I hired Roto-Rooter to clear a blocked sewer line. After approximately 55 minutes, they told me the line was "collapsed" and could not be mechanically cleaned, then presented me with a sewer replacement estimate of approximately $10,000, urging me to proceed. Instead, I sought a second opinion. The very next day, another licensed plumbing contractor used heavier-duty sewer equipment and mechanically cleared the same line in less than 10 minutes. The sewer then functioned normally for approximately one week until I chose to replace the line because of existing root intrusion--not because it was collapsed. Based on my experience, the diagnosis and recommendation I received from Roto-Rooter proved to be inaccurate. I paid for a sewer line clearing that was never accomplished, yet was immediately steered toward a costly replacement. Consumers should obtain a second opinion before authorizing expensive sewer replacement work based solely on an initial diagnosis. read more

I see that I am not the only one. Another woman who was pointed in the wrong direction, but unfortunately I had no one to turn to guide me. The service tech Ben was more concerned with me having one car in my driveway and another being parked in front of my house that was a loaner or my mom. I truly believe that he saw that and me having a home and decided to overcharge and incorrectly diagnose service resulting in me stuck with a monthly payment that accrues interest. There was no pipe collapsed as he noted and I was not provided the video evidence showing that. All I knew, being in my home for only two months is that water was backing up in my basement and after taking a shower or flushing the toilet, the water in the basement had to be removed from the basement sink one bucket at a time. When cleaning the pipe, Ben only removed some old fabric softener sheets. I was able to flush and run shower not seeing any water at that moment, but he noted it still was not fixed telling me to look at how low the water was in the pipe...later I found out that this is the same even after their thousands of dollars repair. I didn't know what to do and no where to turn. He actually said you cant have one issue without the other even though I saw no collapse pipe. Young and dumb...listening to a professional I thought because I did not know. During the entire pipe line replacement, no one communicated with me. If water would be turned off, turned back on, what I should do afterwards, nothing. It appears this company has a record of steering single women the wrong way for their own benefit. I'm glad the three other women I've seen that had similar experiences had a father or male figure to turn to avoid this. I would not recommend for women. read more

Serviceman was here for 1/2 hour to replace thermal expansion on the water heater. Already had the part so only labor was involved. He told us the price was $640. We objected strongly a reduced the price to $540. We will never be using rotor rooter again. read more

came and service the plumbing but was told I still couldn't use the sink for now. He stated he did his best but someone else was going to come and put camera in pipes , I'm still waiting. read more

Roto Rooter used to be a good value, but I no longer recommend them. Our sewage line backed up, and I immediately called them because I had a good experience with them in the past. They showed up, identified a clog right where the drainage pipe empties into the septic tank, pulled it out by hand, and said "line clearing" is a $510 flat rate. The 10 minutes they were here equates to a $3000 hourly rate. read more

Stunningly Unprofessional. I made an appointment for Saturday early afternoon as I needed someone to take a look at our shut off valves. As it was approaching the end of the appointment time-slot I called to see if they were still going to show up. The dispatcher/driver assured me they would still come, but they were running behind. They confirmed someone would be calling me soon. The rest of the day/night goes by without any call or visit. I wakeup the next morning to my wife saying someone was at our door through the Ring camera at midnight last night. That's right.. our plumber not only showed up without a courtesy call but decided to arrive at midnight when we were sleeping! The icing on the cake was I received a call the next morning assuring me they haven't "forgotten about me". I responded to the service rep that she is most certainly right as they decided to visit us at midnight... 7 hours late. Her response was "well we are a 24 hour service". Not sure if that was sarcasm, but I decided it wasn't worth my time and went with Len Plumbing. Bottom Line -- Roto-Rooter Plumbing is unprofessional, discourteous, and quite simply disgraceful. read more

Even though the customer service person commented on this review, and I emailed as they requested, I never heard more from them. So why ask me to email? Strange. Pat, I emailed you June 18 read more

Had to call for another problem still excellent service. Solved the problem and cleaned up. Best crew ever

Had an apt to have a technician come out to take a look at a leaking water heater. I was told someone would come out between 2-6. Called at 6 because there is still no update and was told there has been a delay and someone will come by shortly. 7:15 pm still nothing. Called again and was told the technician that was supposed to come is now unable to come out and MAYBE someone else can come after 10 pm...but no guaranteed. What kind of service is this. Couldn't trust them anymore with my business and went elsewhere. Unreliable and unprofessional read more

My tenant in Wilmington called me one afternoon to inform me that there was a leak originating from the upstairs bathroom that was perforating through the ceiling into the downstairs dining room. Initially, I called a few other plumbers in the area, but since it was a weekend, many of them told me that their next availability would be on Monday. Then I called Roto-Rooter. They were extremely responsive and they dispatched someone that very evening. The plumber was able to diagnose and fix the problem quickly and without hassle. I am highly pleased with the level of efficacy and service provided by Roto-Rooter. read more

Never have I ever... left a scathing review for a business. However I wish I'd been better educated with helpful reviews before I got into my recent situation with Roto Rooter, Newark DE. Short as possible: tenant occupied unit had a clogged drain... an attempt at opening the trap left about a gallon of water leaked into ceiling below causing damage directly below said water dump, nowhere else. Ceiling has history of being opened for pipe repair as it's an older home. I, as the landlord wanted this fixed quickly and professionally and I've always been told Roto Rooter was expensive but very good, so I called. Initial drain clearing was $500+, fine. Then told the ceiling would need to be pulled back to check for leaks and only the damaged area below the tub would be affected, I still think this is a reputable company trying to help so I say OK. I'm the landlord... I met with them and then left, it's not my house so I didn't stay to supervise. I come back and THE ENTIRE CEILING IS GONE. They didn't even have the decency to remove the countless drywall screws but charged 4K for removal and chemical drying. All of which highly irritated / inconvenienced my tenants. Told there were pipes to be renovated by one plumber... then next plumber sent out says the opposite, I only find this out bc I was never charged. Reminder: this was a clogged drain, and trap water spill, NOT a bust pipe. My ceiling is now gone and I'm quoted another whopping 4K to replace it. THIS WAS A CLOGGED DRAIN AFFECTING A SMALL PORTION OF THE CEILING! All in all this is a company out to charge the maximum to your insurance company, who may or may not cover said charges. But don't worry, Roto Rooter will send you a huge bill and remind you that you're responsible if insurance doesn't cover. This is blatant manipulation of insurance payouts as I've never seen before. I'm shocked at how badly I was taken advantage of and hope of nothing else I can spread this warning to anyone else to use caution with a mega company looking to use its clout to overcharge you and your insurance carrier. NEVER will Insur or recommend this company again, utter bullsh*%! read more

I dealt with a plumbing issue from 8AM to 4PM this past Saturday. After pulling both toilets, using my own auger on both lines, running an old garden hose down both lines, using a shop-vac to clean out what I could out of both lines (and constantly putting the toilets back into place to test to see if they clog was freed), my heart was broken by mid-afternoon. For the life of me, I could not free the clog. I must have thrown two dozen buckets of very hot water and liquid soap down into both lines--still nothing. While, no water was backing up into my lowest drain (a utility tub in the basement), I had to explore the possibility of a septic issue. So I dug up the lid, too a look...even experimented with switching drain fields (I have two) as I thought one may have stopped perking...we have had some decent wet weather recently. Still nothing--both toilets continued to overflow. After walking away from it for a bit, I really hesitated calling a plumber. It was a Saturday. And after all I had done, including dozens of phone calls to my father and a friend in the construction business, I gritted my teeth and called Roto-Rooter. I already lost an entire day and did not want to lose a second because, quite frankly, I was out of ideas. The first person I encountered on the phone was very friendly--it was a little after 5PM at this point. She said they had someone on a job in the area and said he could be there within the hour. Their plumber would come and provide a free diagnosis of the problem. Within 20 minutes, I received a call from Roto-Rooter stating their plumber was still on the other job and might a bit later than the initial estimate--I came to understand and appreciate why. Every person is professional and courteous and capable of giving you an answer. Even when I called back as the clock ticked past 7:00, the dispatch was able to explain where the plumber was and when he would be by. The way they handled me--someone who had already been through a frustrating day, really eased my anxiety. At approximately 7:30pm on Saturday night, plumber Mike White arrived at my home. He greeted me with a smile. It was the first thing I noticed. He was clean, pleasant, and positive. Mike followed me around my home and listened as I described the problem and all of the steps I took to resolve it throughout the day. I found Mike thoughtful and considerate of my frustrations with the problem as he asked good questions to help him diagnose the possibilities. He did not mind my hanging with him as he went through the paces to diagnose the problem--he welcomed it. We talked plumbing and he answered my questions no matter how rudimentary or basic. One of the things I though about Mike as he worked with me was that he is the kind of guy you'd love in your business, no matter what you sell, build, or fix. Mike represents himself and his company well. I'd hire him to work with me in any company I owned--there is no doubt in my mind. Among the steps Mike took with me: we walked the basement and tapped pipes--we went into each bathroom and flushed so he could see how each handled the flush--he let me pull the toilets myself to save a few dollars (and honestly I had pulled each about ten times already, so I was like a Nascar technician by the end of the day)...eventually, he climbed up onto my roof and checked the vent--and at each step of the way he explained what he was thinking, and what certain symptoms could mean. Never in a rush, Mike spent 2 1/2 hours with me and solved the problem--by 10pm we had two running toilets. I came to understand that he truly wanted to solve this issue and was not built on abusing a customer's wallet. The issue was that the clog was a bit hefty and was buried in a location that I could not reach with my equipment, and it was rooted within a "Y" in the stack line between the two bathrooms. By checking the vent from the roof, he could see that there was water in it. Since I only had one vent for all of the components of my bathroom, it helped him zero in on the location. In the end, I found the price very fair and well-worth the quality service. Roto-Rooter charged me $355.00 and I gladly wrote that check. When I need service again, I will save myself the day of frustration and failure, and will call Roto-Rooter (and hopefully Mike White) as they have not only earned my business but they have earned my confidence and trust. read more

The worker was good. He was able to clear my clogged drain. I appreciate the 6 month warranty. What I didn't appreciate was the price given $385, then when I mentioned the $75 coupon I was told it was already included in the price. That sounds like a scam to me. I feel the need to warn future customers. read more

The mitigation service was fine. The follow up was not. I needed a more itemized receipt for the insurance claim than what was initially provided. I called the local office and was told the only one that could provide that information was the office manager. I have left several messages for the manager and he has not returned my calls. Because of this I cannot get reimbursed by the insurance company for the damages. read more

Roto-Rooter charged $1000.00 to remove and insert tub-shower overflow drain in upstairs bathroom. It was done 3/13/2021. The 6 month warranty has expired. My son hands me the drain part this morning, saying it fell out into the tub. read more

I had a blockage in my main sewer pipe leading to the main pipe in the street. The operators at the toll free number were very polite and empathetic of my situation. My plumber's name was Mike. He was friendly and shook my hand. He could tell in a matter of minutes that there was a main sewer line blockage. Within 10 minutes the line was clear. Mike explained to me that there was a 6 month guarantee on the service call which is nice! I was thankful they found the problem quickly. The reason I only rated a 3 star was due to the fact that I had to wait almost 9 hours for someone to come out and fix the issue. I understand that there are busy times but I could have had a major sewage flood on my hands but luckily that was not the case. The company did call me several times to ensure that they did not forget about my service call. I would recommend the service however I would need to see if others have the same issue of the long wait times. read more

Appointment was easy and the repairman arrived within hours. It was a leaky shower spigot. He initially said it would be a huge ordeal, costing over $700. I looked it up on YouTube, and suggested an easier fix, and he said it may or may not work. He tried it and it worked. I don't think he was trying to upsell me, but...just saying. read more

After calling to schedule a "free" estimate on a plumbing issue in my parents house and already knowing what needed done (snake the pipe), the technician arrived and agreed with us. After spending about 10 minutes talking with us, I said we would have to discuss it with Mom and call back. Before the technician left, he insinuated that we should have to pay for his conversation with us since he had to pay for six years of school and today was his day off. I reiterated that it was supposed to be a free estimate, and he implied that we should still have had to pay him for his time. I forgot to mention that they wouldn't give any kind of estimate over the phone. A technician had to be called out. I will never call Roto Rooter again and the technicians name was Joshua by the way. read more

The plumber was punctual and courteous. His diagnosis of the problem was systematic. And he did thorough checks even after fixing he problem to ensure the problem is definitely resolved. Will definitely use their services again. read more

My sewer drain was clogged! Called at 2:30 and was told be there between 3 and 5! There was a mix up but arrived at 6. Technician was great and solved the problem. Very courteous! Just very expensive but get 6 month warranty. read more

We came home late last night to sewage backing up into a lower level toilet and shower drain. YUK! flushing an upstairs toilet only made situation worse. Husband turned off water but called Roto and set early 9:00 am appt. Rep called could they arrive earlier - thoughtful YES. Earlier didn't happen but gave me a chance to call my septic cleaners to make sure problem wasn't overflowing tank. Mike arrived and was happy to check out that possibility with them on the phone and took it very seriously. Not a septic problem but unfortunately couldn't find an intake valve/line even with septic guys help. Mike was trying to save me an extra $140.00 if he needed to move the toilet. Two hours later problem solved Mike cleaned out toilet and shower with disinfectant...and had a wonderful attitude throughout. Very respectfully explaining to me like I wasn't a dumb woman (no husband due to conference!). thanks Mike first time using Roto and pleased.... read more

I had Roto-Rooter in today to do some repairs to very old pipes in my 70 year old house. Tom, was not fazed one bit. He looked at the 2 areas of concern, gave me a reasonable estimate and did the work. Honestly, when I first saw the problems and called Roto-Rooter, I was a little freaked out. They just came over and handled it. No problem. Tom walked me through all the repairs and showed me how the upgrades will help me in cold weather, etc. I think he went above and beyond and I am very grateful. Before leaving, Tom told me that I could request him if I needed future work. I know that I will be calling Roto-Rooter for future repairs. read more

I always worry about national chains but this company came out the next day and helped us out. Very kind and helpful staff!

I never write these reviews, but my experience with Roto-Rooter in Wilmington has left such a bad impression on me, I felt like I needed to share my experience to warn other customers. I called to inquire about cost of installing new dishwasher and was given an appointment for the next day, time window 9am-11am. I had to take a half day off of work to be available for this appointment. I received a call from the dispatcher around 9:50am stating that they were working on finding a technician in my area. I received another call at 10:40am stating that they finally located a technician and that it would take about 30-40 mins for him to get to me. This automatically means he would be arriving outside of the time window they originally told me. The technician, Jonathan, then gives me a call himself around 10:50am saying he is about 20mins away. Great, I head over to the house, sit there until 11:30am where I still have not heard from the technician. I finally get a hold of him where he tells me he's stuck in traffic but he's "close" and then he hangs up on me. I call him back repeatedly to get an accurate ETA, and no response. I call the home office where they are able to get in contact with him, and they tell me he is 20mins away, which makes his ETA 12:15pm at this point, which is over an hour past the original window they quoted. Needless to say, I was furious and told the office I could not wait any longer because I needed to get back to work. When asked what policies they have in place to remedy a situation like this, the person on the phone did not have an answer for me , so clearly, customer service is not their highest priority. I am never inquiring about their services ever again, very unprofessional and have poor customer service. read more

Although they came out the same day I called them, it took them 15 minutes to unclog my sewer line outside and I was charged almost $400.00. This WAS on a Sunday but they SAY they don't charge extra. I do not know, of course, how much it would have cost if I waited until Monday. I just had a friend here at work coincidentally have the same problem and she called another company, on a Sunday, and was charged less than $100.00. My big-time mistake for calling Roto-Rooter! Very expensive lesson learned and confirms the plumbing industry's reputation. read more

Just had great service from Roto rooter after having to wait beyond my time frame their manager called in another technician and he was prompt and very courteous and we also got a discount for having to wait longer than initially anticipated. In the end we were very satisfied. read more

Speedy, reliable service. Bart was professional, friendly, and worked to get me a decent discount. A bit more than I wanted to spend, but very well done and convenient to my schedule. read more

Plumber came quickly and worked very hard. Job was complicated but it was done in 2 days.

Not a fan! The appointment time was 1-3PM, and they didn't arrive until 9PM. They then proceeded to quote me a price of $370.00 for 45 minutes of work. read more

My toilet was backing up. I called in the morning and they were here by the early afternoon. Sean McDonough was the service rep and he assessed the situation and explained what he thought my options were. He tried the most cost effective option first and when that didn't work recommended another options. The second option did the trick but getting at the plumbing was not easy. Even thought it took more time than expected, he fixed the problem 100% and the amount I was charged was what I was quoted before he started. He also left the place clean and back together. I was very pleased with the service. read more

Storm drain from downspout was blocked underground. Roto-Rooter first came with auger. When that did not work, they said they would not charge for that, and said that the blockage required use of their water pressure truck, which delivers up to 8,000 pounds of pressure. I was a bit hesitant, since our house is 100 years old. The pressure water truck arrived the next morning. It cleared the blockage after one minute using "only" 2,000 pounds of pressure. He also flushed out our storm drain on the other side of the house. Impressive, efficient, friendly service. I recommend. read more

They showed up early (and even called to let me know) and cleared a sewer drain line very quickly. They also offered advice on an unrelated plumbing issue, which is very much appreciated. read more

On Wednesday, September 19, 2018, Roto-rooter representative Gau came out to my house give a free estimate on my plumbing issues which was a clogged laundry room sink. The representative made the issue out to be more serious than what it was by mentioning my sewer and that it was something I could not do myself. I called out from my job thinking this was a sewer issue and it was going to be a long process based upon the quote amount and the treatment that was needed per Gau. Gau snaked the drain in 10 minutes and poured Drano down the sink. I asked him was that it and mentioned this was something I could have done myself. He mentioned that he does not control the pricing fees and this is a typical fee for Roto-rooter to charge which was $504.66. I do not want another single female to be taken advantage. This is an expensive service charge for snaking drain. Roto-rooter should not mislead people on what services is needed to clear a plumbing issue. read more

Technician arrived within an hour after we called - very impressive service! He was able to unclog the drain that a previous plumbing service we had called could not. He worked hard to ensure it was fully unclogged. It was a messy job, but he cleaned up the area afterwards. He was very proficient and courteous. My only issue was the service cost seemed high (although he indicated no cost if not fixed), but having a running kitchen sink was worth it! read more

The dispatch service lost our phone number, so it took three calls to get someone to respond. Dan, the technician, was prompt, courteous and resolved our issue quickly. He was knowledgeable and let us know how to avoid issues in the future - 5 stars for Dan, 2 stars for the dispatcher. read more

After waiting an hour & a half beyond our 4 hour arrival window for our appointment I decided to run to the store. While I was out the dispatcher called my husband to tell him that the technician was at our house and no one was there - we received no courtesy call about the technician's arrival as promised might I add. He asked the dispatcher if the technician could wait 5 minutes for me to get back and was told no as the technician had already left because no one was home. Approximately 10 minutes later as I pulled onto my street - I decided not to rush as I believed they had already left - I passed the technician in his van at the stop sign waiting to turn off of my street. When we called back about missing the technician by no more than two minutes we were offered another 4 hour waiting window today. Never again! It's not worth the waste of time to make an appointment with this company. read more

I wouldn't call again. I needed an appointment for after 6:30 pm on a Thursday, which is why I chose Roto-Rooter for the first time for a kitchen sink clog. There was a blizzard coming the next day, so I was thinking that I really didn't have a choice. They came promptly for the appointment, but I almost passed out when the the tech quoted me $405! There was a $40 coupon, which took the price to just a mere $365. The tech fixed the issue with the snake from the truck, since it turned out to be a routine clogged drain. He was there - and I'm not kidding - for less than 45 minutes. $365 for not even one hour's worth of work. And, now I see there's a "$50 off your next service" coupon here on Yelp. I would have washed my dishes in the bathroom sink for two days until I could get someone more reasonable. I recommend that Roto-Rooter offer a much smaller price for routine jobs, since I bet no one says "no" to the free estimate once the tech is inside your home and has told you he can fix it. Absolute highway robbery, and perhaps even a form of gouging. I feel as if I'm owed at least a 50% refund for the price I paid, but I probably won't get it. I recommend trying to find another local plumber if you can wait a couple days. Save yourself your grocery bill. read more

Overall, I was pleased with my experience with this company. I called on a Sunday, which I thought would be expensive, but I wasn't charged extra, as they don't charge more for weekends or holidays. A pipe on our bathroom sink had burst, and after spending a few hours getting it under control, my husband realized that he just didn't have the tools or energy to finish the job. He was so frustrated, so we called and Roto Rooter and they sent someone out within 1 hour. The plumber stayed for a few hours, left to pick up parts, and ended up having to return the next day. It didn't seem like much had been accomplished on day 1, and the cost ended up being about $150. We also had no water- still. So, I wasn't pleased with that, but two men came on Monday morning- they came on time and worked efficiently- and the job was done in a few hours. Apparently, it was a difficult task because of the age and condition of our pipes. I was happy with the service on day 2, but it did end up being very costly, which is why I would actually rate my experience 3 1/2- 4 stars. Would I call again, absolutely, because I know the job will get done right. read more