Pro Rooter Inc
Plumber · San Leandro, CA · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
Polarized 4.1★: of 63 analyzed reviews 20 are 1-star, driven by repeated no-shows and missed appointments, while 5-star reviews praise sewer/repipe work done well.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Ranked #15 of 15 plumbers we've reviewed in Newark, CA · compare all →
Our opinion, based on the 63 reviews we analyzed from Google, Yelp and BBB · Analysis updated Jun 2026 · How we decide ↗
Advertises 24-hour service on its Google profile — no reviews we analyzed mention after-hours response either way.
What reviewers praise
Strong sewer and repipe jobs when they show — same-day estimate, clean-out installed, length of front-yard sewer pipe replaced (themeCounts.workmanship=11)
1 cited review
“Ely and his crew actually did a large job for me which involved replacing a length of sewer pipe in my front yard. It was a big job but they were prompt, polite, reasonable and they cleaned up the mess afterwards.”
Cited in 2 of the 63 reviews we analyzed — 1 cited review not excerpted here.
Some techs (Hector Jr., Richard) cited for fast, thorough, honest service — arrived within about an hour
Cited in 2 of the 63 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
Pattern of no-shows: 7am appointment arrived 1.5 hrs late with no update; another booked 5pm appointment was a no-show then ghosted; a third never showed and never replied
“I made an appointment, he said he would show up the same day in a few hours. He never showed up, or even replied to my calls, voicemails or texts, ever! Weird, rude, and very unprofessional.”
Cited in 4 of the 63 reviews we analyzed.
Red flag
Surprise charge and incomplete work — agreed $300 became $400, and the sewage drain was still clogged afterward
“We agreed on a $300 since the pipe went straight, but at the end he asked for $400 even though spent a total of an hour cleaning the pipes. The worst part is after he left it was still clogged with a bunch of roots.”
Red flag
Quality complaints — a $500 connector repair left water pressure very low within a week
Cited in 1 of the 63 reviews we analyzed.
Repeated no-shows and missed appointments — multiple reviewers waited hours then got ghosted with no callback (themeCounts.slow_response=4)
“I made an appointment, he said he would show up the same day in a few hours. He never showed up, or even replied to my calls, voicemails or texts, ever! Weird, rude, and very unprofessional.”
Cited in 3 of the 63 reviews we analyzed.
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 6 of the 63 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“I wish I could give them zero stars. I called at 11pm to schedule an appointment for 7am. They confirmed and the appointment was set. 7:30 am and still no plumber. I called and all they told me was, he's on his way. No one ever called to give me an update. And no one showed up untill 8:30. These people are VERY unprofessional. Family run and no one is held accountable. Do not use this company. Only the dispatch …”
“I had very bad experience with this guy. They advertised everywhere and sounds like professional, but actually this company does not get work done well (not knowledgeable) and does not care customers. I had a pipe leak from a connector. I call them up and a guy came over to my house at evening. he said he need to change the pipe connector and charged for $500. Since I wanted to get it fixed asap, I still paid him a …”
“I had an absolutely terrible experience with Ely of Pro Rooter. I had two very slow drains in the kitchen and bathroom that needed to be fixed. To begin, Ely came 45 minutes early without calling first. He then asked me to provide him with a plunger, a bucket, bath towels, paper towels and a wire coat hanger (shouldn't a plumber have available the tools of his trade?). He didn't use coveralls when he crawled …”
Positive
“Pro Rooter has helped me several times over the years and although calling a plumber...any plumber is expensive, Ely did very good work and was always very courteous. I don't feel that they were over-priced as compared to the quality of work. Ely and his crew actually did a large job for me which involved replacing a length of sewer pipe in my front yard. It was a big job but they were prompt, polite, reasonable and …”
“Update: 05/2018, Just had Richard come this weekend to fix our kitchen sick again. Ten thousand stars for these guys, they are always efficient, professional, and so nice! First review: I highly recommend Richard and his plumbing company. Our bathroom sink got blocked the Monday before Thanksgiving. I let my landlord know that afternoon, but because it was a short week, I didn't expect to hear from anyone until …”
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 2009.
Across platforms
Google shows 4.1★ over 25 reviews, but the deeper 63-review analysis is 34% negative (20 one-stars on Yelp) — the no-show complaints are heavier than the Google headline suggests.
Should you hire Pro Rooter Inc?
Hire if
- You need high-quality work that holds up over time
- You need transparent, predictable pricing with no surprise fees
Think twice if
- You need predictable, consistent service across every visit
- You want detailed upfront explanations
- You need airtight scheduling and guaranteed arrival times
- You need guaranteed sub-hour response for true emergencies
Look elsewhere if
- You're highly price-sensitive
Advice derived from the review analysis above — how we decide.
Own Pro Rooter Inc?
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.