Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Mobile, Baldwin, and Washington County homeowners dealing with mold after water damage who want a single company to handle plumbing, water cleanup, and remediation under one roof.
Best for
- Mobile, Baldwin, or Washington County homeowners with mold growth triggered by a plumbing leak or water damage event, where one company can trace the problem from pipe to wall.
- Commercial property owners who need 24/7 emergency water extraction and follow-up mold remediation under one contract.
- Buyers who want the source of moisture identified and fixed before mold cleanup starts, rather than hiring a plumber and a mold company separately.
- Homeowners navigating insurance claims for water damage, since Roto-Rooter's website emphasizes working alongside insurance agents.
- Anyone who values a family-owned operator with deep local roots over a faceless national franchise — this is a franchise in name, but the Smith family has run it locally since 1935.
About this company
Roto-Rooter in Mobile, Alabama is a plumbing company first and a mold remediation provider second. They handle the full sequence: find the leak, dry the water, then remove the mold that grew because of it. That pipeline from plumbing to mold work is their central pitch, and it sets them apart from standalone mold companies in the Mobile area.
Their mold page advertises free inspections, IICRC-accredited technicians, antimicrobial treatment, and air purification. They list 12 mold species by name and emphasize source identification — finding the leak that caused the mold, not just cleaning visible growth. Water damage restoration runs 24/7, 365 days a year, with separate phone lines for Mobile/Washington County, Baldwin County, and South Baldwin County.
The Smith family has run this franchise since 1935, when Don and Frances Smith started the Mobile operation out of their living room. Greg Smith took over in 1989. Today his daughter Hannah serves as COO and her sister Libby runs marketing — three generations deep. The company employs over 50 people and offers financing.
4.8 stars across 3,321 Google reviews is unusually strong for a company this size. Most plumbing and restoration companies in the Mobile area carry far fewer reviews, which makes this volume a meaningful signal of sustained activity.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Mobile, Alabama at 2001 W I-65 Service Rd N. Serves Mobile County, Baldwin County, and Washington County, with specific coverage in Semmes, Saraland, Daphne, Fairhope, and Theodore. Separate phone lines operate for each county region. One reviewer noted a travel surcharge for addresses just outside the core service zone.
Review consensus
Reviewers consistently name individual technicians. Aaron draws praise for finding hidden water leaks and clearing root-blocked sewer lines — one reviewer said he arrived within two hours and finished in under 30 minutes. Cody Dickson gets called out by name in multiple reviews for dependable work and reasonable pricing, with one reviewer citing a four-hour response time. Dallas earns mentions for late-night drain calls and persistence on stubborn clogs. Garrett handles drain issues. Dylan draws praise for faucet installations. Reviewers frequently mention fast response times, willingness to stick with a problem until solved, and courteous behavior. Eric Daniels praised a tech who repaired a grinder pump instead of replacing it, saving the homeowner thousands.
8 found across 3321 total reviews at 4.8★. Billing disputes dominate the complaints. Taite Training signed a contract with a $150 approval threshold and received a $400 charge for under an hour of work on a commercial toilet. Louise Chan paid $450 across two visits for a sewer backup — the technician ran 100 feet of line and found nothing, the city later identified a broken PVC pipe blocking 98% of the sewer, and a second visit produced upselling for cameras and jet streams but zero repair. Wayne Wood paid $390 for a drain that remained clogged. Heather described her technician Austin charging by the hour while stopping to talk, then billing for pipe digging that never happened, with a rude manager response when she called. Elizabeth paid a high rate and the leaky faucet still leaked.
The negative reviews cluster around a specific dynamic: hourly or per-visit billing on jobs that end without resolution. Customers pay for the technician's time regardless of whether the problem gets fixed. This is common in plumbing-first companies where drain clearing is the bread and butter — some jobs genuinely resist standard approaches, but three separate reviewers describing high charges with no fix suggests the pricing model doesn't protect the customer when the work fails. Owner responses are 100% but uniformly template: every one invites the reviewer to call without acknowledging the specific complaint.
Aaron (technician — praised in multiple reviews for leak detection and drain clearing). Cody Dickson (technician — praised in multiple reviews for reliability and reasonable pricing). Dallas (technician — praised for late-night calls and drain work). Garrett (technician — praised for drain work). Dylan/Dylon (technician — praised for faucet installation). Jacob (technician — praised for grinder pump replacement). Austin (technician — named in one negative review for disputed hourly billing). Mr. Mitchell (technician — praised for satisfaction). Terry (technician — praised on website testimonial for having proper equipment). Libby (office/marketing — praised for pleasant phone interactions).
At 4.8 stars across 3,321 reviews, the overall track record is strong — the negative pattern affects a tiny fraction of jobs. But the billing complaints are specific enough to take seriously. Ask for a written not-to-exceed estimate before work starts. If your mold job stems from a water or plumbing issue, request Aaron or Cody Dickson by name — they draw the most consistent praise.
Keep in mind
- Roto-Rooter does both mold inspection and mold remediation. That creates a conflict of interest: the same company that tells you whether you have a mold problem also profits from fixing it. Consider getting an independent mold assessment before committing to their remediation work.
- Multiple recent one-star reviews describe billing surprises — charges that exceeded verbal estimates or signed thresholds, work billed by the hour with disputed time, and fees collected for work that did not fix the problem. Get a written, itemized quote before any work begins.
- Owner responses to negative reviews follow a template pattern: every reply invites the reviewer to call a phone number without addressing the specific complaint. That suggests reputation management, not individual problem-solving.
- Mold remediation is one service among many here. This is primarily a plumbing company. Their mold-specific staff, equipment, and experience may be thinner than a dedicated mold remediation firm.
- The website claims service across three counties. One reviewer noted a $100+ travel fee for being slightly outside the core range. Confirm your address falls within their standard service area before scheduling.