Home›Services›CCTV Drain Inspection

Reviewed and updated July 2026

💡 Quick answer: A CCTV drain inspection (also called a drain camera, sewer camera or sewer scope) sends a waterproof colour camera through your sewer or stormwater line to show its true condition on screen in real time — tree roots, cracks, collapse or build-up. A standard inspection usually runs $300–$400 and includes sonde location of any defect plus a written report, with same-day and next-day availability across Melbourne's east. Call 0425 226 636.
📷
Self-levelling colour cameras, 40–150mm lines
100mm
Sonde surface location accuracy
📄
Written report & footage included
Same-Day
Across Melbourne's east & the Ranges

CCTV Drain Camera Inspections Diagnostics That End the Guesswork

A CCTV drain inspection is the fastest, least invasive way to see exactly what is happening inside your underground pipework. Water Serpent Plumbing uses high-resolution self-levelling colour cameras with on-screen distance counters to film sewer, stormwater and waste lines from 40mm right up to 150mm.

You get visual proof of the problem, an accurate location of the defect, and a clear written report — essential for pre-purchase building inspections, insurance claims, owners corporation works and tenant disputes.

What a CCTV Drain Camera Reveals

Feeding a camera through the line shows the true condition of your pipes in real time, so the fix is based on evidence rather than guesswork. In Melbourne's east — where many homes still run original earthenware and clay drainage — a CCTV drain inspection typically uncovers:

🌳 Tree root intrusion

Roots entering through cracked joints — the number-one cause of recurring blockages across the eastern suburbs and Yarra Ranges.

🕳️ Cracked, fractured or collapsed pipe

Structural failure in ageing earthenware that clearing alone can't fix.

📉 Bellies and sags

Sections where the pipe has dropped and holds water, trapping waste and causing repeat blockages.

🍳 Grease, scale and debris build-up

Exactly how much and where, so we clear the right spot the first time.

↔️ Misaligned or offset joints

Where sections have shifted and snag everything passing through.

⚠️ Incorrect falls and illegal connections

Drainage that was never installed to standard.

Common Warning Signs

🏡 Pre-purchase inspections

Buying a home built before the mid-1990s? Earthenware sewers, tree-root intrusion and undocumented repairs are common — worth checking before you sign.

🔁 Repeat blockages

A line that blocks every 6–12 months almost always has a structural defect that needs identifying.

📑 Insurance claims

Insurers require documented evidence of the cause and location of damage. You get a written report and still images to submit with your claim.

🕳️ Sinkholes or wet patches

Unexplained subsidence or moisture in the lawn usually points to a fractured or collapsed pipe.

🔑 New tenancy handover

Document the condition of drainage on entry/exit to protect against future disputes.

Building or extending? Pre-pour inspections for builders now have a dedicated page — see our pre-slab pour CCTV inspection service for camera-verifying under-slab drainage before the concrete goes down, with a same-day report.

Our Diagnostic & Repair Process

1️⃣ Site walk-through

We identify all access points and the lines you want filmed.

2️⃣ Pre-clean if required

Heavy build-up is jetted out so the camera can travel and produce a clear image.

3️⃣ Camera survey

Self-levelling colour camera is fed through the line at controlled speed, with the distance counter noting how far along each fault sits.

4️⃣ Sonde location

Defects are marked on the surface using a pipe locator accurate to within 100mm and to the correct depth.

5️⃣ Written report & footage

You receive a PDF report with screenshots, the distance to each fault and recommendations — plus the full video on request.

Need a CCTV Drain Inspection Specialist?

Call Jack directly for same-day service across Melbourne's South East. Free over-the-phone diagnosis available.

📞 Call Jack — 0425 226 636

Equipment We Use

📷 Self-levelling colour push cameras

For 40–150mm lines including basins, showers, vents and small sewers.

📍 Sondes & pipe locators

Precise above-ground location of any defect, junction or blockage.

📋 A written inspection report

Plain-English notes on what the camera found, with still images and where the fault sits along the line.

How Much Does a CCTV Drain Inspection Cost in Melbourne?

A CCTV drain inspection in Melbourne is usually a single fixed price covering the camera survey, sonde location of any defect, and a written report with footage. The exact figure depends on how many lines you need filmed, whether the drain needs a pre-clean (jetting) so the camera can travel and see clearly, and how easy the inspection point is to access. We give you an upfront price before we start — no surprises. For how a camera inspection fits into overall drain pricing, see our blocked drain cost guide for Melbourne.

Frequently Asked Questions — CCTV Drain Inspections

Yes — we run CCTV drain camera inspections right across Melbourne's outer east, the Dandenong Ranges and the Yarra Valley. A standard inspection usually runs $300–$400; see our CCTV drain inspection guide for the full cost breakdown, or call Jack on 0425 226 636.

Most residential inspections are a single fixed price that includes camera survey, sonde location and a written report. Call us with your suburb and we will quote upfront.

Yes. Our cameras contain a sonde transmitter that allows us to mark the position on the surface and provide an accurate depth, so any future excavation is targeted and minimal.

Yes — we provide the full video plus a written summary report at no extra charge for any inspection where a defect is found.

For any property over 25 years old, absolutely. The cost of an inspection is a fraction of the cost of a sewer replacement, and gives you genuine negotiating evidence.

If it's a one-off blockage, a clean may be all you need. But if the drain blocks repeatedly, you're buying a property, or there's subsidence or a sewer smell, a CCTV inspection finds the underlying cause so you fix it once — rather than paying to clear the same line again and again.

Yes — CCTV drain inspection, drain camera inspection, sewer camera and 'sewer scope' all describe the same service: a waterproof camera travelling through your sewer or stormwater line, showing its condition on screen in real time. Whichever name you've heard, it's the tool that finds the exact cause and location of a blockage before any repair money is spent.

We offer same-day and next-day CCTV drain inspections across Melbourne's eastern and outer-eastern suburbs. Call 0425 226 636 with your suburb for current availability and an upfront price.

CCTV Drain Inspection in Your Suburb?

We service Ringwood, Bayswater, Croydon, Ferntree Gully, Boronia, Wantirna, Kilsyth, Mooroolbark, Glen Waverley, Lilydale, Rowville, Knoxfield, Vermont, Blackburn, Mitcham, Nunawading, Box Hill, Forest Hill, Heathmont, Mount Evelyn, Healesville, Belgrave, Tecoma, Upwey, Olinda, Kalorama, Montrose, Silvan, Seville, Coldstream, Yarra Junction, Emerald, Gembrook, Cockatoo, Monbulk and surrounding eastern and outer-eastern Melbourne suburbs.

📍 Lilydale 📍 Mooroolbark 📍 Ferntree Gully 📍 Croydon 📍 Kilsyth 📍 Boronia 📍 Ringwood 📍 Belgrave 📍 Mount Evelyn 📍 All suburbs →

Book Your CCTV Drain Inspection Job Today

Book a CCTV inspection with a Victorian plumber. Written report, sonde location and footage included.

📞 Call Jack — 0425 226 636