Mr. Rooter
Reviews and Complaints

My local Home Depot contracts with Mr. Rooter to install water heaters. Home Depot promised that the water heater would be installed today. We had a light snow, so Mr. Rooter claimed they couldn't install it because of the weather. They were rude on the phone. So, I called Home Depot back and after several hours of back and forth phone calls, they agreed to send an "inspector" out to see if they could do the job(in my basement) in the light snow. This inspector determined that my venting system was not up to code. He then peed all over my toilet seat and left promising to call with an estimate increase. Several hours later the Home Depot had to call them to get the new estimate. My original price was $975 for the water heater and install. The new price was $2300! Needless to say, I cancelled the order. I had another plumbing company come out and look. Their price for the water heater and install, including the exact same work to get my venting system up to code is $1070. A $1200 difference! These people are crooks! Be warned!

During the recent hard freeze we had a pipe break in our attic. Plumber showed up and since it was still below freezing the water was frozen at the water meter at the street. I accompanied the plumber and assisted by loaning tools, holding pliers etc. in the cold. He found the leak and replaced a piece of plastic pipe about 12 inches long. Total for his time was $723 including $330.00 for thawing out the pipe even though I helped him do it. The most expensive piece of plastic I've ever seen. I expected a couple hundred dollars but $723 was nothing short of price gouging during a difficult time.

Repair a broken PVC pipe for $471 ? Their fixed rate pricing is out of line. When I spoke with manager he laughed and said, 'your manager signed for it'. It was like being sold a timeshare.

I called Mr. Rooter, 230 Bank Street, Midland Park, NJ 07432 to clear four underground gutter drains and one drain in the driveway. The quote was $732.00 for the first tow hours and approximatly $350.oo for each additional hours. Thinking this was a reasonable price for clearing five drains, I agreed.
Mr. Rooter cleared one drain in less than one half hour but stated they were unable to clear the other four drains and that I should contract a landscaper to the the probllems. Mr. Rooter was at my home for less than one hour, most of it explaining why they could not unclog the additional four drains. You cn image my SHOCK when they presented me with a bill for $783.24.
To add insult to injury, a letter to Mr. Steve Phykitt, President, Mr. Rooter, was ignored without the common courtesy of a response.
I should add that after the fact I checked for complaints again other Mr. Rooter organizations throut the country and found many complaints. I suggest that before you enter into any agreement with a Mr. Rooter organization you check their complaint history in the internet.
A WORD TO THE WISE...

Called early in the morning due to a clogged main drain and was told they would call me when a truck was available. At 12:42 they called and said a Truck would be out within the hour. Since I wasn't at home, I dropped what I was doing and headed home to meet them.

At 2:15 I called to see where they were or when they would be at my home. Was told there was no truck dispatched and it might be tomorrow before they could get to me. The guy said some other dispatcher may have called as there were 12 dispatch offices all using the same phone number.

When I asked why I was called and told someone would be out, he said he had no idea but that there was no dispatch to me. I suggested that they need a NEW COMPUTER system if they couldn't keep any better track of the trucks and customers than what they are saying. After wasting nearly an entire day, I called another company which is known for actually showing up! They did! Price was even less than what Mr Rooter charges even with the coupons etc. Bad customer service and bad business when you can't even keep track of your phone calls to customers!

My hot water heater went bad and I called this Mr. Rooter. The tech gave me the price for a new hot water heater and said that I also had to have an expansion tank installed because it was a government code and required. It was an extra $220. I questioned him specifically and he said that it wasn't an option for me- he HAD to install the expansion tank to be in compliance- so I trusted him and agreed for him to install everything. The next day I spoke to a realtor friend who sold the townhouse two doors down. She said that all they put in is a hot water heater- not an expansion tank. I was confused, because I was told it was a government code. I called two competitors of Mr. Rooter who both told me that expansion tanks are recommended, but not mandated. I was so upset. I called Mr. Rooter to speak to a manager (the day after all this happened). All in all, I must have left at least 8 messages over the course of two weeks before I got a return call from a manager who said that he didn't know whether it was a mandate or not- and how should he know? I said- if your people are saying that it is, and you are their boss, shouldn't you be up on that? I said I wanted everything removed and he said no, they would just take out the expansion tank. I said I wanted it all out and he said no. I got in touch with their corporate office in TX who said the local owner would contact me and work this out. He called me once, I called him back once...we each got voicemails. I called him again the next day and he answered and said he was at his child's pediatrician and that he would call back. He didn't. I left three more messages, no return call. I filed it with the Pittsburgh BBB who sent a letter and got no response, so they forwarded the complaint to the Texas BBB. Their reply was a letter that had a diagram of an expansion tank and what it was used for...they refuse to get that I WAS LIED TO IN ORDER TO INCREASE THE SALE! That is unacceptable! Give me a choice- don't tell me that I have no choice, when in fact I did! Consumer Beware when you deal with this company. They lie, they don't return calls after the sale and they do not resolve disputes or complaints in a fair manner.

charged$ 218 to snake 1 drain then said $190 more to snake the main [should have been in original quote] when I refused he left the expansion plug off the cleanout leaving a dangerous situation for my tenants with possible contact with raw sewage.When i went to snake the drain myself " someone" had dropped a 4" expansion plug into the open hole causing severe blockage and a extra hassle to remove.

Mr. Rooter plumbing in Cincinnati replaced the entire underground pipe in our house. They finally showed up after a day despite committing the work an hour form the call, and the entire team including the leader could not figure out how to take the leaking pipe out ! I had to make a recommendation. And finally when they completed the work, the joint (basement wall) gave in after few weeks and our basement was flooded. When I called the company to come over and see what a poor job they did at the joint, they would not return my call. Finally when I was able to contact the front desk (beverly), she said she could not do anything and would have to consult with the owner. And you guessed it right - they never called back. I sent a written letter with Cc to Better Business but still no call. I am now working with my legal team to file a law suit.

My mother (aged 94; I am a 58-year-old female) called the Mr. Rooter plumbing company to fix a clogged pipe. The technician installed two traps and a new 8’ piece of PVC pipe (which was, according to another plumber, unnecessary); the entire job took 4.5 hours. The technician had my mother sign paperwork (when she was without her glasses) stating that she would pay a $2700 bill and that--if she failed to pay the bill--she would pay for the company's lawyer fees.

When I learned what had happened, I called the Mr. Rooter office in Cranberry Township, PA, asked to speak to a supervisor, was told that he would call back as soon as possible. I received no reply until the company discovered that, due to a clerical error, my credit card could not be charged. He then called immediately and, when I asked about the seemingly excessive charges, he--repeatedly, over my questions--yelled "How are you going to pay for this: credit card, check or cash?!" He ended the conversation by saying, "I'm sending the bill to a collection agency and putting a lien on your house!", and slammed down the receiver.

I called the company multiple times over the subsequent three business days to discuss the bill with the estimating supervisor and pay it. He never returned my calls. The unfair charges and the lack of civil customer service were surprising and upsetting. Indeed, I wanted simply to conclude the unpleasant transaction and, on the fourth day, I requested to speak to the billing office and paid the bill in full. However, more than one week after I paid the bill, a case was filed by Mr. Rooter with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania against my mother stating she had not paid the bill. When I re-contacted Mr. Rooter, they did confess that the filing was their error, and they paid the court fee. I was naturally grateful for this, but am still upset by the charges, the impoliteness and the stress it caused my mother. I do not recommend this company.

People removing mold from my basement accidentally cut a water line in one of the walls. They had to shut off the water to the house. This was about 2:00pm. I called Mr. Rooter at around 2:00pm. I told them the water to my entire house was turned off, which they wrote down on the work order. They told me someone would be here by 3:30pm. 3:30pm came and went, and no Mr. Rooter. At 3:50pm I called Mr. Rooter. The girl who answered my call was very perky and told me that an emergency with one of their Commercial Customers outside of Mankato had come up and no one was available to work on my house. She said she was just going to call me (yeah, I'll bet!). She said she would check and that I would get a call back. A few minutes later I did get a call back. The girl on the other end of the line said no one would be able to get out to my house, today. I reminded her that I have no water in my house, and she said that yes, that was on the work order. She said she could reschedule me for tomorrow! WTF?!?!?

1. If you can't make it, you don't wait until a half hour after the appointment time to call the customer and tell them you can't make it!

2. I get bumped for a Commercial Customer because I'm ONLY a single home residence?!?!? I HAD THE APPOINTMENT FIRST! Commercial Customer or not, I should not get bumped!

3. I have no water in my house. THAT'S AN EMERGENCY! How can anyone have the GALL to try to reschedule me for tomorrow WHEN I HAVE NO WATER IN MY HOUSE?!?!? I hope that girl can sleep well, tonight.

I contacted Mr Rooter DFW initially on Saturday, June 19th because a leak coming from my attic was discovered running out, onto my patio. Since the discovery of the leak, and my call to their office, I was promised that a plumber would be out to my home and that a call would be made to me prior to their arrival. I waited by the phone all afternoon, with the assumption that at some point that day, a plumber would arrive. At 5:40 I finally received a call back, the rep indicated that he was not able to get a plumber out that evening, but someone would call and be out first thing the next morning. I never heard from anyone Sunday morning, so I called at 12:08 and the rep indicated that she was trying to get someone out and again, she would call when they were on their way. I even indicated that I knew it was Father's Day, but was unsure if my problem could wait, so asked if she thought someone would definitely be there that day. She said yes, and therefore, I did not try to contact another plumber. Then, at 5:40 again, I received a call stating that she was sorry, but only 2 plumbers were working and she could not get anyone out Sunday either. Monday morning at 7:51 I received a call that a plumber could be out within the hour. The tech and his partner arrived close to 9:00 am and I showed them where the water was leaking from, explained that the floor in the bathroom felt hot to the touch, and that I hear running water in the shower. They asked where the attic was and came back down indicating that I needed:

1. Upper and Lower Thermostats
2. New Upper and Lower Elements
3. New T & P Valve
4. An Expansion Tank
5. 3 new ball valves

Now, after talking to many other plumbers, and building inspectors, I found out that everything was replaced except a new water heater tank…I specifically asked the technicians after they showed me the HUGE estimate, if it would be cheaper to just replace my hot water heater, and they said 'NO', definitely not. However, in calling around I find that, that was again untrue. 50 gallon tank and installation in my attic could have been done for $6-$700.00. Also, I found out that I absolutely did NOT need an expansion tank. It is disheartening that items are sold to the unknowing, that are absolutely NOT NEEDED!

The tech and his partner arrived at my home, even after picking up parts, with no cooler and nothing to drink. They drank about 15 bottles ouy whf water of mine, and unfortunately I only had 2 chilled. This is, I'm sure one of the reasons the senior tech got lightheaded and fell over. The men should carry a cooler with refreshments to every job!
They also did not wear booties, which I'm guessing are required since they all came into my home with booties over their shoes on Wednesday. The tech fell over in my attic from being lightheaded, he busted through the ceiling in my bedroom and bathroom and promised that the drywall guy would be out that day. They stated, the good news is ' Your water problem is fixed though'. The guy who fell, went outside to sit in the truck and call his boss and I showed his partner that I was still hearing water running behind the shower. He took a look and then brought the senior tech in to look/listen. He indicated that he had to go to the doctor, and I asked again about the running water. He stated he spoke to his boss, and that he would be out to take a look and again stated that a drywall guy would be out that day and they verified that I would be home the remainder of the afternoon.
At 6:25, Monday evening, again I received a call asking when she could schedule the drywall guy. I advised her that I was told he would be out that day and she said, "well, he's a friend of a plumber and can only get out there when he can.' I told her that I do work, but that I would be home Wednesday afternoon, after 12:30. She indicated that she would schedule him for then and have him call me. Until yesterday I had not heard from any drywall person.

I woke up Tuesday morning, took a shower and realized that the Hot water was coming out of the Cold faucet and visa versa. I again called at 7:45 am and told the lady about my continued water issue. She said she would have someone out and I advised that I was heading to work, but I would be home after 12:30 on Wednesday for both the drywall and plumber to come out. I then spoke to a couple other plumbers, as well as the town building inspector who indicated that most residential homes, and NONE in Copper Canyon have or NEED an Expansion Tank. They also indicated when I told them what was replaced, that I was ripped off based on what I was charged and what was done, or the lack thereof. I called back after finding out this information and advised that I needed a supervisor to call me back. A field sup called me back, very defensively, stating that he called the town of Highland Village…..and, I advised him, I do not live in Highland Village. Not sure why he would call them…….
He stated that he would be out Wednesday afternoon to look at the continued leak and the reversed water lines.

Wednesday, they again arrived. This time placing their booties on each time (VERY MUCH NOT like their first visit!), and came back from the attic indicating that the water had been corrected and fixed and explained that he was refunding me for the Expansion Tank. I felt this was not enough of a resolution to the run around I had received, especially since my nightmare was not over! He called in the credit and I advised him I still was not satisfied, the work was not complete and I was not going to sign anything. Water is STILL running behind my shower….and, I attempted to take a shower that morning and both the HOT and COLD was scalding water. I then went outside only to notice that I NOW have water seeping out from under my home…….

I have turned the water to my house off to prevent any further damage. In the meantime, I called and spoke to the corporate office. I explained my issue, and then at 12:00 received a call from another supervisor who indicated that he just heard about my situation. He stated that the senior tech that was out here was off that day and that he could do nothing without talking to him. I advised him that he should also speak to his partner, maybe separately, because he heard all conversations and my complaints and concern about the running water behind my wall. He advised that nothing can be done until tomorrow, even though, I can not go to the bathroom, take a shower, or go to work based on this issue.

This has been a nightmare!

MR. ROOTER BLEW A HOLE IN MY SEWER LINE WITH THEIR HYDROSCRUB AND TOLD ME IT WAS ALREADY THERE AND HAD TO BE REPAIRED! They have cost me $634.00 for hydroscrubing my line and $350.00 to get the hole they made fixed. They said they would refund the $634., that hasn't happened and will not return my calls to pay for the damaged line I had to have repaired. WOULD YOU LET MR. ROOTER FIX YOUR SEWER LINE UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES? The did tell me if I did their perma-line for 6K+ that would fix the problem during their high pressure sales pitch. I tried to attach a photo and it was greater than 2MB so this program wouldn't take it.

We had a water backflow in the toilet. We tried the hand snake but didn't work so we call the insurance but they can't send somebody so they authorized to call outside service & I found Mr. Rooter Plumbing.The plumber Gabriel came & assesed the situation.He told the us that he will try again the hand auger but still did not work & charged us $270.53.He then told us that there's nothing he can do bec. if he will remove the toilet tank there will be an overflow inside the house & we can't use the toilet & have to limit the use of H20 .he needed a clean out access to properly clean the pipe & solve our problem.The clean out installation only will cost us $900-1500.We call another plumber Drain Dx & told us if he can't remove the clog we don't have to pay & he remove the toilet tank & was able to remove the clog & that's $450.I call Mr. Rooter several times for an explanation why other plumber can do what their man said was hard & will cause more problem, but nobody bothered.I want a refund from them bec. my insurance won't cover for the $450 that i paid.

I would like to thank the Complaints Board for being instrumental in resolving my plumbing problem. My concerns and problems were heard. I was contacted by John, the owner of Mr. Rooter and we have settled my dispute regarding the services and work ethics of his technicians. John said that they value their clients and reputation so he took care of my complaint. Thanks too to Liz of the Contractors’ Board. We hope and pray that we will be able to enjoy our new sewer pipe for a lifetime.

I wish I would have found this site sooner- we were so ripped off by Mr. Rooter. we paid extra for an extended service plan which gave us priority scheduling and discounts on service.
I called and scheduled for a plumber to come at 5 PM. on Friday. (The person who answered said because of our extended plan we got priority scheduling...)
At 7:30 PM they called and said they'd have to come Saturday morn- I asked for the first appointment- they said fine and scheduled me for 9 AM. At 10:15 AM I called when no plumber has shown up yet- They said the technician was still on his first visit at 8 AM- (!?) still no-one showed up- 11:15 AM I cancelled.
PLEASE LEARN FROM MY MISTAKE!
-ALSO- Reed's Sewer and Drain came to the rescue- did a great job- (FOR 1/2 the price of Mr. Rooter with the supposed Discount!)
MR.ROOTER IS A RIP-OFF!

This letter is to complain about services we recently received from Mr. Rooter M-37182. Currently, we are at our end both financially and emotionally.
Our problem began the weekend of January 30th after our washing machine flooded the kitchen sink and noted buckling to the laminate flooring in the doorway of the hall bathroom. We removed the toilet and the linoleum flooring thinking that the wax ring had deteriorated causing the leak. The next day, with no toilet in place there was water on the slab floor. On Monday, February 1st we contacted Mr. Rooter for help.
Mr. Rooter’s technician, Nick, was very prompt and pleasant coming out the same day. Upon inspection of the problem, he stated that it was against OSHA regulations to auger pipes from the roof and stated that we required an additional clean-out placed in the front of our house. He further stated this would be difficult due to the hard rock, involving an additional digging crew and expense. We trusted the technician and paid $905.62 thinking this was the end of our issue.
The second day of work we were shocked to learn the sewer line from the house to the street was infested with tree roots, collapsed and needed to be replaced. The technician stated that an ultrasonic device was required to locate the pipe, and back hoe to dig a trench, thus increasing the repair cost to an additional $2814.38. The leaking to the hall bath was due to the master shower. He stated that the drain was not attached to the pipe within the concrete slab causing leaking through the concrete into the other bathroom and hallway. Due to the demolition of the shower tile and concrete, the shower drain repair would cost an additional $1000. Again, we trusted the technician, paying the total amount of $3814.38.
The first evening following the extensive repair, the laundry room flooded yet again. Apparently the problem was not fixed. We received another estimate from Mr. Rooter. This visit entailed the repair and replacement of a pipe within the concrete slab of our only functioning bathroom that “might” be the culprit for an additional $1018.44. This bathroom is not remotely close to the laundry room. After almost $5000, not including the damage to our home, no solution has been provided and we feel like we are living in a “Money Pit”. Every time we contact Mr. Rooter we are given an extensive estimate with no warranty or definite fix to our problem.
At this point, tired of paying for guesses, we called Mr. Rooter on February 26th. The issue was explained in great detail and we were assured a prompt return phone call from the owner. We waited for a response over the weekend, after no response, we called and left another message on March 2nd. With no acknowledgement, we were forced to contact another plumber, Hernandez Plumbing on March 4th. Mr. Hernandez came out and inspected and discussed my dilemma. To our surprise, it is not against OSHA regulations to auger pipes from the roof. They had no problem opening the pipes, costing an additional $125 which we paid in full, a mere drop in the bucket.
We thought we were on the road to repair, angry that we were taken advantage and misled by Mr. Rooter. If the main sewer line was collapsed, would we have back flow in all drains and toilets? This did not happen. Would they not go through the pipes to make sure they were open before they finished the job? This did not happen. Obviously, we had a complaint and concern regarding the work completed. Does Customer Service end once the bill is paid? Do they not warranty their work?
During the replacement of the shower tile, it was found the previously repaired drain was not level, placed too deep and not centered. In order to proceed with the tile work and have a functioning shower, Brian Tindall removed all the tile and concrete down to the subfloor for Hernandez Plumbing to redo the work done by Mr. Rooter. We have a statement from Mr. Hernandez, copy of Mr. Tindall’s invoice for shower demolition and repair, and photos of the shower drain showing a complete bubble off from level. The estimate from Hernandez Plumbing for the shower drain was $150; the floor demolition was included in the repair total of $962.50. Why do we need to pay for the same work twice?
The washer again flooded the garage on March 22nd, and we contacted Hernandez Plumbing again to come out. After paying $150.12 for a camera review, it was found that there is a busted pipe under the sink in the kitchen needing to be repaired and replaced. This work has tentatively scheduled for this week, estimating an additional $1000. Hopefully there is an end in sight.
We expected a much higher level of service from Mr. Rooter, and are quite disappointed. Mr. Rooter gives the impression that they are honest, trustworthy, reliable and professional. I have enclosed a copy of their yellow page ad, which is a joke. It is not our obligation to pay for their guesswork. It is repulsive to think that people trust and contact them for help and only taken for a financial and emotional ride. Not only have we paid them for unneeded repairs, we have had to pay for another plumber to complete the work, spent many hours off of work, and are beginning to put our home back in order. After no response from Mr. Rooter to discuss and rectify this matter, we have been left us with no options. We are requesting Chase Visa to stop any payment or provide a full refund of all services by Mr. Rooter, for the total sum of $4720.00. They should not be allowed to continue business in this matter.
Please advise what other channels or options are available for customers. We have filed a complaint with Mr. Rooter, Chase Visa, Texas Plumbers Association and Better Business Bureau. We would appreciate any guidance you may offer. Thank you in advance for your time and assistance.

Mr. Rooter refused to provide an idea of pricing to come out to my house, "we don't provide pricing over the phone".

When I rec'd the bill it was $300 to snake a drain -- they were at the house for less than an hour. I called and asked for an explanation of the bill and was told my card would not be charged until I heard back from a Manager. My card was charged before I rec'd a call from the Manager. When I called to ask for an explanation, I was again given the run around. I will be disputing the charge on my credit card.

On Sunday 1/31/10 we contacted Mr. Rooter regarding a main line blockage due to roots that needed to be cleared. Our regular plumber had provided this service for the last 3 years using a 100ft Sewer Machine, so I told them they’d need a 100ft line and confirmed the special coupon price of $79.99. A technician named NShan showed up as promised, I handed him the coupon as instructed and confirmed the price, which he said was correct providing the blockage was not beyond 100ft. I told him our local plumber had cleared it every year with a 100ft line and we should be OK. The technician was unable to unclog the drain despite several attempts stating that the blockage was beyond 100ft, which seemed odd. He said we’d need to “double-drum” the cable to get 200ft and the cost would be an additional $294 or we could Hydro Jett the line for the special price of $650 (50% Off). We chose not to do this and decided to wait until Monday to call our regular plumber. He came out and with the same 100ft line he’s used in previous years (General Wire Speedrooter 91) was able to clear the sewer blockage, which he said was at about 70ft out. He showed me the extra cable still uncoiled inside the machine, which I took a photo of. I noticed his machine was bigger & wider than what Mr. Rooter used and was told he probably used a 50ft Machine used for Kitchen Drains. Suffice to say we immediately called our Bank to place a stop payment on the check to Mr. Rooter and called them to voice our displeasure. Based on my personal experience (YMMV) I believe Mr. Rooter Plumbing are dishonest and unethical, using bait-&-switch tactics designed to get them in the door via a discount coupon and then trying to up-sell you to more expensive services. Don’t be fooled; Use your local licensed plumber instead!

On January 4th I came home to a complete freeze up of my sewage drain system.After waiting all day long, a plumber from MR ROOTER finally arrived and quoted me $294 an hour to blow hot air on my drain pipes beneath my trailer.After about an hour and a half, the guy realized that he needed a better running machine and was gone for about an hour or so.When he returned, he unfroze the pipes after about 45 minutes and charged me $553.79 for TWO HOURS of time.It bothered me, but I said nothing and wrote the check.Now...on JANUARY 31st my ENTIRE SEWAGE DARIN SYSTEM is clogged up AGAIN.I guess that being the desperate sucker that I am, I will call them again and after I am done paying THAT, I am selling my place and getting the hell out of here before I go bankrupt.