Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Services

Dj R.

I had a clogged toilet line. We removed the toilet and tried snaking it to no avail so I called Roto-Rooter at 5:45 because of 24/7 adv. The technician called back and said he already had 2 jobs in front of mine and he quits work at 8 pm so ended up coming the following day (today) When he arrived he quoted $489 to snake it. After I approved it, he but a camera through the line and said that the first 30 feet are cast iron and it has scaling that catches toilet paper and clogs. Beyond that is clear PVC. Therefore he said that """"just snaking won't work"""" Instead he could send in a power brush to clear the line for $8400 or use a water jet line for $3200. ( It so happens that my friend in Michigan had a simiar problem this past August with a 60 foot cast iron pipe in a Michigan house built in 1889 and had it water jet cleaned for $1500 then we watched the camera go through the newly cleared pipe. I know because I paid the bill). So instead, we told the technician to just snake it anyways. Reluctantly, he did and was paid. The line is now clear and works fine. The technician was rude, not cusotmer focused didn't want to do what actually did work for the time being. We are going to see how long this fix lasts. If we do have to water jet it in the future, I will get other quotes as Roto-Rooter's pricing seems to be out of line

Bill M.

Called them out for a simple clogged drain. The technician came out for $85. Refused to try opening the clean out valve due to it being cast iron. Charged $100 to climb ladder and get on the roof. Got on the roof with drain snake and cleared the drain. He was there for less than a half hour and charged $590!!! Ridiculous!

C C.

Wanted $795 to snake sink and main drainage line out the unit. Wouldn't quote over the phone, so had to pay $89 for a visit fee to be given a quote. Probably triple the price of what other plumbers are charging. Technician was very nice and pleasant though.

Barry H.

Customer Beware - VERY EXPENSIVE!!! We had a sewer line back up and had sewage backing up into house. Called after hours and received a call back that they would be out tomorrow. So much for 24 hour Emergency Service. Should of call someone else, my mistake. Bottom line? $2500.00 for a job that most other companies charge half of that. Lessons learned - don't rely on a National Brand name to give you the best service at an affordable price. And no matter how much of an EMERGENCY, do some research first and don't use this company.

Janet P.

I had a problem with this company yesterday. The manager came back today and made it right. He was so nice and very sorry for my experience. I have a much better opinion of this company today.

Ross J.

Yesterday afternoon, Tuesday, 2/22/22, both of the toilets in my home became stopped up. I can usually clear them with a toilet auger but this time that didn't work and plunging the toilets didn't work. I called the Sarasota branch of Roto-Rooter. I gave the answering service my name, address, telephone number and a description of the problem. I waited about an hour and a half and then decided to check my cell phone. It had been within two feet of me the entire time. The ringer was on but I still saw a missed call. The cell phone had not rang and I don't know why. I called the missed number and it was the technician. I told him that my phone chose not to ring but that, now that I saw the missed call, I'm still here and none of my toilets were working, still. The technician told me that he had scratched me off of his list when I didn't answer his call. He had moved on to the next call. He suggested that I schedule service for the next day. I told him that this was unacceptable. I have two adults in the home that need to use the restroom and none of my toilets were working. I needed the emergency service this night, so that my wife and I would be able to use the bathroom. He told me that it was too late to come out tonight and I would have to schedule service for tomorrow. I insisted that he come out this night and fix this emergency. He refused. Then he simply stopped answering his phone. I sent him several text messages and he did not respond to those. Today I called the company and spoke with the man who identified himself as the owner. This man told me that he would speak with his technician about this. I told him that I've spent about $8,000.00 with his company over the past four to five years and that this is coming to a screeching halt. I'm not going to spend my money supporting a business that can't be inconvenienced in providing the service that they advertise. It was actually the owner that mentioned 24 hour service during this conversation. I told him that this is why I had called in the first place, and why I had demanded that the technician come out. They bill themselves as a 24 hour service but don't come out and provide that service, as advertised. The owner told me that they provide 24 hour service but that this is for emergencies, like spouting water pipes. I told him that I classify two adults who can't use the bathroom as an emergency and I expected emergency service. The owner said that he had to protect his technicians and he can't have them out working all night so, when I didn't answer the technician's call, he did the right thing to move on to the next job. I told him that I didn't blame the technician for my phone not ringing but that I had no control over that, either. My ringer was on and I don't know why it didn't ring, but cell phones often misbehave like that. The technician had made no effort to dial my number again. My address and my toilet problem had not changed, so he knew where to find me and what my problem was. He failed in his due diligence to provide the requested emergency service and then, when I was able to speak with him, he simply refused to come fix my emergency toilet problem. He asked me if I wanted someone to come out and fix my toilets now and I told him, """"Absolutely not! I don't reward that behavior."""" I have been happy with this company, to date, but I rate this as a total fail. Either they are a 24 hour emergency service or they are not. I can tell you from personal experience that they are not. If you have a plumbing emergency I would suggest that you not bother trying to contact this company. If you speak with the technician and he tells you that you can schedule a technician to come out and fix your toilets TOMORROW then this company is not providing the 24 hour service that they say they perform. I deliberately waited until after speaking with the owner of the company before writing this review. At first, the owner told me that the technician had not responded appropriately and he'd speak with him, but he went from that to telling me that no working toilets and no ability to use the bathroom was not an emergency, worthy of 24 hour service. Either you're a 24 hour emergency service business or you are not. This business clearly is not a 24 hour emergency service plumbing business and if you see them making that claim, don't believe it. It's only an emergency if they say it's an emergency, not when the customer experiences the emergencies. It's only a 24 hour service if they decide to actually honor that claim. If they don't honor that then they are lying about being a 24 hour emergency service. My service dollars will be going to the company who's technicians actually show up and who's technicians take the initiative to establish contact and help the customer. Scratching me off his list for one missed call, without a follow-up attempt is unacceptable. Telling me that I'm going to have to schedule service for the next day doesn't help me.

Tom M.

We had a kitchen sink back up and I called Roto-Rooter. Their ad says $93 to clear a drain. When the plumber arrived he said the price would be $340 because he had to go on the roof of our 1-story house. What choice did I have at that point? He cleared the drain, but two months later it was backed up again. This time I called Monroe Plumbing .... he also went on the roof, and apparently did the same thing Roto-Rooter did, the drain was cleared again - this time for $140!

Marcy B.

We have had years of experience with drain clearing companies, many times with Roto-Rooter. Needed a back up cleared and were told that they would be there within the hour....that happened and the drain was cleared. That is where our positive experience ended. We were not told that their """"flat fee"""" for any work would be nearly $350 (technician unloaded that on us when he arrived). We had recently used another service to do far more work and he charged us $175 for totally clearing a lateral and checking everything with a camera (that would have been extra). Called the manager to register our dissatisfaction with the price for the minor service they performed. Totally unresponsive to our concerns. If you need drain service, do your homework ahead of time and have the name of a plumber who will do this - NEVER get caught by this company - their prices are out of line and they take advantage of people in a bad situation. BEWARE! We will never use them again

Christie S.

Last Saturday I was out of town, my toilet overflowed and the house sitter called this company. A tech came out in a Roto Rooter truck and did what seems to be a good job of cleaning up the water and cleaning out the drain. Here is where things get sketchy. He would not give her a receipt and had her make the check out to him personally. I called the office yesterday to request a copy of the bill. None could be found and I was told I would get a call from the manager which has not happened.

Michelle A.

Would NEVER recommend this company. Dierda at the front office is extremely RUDE and hangs up on customers!! I was having an unfortunate plumbing emergency and I needed someone to come out and check my drain. I was told someone would come out that day between 3-5, I called at 4:45 because no one had showed up yet and I wanted to VERIFY someone was definitely coming that day! They told be absolutely 100% someone will be out but they are just running late. 30 minutes later Dierda calls me and states they have """"bigger emergencies"""" and no one would be able to make it out! As a customer I was extremely upset and told them they needed to send a tech out as I to was having an emergency and was told someone would DEFINITELY be coming! After speaking with dierda she basically told me it wasn't her problem and hung up. So I Called the next day and spoke with the manager James who was just as insensitive as dierda and also HUNG UP on me! Horrific customer service and I will NEVER allow this company into my home just to be ripped off and treated poorly!! Do your research and DON'T use this company!!