When an inspection pays for itself
- Before you buy a home, especially one built in the postwar decades.
- When a drain clears but backs up again within weeks.
- After roots have been cut once and returned.
- Before landscaping, a driveway project or an addition near the line.
- Before and after hydro jetting, to confirm the pipe is clean.
If the problem is urgent, see sewer line cleaning. If the camera finds damage, sewer line repair describes the fixes.
What the camera records
| Finding | Why it matters | What follows |
|---|---|---|
| Pipe material | Clay, cast iron, ABS and Orangeburg fail differently | Repair plan fits the material |
| Root intrusion | Roots mean an open joint | Cleaning, then joint repair |
| Bellies and sags | Low spots hold waste and clog | Monitor, or replace the section |
| Cracks and offsets | Leaks and shifts | Spot repair or reline |
| Cleanout and connection | Access for future cleaning | Add a cleanout if needed |
We note the footage and mark the depth and surface location of defects. You receive a plain-language summary of what we saw, with the video when you ask for it.
Need a camera visit?
Call and tell us whether this is for a purchase, repeat clogs or a project. We will schedule a time.
Inspections for home buyers
A general home inspection does not look inside the sewer lateral. If you are buying a home built in the 1950s or 1960s, ask whether the seller has a recent camera report. Pleasant Hill's postwar subdivisions, including Gregory Gardens, are the kind of neighborhoods where older clay laterals appear.
Because Central San places responsibility for the lateral on the owner, a defect you buy is a defect you repair. A camera visit before closing gives you leverage and a budget.
What an inspection cannot do
A camera cannot see through a full blockage, so we may clear the line first. It also cannot tell the soil conditions around the pipe, and it shows a moment in time. If a tree is growing near the line, repeat the inspection every couple of years, in line with the district's advice.
How to use the video
The footage is most useful when it is paired with the depth and location marks. If the camera shows a defect at 40 feet, the locator tells us where that spot is on the surface, so a repair can be planned without guesswork.
For a home purchase, share the video with your agent and, if you like, with a second plumber. A clear defect gives you room to negotiate a repair credit. A clean video gives you confidence, and you can repeat the inspection every couple of years if trees are growing near the line.
What affects inspection cost
We give a clear price before work starts. Factors:
Insurance does not usually pay for inspections you request, unless they are part of a covered claim.
Want your real number? Describe the job on the call and we quote it before work starts.
Service area
We inspect laterals in 94523 and the nearby ZIP codes of 94549 in Lafayette and 94596 in Walnut Creek. The Lafayette page covers hillside access.
Camera work is documented in line with the guidelines of the equipment maker, and any repair that follows is built to the sanitary district's specifications and the California Plumbing Code, which is based on the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC).
Common questions
Many take about an hour when there is a cleanout. Blocked lines add cleaning time.
Yes, ask for it when you book. We also give you a plain-language summary.
It shows cracks and offsets that may leak, though a leak test is separate.
A cleanout is the easiest access point. Without one, we can often enter through a toilet or roof vent.
It is a smart step for older homes. A general inspection does not cover the lateral.
Central San says the owner is responsible for the private lateral up to the public sewer connection.
Still have a question about your situation? Call (855) 575-2890 any hour and describe what you are seeing.