Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Sunnyvale homeowners dealing with water damage from pipe failures or slab leaks who want plumbing repair and mold remediation handled by one company on a 24/7 basis.
Best for
- Sunnyvale and South Bay homeowners who need water damage cleanup and mold remediation after a pipe failure, slab leak, or sewage backup — especially when the plumbing source still needs repair.
- After-hours emergencies where you need someone on-site the same night — they operate 24/7 and reviews confirm technicians arriving within a couple of hours.
- Property owners who want a single company to handle plumbing repair, water extraction, structural drying, and mold work under one insurance claim rather than coordinating multiple contractors.
- Commercial properties needing scalable water damage and mold response with insurance documentation handled directly.
About this company
Roto-Rooter's Sunnyvale location is a national franchise outpost that doubles as both a plumbing company and a water damage restoration operation. That combination is their main selling point for mold work: when a burst pipe or slab leak causes water damage, they can fix the plumbing source and handle extraction, drying, and mold remediation without bringing in a second contractor. The office sits at 510 Lawrence Expressway and is managed by Justin Cvitkovich.
Their mold remediation page describes IICRC and AMRT training for technicians, and lists HEPA vacuums, air scrubbers, dehumidifiers, and antimicrobial treatments as standard equipment. They handle mold inspection, contaminated material removal, air filtration, and post-remediation documentation for insurance claims. The Sunnyvale location also carries a CA contractor license (#806952) and a BBB A+ rating.
Roto-Rooter has been operating since 1935 nationally. The Sunnyvale branch focuses heavily on conditions specific to the area — clay soils that stress buried pipes, very hard water (16-18 grains per gallon) that accelerates corrosion, and mid-century housing stock with aging plumbing. They serve both residential and commercial properties across multiple Bay Area counties.
A 4.8-star rating across 807 Google reviews is strong volume for a local service branch. The high review count reflects the franchise's brand recognition and 24/7 availability, though reviewers who give 4 stars frequently note that the work quality is good but the pricing runs high compared to independent plumbers.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Sunnyvale, California at 510 Lawrence Expressway. The branch lists coverage across five counties: Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, San Benito, and San Francisco. Nearby cities served include Cupertino, Los Altos, Mountain View, Campbell, Milpitas, San Jose, Palo Alto, and Redwood City. The five-county claim is broad — confirm that mold remediation crews specifically serve your location.
Review consensus
Michael Camacho is the most frequently named technician, praised across multiple reviews for persistence on difficult drain and leak jobs, willingness to diagnose complex problems, and clean work. Theo receives praise for thoroughness with tankless water heaters and camera inspections, with reviewers noting he explains findings clearly. Ruben earns high marks for efficiency and conscientiousness. Ilia is praised for diagnosing and solving problems cleanly. Jacob King is noted for Sunday morning responsiveness and offering future prevention advice. Amanda is highlighted for conscientiousness and customer communication. Multiple reviewers note fast scheduling, same-day or next-day arrival, and technicians who explain what they find.
7 found across 807 total reviews at 4.8★. Pricing dominates. Bruce Aseltine (April 2026) paid over $1,700 across multiple visits for a washing machine drain that was not properly fixed the first time — the original tech did not test the drain after snaking it, then later claimed he had. A second tech arrived angry and charged $325 for the follow-up. Shankar Iyer (February 2026) was charged $400 for a 10-minute toilet unclog and criticizes the lack of upfront pricing transparency during scheduling. Rami Batarseh (November 2025), a 20-year customer and Local Guide with 33 reviews, paid $950 to remove a toilet and unclog a sewer line — a job he says normally costs about $350 — and reports that technicians have started inflating quotes. Fabiola Restrepo Ramos (May 2025), a Local Guide, was quoted $455 plus parts for a toilet valve and flapper replacement; she paid $130 elsewhere. Youssif Kotb (June 2025) paid $469 for a clogged toilet. Sharif Khan (August 2025) reports a temporary fix that failed the next day with additional charges requested for a return visit. Jessica Duncan (May 2025), a Local Guide with 65 reviews, states she was charged for on-the-job training.
The pricing complaints follow a franchise pricing model pattern: technicians present on-site quotes that reflect corporate rate cards rather than market-rate pricing for the actual scope of work. Several reviewers note that the same job costs 50-70% less from independent plumbers. The 3-star reviews reinforce this — Robert Ronconi praised the people and service but could not justify $1,006 for under an hour of labor with no parts. Susan gave 3 stars because while Ruben was superb, a different tech lied about showing up the previous night. Owner responses are 100% templated — every negative review gets the same Pat Swanson email referral regardless of the complaint specifics. One reviewer who followed through reported the corporate callback simply restated standard pricing without resolution.
Michael Camacho (technician — positive, mentioned in 8+ reviews for drain clearing, leak repair, and complex plumbing). Ruben (technician — positive, praised for efficiency and conscientiousness). Theo (technician — positive, praised for water heater expertise and camera inspections). Ilia (technician — positive, praised for diagnosis and clean work). Jacob King (technician — positive, Sunday responsiveness). Pablo Moran Morales (technician — positive). Brian (technician — positive, evening drain work). Dale (technician — positive, communication). Jesse (technician — positive, shower drain). Ivan (technician — positive). Amanda (technician — positive, conscientiousness and communication). Bill Shelton (technician — positive, drain snaking and root treatment). Kameron Tanouye (technician — positive, leak repair). Marcus (technician — positive, explanation and prevention tips). Phillip (technician — positive, shower drain). Pat Swanson (Customer Satisfaction Manager — neutral, handles all complaint responses via template). Justin Cvitkovich (branch manager — neutral, named on website only).
The plumbing and water damage work draws consistent praise — technicians like Michael Camacho, Theo, and Ruben clearly know what they are doing. The risk is the bill. Get a written estimate before any work begins, ask for a line-item breakdown, and compare pricing with at least one independent contractor. If you need after-hours emergency service and value having plumbing and water damage handled by the same crew, the convenience premium may be worth it.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. That means the same company deciding you have a mold problem is also the one billing you to fix it. Ask whether they use an independent third-party inspector for mold verification, or request one yourself.
- Pricing is the single biggest complaint in their reviews. Multiple customers report paying $400-$950 for jobs they describe as taking under an hour. Several reviewers found independent contractors who completed the same work for 30-60% less. Get a written quote before work starts, and compare it to at least one other estimate.
- Owner responses to negative reviews follow an identical template — every one directs the customer to email Pat Swanson. This suggests reputation management rather than case-by-case resolution. At least one reviewer who followed up reported the corporate response was not useful.
- Mold remediation is listed as a service, but none of the Google reviews mention mold-specific work. All reviews in the packet cover plumbing and drain jobs. You cannot gauge their mold remediation quality from existing review data.
- Their service area claim spans five Bay Area counties (Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, San Mateo, San Benito, San Francisco). Confirm that mold remediation crews — not just plumbers — actually serve your specific location.