Mar 16, 2026
Signs of a Blocked Drain and What to Do About It
Strange smells, slow-draining water, or gurgling noises from your pipes? Here is how to spot a blocked drain early and what steps to take before calling a drainage engineer.
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HD Camera Technology - Detailed Reports Available
CCTV Drain
Surveys
See inside your drains with high-definition camera inspections. We identify blockages, cracks, root ingress, and collapsed pipes, then explain your options clearly and honestly.
HD
Camera Quality
Free
On-Site Consultation
Same
Day Service
Digital
Reports & Footage
Know Exactly What Is Happening Underground
The best tool to locate blockages, investigate damage in your drains or to conduct full site drainage reports is our CCTV camera equipment. A drain problem you cannot see is a drain problem you cannot solve properly. Our surveys give you, and us, a clear picture of your drainage condition. We operate across the West Midlands, Warwickshire, and Worcestershire.
Our reports range from a single drain run to the full drainage system. If you require an urgent drain CCTV survey, we have the capability to send the report to you the very same day, straight from our camera systems on site. Get in touch with our team for our CCTV drain survey cost in Birmingham.
Quick Camera Check
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.
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.
- HD camera inspection
- On-site findings walkthrough
- Recorded footage to keep
- Repair recommendations
- Same-day availability
Most popular
Home-Buyer / Full Survey
Bespoke Quote
Are you wanting the integrity checked, planning on extending, or selling/buying your home or an establishment? We can complete a basic to full CCTV drain survey in Birmingham and the surrounding areas.
Our team can survey the drains you require and compile a report including site drain plan, drainage defects, and recommendations for repairs. Standard home surveys do not cover drainage, yet repairs can run into thousands. We provide a detailed written report you can share with your solicitor or use to negotiate on price.
- Everything in Diagnostic
- Detailed written report
- Annotated screenshots
- Drainage plan / map
- Solicitor-ready format
- Repair cost estimates
Commercial Survey
Bespoke Quote
For businesses, landlords, property developers, and local authorities. Multi-run surveys covering entire drainage networks, including drain mapping and condition grading. Detailed reporting to industry standards.
- Multi-run surveys
- Full drain mapping
- Condition grading
- Priority scheduling
- Industry-standard reporting
- Bulk/contract pricing
Why Surveys Matter by Property Age
The age of your property is the single biggest indicator of drainage condition. Here is what our camera typically finds across the region's different housing stock:
Pre-1920 (Victorian/Edwardian)
Salt-glazed clay pipes with lime mortar joints. Common across central Birmingham, Coventry, and Wolverhampton. Expect root ingress through degraded joints, scale build-up, and occasional collapses.
Common in: Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton
1920-1950 (Inter-war)
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
1950-1980 (Post-war)
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
1980-present (Modern)
PVC pipes with push-fit joints. Generally more durable but can still suffer from poor installation, ground movement, and tree root ingress at junction points. New-build snagging issues are also common.
Common in: New estates across the region
What Does a CCTV Drain Survey Report Include?
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:
HD video footage
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 this as a digital file you can keep.
Annotated screenshots
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 ingress, cracks, displaced joints, and scale build-up are all clearly labelled.
Drainage plan
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.
Defect schedule and recommendations
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 are written in plain English, not industry jargon. They are formatted so that solicitors, mortgage lenders, and insurance companies can use them directly. For homebuyer surveys, this can save you from inheriting thousands of pounds of hidden drainage problems.
When You Need a CCTV Drain Survey
Not sure whether you need a survey? Here are the most common reasons our customers across the West Midlands book one:
Buying a property
Standard home surveys do not include drainage. A pre-purchase CCTV survey identifies collapsed pipes, root ingress, and shared drain liabilities before you exchange contracts. We see buyers save thousands by negotiating a price reduction based on our findings. Strongly recommended for any property built before 1980.
Build-over agreements
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.
Recurring blockages
If your drains block repeatedly, the problem is not the blockage itself but something causing it. A camera survey will show whether the issue is root ingress, a bellied pipe section trapping waste, a displaced joint catching debris, or a partial collapse restricting flow. We fix the symptom and the cause.
Insurance claims
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.
Landlord compliance
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.
New-build snagging
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.
What We Look For
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
CCTV Drain Surveys Near You
We carry out drain surveys across three counties. Select your area for local information.
West Midlands
The West Midlands metropolitan county is our core service area, covering Birmingham, Solihull, Coventry, Dudley, Wolverh...
View West Midlands areasWarwickshire
Warwickshire stretches from the urban edges of Coventry through historic market towns like Warwick and Stratford-upon-Av...
View Warwickshire areasWorcestershire
Worcestershire covers our extended service area from Bromsgrove and Redditch through to Worcester, Kidderminster, Droitw...
View Worcestershire areasFrequently Asked Questions
How much does a CCTV drain survey cost?
Our CCTV drain surveys start from £250 inc VAT. This includes on-site findings with recorded footage you can keep. Home-buyer surveys with a detailed written 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.
How long does a CCTV drain survey take?
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.
Do I need a CCTV survey before buying a property?
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.
What can a CCTV survey detect?
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.
Do you provide a written report?
Yes, all home-buyer surveys include a detailed written report with annotated screenshots, a drainage plan, and clear recommendations. Standard surveys include on-site verbal findings with recorded footage you can keep. Written reports for standard surveys are available at an additional cost.
Can you survey drains under extensions or conservatories?
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.
Related Services
Our engineers carry equipment for multiple drainage tasks, so we can often handle several issues in a single visit.
Drain Unblocking
Fast, fixed-price drain clearing using manual rodding or high-pressure jetting. Free CCTV camera check included with every job.
Drain Repairs
No-dig patch lining and excavation repairs using WRc approved materials. Manufacturer-backed guarantee on all repair work.
High Pressure Jetting
3,000 PSI water jetting to clear stubborn blockages and descale pipes. Ideal for fat build-up, root ingress, and drain maintenance.
Checkatrade 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.
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