Sewer scope — before you buy
A standard home inspection does not include the sewer lateral. The inspector cannot see inside it, so it isn't in the report. Meanwhile a failed lateral costs $8,000–$25,000 to replace, and the day you take possession it becomes entirely your problem.
A sewer scope is a camera inspection of that pipe before you're committed. We do them fast, because you're usually working to a subject-removal deadline.
Why it matters here
Metro Vancouver's older housing stock — pre-1960 homes across East Vancouver, New Westminster, Burnaby Heights and much of the Westside — typically has clay or cast iron laterals, and the city's mature street trees are exceptionally good at finding them. Root intrusion in a 70-year-old clay lateral isn't unusual. It's the default.
What the scope shows
Root intrusion and how far advanced it is · Cracks, fractures and collapsed sections · Bellies holding standing water · Offset joints · Pipe material and rough age · Grease and scale buildup · Whether the line connects properly to the city main · Whether there's an old, abandoned or illegally connected line
What you get
Recorded footage · A written report with findings and their locations · Depth and position marked · A plain-language assessment of severity · An estimated repair or replacement cost if anything is found
What it costs
It's the cheapest insurance in a property transaction, and it's the one most buyers don't know to ask for.
If we find something
It becomes a negotiating position rather than a surprise. Buyers routinely use a documented sewer defect to renegotiate price or require the seller to repair before completion. Our report is written to be usable for exactly that — factual, photographed, costed.
We're not the ones advising you on the deal. We just make sure you're making the decision with the information.
