Local Family- Owned Plumbing & Drain Service Since 1974.
Local Family- Owned Plumbing & Drain Service Since 1974.
Last month, I met with a family who’d just spent their life savings on a beautiful colonial home. Six weeks after moving in, sewage backed up into their finished basement. Turns out, their sewer line had completely collapsed – a $15,000 repair they never saw coming. Ugh! This scenario plays out way too often in my 22 years of plumbing work. While you’re busy falling in love with granite countertops and walk-in closets, serious trouble could be brewing underground.
So what exactly happens during one of these inspections? We basically send a tiny waterproof camera through your pipes (kinda like a plumber’s version of those medical scopes doctors use). The camera sits on the end of a flexible rod that we feed through your cleanout access point or sometimes through a toilet opening if needed.
Back in the early 2000s, these cameras produced grainy, hard-to-interpret images. But nowadays? The HD quality is incredible – I can spot a hairline crack from 50 feet away! Here at Harb Plumbing , we’ve invested in cameras with built-in transmitters. This means when we spot trouble, we can mark its exact location above ground using radio detection equipment. No more digging up half your yard looking for the problem spot!
I remember inspecting a gorgeous 1965 ranch house last year. Everything looked perfect…until our camera revealed clay pipes so deteriorated they were basically held together by dirt. The buyer was able to negotiate $8,500 off the sale price – more than covering the eventual repair costs.
Those beautiful 60-year-old oak trees in the front yard? Their roots are probably just as old and twice as aggressive. Tree roots naturally seek water, and they’ll crush through a tiny pipe crack with surprising force. I’ve pulled root masses thicker than my arm from lines that appeared perfectly fine above ground.
Then there’s the previous owners’ habits to consider. Did they flush “flushable” wipes for years? (Spoiler: those aren’t actually flushable!) Or maybe they poured cooking grease down drains regularly? These habits create problems that develop slowly but fail spectacularly – usually right after you’ve signed the closing papers.
The most compelling reason for these inspections? Money! Full sewer line replacements typically run $5,000-$25,000 depending on depth, length, and accessibility. Finding issues BEFORE closing gives you legitimate negotiating power. As my customer Jake told me recently, “Best $375 I ever spent…saved me nearly $12K in repairs!”
When our Harb Plumbing techs perform a sewer inspection, we don’t just stick a camera in one end and hit record. There’s actually a method to our madness:
First, we locate your main cleanout (sometimes hidden under landscaping or in basements). If – heaven forbid – your home doesn’t have an accessible cleanout, we’ll discuss options for temporary access.
Then we feed our camera through, moving slowly and deliberately. We’re hunting for specific issues: cracks, breaks, offsets between pipe sections, root intrusions, bellies (low spots where waste collects), improper slope (pipes should drop about 1/4 inch per foot), scale buildup, and blockages.
Unlike some companies who only check the main line, we’ll also look at accessible branch lines connecting your bathrooms, kitchen, and laundry to the main sewer. I can’t tell you how many times we’ve found problems in these secondary lines that would’ve been missed otherwise!
Throughout the process, we’re recording video and making notes – pipe material, approximate age, overall condition. When we’re done, I’ll walk you through exactly what we found, pointing out areas of concern on the actual video. No plumbing jargon, just straight talk about what needs attention now versus what you should monitor.
Let’s talk money. This year, most of our residential inspections run between $275-$450. Why the range? Several factors come into play:
Your home’s layout matters big time. A simple ranch with one main sewer line and accessible cleanouts costs less to inspect than a sprawling multi-level with complex plumbing or limited access.
Your property’s characteristics affect pricing too. Got a sewer line that runs 100+ feet to the street? That takes more time than a 30-foot run. Deeply buried lines or unusual configurations might require specialized equipment.
Location plays a role as well. Our rates in this area tend to run a bit below national averages, partly because we’ve streamlined our process over the years.
I’m big on transparency – when you call Harb Plumbing, we’ll ask about your specific situation and give you a firm quote. No surprise fees when we arrive, promise!
Beyond identifying problems, these Sewer Camera Inspections provide serious leverage during home purchases:
One customer showed her seller video evidence of a collapsed pipe section, resulting in a $7,500 closing credit. Try arguing with video footage – you can’t!
Even when everything looks decent, you’ve got documentation of the system’s condition on purchase date. If something fails three months later, you’ll know whether it’s a new issue or something pre-existing.
We often catch minor issues before they become disasters. Small root intrusions or early cracks are relatively cheap fixes compared to complete failures that damage your home’s interior.
Not to brag, but experience matters hugely in this work. Our techs have performed literally thousands of these inspections. We spot subtle warning signs that newer companies often miss.
Our equipment is top-notch – commercial-grade cameras with self-leveling heads (meaning the picture stays oriented properly even when the camera rotates through pipes), powerful LED lighting, and precise locating capabilities.
But honestly? Our people make the difference. We won’t manufacture problems to generate repair work – if your sewer line looks good, we’ll tell you exactly that. And if we do find issues, we’ll explain them without the scare tactics some companies use.
We also get the time crunch of home buying. Need an inspection tomorrow because your contingency period ends Friday? We’ll make it happen whenever humanly possible.
Look, buying a house involves a million decisions. But skipping a sewer inspection to save a few hundred bucks is penny-wise and pound-foolish. You wouldn’t buy a car without checking under the hood, right?
When you choose Harb Plumbing for your inspection, you’re not just getting someone with a camera. You’re getting decades of experience and straightforward advice from people who’ve seen it all.
Remember, pretty countertops and fresh paint are easy fixes. It’s the stuff buried under your yard that can break your budget after closing. Get the peace of mind that comes from knowing exactly what you’re buying – underground pipes and all!
Tell us the details of your upcoming project and we’ll provide you with an honest price.
