Is a sewer scope worth it in Columbus OH?
Los Angeles, CA · Member since 2023 · 22 posts · 53 votes
Is a sewer scope worth it in Columbus OH?
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Investor · Member since 2021 · 591 posts · 695 votes
2yShort answer: a sewer scope is ALWAYS worth it.
A couple hundred bucks to potentially save yourself tens of thousands, and weeks or months of lost time and vacancy? That's a no-brainer.
Plus, even if nothing's wrong, you'll learn about one of the most important parts of the property you're buying. A scope can show you all sorts of important things other than just whether the sewer line itself is in bad condition (it will show you the material of the line, junctions, turns, tree roots, settlement points, etc.--all of which can be useful info, because it will help you understand the potential causes of problems that occur in the future). If you're not a plumbing expert, hire a scope pro who understands plumbing and can walk you through everything (or have a trusted plumber watch the scope with you and explain it).
I once bought a property where the seller had just installed a brand new sewer line. Seller told me "there's no need to scope it, it's brand new!". I had my plumber scope it anyway. Sure enough, the line from the house to the street was brand new...but the line under the slab was 60+ years old, and it was fried. A $20k time bomb just waiting to explode. The only solution: jackhammer and remove the slab over the line, dig out old the line and install a new one, backfill it, re-pour the demo'd slab, and re-finish a substantial portion of the basement...needless to say, we got some real concessions from the seller before closing (to offset not just the cost of the new line, but also the downtime, holding cost, and vacancy that had to happen while the line was being replaced).
I never buy a property without doing a scope (and it's saved me many tens of thousands of dollars, and major headaches).
Good luck out there!
47 Replies
- Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes2y10 or 20k will get you to the sidewalk, once you're tearing up the street add 25k. If you need a new tap the city wants 30k(10 years ago). Add it up! That's with no problems or obstructions or under slab, whatever. Tree in the way? You'll need to get a certified arborist for your removal permit and where your new trees will go. Forget about it. 100k is a real possibility. Seattle is nuts.
Quote from @Bob S.:
Quote from @Henry T.:
Built in 1900? If I had a choice of any inspections, sewer would be first. In Seattle a worst case scenario can cost you up to 100k if you have to repair into the street and put in a new tap. (a new tap would mean a new construction impact fee from the city). If the house was new construction it's probably ok, but who knows if some goon screwed it up. I'd still do it. It's your largest potential expense aside from the house collapsing.
Its about 10k from basement to street . Not sure why it would be 100k, its just PVC,
- 2yJay HinrichsBusiness MemberReal Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
Quote from @Henry T.:
10 or 20k will get you to the sidewalk, once you're tearing up the street add 25k. If you need a new tap the city wants 30k(10 years ago). Add it up! That's with no problems or obstructions or under slab, whatever. Tree in the way? You'll need to get a certified arborist for your removal permit and where your new trees will go. Forget about it. 100k is a real possibility. Seattle is nuts.Quote from @Bob S.:
Quote from @Henry T.:
Built in 1900? If I had a choice of any inspections, sewer would be first. In Seattle a worst case scenario can cost you up to 100k if you have to repair into the street and put in a new tap. (a new tap would mean a new construction impact fee from the city). If the house was new construction it's probably ok, but who knows if some goon screwed it up. I'd still do it. It's your largest potential expense aside from the house collapsing.
Its about 10k from basement to street . Not sure why it would be 100k, its just PVC,
I was reading this and say what what.. but then you said Seattle.. OK.. still pretty hi.. and keep in mind many of these is done with pipe burst no digging or new hot tap,, My brother in law does them in the SF Bay area as they are required on certain age homes if your transferring title. And 95% of the time its a pipe burst for under 10k total. - Real Estate Consultant · Cleveland · Member since 2020 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes2y
Quote from @Henry T.:
10 or 20k will get you to the sidewalk, once you're tearing up the street add 25k. If you need a new tap the city wants 30k(10 years ago). Add it up! That's with no problems or obstructions or under slab, whatever. Tree in the way? You'll need to get a certified arborist for your removal permit and where your new trees will go. Forget about it. 100k is a real possibility. Seattle is nuts.Quote from @Bob S.:
Quote from @Henry T.:
Built in 1900? If I had a choice of any inspections, sewer would be first. In Seattle a worst case scenario can cost you up to 100k if you have to repair into the street and put in a new tap. (a new tap would mean a new construction impact fee from the city). If the house was new construction it's probably ok, but who knows if some goon screwed it up. I'd still do it. It's your largest potential expense aside from the house collapsing.
Its about 10k from basement to street . Not sure why it would be 100k, its just PVC,
YES it is . In Cleveland, we bring it to the street and connect. We have nothing to do with the street,
- 2yJay HinrichsBusiness MemberReal Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
Quote from @Henry T.:
I love pipe burst!! But once you cross that curb and get into that street it's no longer 10k. Touch the sewer main and everybody gets into the act.
I will say though underground contractors must be colluding because the prices have gone up all over the US for this service.. They know they gotcha.. I would never EVER as I said encourage an investor to buy a home basically anywhere that is hooked to public sewer to pass on a Sewer scope. That is really stepping over dollars to pick up pennies.. once its discovered you have to replace it becomes the sellers issue or you retrade on price or your walk. who wants to get stuck with a 10 to 50k bill. by not spending a few hundred bucks. - Investor · Milwaukee - Mequon, WI · Member since 2010 · 5k+ posts · 7k+ votes2y
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
In some markets a sewer scope is always part of the inspection, here in Milwaukee it never is. In other words, if you put one in your offer it will probably not get accepted.
I had one shift on me, because they used a piece of 2x4 under a segment, must have not had enough stone. 60 years later that 2x4 was rotten away, the pipe broke and was 50% offset starting to catch solids (you know..). It was about 20 feet down in the front yard, so that's a pretty deep trench and someone had to go down there and clean out 3 weeks of tenant solids before they were able to replace it with PVC. I got away with $7k. After seeing how much work it was I though $7k was a deal.
Still not doing sewer inspections on my personal deals, because that's the norm in my market and I usually make low cash offers without contingencies. And it was the only property we own that ever had an issue.
If you do a scope most of the time you end up doing an auger cleaning to remove tree roots or some sort of build up.
wow.. my buyers on my new builds even get sewer scopes I personally would never buy a home without one..Right? I work with a lot of executive relo clients and they are used to getting a sewer scope - I basically have to tell them do you want a sewer scope or do you want a house? Can't have both.
- Investor · Rochester, MN · Member since 2020 · 85 posts · 57 votes2y
I invest in older homes, short answer is yes, I think it's a good idea and I've added that to my list of due diligence.
Here's my long answer. What I've learned is that it's not always a black and white result at the end of the day...inspection good/bad, pass/fail. You're not going to walk away exclusively with feelings of pain or pleasure as-in feeling like you "paid for nothing" or "overpaid" if no defects in the sewer line are found OR feelings of "it was worth every penny" or "thank god I had it done" if defects were found. The intangible benefits you get is an education on the sewer line for that property specifically and of that vintage generally. You get answers to many questions. Does it still have a whole house trap? Should I get it replaced in the future? Do you as a newer investor know what that is? What kinds of plumbing materials were used in 1900? Are you able to get a video scope down a sewer line with a whole house trap? Getting the inspection also affords you access to the inspector/plumber who is looking at hundreds of sewer lines everyday, probably of that same building age. Take that opportunity to ask them if this inspection is typical or our of the ordinary with what they see, and why?
Update the thread with what you decide!
Good luck! - 2yJay HinrichsBusiness MemberReal Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
In some markets a sewer scope is always part of the inspection, here in Milwaukee it never is. In other words, if you put one in your offer it will probably not get accepted.
I had one shift on me, because they used a piece of 2x4 under a segment, must have not had enough stone. 60 years later that 2x4 was rotten away, the pipe broke and was 50% offset starting to catch solids (you know..). It was about 20 feet down in the front yard, so that's a pretty deep trench and someone had to go down there and clean out 3 weeks of tenant solids before they were able to replace it with PVC. I got away with $7k. After seeing how much work it was I though $7k was a deal.
Still not doing sewer inspections on my personal deals, because that's the norm in my market and I usually make low cash offers without contingencies. And it was the only property we own that ever had an issue.
If you do a scope most of the time you end up doing an auger cleaning to remove tree roots or some sort of build up.
wow.. my buyers on my new builds even get sewer scopes I personally would never buy a home without one..Right? I work with a lot of executive relo clients and they are used to getting a sewer scope - I basically have to tell them do you want a sewer scope or do you want a house? Can't have both.
amazing !!! agents in our markets here would be accused of dereliction of duty to not encourage or demand a sewer scope in the general course of representing a buyer.. Thats just truly amazing in your market for agents and sellers to take that stance.. Question Marcus can you simply do one for your own edification ? and not have the sale subject to it ?? I mean you dont want to buy a home and then first thing you know the plumbing is plugged and you cant sue the Commode or take a shower until its fixed.. - Member since 2019 · 7k+ posts · 4k+ votes2y
Quote from @Bob S.:
Quote from @Michael Brattelli:
@Sean Haran Sewer scopes in my area just went up and are now around $675. $200 is a great price and gives you piece of mind. A bad sewer line can be a huge expense. Unless they provided you proof of replacing the line out to the street with PVC I highly recommend it.
700 bux to snake a camera, thats insane!
the guy that snake with camera and iPad is always more expensive.
sewer scope just do it my friend, do video recording, it's fun to watch.
- Real Estate Consultant · Cleveland · Member since 2020 · 6k+ posts · 3k+ votes2y
Quote from @Carlos Ptriawan:
Quote from @Bob S.:
Quote from @Michael Brattelli:
@Sean Haran Sewer scopes in my area just went up and are now around $675. $200 is a great price and gives you piece of mind. A bad sewer line can be a huge expense. Unless they provided you proof of replacing the line out to the street with PVC I highly recommend it.
700 bux to snake a camera, thats insane!
the guy that snake with camera and iPad is always more expensive.
sewer scope just do it my friend, do video recording, it's fun to watch.
Yes I get them scoped with camera 400 bux MAX,
- Contractor · Columbus, OH · Member since 2017 · 85 posts · 83 votes2y
We have rehabbed alot of our own properties and even more of our clients in columbus. I would say we have main drain isuse in about 15-20% of our inner city projects. It all depends on your risk tolerance and what helps you sleep at night. All the tests and variables listed above are good ways to direct your decision. If you can financialy shoulder a main failure then roll the dice if all signs look positive, If it would break you then pay the 200.
- Investor · Milwaukee - Mequon, WI · Member since 2010 · 5k+ posts · 7k+ votes2y
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
In some markets a sewer scope is always part of the inspection, here in Milwaukee it never is. In other words, if you put one in your offer it will probably not get accepted.
I had one shift on me, because they used a piece of 2x4 under a segment, must have not had enough stone. 60 years later that 2x4 was rotten away, the pipe broke and was 50% offset starting to catch solids (you know..). It was about 20 feet down in the front yard, so that's a pretty deep trench and someone had to go down there and clean out 3 weeks of tenant solids before they were able to replace it with PVC. I got away with $7k. After seeing how much work it was I though $7k was a deal.
Still not doing sewer inspections on my personal deals, because that's the norm in my market and I usually make low cash offers without contingencies. And it was the only property we own that ever had an issue.
If you do a scope most of the time you end up doing an auger cleaning to remove tree roots or some sort of build up.
wow.. my buyers on my new builds even get sewer scopes I personally would never buy a home without one..Right? I work with a lot of executive relo clients and they are used to getting a sewer scope - I basically have to tell them do you want a sewer scope or do you want a house? Can't have both.
amazing !!! agents in our markets here would be accused of dereliction of duty to not encourage or demand a sewer scope in the general course of representing a buyer.. Thats just truly amazing in your market for agents and sellers to take that stance.. Question Marcus can you simply do one for your own edification ? and not have the sale subject to it ?? I mean you dont want to buy a home and then first thing you know the plumbing is plugged and you cant sue the Commode or take a shower until its fixed..You can absolutely write a sewer scope into the offer. Or other inspections or tests. You could test for mold or lead paint. But the question is will the seller accept such an offer?
Most homes in Milwaukee sell with multiple offers, so instead of more contingencies or tests we currently see about 56% of all offers without even a regular home inspection. Clients have to sign a document that says waiving inspection is at their own risk. And as long as you know what you are looking for the logic is sound. If you are offering 50k over asking, a regular home inspection usually reveals 3k-5k worth of issues, so in the scope of things that's collateral damage. I just tell people put 10k aside for inspection issues, because even if you do have a home inspection, the seller is not going to fix smaller things anyway. A failing roof or major basement/foundation issues yes - but not your usual missing smoke detector or leaky faucet. It also helps to have an agent who knows what to look for...
My inspection service is very systematic and they turn on every faucet and let them all run at the same time for about 10 minutes, flush every toilet and then check the basement plumbing. If anything suspicious comes up our State contract entitles you to specialized follow up inspections - such as a sewer scope.
- 2yJay HinrichsBusiness MemberReal Estate Consultant · Summerlin, NV · Member since 2014 · 45k+ posts · 66k+ votes
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
In some markets a sewer scope is always part of the inspection, here in Milwaukee it never is. In other words, if you put one in your offer it will probably not get accepted.
I had one shift on me, because they used a piece of 2x4 under a segment, must have not had enough stone. 60 years later that 2x4 was rotten away, the pipe broke and was 50% offset starting to catch solids (you know..). It was about 20 feet down in the front yard, so that's a pretty deep trench and someone had to go down there and clean out 3 weeks of tenant solids before they were able to replace it with PVC. I got away with $7k. After seeing how much work it was I though $7k was a deal.
Still not doing sewer inspections on my personal deals, because that's the norm in my market and I usually make low cash offers without contingencies. And it was the only property we own that ever had an issue.
If you do a scope most of the time you end up doing an auger cleaning to remove tree roots or some sort of build up.
wow.. my buyers on my new builds even get sewer scopes I personally would never buy a home without one..Right? I work with a lot of executive relo clients and they are used to getting a sewer scope - I basically have to tell them do you want a sewer scope or do you want a house? Can't have both.
amazing !!! agents in our markets here would be accused of dereliction of duty to not encourage or demand a sewer scope in the general course of representing a buyer.. Thats just truly amazing in your market for agents and sellers to take that stance.. Question Marcus can you simply do one for your own edification ? and not have the sale subject to it ?? I mean you dont want to buy a home and then first thing you know the plumbing is plugged and you cant sue the Commode or take a shower until its fixed..You can absolutely write a sewer scope into the offer. Or other inspections or tests. You could test for mold or lead paint. But the question is will the seller accept such an offer?
Most homes in Milwaukee sell with multiple offers, so instead of more contingencies or tests we currently see about 56% of all offers without even a regular home inspection. Clients have to sign a document that says waiving inspection is at their own risk. And as long as you know what you are looking for the logic is sound. If you are offering 50k over asking, a regular home inspection usually reveals 3k-5k worth of issues, so in the scope of things that's collateral damage. I just tell people put 10k aside for inspection issues, because even if you do have a home inspection, the seller is not going to fix smaller things anyway. A failing roof or major basement/foundation issues yes - but not your usual missing smoke detector or leaky faucet. It also helps to have an agent who knows what to look for...
My inspection service is very systematic and they turn on every faucet and let them all run at the same time for about 10 minutes, flush every toilet and then check the basement plumbing. If anything suspicious comes up our State contract entitles you to specialized follow up inspections - such as a sewer scope.
so much for markets being dead :) or prices dropping like you see in other areas. you do get a short inspection period but sale is not subject to it though right ? Or are you saying EM goes up Hard day one and if you back out you lose your EM.. how much is EM typically.. in some markets its 500 to 1k is standard so I can see folks walking from that.. On my new builds its 10 to 20k non refundable after foundation is poured.. and we see those that tried to buy in SW FLA those poor folks were putting up 50k I would not personally do that much .. - Investor · Member since 2022 · 234 posts · 144 votes2y
Yes, it's worth it. I had it done on a recent house purchase and it was worth every penny.
- Residential Real Estate Investor · Kansas City, MO · Member since 2014 · 10k+ posts · 5k+ votes2y
Quote from @Michael Brattelli:
@Sean Haran Sewer scopes in my area just went up and are now around $675. $200 is a great price and gives you piece of mind. A bad sewer line can be a huge expense. Unless they provided you proof of replacing the line out to the street with PVC I highly recommend it.
In addition to peace of mind, it's a great tool to use when sending resolutions of unacceptable conditions where you can either get a price discount or a line repair from the seller if the sewer scope shows problems with the line.
- Investor · Milwaukee - Mequon, WI · Member since 2010 · 5k+ posts · 7k+ votes2y
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
Quote from @Jay Hinrichs:
Quote from @Marcus Auerbach:
In some markets a sewer scope is always part of the inspection, here in Milwaukee it never is. In other words, if you put one in your offer it will probably not get accepted.
I had one shift on me, because they used a piece of 2x4 under a segment, must have not had enough stone. 60 years later that 2x4 was rotten away, the pipe broke and was 50% offset starting to catch solids (you know..). It was about 20 feet down in the front yard, so that's a pretty deep trench and someone had to go down there and clean out 3 weeks of tenant solids before they were able to replace it with PVC. I got away with $7k. After seeing how much work it was I though $7k was a deal.
Still not doing sewer inspections on my personal deals, because that's the norm in my market and I usually make low cash offers without contingencies. And it was the only property we own that ever had an issue.
If you do a scope most of the time you end up doing an auger cleaning to remove tree roots or some sort of build up.
wow.. my buyers on my new builds even get sewer scopes I personally would never buy a home without one..Right? I work with a lot of executive relo clients and they are used to getting a sewer scope - I basically have to tell them do you want a sewer scope or do you want a house? Can't have both.
amazing !!! agents in our markets here would be accused of dereliction of duty to not encourage or demand a sewer scope in the general course of representing a buyer.. Thats just truly amazing in your market for agents and sellers to take that stance.. Question Marcus can you simply do one for your own edification ? and not have the sale subject to it ?? I mean you dont want to buy a home and then first thing you know the plumbing is plugged and you cant sue the Commode or take a shower until its fixed..You can absolutely write a sewer scope into the offer. Or other inspections or tests. You could test for mold or lead paint. But the question is will the seller accept such an offer?
Most homes in Milwaukee sell with multiple offers, so instead of more contingencies or tests we currently see about 56% of all offers without even a regular home inspection. Clients have to sign a document that says waiving inspection is at their own risk. And as long as you know what you are looking for the logic is sound. If you are offering 50k over asking, a regular home inspection usually reveals 3k-5k worth of issues, so in the scope of things that's collateral damage. I just tell people put 10k aside for inspection issues, because even if you do have a home inspection, the seller is not going to fix smaller things anyway. A failing roof or major basement/foundation issues yes - but not your usual missing smoke detector or leaky faucet. It also helps to have an agent who knows what to look for...
My inspection service is very systematic and they turn on every faucet and let them all run at the same time for about 10 minutes, flush every toilet and then check the basement plumbing. If anything suspicious comes up our State contract entitles you to specialized follow up inspections - such as a sewer scope.
so much for markets being dead :) or prices dropping like you see in other areas. you do get a short inspection period but sale is not subject to it though right ? Or are you saying EM goes up Hard day one and if you back out you lose your EM.. how much is EM typically.. in some markets its 500 to 1k is standard so I can see folks walking from that.. On my new builds its 10 to 20k non refundable after foundation is poured.. and we see those that tried to buy in SW FLA those poor folks were putting up 50k I would not personally do that much ..EM used to be 1%, but we see a lot of offers with 10k now. In either case too much to just walk away. Milwaukee is hyper-competitive, next months numbers will probably be 103% sold to list ratio, we estimate about 5 or 6 buyers for every seller and it will only get worse IF rates come down.
Just got an AO yesterday with a builder on a spec, 90 days out, some custom finished, LVP instead of carpet, we offered 7k EM and they countered with 6k non-refundable because of the customization. Was able to negotiate driveway and grass for half cost, that's pretty great for my buyers.
- Member since 2022 · 1k+ posts · 1k+ votes2y
Many house sales here have inspection and sewer scope already done. Buyer doesn't need the contingency unless they want to. I just sold a place, inspection and scope were provided by me the seller. 9 offers and only one contingent on inspection (bank loan). All others were cash offers. Seattle is nuts. I feel bad for anyone here starting out. I could easily rant about the problems here, but lets just keep it to sewer scopes. I love them sewer scopes and will always do a scope. If you shop you can get one for $100. Usually $200.
- 2yJimmy LieuBusiness MemberReal Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2019 · 3k+ posts · 2k+ votes
Quote from @Sean Haran:
Hello! Looking for advice on whether or not a sewer scope is worth it for a home in Columbus OH. Inspection company charges 400 for general inspection, plus another 200 for sewer scope. Is the sewer scope worth it/necessary if there’s not reason to believe the sewer has had any issues? House is in decent condition, some relatively new cosmetic updates, and electrical updates. Let me know what you guys think or what most people are doing/not doing
Yes! A sewer scope can be a worthwhile investment even if there are no visible issues. Hidden problems with the sewer line can be costly to fix later on. Spending the extra $200 now could save you thousands in repairs down the road. Many buyers opt for the sewer scope for peace of mind, especially in older homes or homes with large trees nearby. As an investor and agent here, let me know if you have any questions or want to connect
Jimmy Lieu, Red 1 Realty4.9120 Reviews - 2yScott AllenBusiness MemberReal Estate Agent · Columbus, OH · Member since 2020 · 449 posts · 471 votes
@Sean Haran I recommend sewer scope inspections to my clients. It can be a hefty fix and a crack/blocked up line is not something you want to find out about after closing. When a line is messed up or in need of repairs you want to use it as leverage to negotiate a reduction in price or a seller credit towards closing cost. It's also beneficial to get a quote from 1-3 different companies that can repair it - Real Estate Broker · Medford, NJ · Member since 2018 · 236 posts · 177 votes2y
@Bob Stevens yeah that’s NJ for ya. Used to be $475 but they went up.
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