Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Plumber · Hammond, IN · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
Roto-Rooter Hammond shows 4.8★ Google but 43 of 100 analyzed reviews are 1-star with a 0.133 consistency score — the widest rating split in this batch; 13 reviews flag excessive pricing and 5 cite surprise fees including a $5,200 upsell for a drain that another company cleared without any excavation.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Ranked #11 of 15 plumbers we've reviewed in Hammond, IN · 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
Weekend and evening availability confirmed in 10 reviews; Cullen arrived within 30 minutes of a 9pm call and offered to replace the water heater that same night
1 cited review
“I called late at night, around 9pm, Cullen came out within a half hour. He also offered to replace the water heater that night! He came back promptly the next day and completed the job within a few hours.”
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed — 1 cited review not excerpted here.
themeCounts.professional=40 and fast_response=18; Sean resolved a Sunday toilet failure within 2 hours with text updates at each stage
Cited in 2 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
Tech quoted $5,200 to excavate a 'collapsed' drain pipe — second-opinion plumber cleared the blockage without excavation and confirmed pipe was NOT collapsed; original tech accused of deliberately misdiagnosing
Cited in 1 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
Red flag
5 reviews cite surprise fees; water mitigation project manager asked to see homeowner's insurance policy and then escalated scope dramatically — 'ooh your house has a great policy' flagged as red flag #1
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
13 of 100 reviews flag expensive pricing; $600 to clear a food clog (under 90 min work) and $650 to replace a sump pump (30 min labor) both cited as dramatically above market rates
Cited in 2 of the 100 reviews we analyzed.
4 reviews cite slow response or missed windows; one reviewer scheduled 10am–12pm, tech showed up at 9pm and couldn't fix the issue
“Scheduled an appointment online for a time slot of 10am-12pm.. called at 11:40am and asked how long or if they were running behind. They kept calling me very couple of hours and someone FINALLY showed up at 9pm just to tell me he couldn't fix my backed up pipes.”
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
“We had these guys out for an estimate on replacing our sewer line and fixing our ejector pump. They gave us an estimate of 10,000 to replace the ejector pump, citing it was a commercial grade pump and they would have to dig a new pit in order to replace it. After getting estimate from 3 other companies, each of them told me the same. The ejector pump did not need to be replaced. Ejector pumps very rarely need to …”
“We've used Roto-Rooter to clean out our sewer line as it periodically gets jammed up with root growth every few years. In 2011 the tech was great, did good work and I was happy with the job. So happy that I didn't think twice about who to call when we started getting some backup and it was time to get the line cleaned out again. Quite a different experience this time. I made an appointment online and selected …”
“I would rate my experience ZERO stars!!! We hired them to do some water mitigation in our basement. First thing the project manager wanted to see was our home owners insurance. Ooh your house has a great policy. Hmm why would he say that?? Red flag #1. We file a claim with our insurance. He tells us that he will send his best team. Next day 2 guys show up and ask what can be thrown out. Me: umm I want to save as …”
Positive
“When I called on a Sunday afternoon, I was greeted quickly and politely. Explained that our toilet was not working. He informed me that a plumber would be at the house witin 2 hours. A text came confirming the time. This was followed by 2 other texts informing me of a delay and a new arrival time. Our plumber Sean was outstanding. In a short time problem was solved. I would recommend this company to everyone .”
“Patricio was professional and helpful. He answered all my questions and even gave me a good price for the maintenance we had done. Thank you for the pleasant service!”
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: Dec 2025.
Across platforms
Google 4.8★ vs analyzed sample showing 43% 1-star reviews (reviewConsistency=0.133) — the wide split suggests the Google average may not reflect recent customer experience across all job types.
Should you hire Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup?
Hire if
- You need fast same-day or after-hours response
- You need clear communication and upfront explanations
Think twice if
- You need predictable, consistent service across every visit
- 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
- You need this for a complex or high-stakes install
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.