Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Drain Services

I will never use Roto-​Rooter again. Labor charge on a 20 minute job was ridiculously insane. I had an unfortunate leaky valve in my downstairs half bath. I noticed there was water everywhere coming from my Angle Stop Valve. I tried to shut the valve off and it began to spray water more consistently. I panicked trying to clean up the wet mess I already had. I called Roto-​Rooter about 8:00pm the customer service guy (who struggled getting my contact info correctly several times) informed me that he would contact me within the next two hours with information on whom would come out to help me. I asked him a few questions (how do I stop the leak until Tech arrives? How much do you think this will cost me?) which he wasn’t confident in answering. I received a call back from the Rep who then informed me that he was sorry but no-​one was available to come out that night it would have to wait till first thing in the morning. He gave me a 4 hour window of 8am-​noon. I was not thrilled with that time-​frame being it was mid work week. He put me on hold and indicated it would now be between 8am-​10am. He apologized for the inconvenience of not being able to get someone out that same night to help me and informed me that he was making a notation to the technician to take 10% off for me the next day, he also informed me that if I went to their website I could download a coupon for $ 40 off any work performed IN ADDITION to the 10% he already added on for me. I thanked him and thought to myself «Ok, this won’t be so bad, miss a few hours of work the coupon and the 10% will be ok.) I am a single parent working two jobs the cost of this was a HUGE concern to me. I ended up having to shut the water off to the entire house as the valve continued to leak steadily.
The next morning when Roto-​Rooter arrived at 9am (a rep called me at 7:30 to inform me Tech was on his way and he was 25 – 30 minutes out. He arrived a lot closer to 9am. I showed him the valve, he said he had to go out to truck for pricing sheet. He came back in and informed me that labor for this was $ 365. I WAS SCHOCKED because I know for a fact the valve itself and the supply hose is only about $ 20-​$ 25. I couldn’t believe that was the cost I informed him of my dismay he said he had a note to take $ 10% off but that he would give me $ 40 off instead. I still informed him of my dismay and that it seemed extreme in labor cost. I told him the truth I work two jobs, I tried really hard to stop/​fix the leak myself but I was too panicked once I couldn’t get it to stop flowing water everywhere. He said and I quote «well now that you said that I will try to help you out a bit but I can’t really take off to much because they don’t like it when we do that.»
He said he was going to go out and see if he had everything he needed on his truck to change out the old valve with new valve. He said he did and came in the house and got right to work. 15 minutes in he said he was missing a part and that he needed to find a Lowe’s or Home Depot. I was a bit confused being that he originally said he had everything, in any case I said to him well Home Depot is literally a mile up the road. He left and 30 minutes later he returned with the part I presume, he claimed his GPS gave him wrong directions and went back into the bathroom. not even 10 minutes later he emerged out of the bathroom saying it was done.
He then went back out to his truck to get the invoice he came back in and said «are you ready for the damage?» Labor was $ 365 subtract $ 40 brings you to $ 325 plus the parts were $ 25.90 your back up to $ 350.90. WOWWWW, so much for helping me out, he obviously lied on top of which I should have received $ 40 off plus the 10% off the Rep informed of for an additional $ 30-​$ 35 off. I was so disgusted with the cost of labor for literally a 20 MINUTE job that I just paid him and wanted him out as I needed to get to work. My end result thoughts on this company is NEVER USE ROTO ROOTER. They are RIP-​OFFS and not very reliable on their word.