An hour of camera work turns "the plumber thinks it might be the line" into footage, a location, and a plan. It's the cheapest step in the process — and the one that protects you from paying for the wrong fix.
A waterproof camera on a flexible push rod travels your sewer line from a cleanout (or a pulled toilet) to the city connection, recording as it goes. A locator on the surface tracks the camera head, so problems get marked by exact position and depth — which is what turns a repair from an excavation project into a surgical one. In one pass you learn:
Typical cost runs $150–$500 in most markets, and many contractors credit the fee against repair work they perform. Always ask for the recording — it's yours, it's your second-opinion tool, and any pro worth hiring hands it over happily.
Standard home inspections do not include the sewer lateral — the inspector runs some water and calls it good. In Bozeman's older neighborhoods, where original clay lines sit under mature trees and Orangeburg still lurks under some mid-century homes, that's a five-figure blind spot in the largest purchase of your life.
A pre-purchase sewer scope costs a few hundred dollars, takes an hour during your inspection period, and produces either peace of mind or serious negotiating leverage. Sellers replace sewer lines or cut prices when there's footage on the table. In a market as competitive as Gallatin County's, it's the single highest-leverage inspection add-on there is.
The footage sorts every line into one of three outcomes — spot repair when damage is localized, trenchless lining or bursting when the line is failing along its run but holds its path, or replacement when it's collapsed or the grade is wrong. What the camera guarantees is that whichever road you take, you take it because of evidence — not because of whoever talked fastest.