Sewer camera scope: part of a standard home inspection in Manotick?

A sewer camera scope is not part of a standard home inspection. Ontario.ca's list of what an inspector will examine covers plumbing and electrical systems where visible, but it does not include a camera run through the underground lateral from the house to the street.

The federal Office of Consumer Affairs describes a home inspection as a non-invasive, visual evaluation. A sewer scope requires inserting a camera into the drain line, which goes beyond that visual scope. Whether an inspector offers it is a question to ask each one. We found no licence, standard or regulator for sewer camera inspection, and too few independent published prices to show a range.

The City of Ottawa draws a clear line on responsibility: the City is responsible for the portion of the sanitary and storm sewer laterals from the property line to the street, and the homeowner is responsible for the portion from the property line to the home. If a lateral crosses the property line, there may be shared responsibility. Knowing which side of the property line a problem sits on tells you whose portion it is.

If you want a scope done before you firm up an offer, ask each inspector you contact whether they include it, whether they subcontract it, or whether they can recommend who does it. Get the scope price in writing separately from the inspection fee. For drain repair, relining or camera work as a plumbing service, ottawaplumbingpro.ca covers that side of things.

The most useful question to put to any inspector you are considering: do you perform the sewer scope yourself, or does a separate operator come, and will their findings be in the same written report?