Engineering-led CCTV drainage investigations that link pipe condition to foundation risk, not just blockages. Investment from $995 + GST, credited to any remediation works.
Auckland · Specialist Drainage Diagnostics
Hidden drainage failure?
Find the cause before your foundation moves.
Trusted by Auckland homeowners since 2010 · Over 1,500 properties assessed
Specialist vs Standard
Most CCTV surveys find blockages.
We find the cause of structural movement.
Standard drainage companies inspect pipes. We diagnose the relationship between water, soil and foundation load.
Standard Auckland CCTV Provider
Inspects pipes
- Identifies blockages, cracks and root intrusion
- Provides plumbing-style report or footage
- Recommends clearing, repair or replacement
- Refers structural concerns elsewhere
Grace Drainage Investigation
Diagnoses structural risk
- Pipe condition assessed against E1 / G13 standards
- Soil washout, infiltration and bearing-capacity indicators
- Priority 1 / 2 / 3 structural risk classification
- Integrated foundation remediation pathway
The Subsidence-Drainage Link
In Auckland clay,
a leaking pipe is a foundation problem in waiting.
Auckland’s residential foundations sit on reactive clay soils that respond aggressively to changes in moisture. When a stormwater or wastewater line cracks, shears, or pulls apart at a joint, water escapes into the surrounding soil. Three things follow: the clay softens, fine soil particles wash away into the broken pipe, and a void slowly forms beneath the slab or pile that supports the house.
By the time the homeowner sees a diagonal crack in the plaster or a sticking door, the cause has already been working underground for months or years. Repairing the visible damage without identifying the drainage failure is the most expensive mistake we see in Auckland.
A CCTV investigation is the single highest-leverage decision a homeowner can make at this stage. It tells us whether structural work is needed at all, or whether the drainage repair alone will arrest the movement.
Why this matters financially: Typical Auckland underpinning: $35,000 – $90,000. Typical CCTV investigation: $1,144-$2,064. The investigation cost is credited toward any remediation works carried out by Grace.
Choose Your Investigation
Two investigations.
One clear cause-and-effect picture.
Pick the level of detail your situation needs. Both are conducted by foundation specialists and credited toward any approved remediation works.
Drainage Diagnostic Inspection
$995 + GST ($1,144 inc)
For a defined concern where you need to rule out drainage as a contributor to surface symptoms.
Includes
- Non-destructive CCTV survey of accessible lines
- Pipe condition, fracture, joint and washout assessment
- Digital footage and written summary report
- Priority 1 / 2 / 3 structural risk classification
- Staged remediation pathway recommendation
Recommended for Property Decisions
Subsidence Risk & Drainage Investigation
$1,795 + GST ($2,064 inc)
For buyers, agents or owners where pre-purchase risk or insurance documentation is required.
Everything in Tier 1, plus
- Full property survey of all accessible lines
- Sonar trace with surface marking and depth mapping
- Annotated frame-by-frame report for bank/insurer use
- Natural Hazards Cover (NHC) / EQC claim evidentiary standard
- Report walk-through call with foundation specialist
Credit Toward Remediation: The full cost of either investigation is credited toward any approved remediation works carried out by Grace Foundation Solutions.
The Grace Foundation Group Drainage Method
The DRAIN
Diagnostic Framework
Every investigation follows the same five-stage diagnostic, developed from over 15 years of Auckland foundation repair work.
D
Detect:
CCTV & moisture mapping
R
Reveal:
Pinpoint the failure
A
Assess:
Soil & structural movement
I
Intervene:
Replace & Reinstate
N
Neutralise:
Long-term protection
Clear Verdict
Our Foundation Risk
Grading System.
Every investigation ends with a defensible classification so you can act, monitor or move on with confidence.
Green
Monitor or remediate within 2–5 years. Low structural risk.
Amber
Remediation recommended within 12 months. Manageable concern.
Red
Immediate risk of structural impact. Remediation recommended now.
Black
Engineer escalation required. Significant structural exposure.
Standards & Compliance
Investigations conducted to
recognised New Zealand standards.
NZBC E1 · Surface Water
NZBC G13 · Foul Water
AS/NZS 3500
Auckland Council CoP
Turnaround Options
Fast-track your
purchase decision.
For deadlines, negotiations or time-critical purchases, we can move at the pace you need.
Standard
5 working days
Included. Suitable for most owner-occupier situations.
Priority
2 working days
+ $300 + GST. For upcoming settlement deadlines.
Urgent
24 hours
+ $600 + GST. Highly time-critical situations.
Why Grace
Built on real repair experience, not just inspection theory.
Most CCTV reports in Auckland come from drainage companies that do not fix foundations. Ours come from the team that does.
2010
Year founded, Auckland’s foundation specialists for over 15 years
1,500+
Auckland properties assessed
LBP
Licensed Building Practitioners across foundations and structural work
10yr
Warranty on remediation works
Frequently Asked
Questions we hear
most often.
Grace Foundation Solutions offers two specialist CCTV drainage investigation tiers in Auckland. The Drainage Diagnostic Inspection is $995 + GST ($1,144 incl GST), and the Subsidence Risk & Drainage Investigation is $1,795 + GST ($2,064 incl GST). The full investigation cost is credited toward any approved remediation works carried out by Grace.
Yes. Auckland’s residential foundations sit on reactive clay soils. When a drain leaks, water softens the clay and washes fine soil particles into the broken pipe, hollowing out a void beneath the slab or pile. The foundation then settles into the weakened ground, producing diagonal cracks, sticking doors and uneven floors, often months or years after the leak began.
Tier 1 (Drainage Diagnostic Inspection, $995 + GST) confirms or rules out drainage as the cause of a defined concern. Tier 2 (Subsidence Risk & Drainage Investigation, $1,795 + GST) adds a full property-wide survey, sonar trace with depth mapping, annotated report suitable for bank or insurance use, cause-of-movement analysis, remediation sequencing, and a 30-minute report walk-through with a foundation specialist.
Most residential Auckland properties take 1 to 3 hours on site, depending on size and complexity of the drainage network. The full deliverable, including the written report with risk classification and remediation pathway, is provided within 5 working days for standard turnaround. Priority (2 working days) and Urgent (24 hours) options are available for purchase-deadline situations.
Yes. The Subsidence Risk & Drainage Investigation (Tier 2) includes an annotated frame-by-frame report with risk classification, cause-of-movement analysis and remediation sequencing. It is designed for use in bank lending decisions, private insurer claims, Natural Hazards Cover (NHC Toka Tū Ake, formerly EQC) claims and pre-purchase negotiations. The Drainage Diagnostic Inspection (Tier 1) provides a shorter summary report suitable for confirmed homeowner concerns.
Yes. The Tier 2 Subsidence Risk & Drainage Investigation is written to the evidentiary standard that the Natural Hazards Commission Toka Tū Ake (formerly EQC) and private insurers expect, including time-coded video, NZBC E1 / G13-referenced findings, mapped pipe alignments, cause-of-movement analysis and a Licensed Building Practitioner sign-off. Damage that occurred before 1 July 2024 is assessed under the Earthquake Commission Act 1993 (EQCover); damage from 1 July 2024 onwards is assessed under the Natural Hazards Insurance Act 2023. Many Auckland claims arising from the January 2023 Anniversary floods and Cyclone Gabrielle are still being progressed under the older Act; our reports are written to support both pathways.
The full cost of the investigation is credited toward any approved remediation works carried out by Grace Foundation Solutions. A 50% deposit secures the booking; the balance is paid on completion of the on-site assessment. If you do not proceed with remediation, the investigation fee is non-refundable.
Every Grace CCTV drainage investigation aligns with NZ Building Code Clause E1 (Surface Water), NZ Building Code Clause G13 (Foul Water), AS/NZS 3500 (Plumbing and Drainage), and the Auckland Council Code of Practice. Restricted Building Work, where required, is supervised by a Licensed Building Practitioner.
Every Grace drainage investigation ends with a four-level structural risk classification. Priority 3 indicates low concern with monitoring suggested over 2 to 5 years. Priority 2 indicates manageable concern with remediation recommended within 12 months. Priority 1 indicates immediate structural risk with remediation recommended now. Critical indicates engineer escalation required for significant structural exposure.
Not necessarily. Many drainage failures can be arrested with the pipe repair alone, especially where the foundation has not yet moved measurably. The investigation tells you which situation you are in. If structural work is required, Grace can quote and complete it under the same warranty framework and the inspection cost is credited toward the repair.
Need answers before you buy, sell or repair?
Book a drainage investigation and get the cause, urgency, and repair pathway in as little as 24 hours.