A sewer camera inspection is bought over the phone or by email, usually in a hurry, often by someone who has never had one. The provider knows exactly what they will deliver; the customer finds out afterward. A few questions asked before booking close that gap, and the answers sort providers into those who do full inspections and those who do a look with a camera. None of the questions is hostile and a good provider will have answered them many times.
Quick answer: ask whether the whole line will be recorded with the distance on screen and whether you will receive the file; whether the camera has a sonde and the technician a receiver, so defects can be located and marked; whether a written report with stills and distances is included; where the camera will enter and what happens if there is no cleanout; what happens if the line is blocked; whether the company also does repairs; how long the inspection will take; what the camera cannot show; who will be holding the camera; and what it costs with everything above included. The answers decide whether to book.
Will the whole line be recorded, with distance on screen, and will I get the file?
The foundational question. A yes to all three means a full pass with the counter running and a recording the customer can keep, share with a contractor and compare against a later inspection. A provider who records only the defect, does not run a counter, or keeps the file has delivered a summary rather than evidence. What a professional inspection includes explains why the recording is the product.
Does the camera have a sonde, and will defects be located and marked?
A sonde in the head and a receiver in the technician’s hand are what turn “offset at 42 ft” into a paint mark on the lawn with a depth estimate, which is what a repair contractor quotes from. A camera without a sonde cannot do this, and some providers’ cameras do not have one. If the answer is no, the inspection can still find problems but cannot place them for repair. Does a 512 Hz camera include a locator explains the two parts.
Is a written report with stills and distances included?
A report is what a buyer shows a seller, a landlord shows a tenant and a homeowner shows a second contractor. A verbal summary at the cleanout is none of those. Ask what the report contains and ask to see a sample. How to read an inspection report shows what a good one looks like.
Where will the camera enter, and what if there is no cleanout?
A provider who asks about the cleanout before you do is thinking about the job. If there is none, the options are a pulled toilet, the stack test tee or the roof vent, each with its own time and cost, and the provider should say which they will use and what it adds. Cleanout vs roof vent vs toilet compares them.
What happens if the line is blocked?
A blocked line cannot be inspected until it is cleared. Some providers cable it on the spot and add the charge; some do a limited inspection and recommend cleaning; some leave. Knowing in advance avoids an argument at the cleanout. Inspecting a line full of water explains why the camera cannot simply push through.
Does the company also do repairs?
Not a disqualifying answer, but an important one. A company that repairs has an interest in finding repairs; a company that only inspects has none. For a home purchase, independence is worth paying for. For a homeowner with a backup who will need a repair anyway, a company that does both saves a visit. What determines the cost covers how the business model shapes the price.
How long will it take?
Twenty to forty minutes for a straightforward lateral; longer for old houses, extra entries and locates. A provider who says ten minutes is describing a look. How long an inspection takes sets out the range.
What can the camera not show?
A good provider will say: the outside of the pipe, a leak that is not visible from inside, anything beyond a blockage, branches too small for the head, and infiltration in dry weather. A provider who says “everything” has not thought about it. Inspection limitations lists them.
Who will be holding the camera?
An experienced technician reads a joint in a second; a new one pushes past it. Ask how long the technician has been doing inspections and whether they will be the one writing the report. For a municipal or commercial job, ask about certifications such as PACP. PACP, LACP and MACP explained covers what those mean.
What does it cost with all of the above included?
Ask for the price of the full service, not the base. A low quote that excludes the recording, the locate or the report is not comparable with one that includes them. Write down what each quote includes before comparing numbers.
Reading the answers
A provider who answers all ten readily is used to delivering a full inspection. One who is vague on the recording, the locate or the report is describing a look. One who pivots to a repair before the inspection has happened is describing a sales call. The questions take five minutes and save the cost of an inspection that has to be done again.
Common questions
Is it rude to ask these questions?
No. A good provider answers them every day and prefers a customer who knows what they are buying.
What if the provider does not have a sonde?
The inspection can still find problems. It cannot mark them for repair. Decide whether that matters for your purpose.
Should I be present for the inspection?
Yes. Watching the screen is the fastest way to understand the report, and questions asked at the cleanout get better answers than questions asked by email.
Related guides
See red flags in a sewer inspection report, sewer scope inspection when buying a house, and pre-purchase sewer line inspection.