A pre-purchase drain survey checks the drains before you buy. A survey of the building may not look inside the pipes, so ask your surveyor what it covers. Drain faults can cost a lot, yet they are often hidden.
A camera runs along the pipes and records the video. The report can show cracks, roots, displaced joints and sections where water pools. Ask for the footage and a plan of the pipe runs, because both help your solicitor.
Book the survey early in the purchase, since late results leave little time to act. Ask your solicitor how the timing fits. Share the results with your solicitor and your surveyor, because they can tell you how a fault affects your plans.
If the survey finds defects, you can use the report when you talk to the seller. Ask for repair quotes from more than one firm. Compare them before you agree a price, because costs can differ a lot.
Send the property address and ask for a date. Check how the engineer will get access, because the seller or agent may need to allow it.
The camera follows each accessible pipe run and records the video. It shows the pipe condition, the joints and any defects, while a plan marks where each run goes.
Ask for annotated images, a plan of the pipe runs and a condition note for each section. A short summary helps you spot the main points, since the full footage can run long.
Send the report to your solicitor and your surveyor, because they can tell you how it affects the purchase. They can also say whether to ask for repairs or a lower price.
Prices vary because properties and pipe runs differ in size. A basic look costs less than a full report with a plan, so ask which one the quote covers.
Ask for a written quote before work starts, since report types differ. Ask whether there is a call-out charge, and ask whether the video and written report are included.
Book as early in the purchase as you can, so the results can still shape your decision. Ask your solicitor how the timing fits with the sale. A survey is easier to use when there is time to act on it, because repairs take planning.
Send it to your solicitor and your surveyor, because they advise on the purchase. Your lender or insurer may ask for it too. Ask the engineer for the footage as well as the written report.
Use the report to talk to the seller and your solicitor. You can ask for repairs, ask for a lower price, or decide not to go ahead. Get repair quotes from more than one firm before you decide, since the costs can differ.