CCTV Drain Inspection vs Digging Up the Yard: Which One Do You Actually Need?

Introduction

Twenty years ago, finding a broken sewer pipe meant guessing where to dig and hoping for the best. Today, a CCTV drain camera can show you exactly what’s wrong in under an hour — without touching a shovel. But cameras aren’t always the answer. Here’s how the two compare, honestly.

Quick verdict

Use CCTV first, almost always. Excavation is a treatment, not a diagnosis — and you should never dig until you know exactly what you’re digging for.

Cost

• CCTV inspection: $290–$440 — often credited if relining or repair follows
• Excavation (small spot dig): $1,500–$3,500
• Excavation (under driveway / landscaping): $4,000–$10,000+

Accuracy

A camera shows you the exact location, depth and nature of the issue — root intrusion, fracture, collapse, misalignment or grease build-up. Excavation without a camera is informed guesswork.

Disruption

• CCTV: No mess. We feed the camera through an existing access point.
• Excavation: Pavers lifted, lawn cut, sometimes concrete broken. Reinstatement is rarely included in the dig price.

When excavation is genuinely the right call

• The pipe has fully collapsed and a reline can’t be pulled through
• The damage is at a junction that needs reconfiguring
• There is no suitable access point for relining equipment
• Council requires a physical inspection or new connection

Our recommendation

In 90%+ of recurring blockage and suspected pipe damage cases, we start with a CCTV inspection. From the footage, we’ll show you the problem on screen and give you a written quote for the most cost-effective fix — which is often relining, not digging.

FAQ

Do you give me the CCTV footage?

Yes — you receive the recording and a written report. It’s yours, even if you don’t proceed with us.

Will a camera find a leak?

A drain camera finds blockages and pipe damage. For pressurised water leaks, we use thermal imaging and acoustic leak detection.

Call-to-action

Not sure which you need? Book a CCTV inspection — if excavation turns out to be unavoidable, we’ll deduct the inspection fee from the repair.