HD Camera Technology - Detailed Reports Available
See inside your drains with high-definition camera inspections from £250. We locate defects, record measured evidence, and explain whether cleaning, monitoring, relining, or excavation fits what the footage shows.
HD
Camera Quality
WRc
Condition Gradings
Same
Day Service
Digital
Reports & Footage
A CCTV drain survey records the inside of each accessible pipe run so decisions can be based on measured evidence and recorded images. Our CCTV drain survey services and drain surveys locate cracks, displaced joints, tree roots, standing water and the cause of a recurring blocked drain. We then explain which drainage issues need action, which can be monitored and where further access may be needed. A CCTV drainage survey can cover one run or a mapped drainage system. These drain surveys in Birmingham are used for blocked drains, home purchases and planned repairs. Expert CCTV drain surveys are available across Birmingham and the West Midlands, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire.
CCTV drain survey costs start from £250 including VAT. We agree the scope before attendance and give a fixed price for that work, whether you need a local CCTV inspection, homebuyer report or multi-run commercial CCTV drainage survey. The options below show what each level is designed to answer.
Included with unblock / from £100 standalone
Unsure and want us to quickly check if a drain is causing your property an issue? Our quick cam check is the most cost-effective option. Our engineers will advise you on site if there is an issue that needs to be rectified and quote you for any repairs required.
These focused drain inspections suit one accessible run where a symptom or possible defect needs checking without a mapped survey. For recurring drainage issues, the engineer can extend the CCTV inspection to connected runs and record how the system flows.
As part of our high-pressure water jetting unblock call-out, we generally complete a quick camera check which is included within the fixed-rate cost.
Quoted to Scope
Buying or selling a home, planning an extension or checking an older drainage system? A pre-purchase CCTV drain survey in Birmingham can identify hidden defects before contracts are exchanged or building work begins. For a newly built property, our new-build CCTV survey guide explains checks at handover and the evidence a buyer can request.
The homebuyer report includes the surveyed routes, condition gradings, annotated images and repair advice. You can share it with your solicitor, seller or surveyor when discussing any defect and the likely cost of drain repairs.
Quoted to Scope
Multi-run CCTV drainage surveys for businesses, landlords, developers and local authorities. The agreed scope can include drain mapping, condition grading, defect locations and a CCTV drain survey report for a build-over application or maintenance decision.
Property age and pipe material help us interpret what the CCTV camera shows. These are recurring patterns in different types of regional housing, although the footage from your drains remains the deciding evidence:
Salt-glazed clay pipes with lime mortar joints. Common across central Birmingham, Coventry, and Wolverhampton. Expect tree roots through degraded joints, scale build-up, and occasional collapses.
Common in: Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton
Clay pipes with cement mortar joints. Typical of the semi-detached suburbs across Solihull, Bromsgrove, and outer Birmingham. Joint displacement from clay soil movement is the primary issue.
Common in: Solihull, Bromsgrove, suburbs
Pitch-fibre pipes (especially in Redditch new town and Coventry estates). These pipes deform, blister, and collapse because they were never designed to last 50+ years. Also concrete ring drains with failing joints.
Common in: Redditch, Coventry, council estates
PVC pipes with push-fit joints. Generally more durable but can still suffer from poor installation, ground movement, and roots entering at junction points. New-build snagging issues are also common.
Common in: New estates across the region
Every full CCTV drain survey we carry out across Birmingham, Solihull, and the wider region comes with a written report. Here is what you receive:
Full recording of the camera journey through each drain run surveyed. You can watch it for yourself or share it with your solicitor, insurer or Severn Trent Water. We provide the footage as a digital file you can keep.
Key defects captured as still images with annotations showing exactly what the problem is, where it is in the pipe, and how severe it is. Root entry, cracks, displaced joints, and scale build-up are all clearly labelled.
A site plan showing the layout of your drainage system, including pipe runs, manholes, connections, and the direction of flow. This is particularly valuable for properties with no existing drainage records, which is common in older Birmingham housing stock.
A written summary listing every defect found, its location, severity grading, and our recommendation for repair. We will tell you what needs fixing now, what to monitor, and what can wait. No upselling, just honest technical advice. We include repair cost guidance so you can budget accordingly.
Our reports use plain English and are formatted for sharing with a solicitor, mortgage lender or insurer. A homebuyer CCTV drain survey can put the location and severity of a defect on record before you exchange contracts.
Where a pest controller suspects rats are using an underground route, a camera inspection can investigate damaged joints, broken pipes or uncapped connections. Our guide to rats entering properties through drains includes real Cofton survey evidence and explains the reporting, repair and suitable non-return valve options for homeowners and housing associations.
Customers across the West Midlands book CCTV surveys for property decisions, recurring drainage problems and formal evidence. A broader CCTV drainage survey can also map several connected runs when one symptom does not identify the source. Common reasons include:
Standard home surveys do not include drainage. A pre-purchase CCTV survey identifies collapsed pipes, tree roots and shared drain liabilities before you exchange contracts. The findings can support a repair discussion with the seller. Older properties often merit closer attention because pipe materials and alterations vary.
Planning an extension, conservatory, or outbuilding? If your proposed build is within 3 metres of a public sewer, Severn Trent Water or your local water authority will require a pre-build and post-build CCTV survey. We provide the correct format reports for Severn Trent build-over applications.
Repeated blockages can point to tree roots, a bellied section, a displaced joint or a partial collapse. A CCTV inspection records the root cause after drain unblocking has restored enough flow for the camera to pass.
If you are claiming on your buildings insurance for drainage damage, the insurer will require evidence of the damage. Our CCTV footage and written report provide the documentation needed to support your claim. We can also provide repair quotes to accompany the evidence.
Landlords have a duty to maintain functional drainage. A periodic survey (we recommend every 3 to 5 years for rental properties) catches deterioration early and demonstrates due diligence. Particularly valuable for HMO landlords across Birmingham and Coventry.
We regularly find construction debris (concrete, mortar, builder's waste) in the drains of brand-new homes. A post-build survey before you move in catches these issues while they are still the builder's responsibility. Common on new estates across Solihull, Bromsgrove, and Redditch.
Our engineers are trained to identify every type of defect. Here is what our cameras detect:
Root Ingress
Cracked Pipes
Collapsed Sections
Scale Build-Up
Displaced Joints
Bellied Sections
We carry out CCTV surveys and drain inspections across three counties. Select your area for local information.
The West Midlands metropolitan county is our core service area, covering Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry, Dudley, Wolverh...
View West Midlands areasWarwickshire stretches from the urban edges of Coventry through historic market towns like Warwick and Stratford-upon-Av...
View Warwickshire areasWorcestershire covers our extended service area from Bromsgrove and Redditch through to Worcester, Kidderminster, Droitw...
View Worcestershire areasCustomer feedback on our drainage work
"Craig, Jamie and colleague were excellent. Proper blokes, polite, friendly, knowledgeable and took the time to explain everything in layman terms. Highly recommended."
"Communication was excellent by Craig before, during and after the work. They were friendly, knowledgeable and hard working. They tidied up really well afterwards, neater than before they arrived!"
"Can't praise these guys enough!! Were helpful in the extreme in sorting a drain blockage for me - and over the New Year period too, finishing on New Years Day!"
A selection of drainage jobs from across our service area.
Our CCTV drain surveys start from £250 inc VAT. This includes on-site findings with recorded footage you can keep. Homebuyer surveys with a report, drainage plan and clear recommendations are also available from £250. Complex multi-run surveys for commercial properties are quoted individually. All prices include a walkthrough of the findings on site. For a full breakdown of what affects the price, see our CCTV drain survey cost guide.
A standard residential survey takes 1-2 hours depending on the number of drain runs and access points. Home-buyer surveys with a detailed report typically take 2-3 hours. We will give you a time estimate when booking.
We would strongly recommend it, especially for older properties. Standard home surveys do not include drainage, yet drain repairs can cost thousands of pounds. Our home-buyer survey gives you a clear picture of the drainage condition before you commit, and can be used as a negotiating tool if issues are found.
Our cameras identify blockages, cracks, fractures, root ingress, displaced joints, collapsed sections, pitch-fibre deformation, scale build-up, bellied pipes (dips that hold standing water), and incorrect connections. The high-definition footage is recorded and can be shared with you digitally.
Yes. A homebuyer survey includes a written report with annotated screenshots, a drainage plan and clear recommendations. Standard surveys include on-site findings with recorded footage you can keep, and a formal report can be added when required.
Yes. Our camera equipment can survey pipes beneath extensions, conservatories, and other structures. This is particularly important for home-buyer surveys and when planning building work. We can also locate the exact position of buried drains using a sonde transmitter in the camera head.
We carry out CCTV drain surveys in Birmingham, Solihull and across the West Midlands, Warwickshire and Worcestershire. Tell us your postcode and whether you need a quick camera inspection, homebuyer report, build-over survey or commercial drainage survey, and we will confirm the right scope and price.
Our engineers carry equipment for multiple drainage tasks, so we can often handle several issues in a single visit.
Fast, fixed-price drain clearing using manual rodding or high-pressure jetting. Free CCTV camera check included with every job.
Clear Blocked DrainsUrgent toilet unblocking available around the clock. We resolve everything from simple obstructions to deep waste-pipe blockages.
Unblock Blocked ToiletsHD camera inspections with same-day written reports. Ideal for home buyers, build-over applications, and diagnosing recurring problems.
Current ServiceAvailable 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. No extra charge for evenings, weekends, or bank holidays. Typically on site within 60 minutes.
Get Emergency Drainage HelpNo-dig patch lining and excavation repairs using WRc approved materials. Manufacturer-backed guarantee on all repair work.
View Pipe Repair Options3,000 PSI water jetting to clear stubborn blockages and descale pipes. Ideal for fat build-up, root ingress, and drain maintenance.
See Jetting ServicesCheckatrade Verified · 9.8/10 Rating · Fully Insured
Craig Argyle and Jamie Ruby founded Cofton DJS with over 10 years of drainage experience. All work uses WRc approved materials and comes with a written guarantee.
Compare camera-check and report prices, plus shared sewer surveys within your property boundary for extension work. Understand scope before booking.
Read More →
Five checks for winter debris, rainwater outlets, exposed waste pipes and changing drainage behaviour, with advice on when an inspection is useful.
Read More →
Real CCTV evidence of a rodent in a drain, the defects we investigate, and when repairs or non-return valves may help homeowners and housing associations.
Read More →
Compare buildings insurance, home emergency drain cover and pay-as-you-go drainage work before deciding whether a separate policy is worth it.
Read More →Call us now or request a callback. Available 24/7 for emergencies.
