There’s a moment in the buying process where logic gives way to longing.
A hallway catches the light just right. The garden, quiet and still, becomes a picture of future summers. Even the small defects—the old traditional orangery, the odd creak—can seem almost charming.
But beneath it all, out of sight and certainly out of mind, is a system you’ll rely on daily. The drains. Not glamorous. Not visible. But vital. And if they’re broken, the romance fades quickly.
A County of Old Pipes and Hidden Problems
Kent has its fair share of period charm. From red brick cottages in Whitstable to Edwardian terraces in Maidstone, older homes carry a certain pull. But they also carry risks.
Many of these properties were built long before plastic piping. Their underground systems are often made of clay or pitch fibre—materials prone to collapse, cracks, and root intrusion. And while the surface may appear neat and freshly decorated, drains don’t follow the same rules of appearance.
A house can be painted. A pipe cannot lie.
The Trouble Starts Slowly
Most drain problems a Kent drainage company fixes don’t begin with floods. They arrive quietly.
A slow flush. A smell near the kitchen. A patch of grass in the back garden that always seems wetter than it should be.
And then it builds. Water pooling. Toilets backing up. Gutters spilling over. Damp creeping into walls.
By the time you notice, the cost has climbed.
What a Survey Doesn’t Always Show
Standard homebuyer surveys rarely inspect drains in detail. They may note surface-level issues, or signs of past blockages. But without cameras, there’s no way to see inside the pipework itself.
That’s where a drain survey makes a difference.
It’s not intrusive. No digging, no disruption. A small camera is fed through the system. It records what the eye can’t see—cracks, roots, silt build-up, collapsed sections.
You’re not looking for perfection. But you are looking for function. You’re asking a simple question: will this system cope?
If it won’t, you want to know before you sign.
What You Might Find
Roots are common. Trees follow moisture, and old clay pipes offer easy access. Once inside, they grow. They catch debris. They slow the flow.
You may also find misaligned joints—pipes that have shifted over time. Or breaks caused by ground movement, heavy traffic, or old repairs.
In newer homes, it might be construction debris. Builders sweeping rubble into open drains during the final weeks of work.
Every case is different. But each problem, left alone, gets worse.
Who Pays?
If issues are found before contracts are exchanged, you have options. You can request repairs. You can ask for the price to reflect the cost. You can walk away.
But after completion, it’s yours.
No matter how unexpected. No matter how expensive.
Peace of Mind, Buried Below
It’s easy to be swayed by the visible—good schools nearby, a quiet street, space for a home office.
Drains aren’t discussed on viewings. They’re not framed in estate agent photos. But they are part of the house. And if they fail, everything above them begins to suffer.
For a few hundred pounds, a CCTV drain survey can tell you what lies beneath. It gives you a record. A sense of confidence. Or a warning.
Both are valuable. One helps you move forward. The other helps you pause before stepping into something you didn’t expect.
Kent Is Beautiful. But Check Below the Surface.
From Canterbury’s narrow lanes to the wide skies of the Weald, Kent is filled with houses that tempt the eye. But charm isn’t a substitute for structure.
Before you move in. Before you decorate. Before you fill the rooms with furniture and plans—
Ask about the drains.