Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Pelham and Shelby County homeowners dealing with water damage that has led to mold, who want one company to handle plumbing repair, water extraction, and remediation under one contract.
Best for
- Pelham and Birmingham-metro homeowners who need mold remediation tied to a plumbing failure or water intrusion event.
- Crawl-space homes in Shelby County where trapped moisture has created mold growth on joists and insulation.
- Anyone dealing with a water emergency who wants the plumbing fix, water extraction, and mold work handled by one company to simplify insurance claims.
- Commercial properties that need water damage restoration and follow-up mold work at scale.
About this company
Roto-Rooter in Pelham is a national franchise location that handles plumbing, water damage restoration, and mold remediation out of one office at 283 Cahaba Valley Parkway. Darrell Robertson manages the Pelham branch. The key differentiator here is that the same company that fixes your busted pipe also extracts the water and remediates the mold. That means one call and one insurance claim instead of coordinating three contractors.
The mold remediation team uses HEPA vacuums, air scrubbers, dehumidifiers, and antimicrobial treatments. Their technicians hold IICRC and AMRT certifications. The Pelham location page emphasizes crawl-space mold work specifically, which makes sense for the area: Shelby County homes on crawl-space foundations trap moisture in Alabama's humid summers, and Roto-Rooter calls this out as a core service.
Roto-Rooter has operated nationally since 1935. This Pelham branch covers the broader Birmingham metro, spanning Jefferson, Shelby, Walker, Tuscaloosa, Saint Clair, Blount, Bibb, and Pickens counties. They run 24/7, 365 days a year, with no trip charge and free estimates for plumbing.
4.8 stars across 1,285 Google reviews is a strong number for a franchise operation of this size. Most of the volume comes from plumbing and drain work rather than mold-specific jobs, so the rating reflects the broader operation.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Pelham, Alabama at 283 Cahaba Valley Parkway. Covers the Birmingham metro area across eight counties: Jefferson, Shelby, Walker, Tuscaloosa, Saint Clair, Blount, Bibb, and Pickens. Named cities include Hoover, Vestavia Hills, Homewood, Mountain Brook, Helena, Alabaster, Chelsea, Calera, Trussville, Moody, Leeds, Bessemer, Irondale, Gardendale, and Tuscaloosa. That is a very large footprint for a single branch office.
Review consensus
William Chang (also referred to as William Chen and Bill) shows up repeatedly across recent reviews. Customers describe him as knowledgeable, fast to diagnose, and good at explaining options without pressure. Brandon draws similar praise for reliability and friendliness across at least eight recent reviews. Settinino Cornelius (Setti) stands out on the restoration side: multiple reviewers describe him and his crew (Ronald, De'Onte, Wilbert) as thorough and communicative during multi-day water damage jobs. Eric Lovelady gets called out by name for water heater installs. Across the board, reviewers highlight fast response times, often same-day or within an hour of calling.
8 found across 1285 total reviews at 4.8★. Pricing and upselling drive the most detailed complaints. Andrew Petrovics described a plumber with one year of experience who refused to fix a leaky faucet after failing to upsell a pressure valve replacement. M. Nelson detailed a faucet install where the quoted $378 jumped to nearly $500 mid-job, with the technician threatening to disassemble the work if they did not pay. Nicolle Cespedes was quoted $875 for a cartridge swap she fixed herself for a fraction of the cost. On the restoration side, Jon described a chaotic experience with Phillip, who allegedly showed up unannounced, failed to send trained technicians, and left trash behind. Jennifer B reported two consecutive no-shows. Kelley Wright paid $545 for a repair on Derrick's recommendation that did not fix the problem, then was told she needed a $2,000 water heater. She updated her review to say Roto-Rooter contacted her but did nothing to resolve it.
Every single owner response on negative reviews follows the same template: apologize, direct the customer to email Pat Swanson (Customer Satisfaction Manager), and ask for the service address. Several responses claim they cannot locate the customer's record. This template approach runs even on detailed, specific complaints where the owner could have engaged with the facts. The 100% response rate looks good on the surface but the responses do not vary or address specifics. One response to a 3-star review (Superpromiise) thanks the customer for a great experience and names a technician, suggesting a mismatch between the review and the response.
William Chang / William Chen / Bill (plumber — consistently positive, praised for speed, knowledge, and clear communication). Brandon (plumber — positive across many reviews, described as reliable and friendly). Settinino Cornelius / Setti (restoration lead — positive, praised for communication and thoroughness). Eric Lovelady (plumber — positive, praised for water heater installs and courtesy). Nicholas (plumber — positive, handled a late-night emergency). Michael (plumber — positive, water pressure valve work). Jeff (plumber — positive, cleared a drain another company could not). Davis (plumber — positive on workmanship, though floor damage followed). Patrick (plumber — positive, evening service). Ronald, De'Onte, Wilbert (restoration crew — positive as a team). Jekovan (plumber — positive per owner response). Byron Hunt (plumber — positive). Charlie (plumber — positive). Derrick (plumber — negative, recommended a $545 repair that did not fix the issue). Phillip (restoration — negative, described as disruptive and unreliable). Bill (manager — negative, refused a refund per one complaint).
The plumbing side of this Pelham branch earns its 4.8 stars. Ask for William Chang or Brandon by name if you can. The restoration and mold side has fewer reviews and at least one alarming complaint, so pin down exactly who will be on your job and get the scope in writing. Get your mold inspection from an independent party before signing a remediation contract.
Keep in mind
- Roto-Rooter does both mold testing and mold remediation. That creates a conflict of interest: the same company that tells you there is a problem also sells you the fix. Consider getting an independent mold inspection before committing to their remediation scope.
- Multiple reviewers describe pricing surprises after the technician arrived. One was quoted $378 for a faucet install, then told on-site the cost would nearly double. Another was quoted $875 for a cartridge replacement available at a hardware store for under $50. Get a written, itemized estimate before work begins.
- The restoration side has drawn a specific complaint about Phillip showing up unannounced, making promises to handle insurance, then failing to send trained technicians. Plumbing reviews are much stronger than restoration reviews.
- Their service area spans eight Alabama counties, from Tuscaloosa to Pell City. Confirm response time and availability for mold-specific work at your location, since most of their crew handles plumbing.