Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Luke B.

I found Roto Rooter via a 3rd party internet referral service used to get work prospects.
The phone attendant refused to give me a quote or any estimate Thinking Roto Rooter was competitive, I scheduled a simple clogged kitchen drain. I removed the traps and knew where the problem was but didn't have access to an auger/snake.

The technician arrived within an hour or so. I had gone to work and my wife was home to handle the transaction. She was informed of the price up front but in not on tune with the price of home repairs. The technician worked for less than 20 minutes and was onsite for less than a half an hour. The charge was $365 plus tax. No parts, just labor.

My wife called me to let me know the charge and I was floored! I called 3 local plumbers afterward and was quoted between $175 and $225 unless they ran into difficulties or issues.

Brian from the local RotoRooter called me back today and gave me the standard corporate BS about your ""competitive rates"" and how they rate each job individually. I told him it's a 20 minute drive from Niagara Falls NY to Lewiston NY and that the plumber was there for a total of 20-25 minutes ( I was at work and feel my wife was taken advantage of du to the urgency). I had opened the traps and no parts were needed. $365 for labor? I am a fool for not shopping around or calling a local guy. Shame on me.

As a 40+ year homeowner, I have NEVER been so disappointed and angry at a home repair cost.