Buying or Selling a Home in Sarasota? Why a Sewer Camera Inspection Can Make a Difference
Written by Alex Beaubien | Prestige Plumbing & Restoration
Buying or selling a home involves much more than finding the right property or accepting the right offer. Inspections, repairs, negotiations, and unexpected property conditions can all become part of the process.
One area that can easily be overlooked is something you cannot see during a normal walkthrough: the underground sewer and drain system.
A home may look great. The faucets may work, the toilets may flush, and the sinks may drain normally. But that does not necessarily tell you what condition the underground sewer piping is in.
At Prestige Plumbing & Restoration, we regularly provide sewer camera inspections and plumbing evaluations for homeowners, buyers, sellers, property managers, home inspectors, and real estate professionals throughout Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Ranch, Venice, Longboat Key, and surrounding Southwest Florida communities.
Over the years, we've also had the opportunity to work alongside local real estate professionals when plumbing concerns arise during real estate transactions. One of those professionals is Edward Bieker, a Sarasota-Bradenton area Realtor with more than 30 years of real estate experience.
Why Consider a Sewer Camera Inspection When Buying a Home?
A standard home inspection can provide valuable information about a property, but underground sewer piping presents a unique challenge because much of the system is hidden from view.
A sewer camera inspection allows a plumbing professional to visually evaluate accessible portions of the drain and sewer system from inside the pipe.
Depending on the system and available access, a camera inspection may reveal conditions such as:
Deteriorating cast-iron piping
Heavy scale and buildup
Cracks or damaged piping
Root intrusion
Standing water
Bellies or sections holding water
Separated or damaged fittings
Restrictions and obstructions
Previous repairs
Transitions between different piping materials
Areas requiring additional investigation
Finding one of these conditions does not automatically mean the sewer needs to be replaced.
The purpose of the inspection is to provide additional information about the condition of the accessible piping so the buyer can better understand what they are purchasing.
Older Sarasota Homes and Cast-Iron Sewer Piping
This can be particularly important when evaluating older homes throughout Sarasota and surrounding Gulf Coast communities.
Older properties may contain cast-iron drainage piping or a combination of original piping and newer repairs.
A sewer can still be flowing when an inspection is performed while also showing deterioration, heavy scaling, previous repairs, or other conditions that may deserve additional evaluation.
That is why simply flushing a toilet or running water through a sink cannot provide the same information as looking inside the sewer line.
When we inspect older drainage systems, we may look for conditions such as:
Internal scaling
Corrosion and deterioration
Cracks
Holes or missing pipe material
Root intrusion
Offset connections
Standing water
Previous spot repairs
Cast-iron-to-PVC transitions
Changes in pipe condition
If a significant concern is found, additional cleaning or investigation may sometimes be necessary before the full condition of the piping can be evaluated.
Sewer Camera Locating & Plumbing Mapping
Finding a problem with a sewer camera is only part of the investigation.
When appropriate, camera equipment can be used with electronic locating equipment to help determine where an accessible section of piping or identified concern is situated on the property.
For more complicated drainage systems, information gathered during camera inspections can also help document:
Approximate pipe routing
Cleanout locations
Branch connections
Stack locations
Underground piping
Camera distances
Changes in pipe material
Areas of concern
On larger residential, condominium, and commercial projects, these findings may also be incorporated into working plumbing maps or isometric-style drawings to help communicate the existing drainage layout and plan additional investigation or repairs.
This can be especially useful when the existing plumbing layout is unknown or when determining the location of a problem before excavation.
What If the Sewer Camera Finds a Problem?
A camera finding should be evaluated based on what is actually visible and how it affects the plumbing system.
Different conditions can require very different responses.
Depending on the condition of the pipe, an appropriate recommendation could involve:
No immediate repair
Monitoring the condition
Mechanical descaling
Additional camera inspection
Localized spot repair
Excavation and pipe replacement
Complete sewer replacement
The important part is not assuming every imperfection requires the most expensive solution.
The camera provides information. That information can then be used to determine whether additional action is appropriate.
Selling a Home? Finding Plumbing Concerns Early Can Help Too
Sewer camera inspections are not only useful for buyers.
A seller may also want to understand the condition of the property's drainage system before listing the home.
Finding a significant plumbing concern during a buyer's inspection period can introduce another issue into an already time-sensitive transaction.
Identifying a concern beforehand can give the seller time to:
Understand the condition
Obtain professional recommendations
Gather documentation
Determine whether repairs are appropriate
Address questions before closing
This can be particularly useful for older properties or homes with a history of recurring drain or sewer problems.
Working With Edward Bieker
We've worked with Ed on different occasions involving sewer camera inspections and plumbing concerns associated with real estate transactions.
From our experience working alongside him, one thing we've noticed is how seriously he takes representing his clients.
Ed doesn't simply wait for an issue to become a larger problem. We've seen firsthand how he works to identify concerns, get the appropriate professionals involved, and make sure questions are addressed so his clients can better understand what they're dealing with before moving forward.
That approach works well with what we do at Prestige Plumbing & Restoration.
Our responsibility is to evaluate and explain the plumbing condition. The Realtor's responsibility is to help the client navigate the real estate transaction.
Keeping those roles separate while allowing the appropriate professionals to communicate their findings can give buyers and sellers better information when making decisions.
For buyers or sellers looking for local real estate guidance, you can learn more about
Edward Bieker and his real estate services.
The Realtor, Home Inspector & Plumber Have Different Roles
A Realtor, home inspector, and licensed plumber perform different jobs during a real estate transaction.
The Realtor
The Realtor represents the client and helps navigate the real estate transaction.
The Home Inspector
The home inspector evaluates the overall condition of the property within the scope of the home inspection.
The Plumbing Professional
When a specialized plumbing concern needs further evaluation, a plumbing professional can investigate the plumbing or sewer system in greater detail.
This distinction is important.
A sewer camera inspection should provide useful information about accessible piping without making assumptions about portions of the system that cannot be inspected.
When additional investigation is necessary, that should be explained as well.
Why Documentation Matters During a Real Estate Sewer Inspection
When a sewer inspection is being performed as part of a real estate transaction, documentation can be particularly valuable.
Depending on the inspection and conditions found, documentation may include:
Camera footage
Photographs
Approximate distances
Pipe material
Visible defects
Electronic locating information
Written findings
Recommendations for additional investigation
This gives buyers, sellers, Realtors, and other parties something more useful than simply being told that the sewer "looks good" or "looks bad."
The goal is to document what was actually observed.
Should Every Home Buyer Get a Sewer Camera Inspection?
Not every property is the same, but there are situations where considering a sewer camera inspection can be particularly worthwhile.
These include:
Purchasing an older home
Known cast-iron drainage piping
History of sewer backups
Slow or recurring drains
Large trees near sewer piping
Evidence of previous sewer repairs
Unknown sewer condition
Major remodeling plans
Purchasing a property that has been vacant
Concerns identified during the home inspection
A sewer inspection can also establish a baseline condition of the accessible drainage system at the time the property is being evaluated.
Buying a Home That You Plan to Remodel?
A sewer camera inspection can become even more useful when the buyer plans a significant renovation.
A remodel may involve:
Moving bathrooms
Adding plumbing fixtures
Relocating kitchens
Adding laundry connections
Changing underground drains
Connecting new plumbing to existing piping
Before connecting new plumbing to an older drainage system, understanding the condition and approximate layout of the existing piping can help with project planning.
In some situations, addressing aging sewer piping during a major renovation can make more sense than discovering a significant problem after new flooring, cabinets, walls, or finishes have already been installed.
Sewer Camera Inspections for Home Buyers & Sellers in Sarasota, Bradenton & Venice
Prestige Plumbing & Restoration provides professional sewer camera inspections for homeowners, buyers, sellers, Realtors, home inspectors, property managers, condominium associations, and commercial properties throughout Sarasota, Bradenton, Lakewood Key, Venice, Longboat Key, Nokomis, and surrounding Southwest Florida communities.
Our sewer and drain capabilities include:
Sewer camera inspections
Electronic locating
Drain and sewer mapping
Drain cleaning
Mechanical descaling
Hydro jetting
Cast-iron pipe evaluation
Sewer replacement
Pipe lining
Underground plumbing investigation
If you're buying or selling a property, understanding what's happening underground can provide valuable information before an unexpected sewer problem becomes your problem after closing.
About the Author
Alex Beaubien is Director of Operations & Business Development at Prestige Plumbing & Restoration. Alex works with the Prestige team coordinating sewer camera inspections, reviewing camera findings, documenting plumbing conditions, mapping drainage systems, preparing working isometrics, and planning drain and sewer cleaning, repair, lining, and replacement projects throughout Southwest Florida.
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