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Two situations drive most plumbing inspections: buying a house, or living in one that’s started giving off small warning signs — slow drains in more than one room, a water bill that crept up, a stain on a ceiling nobody can explain. A general home inspection doesn’t cover much of this. Sewer lines in particular fall outside the standard scope, which surprises plenty of buyers in Columbus after closing.

There are three tiers. A visual inspection runs $100 to $200 and takes 60 to 90 minutes. A licensed plumber walks the house checking supply lines, shutoff valves, fixtures, drain speed, water heater connections, and hose bibs, and takes a pressure reading. A sewer camera scope costs $125 to $500 and sends a camera through the lateral to find roots, cracks, bellies, and collapsed sections. A combined inspection runs $400 to $1,300. Most homeowners in Columbus pay around $300.

The sewer scope is the one worth paying for on any home built before about 1995. Clay and cast iron laterals crack, corrode, and collect roots, and a main line replacement runs $2,000 to $10,000 a number you’d rather discover during negotiation than after moving in. You get recorded footage and a report either way, which is leverage if something turns up.

For homeowners not buying anything, once a year is the standard recommendation, or every two years for newer construction. Older systems, hard water, mature trees near the line, and any history of backups argue for more often. Below you’ll find licensed plumbers in Columbus offering visual inspections, sewer camera scopes, leak detection, and combined pre-purchase reports. Ask specifically whether sewer camera work is included in the quote; it usually isn’t, and whether the fee credits toward any repairs they end up doing.

List of Plumbing Inspection Services In Columbus

Based on our criteria
Workman Score
78.4 /100
Based on
5 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp
Score Data Quality
Limited evidence
Use with caution
  • Project Completion 85%
  • Professionalism 88%
  • Experience 80%
  • Price-friendly 82%

What is the overall customer analysis in September?

The four usable reviews paint a generally positive picture across all dimensions, with professionalism being the most consistently mentioned quality — reviewers noted punctuality, after-hours responsiveness, property protection, and prompt callbacks. Pricing was explicitly called out as affordable and competitive in three reviews, which is a meaningful signal given the small sample. Project comple... Read more
Score last updated September 2026
View Profile
Workman Score
74.3 /100
Based on
6 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp
Score Data Quality
Limited evidence
Use with caution
  • Project Completion 72%
  • Professionalism 78%
  • Experience 76%
  • Price-friendly 72%

What is the overall customer analysis in September?

Professionalism is the most consistently praised dimension across all six reviews, with multiple reviewers highlighting communication, punctuality, courtesy, and cleanliness. However, one review (1-star, ABC Plumbing) explicitly describes rude customer service and a botched repair, which meaningfully drags down professionalism, pricing, project completion, and experience scores. Project completion... Read more
Score last updated September 2026
View Profile
Workman Score
74.3 /100
Based on
5 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp
Score Data Quality
Limited evidence
Use with caution
  • Project Completion 68%
  • Professionalism 72%
  • Experience 65%
  • Price-friendly 62%

What is the overall customer analysis in September?

The majority of reviews reflect positive experiences with punctuality, upfront communication about costs, and satisfactory job completion across multiple visits. However, one detailed negative review from 2019 significantly tempers the scores — a customer reported that a technician failed to properly diagnose a leak, recommended an unnecessary $3,000 system replacement, and the actual fix cost onl... Read more
Score last updated September 2026
View Profile
Workman Score
74.2 /100
Based on
5 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp
Score Data Quality
Limited evidence
Use with caution
  • Project Completion 80%
  • Professionalism 78%
  • Experience 85%
  • Price-friendly 72%

What is the overall customer analysis in September?

Plain City Plumbing earns generally positive marks across all four dimensions, driven by strong reviews praising the owner's technical knowledge, honesty, and follow-through — including a standout case where a warranty replacement was secured for a customer at minimal cost. Professionalism and project completion scores are tempered by one significant negative review describing a complete failure t... Read more
Score last updated September 2026
View Profile
Workman Score
68.4 /100
Based on
61 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp Angi Angi Thumbtack Thumbtack Homeadvisor Homeadvisor Google Google
Score Data Quality
Strong evidence
High confidence data
  • Project Completion 58%
  • Professionalism 62%
  • Experience 78%
  • Price-friendly 82%

What is the overall customer analysis in September?

Bartholomew Plumbing presents a deeply split profile: a strong base of loyal, long-term customers praising fair pricing, technical skill, and friendly service, offset by a persistent and serious pattern of no-shows, unreturned calls, and abandoned or incomplete jobs. Professionalism is the most damaged dimension, with multiple independent reviewers across different years explicitly describing the ... Read more
Score last updated September 2026
View Profile
Workman Score
68.4 /100
Based on
22 reviews analyzed
Yelp Yelp Angi Angi Thumbtack Thumbtack
Score Data Quality
Strong evidence
High confidence data
  • Project Completion 65%
  • Professionalism 62%
  • Experience 80%
  • Price-friendly 72%

What is the overall customer analysis in September?

Buckeye Plumbing presents a deeply mixed picture across all dimensions. Professionalism is significantly dragged down by a recurring pattern of no-call/no-shows, late arrivals without notice, and one serious bait-and-switch complaint, even though several reviewers praised individual technicians as courteous and personable. Project completion is similarly split — when technicians do show up and com... Read more
Score last updated September 2026
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How much does a plumbing inspection cost?

Most homeowners pay around $300, with the typical range $100 to $500. A basic visual inspection costs $100 to $200. A standalone sewer camera scope runs $125 to $500. A combined visual-plus-camera inspection is $400 to $1,300. Prices fall within these ranges, with home size and system complexity driving most of the difference. Emergency or after-hours inspections add $100 to $500. Many companies credit the fee toward repairs if you hire them for the work, so ask upfront.

What does a plumbing inspection include?

A visual inspection covers accessible supply lines, shutoff valves, fixtures and faucets, drain speed, toilets, water heater connections and venting, exposed pipes in basements or crawl spaces, and outdoor hose bibs. The plumber also takes water pressure readings at multiple points; a difference of more than about 15 psi between them signals a problem. What it doesn’t cover is anything buried or behind walls. That takes a camera scope, which plumbers almost always price separately as an add-on.

Do I need a sewer scope before buying a house?

For anything built before roughly 1995, yes. Standard home inspections don’t include the sewer line — it falls outside the scope, and clay or cast iron laterals crack, corrode, and take on roots. A scope costs $125 to $500 and takes 30 minutes or less. Compare that against $2,000 to $10,000 for a main line replacement. You get recorded footage, which becomes negotiating leverage. New construction with modern PVC piping usually doesn’t need one. Ask plumbers what they charge as an add-on.

How often should I get a plumbing inspection?

Once a year for most homes, or every two years for newer construction with modern piping. Go annually or more often if the house has older galvanized or cast iron pipe, hard water, mature trees near the sewer line, or any history of backups or leaks. Between professional visits, check under sinks monthly for moisture and watch for slow drains. Plumbers often bundle an annual inspection with water heater flushing and maintenance. Catching a small leak early costs far less than repairing water damage.

How long does a plumbing inspection take?

Sixty to ninety minutes for a visual inspection of a typical single-family home. Larger homes, complex systems, and inspections that include camera work run longer, sometimes two hours or more. The sewer scope itself is fast, usually under 30 minutes once the camera is in the line. A plumber shouldn’t rush it; the value is in thoroughness. Ask plumbers for a written report with photos and video footage if a camera was used too.

Is a plumbing inspection different from a home inspection?

Yes, and that’s the point. A general home inspector gives a broad overview and checks visible fixtures, drain function, and basic water pressure. A licensed plumber inspects the system itself pipe material, pressure regulators, water heater venting, shutoff valve condition and can run camera and pressure tests a home inspector isn’t equipped for. For any house built before 1995, a separate plumbing inspection is worth scheduling alongside the general one. The two reports complement each other rather than overlap.

What problems does an inspection usually find?

The common ones are worth knowing: corroded or leaking shutoff valves, supply lines past their service life, water pressure above 80 psi stressing every joint in the house, a water heater with a depleted anode rod, slow drains signaling partial blockage, and root intrusion in the sewer lateral. Older homes turn up galvanized or polybutylene piping. Most of these cost far less to address early. Plumbers should give you a prioritized list, not just a page of findings.

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See customer stories
IR
Igal Rubinshtein @igal

Joel and his team went above and beyond to make sure they helped us fix the gas leak. Joel is a man of his word and came through on his promise.

AP
Alex Pritchard @alexpritch

Very expensive. Make sure you establish the price up front. They did some work on gas pipes, which was specialized so the prices weren't so horrible.

JS
Joe S. @joe

They did a good job and came quickly. Installed a bidet in my toilet. Shout out to Casey for the quality work.

DE
D Evonne W. @evonne

Scheduled service for a clogged toilet and never showed. No call, all messages unanswered

JA
Jari @jari22

If its an easy fit sure they maybe great but if its something different then quoted they are going to charge you either way a hefty price.

AU
Ashley Undercuffler @undercuffler

They never called my property manager, or myself, to ask if they could do an additional estimate while at my property. I was shocked. Companies cannot go around doing estimates.

AJ
A Jackson @jacksona

Mike showed up in an hour to shut off a spigot that I could not shut off. Always great friendly service at a reasonable price!!!

IR
Igal Rubinshtein @igal

Joel and his team went above and beyond to make sure they helped us fix the gas leak. Joel is a man of his word and came through on his promise.

AP
Alex Pritchard @alexpritch

Very expensive. Make sure you establish the price up front. They did some work on gas pipes, which was specialized so the prices weren't so horrible.

JS
Joe S. @joe

They did a good job and came quickly. Installed a bidet in my toilet. Shout out to Casey for the quality work.

DE
D Evonne W. @evonne

Scheduled service for a clogged toilet and never showed. No call, all messages unanswered

JA
Jari @jari22

If its an easy fit sure they maybe great but if its something different then quoted they are going to charge you either way a hefty price.

AU
Ashley Undercuffler @undercuffler

They never called my property manager, or myself, to ask if they could do an additional estimate while at my property. I was shocked. Companies cannot go around doing estimates.

AJ
A Jackson @jacksona

Mike showed up in an hour to shut off a spigot that I could not shut off. Always great friendly service at a reasonable price!!!

What does the Wise Workman score mean?
<70 Low
71–80 Moderate
81–100 High
77.5
WW Score
Learn more about how the Wise Workman scoring system works, along with our data governance policy.
What things affect the Wise Workman score?
Price-Friendly
💰Professionalism:
Experience
🛠️Project
Completion

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