Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Qiang Y.

Too expensive. I got a bathroom sink clogged. Called them. A guy came and cleared up the clog in one hour, but charged about $700. I never realized that would cost this much!

Devon F.

Our decades old toilet was severely clogged and broken. Jose came in with the most professional demeanor and attitude toward our issue. It ended up taking two day and required multiple trips up and down our six flights of stairs. Not once did Jose complain or even sigh. He is fantastic and we would recommend him to anyone in the future with major plumbing issues. We hope we don't have to, but if we have any future issues, Jose will be the first person we call!

Keith H.

Just had an amazing experience with Crystal from Roto rooter. I'm not sure what her role is, however she seemed like a manager. She was polite, professional and a true delight to speak with. I have never received that much knowledge from a a service professional over the phone before. For all my future plumbing needs I will always go to Roto rooter because of people Like Crystal!

Tom B.

Firstly I really hope you read my review before going with Roto-rooter and just dont. They used fixed pricing which is astronomical, fix rate to install a water heater was over $1100. They also clearly do not know how to treat customers. My water heater was under warranty, I was unable to call the manufacturer as my water heater started leaking on a weekend and i needed immediate resolution. The plumbers did not tell me to get my reimbursement I would need to bring my old water heater to the store, something I, as a customer, would never know. I repeatedly stated it was under warranty but again I was never told about this. Monday morning I called the manufacturer regarding the warranty and they even stated the plumber should have notified us. I called roto-rooter to explain and a very rude woman answered stating there is nothing they can do. I, as the customer should have known and should have told the plumbers not to take the unit, put blame completely on me, someone who never had to replace a water heater who would know nothing about a warranty. I would never use them again, they are a ripoff and clearly don't know how to treat their customer. Please go elsewhere, you will save money and a headache.

Update: They called because of this post but again did nothing. To them the home owner is to blame. Since they didn't install the old unit they stated they are not required to telling me I should keep my old unit to return it to the store for a refund and therefore not responsible. I am 100% certain if I just went with another plumbing company they would have the professionalism and training to have mentioned it to me and I would have had my refund. Again, PLEASE do not go with Roto Rooter.

Zachary M.

Incompetent, didn't resolve the issue. Rude. Couldn't care less.

Save yourself the time and money.

Ben G.

Had a backup in the main sewer line and they came out promptly to fix it. No issues with the guy who did it - he was professional and nice, and seemed to know what he was doing.

They ran a camera, which they said was required. Sure, why not.

Charged 800+, which seemed very steep, but we didn't have much choice at that point.

The said our line was all kinds of damaged, quoted around 30k to fix it. Seems...steep, but what do I know. We asked for the video to show to other plumbers so we can get the lay of the land, they said it's a $150 charge. No problem, I get it. Happy (enough) to pay.

Wait 2 days. Call again. Sure, we'l have to you tomorrow. A week later. No video, no calls back, now they're not even returning calls or texts.

This place might be the the right one to call if you have an emergency on a weekend and no one else is answering, but they're definitely not professional on the back end. Will definitely avoid in the future.

-----------------

Edit after speaking with a manager, who reached out: Adding a star, as they were very responsive to this complaint, and made it right (got the video same day).

Paul R.

Avoid Roto Rooter at All Costs: A Cautionary Tale of Fraud, Deception, and Bullying
If you're considering Roto Rooter for your plumbing or mitigation needs, think again. My experience with the
Newark, NJ branch of this company has been nothing short of a nightmare--a masterclass in deceptive practices,
inflated charges, and blatant disregard for customer service or accountability.
The Nightmare Begins
On 12/4/24, I contacted Roto Rooter for what I assumed would be routine service--a clogged pipe in my basement.
What followed was an outrageous sequence of events that culminated in thousands of dollars in unnecessary charges,
threats of collections, and utter frustration.
Trumped-Up Charges and Manipulation
The technician started with a sky-high estimate of $30,000, a figure I immediately questioned. Despite my protests, I
was assured this was ""just a range"" and not to be concerned:
""I'm sending you the contract. Don't be scared with the price--it's just a range because I didn't go there. It's
just a number we put. We can always go down, never up. But you're covered by insurance.""
This was a blatant lie. I was told they needed to ""exact the water"" and clean the walls to prevent mold. However, by
the evening of 12/5/24, the basement was in worse condition than before! The clogged pipe remained untouched, and
the flooding had escalated.
The $27,000 Cleanup That Achieved Nothing
When I raised concerns, Roto Rooter sent two additional plumbers, one of whom claimed the issue was a broken pipe
beneath the sidewalk. This supposed ""specialist"" insisted that a $13,000 repair would be required on top of the
$27,000 mitigation fee and the $1,872 water removal charge.
When I asked for photographic evidence of the broken pipe, he admitted he had none but demanded I ""trust him.""
His exact words!
""It's okay because we will pump out the water; the pipe won't get worse, I promise.""
I knew something was wrong. Instead of falling for this outrageous scam, I contacted a smaller plumber I had used
before. Within a day, they completed the mitigation, water removal, and pipe inspection for just $1,000. The result;
No broken pipe, no further flooding, and no $13,000 charge.
Roto Rooter's Response: Excuses and Gaslighting
When I confronted Roto Rooter with this information, their response was appalling. Emails to their representative
([email protected]) went unanswered. When they finally responded, they offered nothing but a generic apology,
dismissing my concerns with this infuriating excuse:
""You keep bringing up the estimated pricing for $13k, but it was NOT charged to you. It was mentioned, and
you have no invoice for this amount!""
This is a textbook case of gaslighting. The fact that I avoided being charged the $13,000 doesn't erase their attempt to
defraud me--or the $27,000 they still charged for a service that failed to resolve the issue.
Bullying Tactics and Threats
To make matters worse, Roto Rooter has resorted to harassment. They are now threatening to report me to
collections and ruin my credit if I don't pay the full bill immediately. One representative even wrote:
""Please know that with the signed contract, I am liable to collect the payment due.""
This kind of bullying is unacceptable. No customer should be subjected to threats after exposing fraudulent
practices.
A Final Warning to Future Customers
My experience with Roto Rooter is not just about financial loss--it's about a company exploiting homeowners in
vulnerable situations. Their targeting of certain communities and reliance on inflated charges, false claims, and
intimidation is deeply troubling.
I am taking action. My attorney will be reaching out shortly, and I will ensure my story is heard across every
possible outlet. I'll be posting reviews on Google, Yelp, the Better Business Bureau, and social media. News
networks will also be contacted.
To those considering Roto Rooter: Avoid this company at all costs. Their actions are unethical, their services
subpar, and their customer treatment abhorrent. Let my story serve as a warning to unsuspecting homeowners
everywhere.
Photos of the damage and documentation of this debacle will be provided so potential customers can see for
themselves what $27,000 of ""service"" from Roto Rooter looks like.
Roto Rooter: Your bullying won't work, and your fraudulent practices won't go unchallenged.

Ben S.

Not happy with the service of this company. Was supposed to have a tech out the same day as water clean up to fix shower issue. No call no show until 5pm when I had to call to confirm they were coming. Agent said they don't have any available. 10 minutes later they sent someone out and could not find any leak. Ultimately I had a leaking shower. Tech spent only 5 minutes looking. I had another tech out 2 weeks later and he said I had a cracked shower pan. Both times I called the office to make sure I got it in writing and both times Billy said they would provide it or call me back. Yet to receive a call or a copy of diagnosis from tech this is going on 3 weeks now. Home owners beware!!!

Kabir D.

Be a bit careful with this company. We had called them to replace a toilet valve. The guy came up and said I will charge you a 120 dollar ""diagnostic"" fee which was not disclosed. When we raised issues, he made racist comments saying ""you Arabs are always problematic""
These comments are unacceptable even though I was not Arab so I sent the person promptly away. Do not deal with racist individuals

Mike

Wanted to charge me $675 To snake out a bathroom drain line Which should have cost between $175-$225.