In a Nutshell
pros
- 24/7 emergency plumbing services
- Network of licensed/insured techs
- Long-standing reputation
cons
- Not available in every state
- Policy may vary from one state to the next
Roto-Rooter at a Glance
Specializes in: Plumbing and water cleanup services
Average price range: Varies based on area and service
Warranty: Generally 90 days, up to 10 years
Response time: Same day, often within 2 hours or less
Best For: Residential and commercial plumbing, drains, pipes, and water cleanup
Plumbing Services Offered
Roto-Rooter is an extensive plumbing and water cleanup service that works around the country. You may have seen the familiar red and blue logoed trucks driving around your neighborhood. And there’s a reason the company is so popular. In addition to being professional and thorough, Roto-Rooter technicians deal with just about any plumbing incident you may encounter. Here’s a partial list of the services provided:
Drain cleaning (bathrooms, kitchen, sinks, bathtubs, floors, outdoor, roof drains)
Emergency plumbing
Clogged toilets
Running toilets repair
Toilet installation and replacement
Leaking toilet repair
Trenchless and standard sewers services and repairs
Leaking sewer lines
Faucet repair (bathroom, kitchen, outdoor faucets)
Sink repair
Sump pump installation
Sump pump maintenance
Sump pump troubleshooting
Garbage disposal repair
Restaurant and commercial garbage disposal services
Shower repair
Dishwasher installation
Video camera line inspection (to identify drain line problems)
Leak repair (pipe leaks, basement, bathroom, kitchen, outdoor leaks)
Washing machines repairs
Pipe lining
Frozen pipes
Pipe bursts
Pipe relocation
Commercial plumbing
Grease traps
Flushometers
Excavation
Backflow services
Water jetting
Water heater repairs
Water heater replacement
Water heater maintenance
Commercial water heater repair and installation services
Instant hot water dispenser repair
Additionally, Roto-Rooter works with water damage restoration, including water damage cleanup, water removal, and emergency flood services. These services are available for businesses as well as residential basement flooding clean up. So, the Roto-Rooter services are pretty extensive.
Pricing
There are no clear pricing charts for Roto-Rooter services. That’s because every plumbing and water cleanup project will differ depending on several factors, including the size, location, and depth of the project. Plus, Roto-Rooter is available across the United States and even in Canada. So, a lot of plumbing service pricing will depend on the city where you live.
Roto-Rooter is known to be honest about its pricing structure, which is why it doesn’t give you a guestimate on a project. Instead, you’ll make an appointment with a Roto-Rooter technician. Appointments are generally available within 2 hours or less. That’s super fast. Once the plumber has seen the problem and assessed the situation, they’ll give you a price quote. If you agree to the cost estimate, the technician will start working on the issue right away. If not, the plumber will leave, and you can get in touch with Roto-Rooter at a later date when you’ve made your decision.
One nice thing about working with Roto-Rooter is that these plumbers don’t usually charge for the consultation. That means the plumber will come to your house or business to assess the damage or issue for free. Even if you don't decide to use the Roto-Rooter plumber in the end, you won't have to pay for the service call. This is not always the case, though. Since Roto-Rooter is a nationwide network of plumbers, this policy depends on the individual plumber’s own policies. That’s a downside of working with a national organization. You can ask before you make the appointment whether or not the plumber will charge for the assessment, so you don’t get stuck having to pay for a service fee you didn’t know about.
What’s also cool about this network of plumbers is that Roto-Rooter has coupons that you can use to get discounts on plumbing services. You can download coupons from the website that are specific to your zip code. Then, you can use them when you hire a Roto-Rooter plumber for the particular services relevant to the coupons.
One other benefit to working with Roto-Rooter is that all these plumbers charge a flat fee rather than an hourly rate. This is generally a much more economical option since plumbing projects can often stretch out, taking much longer than you anticipated. So, an hourly rate can leave you paying a lot more than you expected to pay initially.
Testimonials
Not sure if Roto-Rooter is the right choice for you? Testimonials help you get a firsthand view of a company without spending your own money on the services. Here are a few real user Roto-Rooter reviews to give you an idea of what customers think of Roto-Rooter’s services:
“Very responsive organization. I'm totally impressed with the hard work the technicians put in to find the drain leak outside my house, and then fixing it in one afternoon without tearing up my yard. I would highly recommend them for any plumbing needs.”
“We have used Roto-Rooter several times for plumbing issues in the last ten years and their personnel have been knowledgeable and courteous. We would not hesitate to call for the service in the future. We give them a 10 rating.”
“Your tech did a great job! He was friendly, explained everything extremely thoroughly to us as we had no idea what our plumbing issue was, and he was timely. Great communication skills and a great worker.”
Roto-Rooter reviews on BBB, Yelp, and Trustpilot are largely positive. Most customers report high satisfaction with the service, professionalism of the technicians, and speed of service. A few customers complain about pricing or feeling like they were overcharged, but this seems to be the exception rather than the norm.
Customer Service and Response Time
One of the best parts of using Roto-Rooter is the customer service. You have plumbers available 24/7, on weekends, holidays, in the middle of the night. You name it. You can send an email via the online contact form or get in touch with someone on the phone at the toll-free number: 800-768-6911. Roto-Rooter also has a helpful FAQ section for self-troubleshooting.
When you arrange an appointment, the Roto-Rooter pro will come pretty fast, depending on the distance and how much pressure there is during that time period. When they arrive, the plumber will assess the situation, and if you agree to the estimate, they’ll get started on the problem right away. So, you don’t have to schedule another appointment to take care of the issue.
Warranty
Roto-Rooter has a different warranty policy depending on the job that is done and the parts that are required to fix the issue at hand. Generally speaking, Roto-Rooter has a 10-year warranty on many of its parts. But again, this will depend on the specifics of the services that were performed. Roto-Rooter also has a 90-day service guarantee on certain plumbing services. For example, you’ll get a 90-day guarantee on sewer cleaning services. Check with the specific plumber that you hire before you agree to the job to see what the warranty details and specifications are for your particular issue.
Again, Roto-Rooter is a nationwide network of plumbers, so the policies can vary from one location to the next. However, Roto-Rooter has an overwhelming majority of plumbers who work 24/7 and 365 days a year. That's an extremely important feature to offer because plumbing incidents happen at all hours of the day and night. And the last thing that you want to hear is that your plumber is not available for another 10 hours when you’re knee-deep in toilet water from an exploded pipe in the middle of the night.
Most Roto-Rooter plumbers offer their services 24/7, and they don't charge extra for nights, weekends, or holidays.
Other Services Offered
Roto-Rooter is a full-service plumbing and water cleanup company. It covers every area of plumbing services, including residential and commercial issues, sewer problems, drain cleaning, and even the water cleanup services that you'll need after the issue is done. Roto-Rooter doesn't extend its services to other home maintenance and home repairs services, which is a shame. We'd love to see Roto-Rooter expand its offerings to include other home and business maintenance services in the future.
Summary
Roto-Rooter is a solid choice for professional plumbing and water cleanup services. The services available through this major nationwide network are exhaustive. They cover just about any plumbing issue you have, including pipes, drains, toilets, and sewers. Roto-Rooter plumbers are professionals, offer emergency services 24/7, and all hold licensing and insurance in their fields.