Keeping drain survey video findable after the report

18 October 2026

A drain survey usually produces two things: a written report that gets read once, and a video file that hardly anyone opens. Both matter, but it is the video that tends to go missing, because it is large, awkwardly named and often sent as a download link that expires.

Why the footage is worth keeping

A written report summarises what the surveyor saw. The footage shows it. When a defect is disputed, when a repair contractor wants to see the joint for themselves, or when a later survey needs comparing with an earlier one, the original video gives another view of what was recorded. For yards and depots, where drainage carries surface water from parking and loading areas, earlier footage is also the baseline for spotting deterioration.

The report and footage only make sense together if they share the same references. A good survey identifies each access chamber and inspected run, and states where the camera could not see properly because of standing water, deposits or blocked access. Drain CCTV explains CCTV drain surveys in exactly those terms, making the point that a useful record distinguishes observed findings from sections that were not adequately viewed, and that the purpose of the survey affects what the report needs to record. Naming the intended use before booking makes the report easier to use later.

Naming and storing the files

Give each survey a folder named with the property, the date and the purpose, for example "rear-yard-drains-pre-purchase". Inside it, keep:

• the report as issued, in PDF
• the video files exactly as supplied, without converting or trimming them
• the drainage plan or sketch showing chamber references
• any still images, named to match the run they show

Rename video files only if the new name keeps the original run reference, and add a short text note to the folder listing which file covers which run. Video takes far more space than documents, so check that whatever backup is in use actually includes it. Check that the footage appears in the backup rather than assuming the folder has been copied in full.

Sharing it with the next contractor

When footage needs to go to a repairer, a buyer or an insurer, send a link from storage you control rather than forwarding the surveyor's original link, which may stop working. Set an expiry on shared links and keep a note of who was sent what. If the drainage is later relined or excavated, the post-repair footage goes into the same folder, so the history of each run stays in one place and the next survey has something to be compared against.