What the camera tells you
A push camera on a flexible rod runs the length of the lateral. A transmitter in the head lets us track it from above ground, so every finding comes with two numbers: how far along the line it is, and how deep. Those two numbers are what turn a vague quote into a real one.
By the end of the run you know:
- What the pipe is made of — clay, Orangeburg, cast iron or PVC
- Where the damage is, in feet from the cleanout
- How deep it sits at that point
- Whether the line has a belly holding water
- Whether roots are present and where they are entering
- Whether the problem is on your side of the connection or the city's
Why this comes before any price
Sewer repair costs range from a few hundred dollars to twenty-five thousand. Nobody can tell you where in that range you sit by looking at a slow drain. A contractor quoting a replacement without footage is guessing, and the guess will not be in your favour.
That last point on the list is worth its own paragraph. If the blockage turns out to be in the city main rather than your lateral, the repair is the city's, not yours. The camera footage is what proves which side of the connection the problem is on.
Buying a house in Littleton?
A sewer scope before closing is one of the cheaper pieces of due diligence available. Standard home inspections do not include the sewer line, and a failing lateral on a 1960s Littleton property is a five-figure problem that transfers to the new owner at closing.
Given the housing mix here — clay downtown, Orangeburg in the 1945 to 1972 stock, cast iron through the 70s — knowing what is under the yard before you sign is worth considerably more than it costs.
What we need to get the camera in
A cleanout. Most Littleton homes have one, usually a capped pipe near the foundation or at the property line. If yours does not, we can often enter through a pulled toilet instead, which takes a little longer. Adding a cleanout is a worthwhile job in its own right because it makes every future service call cheaper. More on cleanout installation.
Book an inspection
Under an hour, you watch the screen, and the footage is yours whatever you decide next.
Call (303) 555-0147Questions we get asked
How long does a sewer scope take?
Under an hour for most residential laterals, including setting up and reviewing the footage with you. A long run or a line that has to be cleared first takes longer.
Do I get a copy of the video?
Yes. You watch the run live on the screen with us, and the footage is yours to keep. If a second opinion or an insurance claim follows, that recording is the evidence.
Should I get a sewer scope before buying a house?
In Littleton, yes. Standard home inspections exclude the sewer line, and the housing stock here includes clay, Orangeburg and cast iron laterals that are at or past their service life. A failing line becomes the buyer's problem at closing.
What if I don't have a cleanout?
We can usually enter through a pulled toilet instead, which adds time to the job. Installing a cleanout afterwards is worth considering, because it makes every future inspection and clearing faster and cheaper.
Book the inspection
Under an hour, you watch the screen, and the recording is yours whether you have work done or not. If the line is sound, that is a useful answer too.
Platte Sewer Co. — sewer line repair in Littleton, CO. Open 24 hours.