The 15 24/7 plumbers serving Richmond

These 15 plumbers list 24/7 hours on their Google profiles — a claim they publish, not something we tested. We read 1,321 of their reviews for what actually happens after hours: where reviewers describe a real 2 a.m. call, that evidence is quoted below; where no review mentions after-hours response either way, the card says that too. Rankings are not for sale.

Updated Jul 11, 202620-mile radius of downtown RichmondHow we rank

How we rank — the 60-second version

What we read: for each plumber, up to 100 recent reviews from Google, Yelp and BBB — the full text, not just the stars. For this page: 1,321 reviews across 15 businesses.

What moves a plumber up: repeated, independent evidence of showing up when promised, fair and upfront pricing, and work that holds. One glowing review counts for little; twenty that agree count for a lot.

What moves a plumber down: repeated complaint patterns — surprise fees, missed appointments, pressure sales — especially when they show up on more than one platform.

What never moves the ranking: money. One clearly labeled sponsored slot may appear above this list; it never changes the order below it.

Our take on each plumber is our opinion, grounded in the reviews we quote on this page. Full methodology ↓

Before you call anyone: shut off your main water valve. Then start at the top — every card is one tap to call. Not urgent? See all ranked plumbers in Richmond →

Our top picks

Consistent evidence of showing up, honest pricing, and work that lasts

Bay Area Plumbing BAP Inc.

Top pick24/7 per Google listing

5.0 (249 Google reviews) 17.6 mi from downtown Richmond

Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.

Our take — how we form it

Owner Ron earns a flawless 5★ across 90 analyzed reviews; fast_response cited 26x with sub-30-minute arrivals and fair_pricing called out — an honest, fast solo operator.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed249 total on Google

5★15

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

What reviewers keep saying

Exceptional speed — Ron showed up in under 30 minutes after a call, and within an hour for a leak; fast_response cited 26x (cited in 2 of 90 reviews)
Fair, transparent pricing — quick turnaround at a fair price, ordered a part to save the customer money (cited in 2 of 90 reviews)
Weekend/short-notice availability — came out on the weekend for a garage leak and helped head off other issues (cited in 1 of 90 reviews)

What reviewers complain about

No repeated complaints found in the reviews we've read.

What reviewers praise

“Great service! Ron showed up in less than 30 minutes after I called. Not only fixed what was needed, but he give me advice, and order a part for me to save me money. Ron (The Dutchman) is the only honest plumber in the Bay Area.”

Guillermo Gonzalez · ★★★★★ · Google · Dec 2024

The most critical take we found

No critical reviews among the 15 we analyzed — there is nothing negative to quote yet.

We read 90 of 249 reviews · newest from Dec 2024

(925) 395-0672

Full report →Website ↗

Big Smile Plumbing

Top pick24/7 per Google listing

5.0 (99 Google reviews) 12.1 mi from downtown Richmond

Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.

Our take — how we form it

Owner Rolando draws 89 of 90 reviews at 5 stars; fast_response cited 11x and weekend/emergency work confirmed, with sewer-lateral bids beating 3 competitors.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed99 total on Google

5★15

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★0

What reviewers keep saying

Rolando arrives fast and works same-visit — one caller got a quote and finished faucet job within an hour at 6pm (cited in 2 of 90 reviews)
Pricing beats competitors — sewer-lateral bid was significantly lower than three other bids; reasonable water-heater markup cited (cited in 3 of 90 reviews)
Weekend emergency capability confirmed — replaced a cast-iron pipe and patched walls over a Saturday-to-Sunday window (cited in 1 of 90 reviews)

What reviewers complain about

No repeated complaints found in the reviews we've read.

What reviewers praise

“Rolando was so sweet and amazing, and came to access the situation quickly. He was very understanding and helpful. He gave us tips on how to prevent any future cloggings as well! He was fast but the quality was amazing.”

abby b · ★★★★★ · Google · Dec 2024

The most critical take we found

No critical reviews among the 15 we analyzed — there is nothing negative to quote yet.

We read 90 of 99 reviews · newest from Dec 2024

(510) 999-8855

Full report →Website ↗

Golden Coast Plumbing and Rooter Inc

Top pick24/7 per Google listingSmall track record

4.9 (17 Google reviews)4.9 on Yelp (55) 13.3 mi from downtown Richmond

Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.

Our take — how we form it

Owner Joel posts 71 of 73 reviews at 5★ with fast_response cited 21x and pricing repeatedly called fairer than competitors; thin sample (17 Google reviews) is the only caution.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed17 total on Google

5★14

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★1

What reviewers keep saying

Comes out fast, often same day — responded within an hour on a leak and beat slower competitors who required separate estimate visits (cited in 2 of 73 reviews)
Transparent, lower pricing — quoted fair prices that beat companies trying to take advantage, with no upfront-estimate runaround (cited in 2 of 73 reviews)
Careful diagnostic workmanship — used a camera to pinpoint a leak and cut minimal drywall instead of the easy route (cited in 1 of 73 reviews)

What reviewers complain about

No repeated complaints found in the reviews we've read.

What reviewers praise

“Joel is amazing!!!! Smart, efficient and on time. Willing to get things done quickly and pretty great with communication and availability . We are so grateful for the work he's done on our water leak and we'd like to keep working with Golden Coast again!!!!!!”

Vivien Lou C. · ★★★★★ · Yelp · Dec 2024

The most critical take we found

“On June 24, 2023, I found water leaking from ceiling. I called them. After they fixed the water leak and left and charged me $450. But they left a big hole in the ceiling and left. And said they weren't responsible for patching the hole. Such an irresponsible …”

Xiaobing D. · ★ · Yelp · Jun 2023

We read 73 of 17 reviews · newest from Dec 2024 · BBB A+ accredited

(510) 467-9525

Full report →Website ↗

Worth a look — with caveats

Real strengths, but read the concerns first

Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Caveats apply24/7 per Google listing

4.9 (238 Google reviews)2.5 on Yelp (100) 11.8 mi from downtown Richmond

Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.

Our take — how we form it

Tech Rich drives a 4.9★/238-review headline with 20 fast_response mentions and after-hours sewer calls, but 31 of 100 sampled reviews are 1-star over dispatch and a quoted $8–10k sewer job.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed238 total on Google

5★4

4★1

3★0

2★1

1★9

Our sample skews heavily toward critical reviews — it disagrees with the Google average shown above.

Why we're cautious

$8,000 charged for a 3.5-hour sewer job after a $10k quote; manager refused to budge citing the signed contract (1 of 100 reviews)
No-show on a stated 7-11pm emergency window, then cancelled near 11pm with attitude from dispatch (1 of 100 reviews)
Dispatch and customer service falter — an emergency window of 7-11pm ended in an 11pm cancellation, and a dispatcher was rude when a tech couldn't be located (2 of 100 reviews)

To be fair

Same-day and after-hours response is strong — tech Rich arrived in ~30 min and at 10pm on a Sunday for sewer backups (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)
Sewer and main-line diagnosis praised — technician and field supervisor explained options clearly on a backed-up main (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“We had a plumbing backup and subsequent leaking under our house which we wanted addressed quickly. We called Roto-Rooters and they sent their technician, Rick, out within a couple of hours. He was incredibly friendly, knowledgeable and professional. He …”

Jessie Xenakis · ★★★★★ · Google · Dec 2025

The most critical take we found

“Was told they'd arrive between 7-11pm; didn't show up and ended up canceling close to 11pm. Horrible service for an emergency situation with extremely poor customer service. Dispatcher gave me attitude when discussing the cancellation due to no technicians …”

Rhea A. · ★ · Yelp · Dec 2020

We read 100 of 238 reviews · newest from Dec 2020 · BBB A+ accredited

(510) 662-6584

Full report →Website ↗

Big Brothers Plumbing Inc

Caveats apply24/7 per Google listing

5.0 (151 Google reviews)4.5 on Yelp (39) 13.6 mi from downtown Richmond

Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.

Our take — how we form it

5★ across 151 reviews with 97 of 100 sampled at 5★; techs Jorge and Jesus drive fast_response (18) including a 15-minute 7:45pm toilet-flood save, but Yelp scheduling lapses recur.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed151 total on Google

5★13

4★0

3★0

2★0

1★2

Why we're cautious

Repeated communication failures on Yelp — ignored three replies to an emailed quote and never followed up after reading texts; two-week silence reported (2 of 100 reviews)
A ceiling leak 'fixed' on a Sunday was reported still leaking through an unrepaired hole on follow-up (1 of 100 reviews)
Email/text follow-up can go cold — customers report unanswered quote replies and being ghosted after sending photos (2 of 100 reviews)

To be fair

Genuinely shows up after-hours — arrived in 15 minutes at 7:45pm for a flooding toilet when five '24-7' companies wouldn't come (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)
Named techs Jorge and Jesus get repeat praise for clean, well-explained toilet and leak fixes (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“They did what they promised. Only one that came out same day.”

Farzad Mobin · ★★★★★ · Google · Dec 2024

The most critical take we found

“I can't believe the average rating is so high here. I've used them twice, both experiences were negative but I gave them a second shot hoping the first time was a fluke. No. Absolutely awful communication. They ignore three replies to their emailed quote …”

Ryan S. · ★ · Yelp · Dec 2024

We read 100 of 151 reviews · newest from Dec 2024 · BBB A+ accredited

(510) 269-0299

Full report →Website ↗

Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

Caveats apply24/7 per Google listing

4.8 (2,600 Google reviews)2.5 on Yelp (100) 10.5 mi from downtown Richmond

Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.

Our take — how we form it

4.8★ across 2,600 reviews but 32 of 100 sampled are 1-star; named techs (Sayed, Heath) earn fast after-hours praise while pricing and dispatch draw the same complaints as the sister branch.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed2,600 total on Google

5★3

4★1

3★0

2★1

1★10

Our sample skews heavily toward critical reviews — it disagrees with the Google average shown above.

Why we're cautious

$8,000 for a 3.5-hour sewer job after a $10k quote; manager held the customer to the signed contract (1 of 100 reviews)
No-show on a stated 7-11pm emergency window with a near-11pm cancellation and dispatcher attitude (1 of 100 reviews)
Dispatch and pricing complaints recur — a stated 7-11pm emergency window ended in an 11pm cancellation, and an $8k sewer quote was disputed (2 of 100 reviews)

To be fair

Strong after-hours emergency response — Sayed fixed an 8pm weekend issue in under 5 minutes; Heath responded on short notice to an overflowing toilet (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)
Same-day main-line and sewer work praised — sent someone same day with guaranteed work and clear options (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“Sayed did a very good and thorough job for our main line drain blockage. He was very communicative, and efficient and gave me different options on how I want to proceed. Will definitely have him again in case of any issues.”

varun agarwal · ★★★★★ · Google · Feb 2026

The most critical take we found

“Was told they'd arrive between 7-11pm; didn't show up and ended up canceling close to 11pm. Horrible service for an emergency situation with extremely poor customer service. Dispatcher gave me attitude when discussing the cancellation due to no technicians …”

Rhea A. · ★ · Yelp · Dec 2020

We read 100 of 2,600 reviews · newest from Feb 2026 · BBB A+ accredited

(510) 564-1214

Full report →Website ↗

Gladiator Rooter and Plumbing

Caveats apply24/7 per Google listing

4.6 (90 Google reviews)4.3 on Yelp (100) 18.7 mi from downtown Richmond

Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.

Our take — how we form it

4.6★/90 reviews with fast_response cited 24x and within-30-minute weekend arrivals, but 11 of 100 sampled are 1-star over a disputed $2,000 pipe job and an unresolved faucet leak.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed90 total on Google

5★7

4★0

3★1

2★1

1★6

Our sample skews heavily toward critical reviews — it disagrees with the Google average shown above.

Why we're cautious

$2,000 for ~4 hours to replace a toilet-to-stack pipe that did not solve the leak — the real issue was sewer-lateral roots (1 of 100 reviews)
Installed faucet kept leaking after 3 visits; installer called it user error and declined to fix it (1 of 100 reviews)
Pricing and diagnosis disputes on bigger jobs — $2,000 (≈$500/hr) charged for a pipe swap that didn't fix the real problem (1 of 100 reviews)

To be fair

Very fast on emergencies — Victor arrived within 30 min on a weekend and Jorge within 90 min on a Saturday before Christmas (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)
Same-day sewer/clog response — came out same day on a lift-station sewage issue Roto-Rooter couldn't solve (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)
Beat competitor quotes on big jobs — did a main-water-line repair for less than half what others quoted at $7,000+ (cited in 1 of 100 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“I've used gladiator in the past. They dug a clean out for my house. They gave me a honest quote before working and I'm completely satisfied with their service.”

Gia S. · ★★★★★ · Yelp · Dec 2022

The most critical take we found

“I'm pretty pissed off with Gladiator's service. First they cut huge hole into ceiling to find the source of the leak. Not sure why they didn't cut pilot hole and use mirror or camera to see what's going on. Then they charge me $2000 to replace the pipe going …”

Don F. · ★ · Yelp · Nov 2021

We read 100 of 90 reviews · newest from Dec 2022

(510) 351-6700

Full report →Website ↗

Discount Plumbing Rooter Services

Caveats apply24/7 per Google listing

4.9 (2,877 Google reviews)4.7 on Yelp (100) 18.2 mi from downtown Richmond

Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.

Our take — how we form it

4.9★ across 2,877 reviews with BBB A+ accreditation; fast_response cited 31 times and professional 49 times in 100 analyzed, but 4 negative reviews flag pricing concerns and 1 mentions surprise fees.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed2,877 total on Google

5★11

4★1

3★0

2★1

1★2

Why we're cautious

1 reviewer describes high-pressure upsell on tankless water heater conversion at $10,000; pricing felt inflated (1 of 100 reviews)
surprise_fees theme flagged in 1 review; price escalation after initial quote noted (1 of 100 reviews)
expensive theme in 4 reviews; $600 for a one-hour pipe repair and $3,300 water heater estimate flagged as high (2 of 100 reviews)

To be fair

fast_response cited in 31 of 100 analyzed reviews; same-day service in 12 mentions; weekend/emergency availability confirmed in 2 reviews (cited in 3 of 100 reviews)
fair_pricing cited in 6 reviews; one reviewer says Carlos replaced angle stops 'for half the price estimated from the other place' (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)
Dispatcher-to-tech communication praised across multiple reviews; Carlos Chavarria and dispatcher Magda both called out by name for flawless coordination (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“I had a great experience with Saul! He was very kind, helpful, and professional throughout the entire process. He took the time to answer all of my questions about the shower repair and made sure I understood everything that needed to be done. I really …”

susana cortez · ★★★★★ · Google · Mar 2026

The most critical take we found

“If you have a lot of money sure! Get them. The process over the phone was smooth. Super fast to get a person in your property The guy was ok Breyman came and said ufff the sticker with the serial number it's not here (it was in the other side the thing is …”

Andrea R. · ★★ · Yelp · Sep 2025

We read 100 of 2,877 reviews · newest from Mar 2026 · BBB A+ accredited

(650) 977-3126

Full report →Website ↗

Heise's Plumbing

Caveats apply24/7 per Google listing

4.9 (1,606 Google reviews)4.1 on Yelp (100) 15.6 mi from downtown Richmond

Lists 24-hour service on its Google profile — and reviewers describe after-hours calls.

Our take — how we form it

4.9★ across 1,606 reviews; fast_response 23 times and weekend_or_emergency 10 times in 100 analyzed, but 9 one-star reviews, surprise_fees in 2, and a 1-star describing no-show and dishonesty are notable.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed1,606 total on Google

5★5

4★0

3★3

2★1

1★6

Our sample skews heavily toward critical reviews — it disagrees with the Google average shown above.

Why we're cautious

1 reviewer describes confirmed no-show with two rounds of false ETA updates; reviewer concludes 'they aren't honest' (1 of 100 reviews)
Weekend pricing at $625/hr (minimum 1 hr) confirmed by long-term customer who switched to Roto-Rooter after ownership change (1 of 100 reviews)
expensive theme in 2 reviews; $350/hr base rate and $625/hr weekend rate flagged as high by multiple reviewers (2 of 100 reviews)

To be fair

weekend_or_emergency cited 10 times; one reviewer got late-Sunday service; emergency flood handled same night (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)
Workmanship theme in 13 reviews; Jose credited with solving a faucet problem 'another plumber said was unsolvable' (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)
fast_response in 23 of 100 analyzed; next-day appointments and same-day availability frequently noted (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“Mike, Jose and the staff at Heises plumbing are terrific. They are friendly, knowledgeable, trustworthy and always get the job done right the first time. I have used Heises plumbing for years. Thank you Mike, Jose and staff for all you do.”

Bill Ruggiero · ★★★★★ · Google · Mar 2026

The most critical take we found

“Be careful with these guys - they aren't honest. They made an appointment with me for a 2-hour service window but didn't show and didn't contact me. So at the end of the 2 hours I called them. They admitted they were late but said the service tech was 30 min …”

Jonathan L. · ★ · Yelp · Dec 2025

We read 100 of 1,606 reviews · newest from Mar 2026

(415) 333-0704

Full report →Website ↗

We'd keep looking

The average rating hides complaint patterns we can't ignore

Mr. Rooter Plumbing of The Oakland-Berkeley Area

We'd call someone else first24/7 per Google listing

4.9 (1,299 Google reviews)2.0 on Yelp (100) 16.9 mi from downtown Richmond

Advertises 24-hour service on its Google profile — no reviews we analyzed mention after-hours response either way.

Our take — how we form it

4.9★ Google headline masks a split reality: of 100 analyzed reviews 35 are 1-star, dominated by upsell, surprise-fee and bait-and-switch complaints around the $77 coupon.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed1,299 total on Google

5★6

4★0

3★0

2★1

1★8

Our sample skews heavily toward critical reviews — it disagrees with the Google average shown above.

Why we're cautious

Bait-and-switch on the advertised $77 drain coupon — multiple reviewers quoted $279, $827 or a $45 dispatch fee instead (2 of 100 reviews)
Emergency upsell — pressured a Saturday-night customer to replace ALL pipes; two second opinions disagreed entirely (2 of 100 reviews)
Charged a diagnostic fee then never returned with the promised written estimate or callbacks (1 of 100 reviews)

To be fair

Quick weekend/emergency arrival when it goes well, and a manager who re-sent a second team after a botched job (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“Got the job done without too aggressive an upsale effort.”

Harrison Alter · ★★★★★ · Google · Dec 2025

The most critical take we found

“I called this company on 12/23/24; they changed my appointment two times. Finally, when the plumber, Josias Estrada, came without looking for a clean-out, He stated all the main lines were clogged and that he needed to remove both the toilets and snake from …”

Anthony .. · ★ · Yelp · Dec 2024

We read 100 of 1,299 reviews · newest from Dec 2024

(510) 957-9648

Full report →Website ↗

Albion Plumbing Rooter Inc - Plumber in Alameda, CA

We'd call someone else first24/7 per Google listingSmall track record

4.8 (22 Google reviews)2.0 on Yelp (100) 17.6 mi from downtown Richmond

Advertises 24-hour service on its Google profile — no reviews we analyzed mention after-hours response either way.

Our take — how we form it

Google lists 4.8★ but the analyzed sample is 63% negative (59 of 100 are 1-star) with surprise_fees cited 13 times and expensive 12 — a deep red-flag pattern of upsell-on-emergency.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed22 total on Google

5★5

4★0

3★0

2★1

1★9

Our sample skews heavily toward critical reviews — it disagrees with the Google average shown above.

Why we're cautious

Repeated upsell-on-emergency pattern: quoted full pipe replacement during weekend crises that second opinions found unnecessary (3 of 100 reviews)
Coupon bait-and-switch: $77 advertised drain clean became $279, with a dispatch fee demanded on refusal (2 of 100 reviews)
Diagnostic/no-show failures: charged for a diagnostic but never returned with the promised written estimate (1 of 100 reviews)

To be fair

When the manager intervenes, a second crew can turn a botched job around (cited in 1 of 100 reviews)
Fast arrival on weekend/emergency calls (fast_response=16) (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“I've used Albion three times and I have had consistently had great customer service and work. They are very professional and easy to communicate with. I had a sink backup in one of my apartments and they were even able to squeeze me in same day. They take …”

M F · ★★★★★ · Google · Oct 2023

The most critical take we found

“I called this company on 12/23/24; they changed my appointment two times. Finally, when the plumber, Josias Estrada, came without looking for a clean-out, He stated all the main lines were clogged and that he needed to remove both the toilets and snake from …”

Anthony .. · ★ · Yelp · Dec 2024

We read 100 of 22 reviews · newest from Dec 2024

(510) 261-3339

Full report →Website ↗

Big Blue Plumbing

We'd call someone else first24/7 per Google listing

4.7 (573 Google reviews)3.1 on Yelp (100) 12.1 mi from downtown Richmond

Advertises 24-hour service on its Google profile — no reviews we analyzed mention after-hours response either way.

Our take — how we form it

4.7★ across 573 reviews but 33% of sampled reviews are negative — slow_response (10) and surprise/expensive fees recur; multiple emergency appointments were cancelled last-minute.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed573 total on Google

5★4

4★0

3★0

2★1

1★10

Our sample skews heavily toward critical reviews — it disagrees with the Google average shown above.

Why we're cautious

Emergency reliability is shaky — they cancelled an overnight water-heater-flood appointment via text, citing a scheduling change (1 of 100 reviews)
5-week unresolved radiant-heat failure left a customer in a freezing house after a once-trusted relationship soured (1 of 100 reviews)
$85 estimate fee charged just to quote a routine tankless flush — surprise_fees signal (1 of 100 reviews)

To be fair

fast_response cited 14x — technicians like Nate arrive on time and courteous; one 8-hour first-day job earned praise (cited in 2 of 100 reviews)
Large-job workmanship praised — water/gas/sewer line replacements done extraordinarily well with clean sites (cited in 1 of 100 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“I can't say enough good things about this company. They are professional, friendly, efficient, and hard working. We have a pretty serious plumbing situation that will require more work, but on day one the team came out and worked their you-know-whats off for …”

Elisabeth B. · ★★★★★ · Yelp · Dec 2017

The most critical take we found

“Do not recommend. Horrible communication. I had to repeatedly call them back to get scheduling confirmations, which kept getting delayed. It is very clear that if I had not followed up, they never would have.”

Ryan Sit · ★ · Google · Dec 2024

We read 100 of 573 reviews · newest from Dec 2024

(510) 939-7870

Full report →Website ↗

Pro Rooter Inc

We'd call someone else first24/7 per Google listingSmall track record

4.1 (25 Google reviews)3.5 on Yelp (48) 18.0 mi from downtown Richmond

Advertises 24-hour service on its Google profile — no reviews we analyzed mention after-hours response either way.

Our take — how we form it

Polarized 4.1★: of 63 analyzed reviews 20 are 1-star, driven by repeated no-shows and missed appointments, while 5-star reviews praise sewer/repipe work done well.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed25 total on Google

5★7

4★1

3★0

2★1

1★6

Why we're cautious

Pattern of no-shows: 7am appointment arrived 1.5 hrs late with no update; another booked 5pm appointment was a no-show then ghosted; a third never showed and never replied (4 of 63 reviews)
Surprise charge and incomplete work — agreed $300 became $400, and the sewage drain was still clogged afterward (1 of 63 reviews)
Quality complaints — a $500 connector repair left water pressure very low within a week (1 of 63 reviews)

To be fair

Strong sewer and repipe jobs when they show — same-day estimate, clean-out installed, length of front-yard sewer pipe replaced (themeCounts.workmanship=11) (cited in 2 of 63 reviews)
Some techs (Hector Jr., Richard) cited for fast, thorough, honest service — arrived within about an hour (cited in 2 of 63 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“Pro Rooter has helped me several times over the years and although calling a plumber...any plumber is expensive, Ely did very good work and was always very courteous. I don't feel that they were over-priced as compared to the quality of work. Ely and his crew …”

Richard Q. · ★★★★★ · Yelp · Dec 2011

The most critical take we found

“I wish I could give them zero stars. I called at 11pm to schedule an appointment for 7am. They confirmed and the appointment was set. 7:30 am and still no plumber. I called and all they told me was, he's on his way. No one ever called to give me an update. …”

Julia B. · ★ · Yelp · Dec 2009

We read 63 of 25 reviews · newest from Dec 2009 · BBB A+ accredited

(510) 670-1115

Full report →Website ↗

Albert Nahman Plumbing, Heating, and Cooling

We'd call someone else first24/7 per Google listing

4.7 (3,374 Google reviews)2.3 on Yelp (100) 8.1 mi from downtown Richmond

Advertises 24-hour service on its Google profile — no reviews we analyzed mention after-hours response either way.

Our take — how we form it

4.7★ Google average masks reviewConsistency=0.095 — 44 one-stars vs 45 five-stars in 100 analyzed. Post-sale pattern: bait-and-switch pricing, no-shows, techs refusing jobs over parking.

Rating mix — of the 15 reviews we analyzed3,374 total on Google

5★3

4★0

3★2

2★1

1★9

Our sample skews heavily toward critical reviews — it disagrees with the Google average shown above.

Why we're cautious

Bait-and-switch documented: $65 emailed water heater flush offer became $550+ quote on arrival — tech shrugged and said the email 'didn't make sense' (surprise_fees=4) (1 of 100 reviews)
Tech refused job because he couldn't park directly outside the house — drove away mid-appointment, returned hours later with supervisor; boiler still unresolved (unprofessional=2) (1 of 100 reviews)
Sewer clean out left basement flooded with sewage days later — company disputed responsibility for their own work (poor_workmanship=3) (1 of 100 reviews)

To be fair

Technician Deandre P. arrived within 2 hours, waived travel time, and offered free diagnostic during February promotion (fast_response=24) (cited in 1 of 100 reviews)
Technician Christopher sourced a matched-finish faucet himself and delivered clean expert installation — customer described result as beautiful (workmanship=9) (cited in 1 of 100 reviews)
Water heater diagnosed promptly with no charge when repair turned out to be a simple fix (fair_pricing=1) (cited in 1 of 100 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“Highly recommend Albert Nahman Plumbing! The customer service was excellent from start to finish—from the receptionist who handled my initial call to the knowledgeable technician, Deandre P., who arrived within two hours. Unlike several other plumbing …”

Judy Sarmiento · ★★★★★ · Google · Mar 2026

The most critical take we found

“Plunged parent’s toilet $189. Five stars. Replaced parent’s broken single hole lav faucet with “like” faucet with no change to fittings $1010.95. ZERO stars. I was the contact person and they had the person with disabilities sign the contract. I would NEVER …”

v rivard · ★★ · Google · Feb 2026

We read 100 of 3,374 reviews · newest from Mar 2026 · BBB A+ accredited

(510) 408-7879

Full report →Website ↗

Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup

We'd call someone else first24/7 per Google listing

4.8 (2,583 Google reviews) 19.2 mi from downtown Richmond

Advertises 24-hour service on its Google profile — no reviews we analyzed mention after-hours response either way.

Our take — how we form it

Fast emergency response (under 2 hours) with solid workmanship, but expect significantly inflated pricing on parts and labor.

Rating mix — of the 5 reviews we analyzed2,583 total on Google

5★3

4★1

3★0

2★0

1★1

Small sample — we've analyzed only 5 of 2,583 reviews so far. Treat this as a first read.

Why we're cautious

Parts markups of 200%+ documented: $20 part billed as $60, raising serious overcharge concerns on small jobs (1 of 5 reviews)
Management failed to follow up on complaint despite promising investigation, indicating poor accountability for billing disputes (1 of 5 reviews)
2 of 5 reviewers explicitly mention pricing as excessively high or concerning, including $800 charge for removing taped fixture with no repairs needed (2 of 5 reviews)

To be fair

3 of 5 reviewers praise rapid emergency response, with one technician arriving and completing repair within an hour of call (cited in 2 of 5 reviews)
3 of 5 reviewers highlight quality workmanship and professionalism of technicians (Brian, Logan, Quaid) (cited in 3 of 5 reviews)
2 of 5 reviewers specifically praise clear communication and thorough explanation of work performed (cited in 2 of 5 reviews)

What reviewers praise

“We had an emergency situation where the pipe connecting the toilet burst, and started flooding the bathroom floor. Luckily, we were able to turn it off before it did too much damage to the ceiling below since it started overflowing. My Aunt called …”

Michael Oblea · ★★★★★ · Google · Jun 2026

The most critical take we found

“Absolutely stunned by the price gauging. Looking at my shower it looked like a lot of work. We thought there was a hole behind the structure with pipes damaged. They ultimately took shower fixture off the wall that was taped to the wall. No holes or drilling …”

to kenn · ★ · Google · Jun 2026

We read 5 of 2,583 reviews · newest from Jun 2026

(925) 750-6155

Full report →Website ↗

How we rank the plumbers on this page

We read the reviews — all of them we can get. For each plumber serving Richmond we pulled up to 100 recent reviews from Google, Yelp and BBB and read the full text. For this page: 1,321 reviews across 15 businesses.
Patterns beat anecdotes. A plumber moves up when independent reviewers keep describing the same behavior: showing up when promised, quoting before working, work that holds. One rave changes nothing.
Complaints count double when they repeat.Surprise fees, missed appointments, pressure sales — when the same complaint appears across reviewers (or across platforms), it caps how high we'll rank a business regardless of its star average.
Money never moves the ranking.A plumber can buy the clearly-labeled sponsored slot at the top of the page — visibility, not endorsement. A business we wouldn't recommend can't buy the slot at all, and no payment changes the ranked order.
Our take is our opinion.It's grounded in the reviews we quote and count on this page — check our evidence and disagree with us if you like. That's the point of showing it.

Every quotation on this page is reproduced verbatimfrom a publicly posted review and attributed to its author, star rating, platform and date. Star averages and review counts are Google's (or Yelp's) as of our last data pull. “Rating mix” charts describe only the set of reviews we analyzed, which we state on every card. Read the full policy — including what we do not do — on our methodology page.

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