Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Plumber · Evanston, IL · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
Fast emergency response with skilled technicians, but pricing is unpredictable and sometimes drastically exceeds competitors—verify quotes before committing.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Our opinion, based on the 96 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
Same-day or rapid emergency response: 4 reviews explicitly mention same-day arrival or response within hours
1 cited review
“Came out same day, very professional.”
Cited in 4 of the 96 reviews we analyzed — 3 cited reviews not excerpted here.
Skilled individual technicians: 8+ reviews praise specific plumbers (Tony, Sean, Hussein, Jonathan, Josias) for expertise, problem-solving, and customer education
Cited in 5 of the 96 reviews we analyzed.
Clear communication when service is good: 5 recent reviews mention technicians explaining issues, solutions, and next steps
1 cited review
“Jonathan explained issue and solution well.”
Cited in 4 of the 96 reviews we analyzed — 3 cited reviews not excerpted here.
BBB accreditation with zero complaints in past 3 years demonstrates formal accountability
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
No-show or severe delay pattern: 2 scheduled appointments resulted in either no arrival or arrival 5+ hours late, with poor communication
Cited in 1 of the 96 reviews we analyzed.
Red flag
Pricing strategy appears predatory toward vulnerable customers: 2 reviews explicitly reference targeting elderly or desperate homeowners with inflated quotes, then offering 'discounts' to appear reasonable
Cited in 1 of the 96 reviews we analyzed.
Red flag
Financial coercion allegation: 1 review claims company demanded $24,000 for water damage remediation and threatened lien on home when insurance denied coverage
Cited in 1 of the 96 reviews we analyzed.
Severe and inconsistent pricing: 5 reviews report quotes or final bills 4–8x higher than local competitors for identical work ($1,100 vs $200 for drain cleaning, $1,600 vs $400 for valve replacement, $800 discounted to $200)
Cited in 3 of the 96 reviews we analyzed.
Inconsistent job quality: 3 reviews document incomplete or failed repairs requiring callbacks or competitor follow-up (clog returned in 3 days, toilet reinstalled improperly, sewer 100% blocked after $900 service)
Cited in 2 of the 96 reviews we analyzed.
Poor follow-up and dispatch issues: 2 reviews report no callback for hours despite urgent issues, and 2 reports of wrong technician sent or service cancellation without explanation
“Sent water-damage specialist who couldn't do the job.”
Cited in 2 of the 96 reviews we analyzed.
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 7 of the 96 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“This company ruthlessly stripped us of our savings. We called them to unplug a drain and run abatment on our basement after 2 inches of groundwater got in. We were under the impression insurance would cover it. When we were denied coverage, Roto Rooter demanded $24,000 from our pockets and threatened to put a lien on our home if it was not paid with in 2 months. There are far more sketchy details here. But the …”
“I repeatedly confirmed (four separate times) that they would be able to inspect my house and identify what needed repair. Despite those assurances, they gave me a window of time they would arrived. Five hours after the window concluded without anyone showing up. They then called to say they couldn’t perform the service at all without offering any explanation. Completely unprofessional and shockingly disorganized. …”
“I had a leaky pipe in my basement, they came out and fixed it and it took 2 hours to fix, 30 minutes to pickup replacement part since he didn't have his truck and 1 1/2 hours to fix. They charged me $1100, that is $60 dollars for part and $500 plus a hour, which is completely ridiculous. So if you want to be taken advantage of, go ahead and please use. Worker was nice enough, but really didn't clean up …”
Positive
“Tony was excellent. He gave great customer service, he was personable, and got the job done quick. I am extremely appreciative of the work that was done in my home. I also had 2 toilets which is difficult to rod and Tony got it on the first try. Amazing work. 10/10 would highly recommend. Please REQUEST TONY”
“Hussein did the work for me. I cannot express how awesome he did. I had a flood happen due to my sump pump failing and not only did he replace it for me, he taught me how it worked and showed me what different parts were for. He also took the time to diagnose another quick issue for me and teach me a few more plumbing things. The service was overpriced but, they worked with me on it. I cannot express how thankful …”
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
Extreme divergence: Google 4.9/5 (1,116 reviews) vs. Yelp 2.2/5 (12 reviews). Yelp reviews cluster around pricing disputes, failed repairs, and no-shows; Google reviews dominated by recent 5-star ratings praising individual technicians. BBB A+ rating with zero complaints suggests either improved recent practices or selective review platforms. High score variance (36) indicates wide quality/experience gap.
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 need rock-bottom prices with zero flexibility on the quote
- You need detailed walkthroughs and written estimates before work starts
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.
Find plumbers near you
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanupisn't in one of our ranked city guides yet — the nearest covered markets are below.
Nearby: Evanston