Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

The plumber, Aung, came out for an emergency repair and was able to get a temporary fix completed while awaiting a needed part. He came back the following morning to complete the repair. He identified an issue with the outside pipe and quickly fixed that as well. Both times he came out he clearly communicated the issues, needed repairs, and cost and completed them swiftly. I don't often choose to go with franchise companies because their quality of work may vary and costs may be inflated, however I was extremely pleased with the responsiveness, affordability, and quality of the work that was completed. I would not hesitate from contacting the Roto Rooter again for any plumbing needs based on our experience.

My mother experienced sudden flooding in her lower level bathroom. We were able to shut off the main water valve. We contacted Roto-Rooter and within an hour, Oleg B, field supervisor was on site To inspect the issue. He was able to quickly make an assessment, contact a plumber, who arrived within the hour. In the meantime, he was reassuring professional, and answered all of our questions and filing a claim with our insurance company for the remediation as it was determined, the backup was from the main water/sewer line. Both Oleg and the Plumber were very professional, courteous and knowledgeable. Within a couple of hours, the initial job was complete completed, and water was restored. Oleg also said he would work with us providing pertinent and technical information to the insurance company claim. He provided his contact information and followed up with us through out the afternoon and evening.

Viente was absolutely wonderful! From the moment he arrived, his patience and professionalism were evident, making the entire process seamless and stress-free. He took the time to explain every step of the plumbing repairs he was undertaking, ensuring I understood the issues and the solutions. I was thoroughly impressed with the quality of his work; he not only fixed the clog but also provided valuable advice on how to maintain the system moving forward. His attention to detail and commitment to customer satisfaction truly set him apart. Without a doubt, he is one of the best plumbers we have ever had.

My experience with Roto‑Rooter was extremely disappointing. I expected a professional, efficient service, but instead I encountered poor communication and a lack of follow‑through. Despite multiple assurances, no work was completed, and I was left with the same unresolved issue and no clear guidance on next steps. The technician, Israel, repeatedly came up with excuses not to perform the job. He claimed my bathroom space was too small, his equipment was too large, and then quoted an outrageous price that didn’t match the situation. On top of that, he tried to convince me that the storm drain in the street was actually my plumbing line and that I needed to call DC Water to fix the issue — something that was completely inaccurate and unhelpful. What made the situation even more frustrating was the lack of accountability afterward. Follow‑up support was minimal, and I felt dismissed rather than assisted. Based on my experience, I cannot recommend Roto‑Rooter and would encourage others to explore more reliable options.

Roto Robbers is more like it. They actually stink. They have a minimum labor cost of 380$. The part that needed repairing is sold for no more than $10. The technician refused to do the service necessary, will only up charge into replacing the whole unit rather than a part. If this was not needed before the holidays I would have not used this company. Also overall rude, did not wear shoe coverings and left my front door open.

On August 25 2021 I called Roto Rooter to clear a clogged drain and the plumber who performed the service told me there was an "offset" in the drain and advised that I have the sewer inspected using a camera. After a few days a representative from Roto Rooter arrived with a camera and said there was a break in the sewer line and it could be repaired within 2 days at a cost of $11,000.00 (not including replacement of the driveway). I asked how he could get a Miss Utility clearance ticket as well as a plumbing permit and his response was "Roto Rooter had connections" and it would be no problem. I asked for a copy of the video and was told that it was proprietary and he refused my request. This disturbed me on several levels so I contacted a second plumbing company. The next day the second company arrived and within an hour or two discovered a blockage, removed its and provided a video record of the results. I ended up paying $800.00 for this service. FYI Roto Rooter charged $1200.00 for the first service call. I hope this review gives some insite on the Roto Rooters' business model.

Needed to unclog a kitchen sink, first time in 15 years. The 800 number made the reservation and a technician arrived fast. Unfortunately, he spoke no English and I never understood why it seemed so complicated. After sending the 800 number some photos on his cell phone, he consulted a large price book, and said it would be $800. I was shocked and asked him to explain, but of course I never understood is reply if it was English. I went online and found that the average charge is $250 to $500, so went ahead. After two hours he had run the machine, but said something else was needed (pointed to the metal trap). I joked that this cost like $10 at home depot, and he laughted and looked it up in his book -- $79. It was 6:30 pm and I had to go out to buy it myself while he had diner in his truck. When I got back there was a new guy there -- the Roto-Rooter "consultant" -- who explained that there was water damage and it might cost $3-4000 to fix -- but of course he could arrange everything with the insurance company. NO THANKS.

In our household, if something is going to break, it seems to happen late at night on the weekend. This Sunday’s adventure started when I walked downstairs to find a toilet overflowing and water flooding the basement due to a clog in the main sewer line. We called Roto-Rooter around 9:30 p.m., and Aung arrived shortly afterward. He quickly diagnosed the problem, removed the toilet, snaked approximately 75 feet of pipe, reinstalled everything, ran multiple tests to make sure the issue was fully resolved, and thoroughly cleaned up before leaving. You really couldn’t ask for more from a service professional. Water issues are always stressful because of the damage they can cause, and having someone knowledgeable, responsive, and thorough makes all the difference. It’s reassuring to know there are still companies willing and able to provide excellent service when you need help outside normal business hours.

I called for a clogged toilet. I paid $300 for not even 10 min of work. The gentleman seems to be a good person. On time and professional. The job was done. While I was cleaning my toilet, I was questioning myself on why that stain inside the toilet is not going away. I realized that their snake has damaged the inside of my toilet’ coat. It looks like it’s not properly cleaned because of the damage. Now I’m regretting why when I googled I didn’t go with other plumbing companies. Then my cousin reminded me when we were at her house then a plumber from the same company in Frederick damaged her toilet and she had to pay for it when moving out and deeply regretted why she didn’t let them know asap that day. I called the company, they should be at my house this afternoon. I will gladly amend my review once and if they kindly fix it.

Outrageous prices! Tech came over to look at a leaking faucet (tub). He basically looked at the faucet - without doing any other diagnostics - and said I'd need a new valve/cartridge. As soon as I brought up the possibility of it being a gasket he said he wouldn't know until he got into it..... I asked - Well then how do you know that I need a new valve/cartridge....? To which he just began mumbling. I went onto ask how much it would cost to snake the drain (tub needed it as well) - he quoted me $800.00!!!! To snake a drain!?!?! I said you may not need to snake more than 5-7 feet and you're going to charge $800.00!!!? Needless to say that was then end of the consultation. I went to Home Depot - bought an augur/snake and did it myself for $25. $800 bucks to snake a drain - you all should be ashamed of yourselves.

My experience with Rota Rooter was a nightmare. We had a sewage back up in our basement and were out of town. Rota rooter was high pressure to get us to sign their contract telling us incorrectly that our insurance would pay for everything. (insurance covers the damage not the cost to repair the pipe). Their estimates for were 2 to 3 times more than the other estimates we received. They mistakenly told us that our sewar pipe ran from the front of our house to the street (in reality its on the side of our house). Had we used them to repair our pipe, they would have mistakenly dug up the front of our house. When I called to dispute charges on my bill, it took a month of calling before I could get someone to get back to me. From start to finish, they are the worst company I've ever dealt with, stay away.

Tim from Roto-Rooter did an absolutely outstanding job today. From start to finish, he was professional, knowledgeable, and incredibly hardworking. He took the time to explain everything clearly, answered all my questions without hesitation, and made sure I fully understood the work being done. What really stood out was his attention to detail and commitment to getting the job done right—not just quickly. He was respectful of my home, kept everything clean, and went above and beyond to make sure the issue was completely resolved before leaving.On top of that, Tim was genuinely friendly and easy to work with. Highly recommend Tim and Roto to anyone who needs reliable, top-quality service. 10/10 experience.

I requested a technician to come and check out a garbage disposal that wasn't working in Silver Spring. They were late showing up to the property, 30 min past the 2 hour scheduled time slot. They didn't provide an estimate before fixing the disposal and tried to charge me almost $500. This was very unprofessional and a deceiving business practice. I was able to convince the tech to give me half off but honestly i still think it costs too much for just spinning an Allen wrench to clear out the disposal jam. I will not be using them again and will make sure to let friends know to not trust this company.

I requested a service call from this local business. A technician came the following day and did a good job, though dressed fairly sloppily, as well as providing me with a 6-month guarantee. All that was not the issue; it was the price $438.00 for a 15-minute job replacing a washer in the shower. I asked for management to contact me, which did occur. His basic answer when I expressed incredulity at the cost was yes, Roto-Rooter is more expensive than their competitors. I thought he might offer a small refund, but that did not happen. Service is good, price is exorbitant.

Called first thing in the morning for a clogged drain was told my time window of 2 hours would be 9:45 to 11:45, 2 additional hours later still no tech. Called numerous times and was told that all 5 of the techs in my area were delayed. Seems like they need to have more techs working on Saturdays. These people do not care one bit that you have waited 4 hours. Don't be surprised that they put you on hold for 10 minutes for you only to be disconnected and you have to call back again. Think twice before you use them, BTW where was my discount for the additional 2 hour wait