Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Plumber · Cincinnati, OH · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
National chain with 4.8★ on 2,293 reviews but 28 of 100 analyzed are 1-2 star; strong for drain and sewer work with same-Sunday scheduling, but pricing complaints dominate negative reviews (expensive theme in 10 reviews).
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Ranked #14 of 15 plumbers we've reviewed in Cincinnati, OH · compare all →
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
Sunday and holiday scheduling available: reviewer scheduled between 8-10am Thanksgiving morning; another got service within 1 hour on Sunday morning
1 cited review
“Scheduling service with Roto-Rooter was super easy and I was able to get someone to come assist with a backed-up bathtub within 1 hour on a Sunday morning.”
Cited in 3 of the 100 reviews we analyzed — 2 cited reviews not excerpted here.
Persistent drain and sewer clearing: tech snaked 50ft of drain line through multiple attempts on Thanksgiving; resolved 'extreme difficulty' kitchen drain other companies couldn't clear
1 cited review
“Have had other companies that had extreme difficulty snaking this kitchen drain. Matthew setup quickly, reviewed the options at hand, went over possible risks and made the rest look easy.”
Cited in 2 of the 100 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
Unauthorized charges: reviewer charged $600 for toilet unclog after tech said he would not proceed beyond original $600 estimate — work performed was not the originally diagnosed issue
“Scam company! Was unable to fix the leak in my shower then charged me $600 to unclog my toilet that was never the issue.”
Pricing above market: $370 charge to snake a house drain; reviewer documented paying $600 to unclog a toilet that was not the original issue; multiple reviewers cite feeling overcharged
“Their technician arrived to snake my clogged house drain and advised me it would cost $370 to perform this service. This is a thoroughly ridiculous charge.”
1 more cited review
“Scam company! Was unable to fix the leak in my shower then charged me $600 to unclog my toilet that was never the issue.”
Cited in 3 of the 100 reviews we analyzed — 1 cited review not excerpted here.
Dispatcher conduct issues: one reviewer told to 'quit calling because they were too busy'; slow_response theme in 6 of 100 reviews
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 5 of the 100 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“Do not call Roto Rooter, unless you have done research on your plumbing problem yourself. I called to have them unclog a toilet that a plunger couldn't take care of and the plumber tried to tell me they had to pull the toilet and when I suggested they run a toilet auger through it he said, "I've never heard of such a thing in my life." A toilet auger, he, a licensed plumber had never heard of it... When I …”
“F*** ROTO ROOTER. Worst company I have ever dealt with. They came to my house twice to fix a minor issue. Caused a much greater issue and now are refusing to give me a refund. I called them twice and the second time the woman who answered the phone yelled at me saying "YOU ALREADY CALLED SIR!!!" and then proceeded to hang up. How does a company like this survive with this type of customer service?”
“In the middle of the night, I discovered water in my basement. It was raining heavily outside and had been for most of the afternoon and evening. The water was coming under my basement door, as the drain outside the door was not able to handle the volume of water. I called the next morning (the water was flowing towards a drain in the floor) and was able to get the appointment of my second choice. A four hour …”
Positive
“Matt was very professional, he explained the plumbing diagnosis and what was needed to repair the issue. What was amazing is Matt didn't treat you like a dollar sign, but he actually cared about my situation and made sure to provide alternatives for future plumbing resolutions. Being a homeowner for only 5 months I wasn't expecting plumbing issues so soon, but Matt was very honest about my issue and got the job …”
“My rental property had really bad sewer blockage. One company I hired tried many ways to fix it with no success. Roto-Rooter came in with very professional tools and expert solution. Really appreciate your work. You will be my first choice next time. Highly recommend.”
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: Feb 2026.
Across platforms
Should you hire Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup?
Hire if
- You need high-quality work that holds up over time
- You need fast same-day or after-hours response
Think twice if
- You want detailed upfront explanations
- 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 Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup?
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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