A CCTV drain camera inspection is one of those services most homeowners have never needed — until they suddenly very much do. Whether it's a drain that keeps blocking, an insurance claim, a sinkhole appearing over a sewer line or a property purchase you want to be sure about, here's what a camera survey actually involves.
What is a CCTV drain inspection?
A push-rod CCTV drain inspection runs a high-resolution waterproof camera on a semi-rigid rod down the inside of a drain line. The camera streams video back to a monitor with on-screen distance counter and LED ring lighting, so the operator can record exactly what's in the pipe — root ingress, collapsed sections, displaced joints, fat build-up, back-falls, foreign objects — and at exactly what distance from the access point.
When you genuinely need a CCTV inspection
- Recurring blockages. If you've cleared the same drain more than twice, something structural is wrong and you need to see it.
- Sinkholes or subsidence over the line of a drain — usually a collapsed pipe leaking water into surrounding soil.
- Sewage backing up after every heavy rain — points to crossed stormwater and sewer connections, or undersized mains.
- Insurance claims for water, damp or subsidence damage — most insurers want documented evidence.
- Pre-purchase inspections on older homes — earthenware drains laid before 1980 are reaching end of life across Northern Joburg.
- Before paving, landscaping or building over a drain run — confirm what's down there and where, before you cover it permanently.
What the survey actually shows you
You get a recorded video file (on USB or WhatsApp), a written report listing each fault with its distance from the access point, and a verbal explanation of what's normal wear, what's actively a problem, and what's optional preventive work. Where we identify damage, we quote the repair — but the footage is yours either way. We don't make it conditional on accepting our quote.
How much does a CCTV drain inspection cost in Johannesburg?
- Standard residential inspection (single line, up to 30 m): R1,800 – R2,800
- Multiple lines on the same site: from R2,800
- Combined inspection-plus-clearance package: from R2,800
- Pre-purchase property survey with detailed written report: R2,500 – R3,500
For comparison, excavating blind to find a suspected collapsed sewer line will cost anywhere from R15,000 to R50,000 — most of it spent digging in the wrong place. A R2,500 camera survey beforehand is the best money you'll spend on the job.
What insurers want to see
South African household insurers — Santam, OUTsurance, Discovery Insure, MiWay, King Price — routinely pay out for water-damage and damp claims that include a CCTV report with photos, distance metreage and video. The report needs to identify the fault, document the consequential damage, and (ideally) come with an itemised repair quote on the same letterhead. We supply all of that as standard.
What happens after the inspection
Depending on what we find:
- Root ingress → mechanised root-cutting, possibly followed by lining or replacement of the affected section.
- Collapsed earthenware → spot excavation and replacement with PVC.
- Back-falls → re-lay of the affected section with proper fall.
- Displaced joints → spot repair or, where extensive, pipe-lining.
- Nothing structural → you have peace of mind and a video file for your records.
Need a CCTV drain inspection in Sandton, Midrand or Northern Joburg? Phone 082 886 9119 or book a camera survey.