Under some of the most valuable ground in California run some of its oldest sewer lines. The older homes of the Village and the coast carry lines that have served for the better part of a century, and when one develops a problem, the decisions get expensive fast. So the rule here is simple. Nobody should approve a significant sewer repair, anywhere, but especially here, without seeing the problem first.
The inspection shows it. A small camera travels the line from the cleanout, the capped pipe outside that opens into your sewer line, toward the street, with live video of each stretch it can reach, and the situation is usually clear on screen. Roots at the joints, buildup narrowing the run, a belly, meaning a low spot that holds water, a crack, a shifted joint, or an older line that needs nothing more than a cleaning. Watch it live if you wish. What the camera finds is the starting point for every conversation that follows, with your contractor, your property manager, or the second opinion you're entitled to seek.
If a camera has already been down your line, bring the footage, or let a fresh inspection confirm it. A big underground decision deserves evidence you've seen yourself. You get real footage instead of a description, and every decision after it is yours.
