Drain Doctor
Plumber · San Leandro, CA · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
4.9★ over 881 Google reviews with professional cited 46 of 92 times, but a D- BBB rating (2 complaints) contradicts the glowing review profile.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Ranked #2 of 15 plumbers we've reviewed in Newark, CA · compare all →
Our opinion, based on the 92 reviews we analyzed from Google, Yelp and BBB · Analysis updated Jun 2026 · How we decide ↗
Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.
What reviewers praise
Techs (Jorge, George, Oscar) named repeatedly for quick, knowledgeable diagnosis (fast_response=20 of 92)
2 cited reviews
“Jorge arrived early, diagnosed the problem within minutes and fixed it within 10. He then went above and beyond by caulking the toilet (not part of the estimate) and giving me info about what I needed to do to prevent future problems.”
“Technician, Oscar, arrived ahead of schedule which was appreciated since I was dealing with an upstairs pipe leak on a Sunday. He was very professional, informative, and courteous. Worked very quickly to make repairs on the leak.”
Cited in 3 of the 92 reviews we analyzed — 1 cited review not excerpted here.
Goes beyond the estimate — caulking, preventive advice, reasonable pricing with mailer discounts
1 cited review
“Jorge arrived early, diagnosed the problem within minutes and fixed it within 10. He then went above and beyond by caulking the toilet (not part of the estimate) and giving me info about what I needed to do to prevent future problems.”
Cited in 2 of the 92 reviews we analyzed — 1 cited review not excerpted here.
What reviewers report — the concerns
Other directories bury these. We think you should read them before you call. Every concern below comes from the reviews it cites.
Red flag
A reviewer reported a tech scooped toilet-bowl water with her kitchen mug — a hygiene/professionalism incident
Cited in 1 of the 92 reviews we analyzed.
Workmanship isn't always durable — one faucet repair kept trickling after the tech left, requiring a callback
Cited in 1 of the 92 reviews we analyzed.
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 2 of the 92 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“So much for 24/7 365 days a year emergency service. Have a clogged toilet in my elderly mother’s house that needs fixed ASAP. Spoke with a dispatcher that said the technician was finish up a job nearby and would let us know when he was done. The next call I got was saying the technician had worked too many hours today and they would not be able to send someone tonight. DON’T ADVERTISE IT IF ITS NOT TRUE!”
“My tenants in San Mateo called Drain Doctor on Thanksgiving when both the kitchen sink and a bathroom drain were clogged. Unfortunately, I was out of town and they couldn’t reach my usual plumber. According to my tenant, Rocky (the owner) came out and said the old metal traps and pipes running from the shower and kitchen sink to the main line were corroded and not functioning. He quoted $4,500 and replaced about …”
Positive
“Jorge was very knowledgeable and nice”
“George was timely, professional, and friendly. Would definitely recommend him!”
Quotes are reproduced verbatim from public reviews on the platforms shown; we select which to feature, and selection reflects our editorial judgment. Report a quote that doesn't match its source ↗
The rating picture
Newest review in our sample: Dec 2025.
Across platforms
Google shows 4.9★ over 881 reviews, but BBB rates this business D- with 2 complaints in 3 years — a sharp gap worth noting.
Should you hire Drain Doctor?
Hire if
- You need fast same-day or after-hours response
- You need a plumber who actually shows up when scheduled
Think twice if
- You need warranty-grade work on a complex or high-stakes install
- You need rock-bottom prices with zero flexibility on the quote
Advice derived from the review analysis above — how we decide.
Own Drain Doctor?
You can respond to our analysis, correct business facts, or dispute the accuracy of a quoted review. Responses that check out get published on this page, and factual errors get corrected — see our corrections policy. We don't remove accurate quotes, but we'll re-run your assessment as your reviews change.
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