what affects the cost of a CCTV inspection.

What Melbourne suburbs do you cover for CCTV drain inspections?

Kew, Kew East, Hawthorn, Camberwell, Balwyn, Toorak, South Yarra, Richmond, Fitzroy, Carlton, East Melbourne, Glen Iris, St Kilda, Brighton and surrounding inner and middle suburbs. Call 0413 522 220 to confirm coverage for your property.

Are your plumbers licensed for this work in Victoria?

Yes. All Drain Solutions drain inspection and drainage work is carried out by BPC licensed plumbers under Licence No. 21741. We are also a CertLoc Certified Locating Organisation, authorised to access Telstra and Optus underground assets, and BYDA registered.

Book a CCTV drain inspection in Melbourne: call 0413 522 220

See exactly what is happening inside your drains, with footage if you want it and the findings explained. BPC licensed, 40+ years experience, based in Kew East.

CALL 0413 522 220 BOOK ONLINE NOW