La Jolla · Buyer and seller guides · Inspections

Sewer scope inspection in La Jolla

Short answer: A sewer scope is a video look inside the pipe that carries waste from the house to the City sewer under the street. That pipe is called the sewer lateral. In the City of San Diego, the City says the owner is responsible for it. So it’s worth a look before you buy or sell.

A general home inspection usually stops at what an inspector can see. The sewer lateral is buried, so it often gets missed.

I help buyers and sellers in La Jolla and around coastal San Diego plan the right inspections. This guide explains who owns the lateral and what a scope can show.

I’m Weston Clark, Founding Member of the Dickinson-Clark Team at Compass. I help buyers and sellers in coastal San Diego plan inspections before small problems turn into big ones. You can talk about fees with Weston directly. This form does not give a commission quote.

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Related: Home inspections · Your window to cancel · What sellers must share · Seller prep · Guides · Coastal home maintenance · Storm season home checklist

What a sewer scope is

A plumber or inspector feeds a small camera on a cable into the sewer line, often through a cleanout (a capped opening in the pipe). The video shows the inside of the pipe on the way to the street.

It can show roots, cracks, sags where water sits, offset joints and old pipe material. It can’t promise how long the pipe will last.

Who owns the lateral in the City of San Diego

The City’s Sewer System Management Plan says:

“The City does not own any portion of the service lateral. The private property owner is responsible for lateral maintenance and repair from the building connection to the wye connection at the sewer mainline.”

In plain words, the pipe from the house all the way to the joint at the City main belongs to the owner. The wye is the Y-shaped joint where the lateral meets the main.

What about the part under the street?

A City fact sheet on sewer overflows adds:

“Repairs to the lateral that are made within the private property line are the responsibility of the property owner. All repairs to the private lateral in the City Right-of-Way will be completed by the City of San Diego upon proof from a licensed plumber.”

So the owner still maintains the whole lateral. For a break in the public right-of-way (the street or sidewalk area), the City says it will do the repair once a licensed plumber shows proof. Ask the City how that works for your address. This covers homes inside City limits. Other cities set their own rules.

When to order one

• Buyers: during your inspection contingency (the window when you can still cancel), along with the general inspection.
• Sellers: before you list, so you can fix it or disclose it with a clear report.
• Owners: if drains back up, gurgle or run slow, or if big trees grow near the line.

See my home inspection guide and my contingencies guide.

What to do with the report

Ask for the video file, not only a summary. Ask where any problem sits, inside the property line or out under the street. That changes who does the repair.

If you’re selling, talk with me about what to share. My disclosures guide covers the forms.

General information only

This guide explains the rules and the process. It isn’t legal or plumbing advice. Ask a licensed plumber about your own line.

More on sandiego.homes

• Home inspections: what a general inspection covers
• Your window to cancel: the conditions that let a buyer back out
• What sellers must share: the forms sellers fill out
• Seller prep: getting ready to list
• Guides · La Jolla

Talk with Weston about inspections

Tell me about the home and what you’ve noticed. I’ll help you plan the right inspections and read the reports.

Or call (858) 997-8998 · weston@sandiego.homes · Search on Compass

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Have another question? Quick answers to common questions

Sources

• City of San Diego — Sewer System Management Plan
• City of San Diego — Sewage overflow fact sheets
• sandiego.homes — Home inspections