Sewer scope
A camera inspection of the sewer line from the house to the street or septic tank. Catches root intrusion, cracks, and collapses. Repair costs can run into the thousands, so many buyers order one.
Your Room opens on this part of the sale, with the offer and everything before it already ticked.
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See how it worksWhere this comes up: under contract
Part 1 of 4
Why a seller cares
A camera down the sewer line finds roots, cracks and bellies that no general inspection can see, and repairs run into the thousands. Buyers of older homes order one routinely, and a finding is usually a seller cost.
Part 2 of 4
A simple example
The scope on your 1962 house finds root intrusion twenty feet out and a small offset joint. A plumber quotes $4,800 to repair the section.
| What the camera finds | What tends to follow |
|---|---|
| Clear line | Nothing; the item closes |
| Roots, no damage | A hydro-jet cleaning, a few hundred dollars |
| A cracked or collapsed section | A repair in the thousands, usually negotiated as a credit |
The sewer line is out of sight and expensive, which is exactly why buyers look.
Part 3 of 4
What people get wrong
That the city owns the line. The homeowner usually owns it to the main, and its repair is the homeowner's cost.
Part 4 of 4 · where to read next
Where it appears in the sale
What a definition is, and what it isn't
Keighbor is a software company, not a law firm, brokerage, or tax adviser. This is general information, not legal, tax, financial, or real estate advice about your sale. Your situation may differ. Before acting on a contract, disclosure, title, tax, or pricing question, ask an appropriately licensed professional in your state.
Written and researched by Keighbor Research · drawn from the reference glossary · how we research and check what we publish
In your Room, this word explains itself where it appears.
Your Room defines sewer scope in the step you meet it in, beside the document or the date it belongs to. Free to set up, with an agent or on your own.
Organize my saleFree to set up. Pay once when you list: $89 or $189. 7-day refund.