Gladiator Rooter and Plumbing
Plumber · Alameda, CA · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
4.6★/90 reviews with fast_response cited 24x and within-30-minute weekend arrivals, but 11 of 100 sampled are 1-star over a disputed $2,000 pipe job and an unresolved faucet leak.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Our opinion, based on the 100 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
Very fast on emergencies — Victor arrived within 30 min on a weekend and Jorge within 90 min on a Saturday before Christmas
1 cited review
“Had to call on a weekend due to an emergency but Victor was here within 30 minutes and fixed the problem in less than an hour. He even did a great job explaining the problem, how it happened, and how we can prevent it in the future.”
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed — 1 cited review not excerpted here.
Same-day sewer/clog response — came out same day on a lift-station sewage issue Roto-Rooter couldn't solve
1 cited review
“Gladiator was extremely responsive (came out same day) and fixed the problem quickly. Very professional.”
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed — 1 cited review not excerpted here.
Beat competitor quotes on big jobs — did a main-water-line repair for less than half what others quoted at $7,000+
Cited in 1 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
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
$2,000 for ~4 hours to replace a toilet-to-stack pipe that did not solve the leak — the real issue was sewer-lateral roots
“Then they charge me $2000 to replace the pipe going from the toilet to the vertical cast-iron pipe (4 hours of work that came out to $500/hour). Then they discovered that did not solve the problem.”
Red flag
Installed faucet kept leaking after 3 visits; installer called it user error and declined to fix it
“They installed a new faucet to hopefully take care of the leak. After it was installed I saw it was still leaking shortly after he left... The installer said he couldn’t help me and that it was user error.”
Pricing and diagnosis disputes on bigger jobs — $2,000 (≈$500/hr) charged for a pipe swap that didn't fix the real problem
“Then they charge me $2000 to replace the pipe going from the toilet to the vertical cast-iron pipe (4 hours of work that came out to $500/hour). Then they discovered that did not solve the problem.”
Callback workmanship can fail — a new faucet still leaked and the installer blamed user error, refusing further help
“They installed a new faucet to hopefully take care of the leak. After it was installed I saw it was still leaking shortly after he left... The installer said he couldn’t help me and that it was user error.”
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“I'm pretty pissed off with Gladiator's service. First they cut huge hole into ceiling to find the source of the leak. Not sure why they didn't cut pilot hole and use mirror or camera to see what's going on. Then they charge me $2000 to replace the pipe going from the toilet to the vertical cast-iron pipe (4 hours of work that came out to $500/hour). Then they discovered that did not solve the problem. That the real …”
“You have to be careful with these guys. The site says "free estimates," but only if it can done over the phone, it really means they charge $220 to $240 if we have to come to your house and do anything. For example, go into your crawl space under your house (which was my situation for a partial repiping). If you decide to go with them for the job you aren't charged for the "free estimate." None of this is made …”
“I called and was directed to Victor's cell phone since the girl who answered told me he is the owner and I should contact him for the job. I was looking for a quote. Victor made an appointment with me to come out to look at my property, at 9am the next day. No show, then I called him and his voicemail was full and of course can't leave a message. Very unprofessional signs already. So I texted him and asked if he was …”
Positive
“I've used gladiator in the past. They dug a clean out for my house. They gave me a honest quote before working and I'm completely satisfied with their service.”
“I'm so appreciative of Raul and Victor. I ended up with a backed up sewer this morning, so I called Gladiator Plumbing. Within an hour Raul arrived. He wasn't able to clear the line, but he sent Raul, who cleared it quickly. I had a very positive experience.”
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
Our sample skews heavily toward critical reviews — it disagrees with the Google average shown above.
Newest review in our sample: Dec 2022.
Across platforms
Should you hire Gladiator Rooter and Plumbing?
Hire if
- You need fast same-day or after-hours response
- You need clear communication and upfront explanations
Think twice if
- You need rock-bottom prices with zero flexibility on the quote
- You need airtight scheduling and guaranteed arrival times
Look elsewhere if
- You're highly price-sensitive
Advice derived from the review analysis above — how we decide.
Own Gladiator Rooter and Plumbing?
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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