A CCTV drain inspection answers the question that matters most after a blockage: why did it happen, and will it happen again. Sedcon Plumbing runs drain cameras across Melbourne metro for homeowners, property managers, strata managers and buyers doing pre-purchase checks — and you get the findings in writing, not just a verbal “it’s roots”.
When a drain camera is worth it
- The same drain keeps blocking. Repeat blockages in one line almost always mean a structural cause — roots at a joint, a collapsed section, or a belly holding water.
- Before you pay for a repair. Excavation and relining are expensive. A camera confirms what is actually wrong and where, so you are not paying to dig in the wrong place.
- Allocating cost in a rental or strata building. Footage showing tree roots is a very different conversation to footage showing wet wipes.
- Buying an older property. Drains are not covered by a standard building inspection. In Melbourne’s established suburbs, clay pipework with mature trees nearby is a known risk worth checking before settlement.
- Unexplained damp or smells. A cracked drain under a slab can present as rising damp or a persistent odour with no visible cause.
- After any significant clear. We re-inspect after jetting to confirm the line actually runs clear rather than assuming it does.
What the camera finds
- Tree root intrusion — and specifically which joint they are entering, so the repair is targeted.
- Cracked, offset or collapsed pipe — common in older earthenware and clay lines.
- Bellies and poor fall — sections where the pipe sags and holds water and solids.
- Grease and scale build-up — narrowing the line over time.
- Foreign objects — wipes, sanitary items, building debris left after a renovation.
- Illegal or failed connections — stormwater plumbed into sewer or vice versa, which is a compliance issue as well as a blockage risk.
With a sonde locator we can also mark the depth and position of a fault on the surface, so if excavation is needed it is dug in one spot rather than exploratory trenching across a garden.
What you receive
- Camera footage of the inspected line
- A written summary of what was found and where
- Marked position and depth of any fault requiring excavation
- Recommended options with the trade-offs stated — clear, reline or excavate
- A quote for any recommended work, priced separately
For property and strata managers, that documentation is the point. It settles who pays without argument, and it gives you something to forward to an owner or a committee rather than relaying a verbal explanation.
Repair options once the cause is known
Knowing the cause is what makes the repair decision straightforward. Roots at a single joint can often be cut and the joint relined. A collapsed section needs replacing. A belly needs re-grading. Grease build-up is a jetting job plus a conversation about what is going down the sink.
Pipe relining repairs a damaged section without excavation in most cases — see our blocked drains page for how that works alongside jetting.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a CCTV drain inspection cost in Melbourne?
A standalone camera inspection typically runs a few hundred dollars depending on access and the length of line inspected. Where we are already on site clearing a blockage, the inspection is usually included in the drain clearing price. We confirm the cost before starting — see our Melbourne plumber cost guide.
Do I get a copy of the footage?
Yes, along with a written summary of what was found. It is yours to forward to an owner, a committee, an insurer or a prospective buyer.
Can you inspect a drain before I buy a property?
Yes. Drains are not covered by a standard building inspection, and in older Melbourne suburbs with clay pipework and mature trees they are a real risk. A pre-purchase drain inspection is inexpensive relative to what a collapsed sewer line costs to replace.
Can the camera tell you exactly where the problem is?
Yes. Using a sonde locator we mark the position and depth of the fault at the surface, so any excavation is targeted rather than exploratory.
Do you inspect after clearing a blockage as well as before?
Where the cause is not obvious, yes — before to identify it and after to confirm the line runs clear. Clearing without inspecting is how the same blockage comes back a few months later.
Need a CCTV drain inspection in Melbourne? Call or text Sedcon Plumbing on 0413 647 557. VBA Licence 120392, fully insured, servicing Melbourne metro seven days.
CCTV Drain Inspection by Suburb
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