Most homeowners who call about a sewer problem have already spent weeks or months wondering what is wrong and what it is going to cost. The answer to both questions starts in the same place: a camera in the pipe.
Contour begins every sewer project with a camera inspection. It is how we diagnose before we prescribe. This article explains exactly what the inspection involves, what it costs, and why it is the most important step before any repair work begins.
What Is a Sewer Camera Inspection?
A sewer camera inspection uses a high-definition waterproof camera mounted on a flexible rod to travel through your sewer line from the cleanout at your home to the connection at the city main. The camera transmits live video so our technician can see the interior of the pipe in real time.
Contour uses Milwaukee sewer cameras, which are among the best available for residential and commercial inspections. The footage is sharp enough to identify specific defects: a crack at a joint, a section of collapsed pipe, a root mass at a specific foot marker, a belly in the line where water is pooling.
The inspection typically documents:
- Pipe material (clay, cast iron, Orangeburg, PVC)
- Pipe diameter and total line length
- Overall condition of the pipe wall
- Root intrusion, including location and severity
- Offset or separated joints
- Cracks, fractures, or holes
- Sagging sections where water pools (bellies)
- Debris buildup or blockages
- House traps that may be limiting flow
- Collapsed sections
How Much Does a Sewer Camera Inspection Cost in Duluth?
Contour charges $250 for a standard inspection and $450 for an inspection with a locating report.
The $250 basic inspection includes a full camera run of the line from the cleanout to the city main, a live review of what we find, and our honest recommendations for next steps. Most homeowners who want to know what is going on in their pipe start here.
The $450 inspection with locate and report adds a locating service that maps the physical path and depth of the sewer line across the property, plus a written report you can keep. This level of documentation is useful when buying or selling the home, planning landscaping or construction near the line, submitting information to a homeowner insurance claim, or comparing quotes from multiple contractors.
In most cases, the inspection fee is credited toward any repair or replacement work that proceeds. Confirm that when you schedule.
Why the Camera Inspection Comes First
There is no responsible way to recommend a repair method without seeing the pipe first. Sewer lining, pipe bursting, point repair, and traditional excavation each require different pipe conditions to be the right fit. Recommending one without a camera is like a doctor prescribing surgery based on a phone call.
The camera inspection is what separates an honest diagnostic process from a contractor who shows up and quotes the most expensive option. When you see your own pipe on the screen, you understand exactly what the problem is and why the recommendation makes sense. There is no guesswork and no pressure.
From a practical standpoint, the camera also protects you financially. A $250 inspection gives you a documented baseline for comparing quotes, an independent assessment you own, and confidence that any work recommended is actually necessary.
What Happens During the Inspection
The technician locates the sewer cleanout, which is typically a capped pipe access point in the basement, a utility room, or outside near the foundation. The camera is introduced into the cleanout and advanced through the line at a controlled pace.
If the line is blocked by roots or heavy debris and the camera cannot travel freely, the technician may recommend cleaning the line before completing the inspection. In some homes, a house trap installed near the foundation limits access. If that is the case, we can provide options for removing the trap and completing the scope from a better access point.
The inspection itself typically takes 30 to 60 minutes depending on line length and what the camera finds. Most homeowners watch the live feed with the technician. The findings are explained in plain terms, not trade jargon.
What Comes After the Inspection
After the camera run, the technician reviews the findings with you and explains the options that fit the specific condition of your line. Recommendations typically fall into one of four categories:
- No action needed: The line is in acceptable condition. Some lines inspected during real estate transactions come back clean. You leave with documentation and peace of mind.
- Point repair: One or two isolated defects that can be sealed with an epoxy patch. The lowest-cost repair option when defects are genuinely localized. Starting at $3,500+.
- Sewer lining (CIPP): Multiple defects across a line that is still structurally suitable for rehabilitation. A new seamless pipe is created inside the existing one. $5,000 to $15,000+.
- Pipe bursting or replacement: The line is collapsed, severely deteriorated, or too deformed to hold a liner. A new HDPE pipe is pulled through the old one, replacing it entirely. $12,000 to $20,000+.
We do not push you toward any particular option. The camera tells us which options actually fit your pipe, and we explain the tradeoffs on cost, disruption, and long-term performance for each one that does.
When to Schedule a Sewer Camera Inspection
You have a recurring backup or slow drain. If the problem keeps coming back after snaking or rooter work, there is likely an underlying issue that clearing the blockage does not fix. Roots grow back through a cleared line in as little as a few months. A camera shows whether the line is a good candidate for lining to stop the cycle for good.
You are buying or selling a home. Standard home inspections do not include the sewer line. In older Duluth and Superior homes, the sewer is often the single largest deferred maintenance item. A pre-purchase inspection protects the buyer and can be a negotiating point on price. Some municipalities in the area require inspection before a property can be sold.
You notice signs of a problem. Gurgling sounds from drains, odors in the yard, unusually green or wet patches of grass above the line path, or water backing up into floor drains are all signs worth investigating before a backup causes damage inside the home.
The home is more than 40 years old. Duluth homes built before 1980 commonly have clay tile or cast iron sewer pipe. These materials can last a long time under good conditions, but root intrusion, joint separation, and general deterioration are common by the time a home reaches 40 to 50 years of age. Knowing the condition of an aging line is useful before any problem develops.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does a sewer camera inspection take?
Most inspections take 30 to 60 minutes. Lines that are longer, partially blocked, or have access complications may take longer.
Do I need to be home for the inspection?
Yes. We need access to the sewer cleanout inside or near the home, and we walk through the findings with you after the camera run.
Can you inspect a sewer line if there is no cleanout?
A cleanout makes access straightforward. If there is no cleanout, we can sometimes access the line through a toilet or a roof vent stack. If a house trap is blocking access, we can discuss options for removing the trap to allow a complete inspection.
What pipe materials are common in Duluth and Superior?
Homes built before 1960 commonly have clay tile sewer pipe. Homes from the 1940s through the early 1970s may have cast iron or Orangeburg pipe, a paper-composite material that softens and deforms over time. Newer homes typically have PVC. The camera identifies the material so we know which repair options apply.
What if the inspection finds nothing wrong?
That is a good outcome. The $250 inspection fee is still worth it for the documented confirmation that the line is in acceptable condition. If the line is clean, we will tell you that directly.