Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Plumber · Pasadena, CA · Open 24 hours per Google listing
Our verdict
4.9 Google stars on 793 reviews with BBB A+ accreditation; reviewConsistency 0.492 is the lowest in this Pasadena batch — 13 of 95 analyzed are 1-star, with multiple documented complaints of diagnostic upselling ($540 for a snake job), poor_workmanship=3, and surprise_fees=2.
Scores are our editorial reading of published customer reviews — not a verification, license check, or guarantee.
Ranked #9 of 15 plumbers we've reviewed in Gardena, CA · compare all →
Our opinion, based on the 95 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
Arrived within 1 hour on a Saturday-night holiday weekend for a toilet emergency; tech followed up with a personal text offering future help
1 cited review
“Roto-Rooter was able to come out within an hour of our request, on a Saturday night, of a holiday weekend, no less. Andrew even followed up with a very nice text offering to reach out anytime again and thanking us.”
Used camera and auger to confirm pipe was fully cleared — caught what prior plumber missed by skipping verification steps
1 cited review
“Andrew came in, properly assessed the situation, ran the auger and cable, and then used a camera to confirm everything was completely cleared out and flowing properly. Really appreci”
Sump pump replaced with full pipe drainage cleaning; tech arrived before rain event began, completed multi-hour job
Cited in 1 of the 95 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 spent 30 minutes criticizing prior work, then recommended replacing a 5-year-old water heater and furnace for a job that needed only a minor fix — classic upsell pattern per a 1-star review
“He knew what was wrong, but pretended he did not and started to criticize everything you could think of. He talked for about 30 minutes about how everything had been done wrong... Started to talk about how I might need to get a new water tank and a new furnace when it was only 5 years old.”
Red flag
Reviewer describes pricing sheet as 'randomly assigned prices'; tech refused to explain quote details ('we don't give free advice') — 1-star, documented scam allegation
Cited in 1 of the 95 reviews we analyzed.
Opening price for snaking a drain: $540; settled to $300 only after customer pushed back — still cited as 'way too much for a half hour snake job'
“They were fast, but immediately started with a horrendous price, $540 for snaking a drain. Then suggestions to remove a toilet, that would be $830...after I insisted that I just need to snake the drain, the tech did not want to leave was open to negotiation. We settled on $300, which is still way too much for a half an hour snake job.”
poor_workmanship=3 theme and at least 1 reviewer reports unresolved complaints across multiple letters and calls with no response from any department
Cited in 1 of the 95 reviews we analyzed.
Keep it in proportion: these concerns are cited in 4 of the 95 reviews we analyzed. Most reviewers report positive experiences — see the full rating picture below.
The evidence — in reviewers' own words
Critical
“It was an awful experience. Had them inspect a water tank leak. He knew what was wrong, but pretended he did not and started to criticize everything you could think of. He talked for about 30 minutes about how everything had been done wrong and was just really letting me know how stupid I was for hiring the guy who had installed my water tank. Started to talk about how I might need to get a new water tank and a new …”
“Well I see I have a "PC" response so I will reply back but I doubt I will get one folks. Its the way for companies to make them look like they are doing some good. Hello I seriously doubt you can do anything about this but I will give it a try. As to why I doubt you will do anything is after several phone calls to various departments in which I left a message too and not getting any response and 2 letters I …”
“When I called, I asked for pricing for a clogged kitchen sink. I was told they had to see it to advise me. When theb plumbers got here, they gave a glance and said over 500 dillars. Then I said that was high, they said it was standard. Why wasn't I told that on my initial inquiry? Then there were problems, much work. 4 hours later and the cost was over 1,200. I had to okay the cost, but what else could I do? Leave …”
Positive
“Outstanding service, support, and attention to detail from Quan and Eric. This was a massive undertaking and they handled the situation with the utmost skill and professionalism. I’m grateful for their efforts and expertise - A+ across the board.”
“It was already beginning to rain but my sump pump and piping to the street needed repair. Adam arrived and spent many hours replacing my sump pump and cleaning out the drainage pipe! Great job! I thank Roto Rooter and my neighbors thank them!”
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: Mount Wilson · Glendale · West Covina · Panorama City