Use of a sewer scope (also knowing as a sewer snake or sewer camera) can range from free to $400 in the greater Denver Metro area.
At this point, you’re probably wondering why you would pay $400 instead of $0.
Most of the time, companies that offer it on the lower end, it’s because they are looking for upsell opportunities, which are very easy to obtain.
The high range usually includes coming back out a second time, which is necessary in certain cases.
Example: Property seller Johnny Johnson is selling his home to interested home buyer Sally Sue. Sally Sue gets a video scope of the sewer lines and it appears to her that there is significant problem where it meets the city sewer and she wants it taken care of. The technician lets her know there is root growth at tap. Johnny Johnson decides to perform repair of a pipe before he sells the house to Sally Sue. Johnny Johnson hires a crew to fix the problem and re-scopes the line to prove to Sally Sue that the pipe is free and clear, and restored. Sally now has the photos and video for her records.
In our article, the Red Flags of Sewer Scopes, you can read about things to watch for to avoid a scam when choosing who will perform this service.
It sounds so simple, why does it cost so much?
The sewer camera equipment is very expensive, costing between $7,000 and $12,000 and requires frequent costly repairs. Properly trained technicians are best at diagnosing true problems and being able to explain to you the results of the scoping.
The general process:
Put the camera down the line, the camera takes live video, and it also snaps still photos to document the situation.
The camera is on the end of a long cable and has a small aperture, which can make small things look very big.
What can the video and still photos from the sewer scope be used for?
- Real estate negotiations
- Court of law
- Your own records
