ER Plumbing & Construction

Suzan O.

Upstairs and downstairs toilets were increasingly sluggish, which I assumed was due to sewer issues (rather than 2 old toilets acting their age simultaneously). BPN had old but good reviews of Rhino,. The owner,Gary, was in the area so came right over himself.
He could easily have gone ahead and done the sewer cleaning, but instead gary listened to the sewer after flushings and said the sewer was fine but the toilets were just old and needed replacing. He did not propose his company for that work. I asked and was given a fair estimate. Because Gary was so honest about the sewer not needing work and also easy to deal with, Rhino will get the job.

tom l.

Highly recommended.
After a few bids on replacing our sewer lateral, we selected rhino rooter as the work they did a block away looked good, their trucks/equipment looked maintained, and their estimate was competitive. I worked with Sam and I have to say he bent over backwards to accomodate us.
We had a situation where our lateral was tied into the neighbors lateral so we couldn't go with a trenchless replacement. Angel and the crew dug out and laid a new lateral and also redirected the neighbors 1/2 bath line to their lateral. I was home and watched a lot of the work going on, and they did a solid job. I would not hesistate to call them again.

For those who didn't get a call back, try to understand that sometimes jobs that are hidden (wiring, plumbing, termite, etc.) crop up with ""unforeseen conditions"" and throw everyone's schedule out of whack. This happens and you just have to call again, no matter who the contractor.

Scott H.

If you are interested in a no call no show waste of your time, give Rhino Rooter a call. Rhino Rooter was in the neighborhood on an EBMUD contract when I asked twice if they would be willing to do a small job on some exposed plumbing within my home. I made the appointment with multiple phone calls for the next week, to be at their convenience. I received a message in the morning of my appointment saying it could be done but wanted to know if I were flexible for my 3pm appointment. I returned the call and left my message for my appointment to be the same day, but that I was flexible. I prepared the area for the work and planned most of my day to be present for the work.
NO call. NO show. NO work. And now, weeks later, my shared advise is to look elsewhere or be prepared for some lip service and then their disappointing experience.

Andrew C.

I normally don't write reviews for service experience, only food. However, credit is due when credit is deserved. Also, not to forget, this review is for Will.

Long story short, Will was very easy going, knew his stuff, and pin pointed what my problem was (kitchen sink pipe wasn't connected to the sewer lateral) within 1.5 hrs. He completely made me wish I called him first before the the other plumber.

I gave him 5 stars:

1 - I called in the AM and he scheduled me in on the same day. Will was also on time.

2 - Went above and beyond by crawling under the house to diagnose the problem. Also helping me fix the hinge on my crawl space door.

3 - Very thorough in his work. He did a lot of testing to really key on what was happening.

4 - I'm a 1st time home owner and didn't know much about plumbing and sewer laterals, but Will helped explain to me what was going on and what had to be done to get the problem fixed.

5. Most importantly, he got me an answer and figured out the problem!

I put his contact info into my phone after he left. I would definitely recommend him to anyone that is having plumbing issues within the area (El Cerrito).

Daniel C.

I had an absolutely phenomenal experience with Will and Sam at Rhino Rooter. They are honest, polite, fair, thorough and conscientious. They communicate clearly and they deliver on exactly what they say they are going to do. It was with a sense of deep dread that I went looking for a plumber to clear an emergency back-up in the septic line behind our house. Like many people, I had not only heard horror stories about shyster plumbers but had also had my share of bad experiences. From the moment that I first spoke with Will on the phone, I felt a sense of relief that I was dealing with someone of character and integrity who would take great care of me...and I was right! The quality of the work was superb, was performed in a timely manner, and everything was left spotless afterwards. I would unequivocally recommend Rhino Rooter and am happy to give them a 5-Star rating. If you are looking for a superb, honest plumber for any plumbing need big or small, I would say look no further...

Dani M.

After contacting about 6 different sewer companies no one had managed to figure out our sewer leak much less fix it! Sam from rhino rooter came out and was friendly and efficient. I thought the cost was very reasonable and when our original plan to fix encountered some problems (not his fault) he came by on a Saturday to investigate the problem and fixed it Monday! He went above and beyond and he and his crews were clean, friendly, and easy to deal with. Highly recommended!

Michelle L.

They seem to have good reviews on Yelp so I called Rhino Rooter for a quote to replace the sewer lateral of my new house. He wanted to charge me for a video inspection of the current system and I told him that the city had told me that this house is over 50 years old and for houses over 50 years old they don't need video inspections. The city told me that I should replace the whole thing and I will get a partial rebate from the city. The guy from Rhino Rooter told me that the city doesn't know what they are talking about and said I should pay him for a video inspection first before he can give me any estimate. Luckily this wasn't my first call to a sewer lateral company and I know what I'm doing! The other companies had given me free quotes (to qualify for the city rebate I need to get three written quotes). I decided not to use Rhino Rooters as I feel they would try to rip me off.

K D.

Gary arrived early to each of our four appointments to replace our Berkeley sewer lateral. His bid was lower than the competitors, but he is very professional and friendly, and his crew was fast and courteous, and they left the site clean. Although I hope I won't be needing them again, I'll definitely be calling Rhino Rooter if we have any sewer issues in the future.

D R.

Well, not so satisfied, overall. Got ""referred"" by another fellow so I didn't really have chance to research this outfit ahead of time. Seemed to be a little bit of a fast talker, but OK, we take a chance.

First sign: he wanted to move up appointment time because he was ahead of schedule -- it was inconvenient for me but I said I'd be there in 15 minutes. Had quoted $125 over the phone and again in person though did not specify what was included in that price. I explained what I needed and eventually he agreed to get started. I warned him that there might be water in the line and indeed there was. I procured a garbage can so there'd not be a mess. A good 30 or 40 gallons emptied into the can. Then he started to snake his camera in. It went in maybe 17 ft and hit an obstruction. He then used his magnetic device to try to locate it but we ended up locating it by him rattling the thing and me listening. He offered to cut the pipe at the obstruction for another 495. When I balked because I had an open job with another plumber and it did not make sense to change in mid job and it became clear it wouldn't be a big payout day, he informed me that this ""clearing operation"" wouldn't be covered by that original 125 and that it would be 250 altogether (never mind that he didn't actually clear the obstruction -- just told me it was there -- helpful info to be sure -- but...). That means I paid a guy 125 to empty a pipe into a trash can and attach a hose and pump to the trash can so we would not have to carry it. And 125 to not succeed at actually videoing the pipe.

Margon V.

Just had a great service call from Sam at Rhino Rooter. He is neat, clean, careful to change gloves and stay clean as he works. He is respectful with the landscaping, and did a great job locating my blockage and clearing it. He explained everything as he did it. He also gave me an estimate what it would take to permanently repair the old sewer lateral all the way to the sewer. He was right on time for our previously planned Saturday appointment, cheerful, pleasant and competent. When I called to set the appointment I described the situation to Gary; he told me exactly what to expect, and that's what happened when Sam came out. AAAAA plus!