Choosing a survey level
Can you add a drainage CCTV survey to a Level 2 by agreement?
Yes, if the firm offers it and the seller allows access, but it is an extra instruction, not a hidden part of the Level 2. If the firm does not offer CCTV, you hire a drainage company separately. Either way, put it in writing before the day.
Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.
What is the fuller explanation?
A Level 2’s drainage inspection is visual. Adding a camera changes the fee, the equipment and sometimes the person who attends. Ask who will be on site, whether they will film every run, and what happens if a cover is seized. A seized cover is a common reason cameras do not happen. The report should then say the drains were not camera-surveyed, not imply that they were.
Share the film with the surveyor if you want the condition rating to take it into account. Agree that review in advance. A film dropped on them after they have written the report may be a new piece of work. The drainage firm’s repair quote is a third document. Keep the three apart: survey, film, repair price.
What should you ask your surveyor?
- Do you offer CCTV, or should I hire a drainage firm?
- If you offer it, who attends and what will the report say about the film?
- What will you say if the covers will not open?
What are the typical next steps?
- Write the extra into the terms if you want it.
- Tell the seller the drainage team needs access to covers, including shared ones if the solicitor has cleared that.
- Do not assume the camera happened because you asked in an email the firm never confirmed.
Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.
Also asked about this
Is CCTV sensible on every purchase?
No. It is sensible when there is a reason: a crack near a drain, a history of blockages, a shared private drain, or a surveyor’s recommendation. It is an extra cost. Ask the firm for that cost. Do not order it to feel thorough.
Can the seller’s recent CCTV be reused?
Read its date and which runs it filmed. A two-year-old film of a different length of pipe is not this inspection. The solicitor can ask for it.