Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup of El Cajon
Plumber · El Cajon, CA · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
Roto-Rooter El Cajon: only 5 reviews analyzed — 3 are 1-star, 2 are 5-star; surprise_fees and a confirmed no-show each appear; do not rely on Google's 4.7 aggregate rating which draws from 353 reviews vs. this thin analyzed set.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Ranked #15 of 15 plumbers we've reviewed in El Cajon, CA · compare all →
Our opinion, based on the 5 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.
Only 5 reviews analyzed — treat this assessment as a first impression, not a track record.
What reviewers praise
Quick toilet clog diagnosis and same-day fix documented in 1 of 5 analyzed reviews — tech explained possible scenarios before proceeding
Cited in 1 of the 5 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 pricing: 2-hour leak repair quoted and billed at $1,150; wrong parts ordered, job dragged to 2 days
“Chris gave a price way over the fair price 2 hrs job for $1,150.00 leak under my Manufactured Home 5yrs old and Walter did the job 2hrs ended 2 DAYS got wrong parts.”
Red flag
Emergency service claim not delivered: came up second in 'EMERGENCY PLUMBING SERVICE' search but failed to staff weekend emergency for commercial client
“I called by 10, I choose Roto rooter as I looked up EMERGENCY PLUMBING SERVICE LA MESA, they came up second. They could not come until Sunday as they said they were very busy.”
Confirmed no-show: customer stayed home all day for scheduled clogged drain appointment; no one arrived and no contact made
“I made an appointment for today for a clogged drain. I stayed home all day and no one ever showed up!”
Emergency scheduling failure: commercial main-line backup on Saturday, appointment moved to Sunday, tech then no-showed the Sunday appointment with no communication
“I called by 10, I choose Roto rooter as I looked up EMERGENCY PLUMBING SERVICE LA MESA, they came up second. They could not come until Sunday as they said they were very busy.”
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 3 of the 5 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“One star is to much… When do you actually call a plumber, in an emergency would be answer at least 90percent of the time. My commercial business had a major backup on the main line Saturday am, I called by 10, I choose Roto rooter as I looked up EMERGENCY PLUMBING SERVICE LA MESA, they came up second. I called them and made an appointment. They could not come until Sunday as they said they were very busy. We made an …”
Positive
“Esteban / Steven was great. He knew what he was doing and brought the equipment he needed to do the job. A big clog needs a big solution. Call these guys. Free estimate at the property. Excellent value considering how much effort was required to get me flowing...”
“I called on a Tuesday morning for a clogged toilet. Within a few hours someone was at my house. Dennis was able to find and fix the problem right away, and took the time to explain to me possible scenarios before he proceeded. He was very professional. Prices were fair. I highly recommend Roto Rooter. Very good experience.”
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
Small sample — we've analyzed only 5 of 353 reviews so far. Treat this as a first read.
Newest review in our sample: Nov 2025.
Should you hire Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup of El Cajon?
Hire if
- You need high-quality work that holds up over time
- You need transparent, predictable pricing with no surprise fees
Think twice if
- You need predictable, consistent service across every visit
- You want detailed upfront explanations
- You need airtight scheduling and guaranteed arrival times
- You need guaranteed sub-hour response for true emergencies
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 of El Cajon?
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.