Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Plumber · Cincinnati, OH · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
4.8★ across 5,160 reviews but 35% negative sentiment in sample of 100 — fast_response=19 and same-day service praised widely, yet 8 reviews flag overpricing and 2 cite hidden fees.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Ranked #12 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
fast_response theme in 19 of 100 analyzed reviews; same-day plumber mentioned 11 times including holiday and weekend calls
1 cited review
“Had a plumbing.issue over holiday weekend. Andy arrived and promptly fixed the problem. Telephone receptionist directed me to a coupon I could use (online) which saved me $55.”
Cited in 3 of the 100 reviews we analyzed — 2 cited reviews not excerpted here.
Sewer line work praised in 11 reviews; complex multi-sleeve jobs handled end-to-end with cleanup crew and repair crew coordinated
2 cited reviews
“A basement sewer line flood was not something we expected to happen. The sewer line was scoped and 5 support sleeves were installed. Problem fixed.”
“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, but I agreed because I was in a jam.”
Technician-level quality scores high when matched with the right tech — individual techs (Warren, Payton, AJ) cited by name for thorough work and clean jobsites
Cited in 3 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
surprise_fees: tech quoted one scope then charged for unrelated services without prior approval — customer charged $600 for work not in original estimate
“Scam company! Was unable to fix the leak in my shower then charged me $600 to unclog my toilet that was never the issue.”
Red flag
poor_workmanship cited: valve replacements still leaking after 4 hours of work; tech needed customer's own ladder, left toilet leaking the next day
Cited in 1 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Red flag
Hostile phone support documented: customer service rep yelled at caller and hung up when existing complaint was escalated
Cited in 1 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Pricing complaints in 8 of 100 reviews; $370 to snake a drain and $600 charged for unclogging a toilet that wasn't the reported issue — upsell pressure documented
“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, but I agreed because I was in a jam.”
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.”
Scheduling unreliability in 7 slow_response reviews; 4-hour windows that slip, 21-hour waits for confirmed appointments, no proactive communication
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 6 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
“Payton was so fantastic! Professional and personable. I had a similar service done with a different company and they didn't go through the detail that was done through this job. Even got a level out to check a PVC pipe. I was so impressed. I cannot recommend this service enough. Never will use anyone but Roto ever again. Also the call center is super friendly, no issues and had a couple good laughs.”
“Amazing work on a nasty lil job. Tight spaces and old plumbing. Donald made quick work of the issue with no disruptions to home life. Antoine was a masterful communicator and keep me informed for a few days as a master plumber was required to complete the job. Dispatch was courteous and attentive. Rotorooter showed up the day I called, the competition could only schedule me 5 days out. They are now my go to …”
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: Mar 2026.
Across platforms
Should you hire Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup?
Hire if
- You need fast same-day or after-hours response
- You need high-quality work that holds up over time
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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Nearby: Hebron · Cincinnati · Hamilton