Given what property costs on this island, and how old some of the pipe is, an hour with a camera is a very small piece of diligence.
Before you buy
A standard home inspection does not include the sewer lateral. On an original island cottage that line may date from when the house was built, running under an established garden with no easy access. It is the single largest hidden liability in the purchase, and it is entirely invisible until it backs up.
Knowing the route matters here
On lots with mature planting, simply knowing exactly where the line runs and how deep prevents a great deal of unnecessary digging later. We mark it at the surface while we are there.
Before agreeing to any sewer work
Ask to see the footage. Silting, roots, a sag, a crack and a collapse are five different repairs at five very different prices.
What we will show you
- What the pipe is made of and roughly its age
- Sand and silt build-up, and where
- Root intrusion and entry points
- Low spots holding water
- Whether it can be lined or needs replacing
- The route and depth, marked at the surface