Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Santa Clara homeowners dealing with water damage from slab leaks or sewer backups who need same-day plumbing repair and water cleanup from a single company with 24/7 availability.
Best for
- Santa Clara homeowners who need a plumbing repair and water damage cleanup handled by one company in a single call
- Emergency situations like sewer backups or burst pipes where 24/7 response time matters more than shopping for the lowest price
- Properties with postwar plumbing in neighborhoods like Old Quad, Washington Square, or Pomeroy Green where slab leaks and root intrusion are common
- Commercial properties needing scalable water damage restoration with insurance documentation support
About this company
Roto-Rooter's Santa Clara location operates out of 2078 Walsh Ave, serving the South Bay as a franchise of the national plumbing chain founded in 1935. Their primary identity is plumbing and drain cleaning, not mold remediation. Mold work falls under their water damage restoration division, which handles water extraction, structural drying, and mold prevention after pipe failures, sewer backups, and floods. Manager Justin Cvitkovich runs this location.
What stands out is the single-vendor model. Most water damage restoration companies need a separate plumber to fix the pipe break before cleanup can begin. Roto-Rooter does both — their plumbing crew stops the leak while the restoration team starts water extraction. They carry IICRC credentials for their water damage technicians and use industrial-grade dehumidifiers, air movers, and moisture sensors. They also handle insurance documentation and coordinate directly with carriers.
The Santa Clara branch covers a wide territory spanning Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, San Benito, and San Francisco counties. They hold California Contractor License #806952 and maintain a BBB A+ rating. The company has deep knowledge of Santa Clara's specific conditions — clay soils that stress buried pipes, very hard water at 16-18 grains per gallon, and postwar-era plumbing in many neighborhoods.
4.8 stars across 1,065 Google reviews is a strong rating for a high-volume franchise operation. That volume means the rating reflects a broad cross-section of experiences, not just a handful of happy customers.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Santa Clara, CA at 2078 Walsh Ave. The website claims coverage across Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, San Benito, and San Francisco counties, including Campbell, Saratoga, and Cambrian Park. Five-county coverage from a single location is a broad claim — expect faster response times within the immediate Santa Clara and San Jose metro area.
Review consensus
Ricky Ronquillo is by far the most frequently named technician, appearing in 15+ positive reviews for drain cleaning and sewer work. Customers describe him as friendly, explanatory, and fast — multiple reviewers note he showed camera footage of pipe interiors and explained what caused the clog. Miguel Sanchez draws praise for water heater replacements and creative problem-solving, including a difficult under-sink repair requiring a specialty connector. Aaron W and Aaron Dye get called out for same-day service and not charging when fixes were quick. Bryan and Tyler earned praise for a sewer line backup handled with clear communication. Pablo handled tough jobs on old plumbing. Same-day and same-hour response time is the most consistent operational strength — several reviewers note technicians arrived within 45 minutes of calling. Judith handled phone scheduling well according to one reviewer.
7 found across 1065 total reviews at 4.8★. Pricing dominates the complaints. Gagan Kaur describes being told a bathroom had a serious foundation leak requiring $8,000 in work, only for a second crew to fix it in under an hour with barely any water present. Dusty Simon paid around $10,000 for a sewer line replacement that remained unfinished over a week later, with an attempted $6,000 upsell mid-project, and reported OSHA-concerning trench conditions and sidewalk damage — he names Roger Leon specifically. Edward Chang paid $917 for one hour of work and never received the promised video inspection. Parsa Val had a gas leak develop the day after Roto-Rooter serviced a water heater, then was asked to pay $460 to fix their own mistake. Liang Dai found the service overly expensive and the problem unresolved. LG Music Fundraising describes two weeks of repeated sewer backups with poor communication about a main line replacement start date, including spending $1,500 on personal cleanup during the wait.
The pricing complaints follow a pattern typical of large franchise plumbing operations: field technicians have authority to quote on-site, and multiple reviewers describe prices that escalate after arrival or feel disconnected from the scope of work. The 2-star and 3-star reviews reinforce this — Craig Seran describes a bait-and-switch on toilet parts ($495 for one part instead of the full replacement he agreed to), and Alex Hui details a pricing hustle where a $135 quote jumped to $418, then was "discounted" to $209, with no mention of the advertised $55 coupon. Jiaxin Hu gave 3 stars specifically noting upselling despite good work quality. Owner responses are 100% template — every single one directs the customer to email Pat Swanson. None address specifics, offer refunds, or explain what happened. This is reputation management, not problem resolution.
Ricky Ronquillo (technician — overwhelmingly positive, 15+ mentions for drain cleaning and explanations). Miguel Sanchez (technician — positive, praised for water heaters and creative repairs). Aaron W (technician — positive, friendly and clean). Aaron Dye (technician — positive, did not charge for quick fix). Bryan (technician — positive, sewer line work). Tyler (technician — positive, paired with Bryan). David (technician — positive, pipe replacement). Pablo (technician — positive, old plumbing work). Carlos (technician — positive, prompt and professional). Phillip (technician — positive, quick arrival). Alejandro (technician — positive). Christopher (technician — positive, efficient). Mark (technician — positive, fast service). Judith (phone staff — positive, scheduling). Rick (technician — positive, paired with David). Rueben (technician — positive, mindful of cleanliness). Jesus (technician — positive, sump pump). Roger Leon (technician — mixed, praised by Craig Oku as knowledgeable but named by Dusty Simon for false upselling claims). Dan Rodgers (technician — positive, washing machine hookups). Sergio (technician — positive). Theo (technician — positive). Pat Swanson (Customer Satisfaction Manager — responds to all negative reviews with template).
The plumbing and drain work gets consistently good marks — Ricky Ronquillo and Miguel Sanchez are safe bets if you can request them. Get a written quote before work begins and confirm the total includes any advertised discounts. If you need mold remediation specifically, ask what percentage of their work involves mold versus plumbing, and get an independent mold assessment before agreeing to remediation.
Keep in mind
- Roto-Rooter does both mold testing and mold remediation. When the same company tests for mold and then sells you the remediation work, there is a financial incentive to find problems. Consider getting an independent mold assessment before committing to their remediation services.
- Pricing is the most common complaint in recent reviews. Multiple customers report charges of $400-$900 for drain cleaning jobs lasting under an hour, and at least three reviewers describe on-site price escalation where the quoted amount increased after work began.
- Every owner response to negative reviews follows the same template — directing customers to email Pat Swanson with their address and a copy of the review. None of the responses engage with the specific complaint or offer concrete resolution in the review itself.
- Their mold work is secondary to plumbing and water damage. If you need standalone mold remediation unrelated to a plumbing event, a dedicated mold remediation company will likely have more specialized experience.
- Service area claims span five counties across the Bay Area. Response times for locations far from their Santa Clara base may differ from what customers near Walsh Ave experience.