In commercial property transactions, what you can’t see can cost you the most. Standard property inspections only assess visible and accessible systems, leaving major infrastructure like underground sewer and drainage lines unchecked—until a costly failure occurs.

That’s where Commercial Sewer Scope Inspections come in. Using a high-resolution borescope camera, our team at The Real Estate Inspection Company inspects interior drain lines under slabs, foundations, common areas, and even through rooftop vent stacks to uncover expensive hidden risks before they impact ROI.

We perform these inspections across San Diego County, Riverside County, and Orange County, where aging infrastructure and mixed-use property conversions create high sewer line failure risk—especially in multi-family, warehouse, retail, and food service sites.

---

Why a Sewer Scope Matters for Commercial Properties

Commercial sites face more complex plumbing demands than residential properties. Without a sewer scope, investors and brokers risk inheriting:

• Foundation undermining from long-term underground leaks
• Sewer gas intrusion creating environmental and tenant health hazards
• Backups and operational shutdowns affecting cash flow and tenant retention
• City compliance violations and mandatory emergency repairs
• Six-figure slab replacement or excavation costs that were preventable

Visual inspections alone can’t detect these conditions. Sewer scope inspections reveal real-time pipeline conditions inside the building and underground lines, catching problems years before they surface—when remediation is cheaper and negotiable.

---

Hidden Conditions a Sewer Scope Can Identify

Our commercial sewer camera inspections often uncover:

• Blockages from grease, tree roots, and tenant debris
• Cracked or corroded cast iron pipes waiting to fail
• Orangeburg piping — a fiber-based pipe known to collapse and disintegrate
• Sagging or “belly” sections, where standing water leads to pipe erosion
• Offset joints where roots enter or sewage escapes into the soil
• Crushed or collapsed sections caused by vehicle or forklift weight in industrial spaces
• Internal scaling buildup reducing pipe diameter and flow velocity
• Vent stack failures releasing sewer gases into multi-story walls

---

Real Case: Multi-Building Mixed-Use Property — Sewer Scope Reveals $50,000 in Hidden Risks

A client purchasing a multi-building commercial property in Southern California—including two retail units and eight multi-family structures—requested a Commercial Sewer Scope Inspection along with their PCA.

During the inspection, our sewer team led by Sewer Scope Supervisor Cody Kifer discovered:

• Heavy scaling and buildup inside cast iron lines
• Damaged sections of clay and cast iron pipe beneath occupied units
• Low points with active channeling, requiring licensed plumber evaluation
• Presence of Orangeburg piping, a known failure-prone material requiring full replacement
• Limited access points, leading to a recommendation to install new two-way cleanouts for future maintenance
• Municipal responsibility flags, prompting further inquiry before closing

🔍 Estimated Cost to Cure Identified in Report: $50,000+

Because the sewer scope was done before closing, the investor had negotiation leverage and avoided inheriting a major infrastructure liability that would have impacted cap rate, tenant stability, and cash flow.

---

Why Brokers, Investors, and Asset Managers Choose This Add-On Service

A Commercial Sewer Scope Inspection is one of the highest-value ancillary inspections you can add to your due diligence package. Whether you’re working on a 1031 exchange, SBA-financed acquisition, private equity deal, or tenant rep negotiation, this inspection:

• Protects financing and underwriting confidence
• Strengthens negotiation position
• Prevents surprise capital expenditure within the first year of ownership
• Supports long-term asset planning and maintenance strategy

---

Protect Your Commercial Deal Before It’s Too Late

Underground sewer damage is one of the most expensive and disruptive repair categories in commercial real estate—and it often goes undetected until failure happens.

👉 Add a Commercial Sewer Scope Inspection to your PCA or ESA today in San Diego, Riverside, or Orange County:
https://sdinspect.com/commercial-property-condition-assessment/
Or call 760-385-2295

---

Strong investments are built on more than what you can see. Let our team show you the underground conditions that could make or break your deal.

#CommercialRealEstate #SewerScope #CommercialInspection #InvestmentProtection #CREDueDiligence #SanDiego #OrangeCountyCRE #RiversideCounty #MixedUseProperty #MultifamilyInvesting #CommercialPlumbingInspection