Drainage and septic tanks
Drain CCTV survey
Whether this needs a licence in Ireland
No licence required
Taken from the statute below; not yet reviewed by a lawyer
Drain CCTV survey: what the job involves
Putting a waterproof camera through the underground drains to see their condition, then reporting cracks, root intrusion, displaced joints, sagging runs and blockages with recorded footage. Done after repeat blockages, before buying a house, or before deciding how to repair.
Also asked for as: drain survey · CCTV drain survey · drain camera · drain inspection · pre purchase drain survey
How the job is usually done
- Agree the purpose: a pre-purchase check, a recurring blockage, a smell, or locating a pipe.
- Lift manholes and gullies and draw a sketch of the runs.
- Jet the line if it is too dirty for the camera to see.
- Push the camera through each run, recording footage and distances, and use a locator to mark positions and depths on the ground.
- Grade each defect and note where it is relative to a manhole.
- Send the report with footage, a drain plan and the recommended repair.
Drain CCTV survey: what is included
Usually included
- Camera inspection of the agreed runs
- Recorded footage and a written report with a sketch plan
- Locating the line and marking defects on the surface
Usually not included — agree it separately
- Repairs found by the survey
- Excavating to find a buried manhole
- Surveying the public sewer, which belongs to Uisce Éireann
- Jetting heavy blockages, unless agreed
Materials and who supplies them
- Camera, locator and jetter: the contractor brings these
- A USB stick or download link for the footage
How long it takes
One to three hours on site for a typical house; the report usually follows within a few working days, faster if needed for a house sale.
When to book
Before signing contracts on an older house, and before building an extension over or near a drain.
Drain CCTV survey: the rules in Ireland
What the official sources say, checked against them on the date shown. A summary, not legal advice — follow the link to read the rule itself.
The private drain from the house up to and including the connection to the public sewer is the owner’s responsibility; Uisce Éireann maintains the public sewer.
Applies to: the homeowner
Uisce Éireann · water.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
Drainage work on a private drain is not a restricted trade in Ireland; no statutory register applies to it.
Applies to: the homeowner choosing a contractor
Commission for Regulation of Utilities · cru.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
A VAT-registered contractor charges the reduced rate of 13.5% on drainage work to a home, subject to Revenue’s two-thirds rule where materials dominate.
Applies to: VAT-registered contractors
Revenue Commissioners · revenue.ie · Checked 9 October 2026
What drain cctv survey costs, and why
What jobs on Talqero came to
Not enough comparable jobs yet to publish a range here. Talqero shows a price range only once at least five comparable jobs, agreed prices or offers exist — a range from fewer would describe a handful of jobs, not the market. Post your job and compare the offers you get.
What affects the price
- Length of drain and the number of manholes and runs
- Whether jetting is needed before the camera can see
- Buried, sealed or missing manholes
- The level of report: footage only, or a written report with a plan
- Urgency, for example a closing date on a house purchase
- VAT: building work on a home is charged at the reduced rate of 13.5% by a VAT-registered business — unless the materials come to more than two-thirds of the price, when Revenue’s two-thirds rule applies the goods rate to the whole job. Ask whether a quote includes VAT.
Paperwork to ask for at the end
- The video footage of each run
- A written report grading each defect, with a sketch plan and distances from manholes
- Recommendations: monitor, jet, patch reline, full reline or excavate
Safety
- Keep children and pets away from open manholes during the survey.
- Never enter a septic tank, inspection chamber or deep manhole: hydrogen sulphide and lack of oxygen kill quickly, and would-be rescuers are often the second victims.
Drain CCTV survey: before you hire
Questions to ask a tradesperson
- Will I get the footage and a written report, and by when?
- Will you mark the defect position on the ground?
- Is jetting included if the camera cannot see?
- Do you also do the repair, and will you price it separately?
What you can do yourself
Lifting covers and running water while the surveyor watches is all a householder should do; nobody should climb into a chamber.
What to put in your task
- Why do you want the survey?
- Is the house on mains sewer or a septic tank?
- How many manholes can you see outside?
- Do you need a written report?
Photos that help
- Each manhole cover and where it sits on the property
- Any manhole with the cover off, if safe to lift
- Gullies and the area of the problem: dips, wet patches or cracks in paving
Drain CCTV survey by county
Choose your county for drain cctv survey close to home.
- Drain CCTV survey in Dublin
- Drain CCTV survey in Cork
- Drain CCTV survey in Galway
- Drain CCTV survey in Kildare
- Drain CCTV survey in Limerick
- Drain CCTV survey in Meath
- Drain CCTV survey in Tipperary
- Drain CCTV survey in Donegal
- Drain CCTV survey in Wexford
- Drain CCTV survey in Kerry
- Drain CCTV survey in Wicklow
- Drain CCTV survey in Mayo
- Drain CCTV survey in Louth
- Drain CCTV survey in Waterford
- Drain CCTV survey in Clare
- Drain CCTV survey in Kilkenny
- Drain CCTV survey in Westmeath
- Drain CCTV survey in Laois
- Drain CCTV survey in Cavan
- Drain CCTV survey in Offaly
- Drain CCTV survey in Sligo
- Drain CCTV survey in Roscommon
- Drain CCTV survey in Monaghan
- Drain CCTV survey in Carlow
- Drain CCTV survey in Longford
- Drain CCTV survey in Leitrim
Drainage and septic tanks
Need drain cctv survey? Describe the job.
Post it once, free. Professionals near you reply with their own price and when they could start. You choose, and pay them directly.
Questions about drain cctv survey
Does drain cctv survey need a licence in Ireland?
No licence is required for this work in Ireland (source: www.cru.ie). Ask instead for references and photographs of similar jobs.
Is a drain survey worth it when buying a house?
For an older house, especially with clay pipes or big trees nearby, a survey shows cracks and roots that a normal building survey cannot see. It is far cheaper to know before you buy than to dig up a new driveway.
What does a survey report show?
Each run of pipe with its defects graded — cracks, displaced joints, roots, sagging, deposits — and where they are, measured from a manhole. Most reports include footage and a recommended repair.
Can a survey find where my drain runs?
Yes. The camera head carries a transmitter that a locator above ground follows, so the line and its depth can be marked on the surface.