Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Duluth and Gwinnett County homeowners dealing with water damage that leads to mold, who want a national brand with 24/7 dispatch, IICRC-trained crews, and plumbing repair under the same call so the moisture source gets fixed before remediation starts.
Best for
- Duluth and Gwinnett County homeowners who discover mold after a plumbing failure or water intrusion and want the leak fixed and the mold removed by one company in one visit cycle.
- Homeowners facing an after-hours water emergency who need same-day extraction to prevent mold growth, given Roto-Rooter dispatches 24/7 with no additional charge for nights, weekends, or holidays.
- Property owners who need insurance claim documentation handled alongside the remediation work, since the crew photographs conditions and coordinates with adjusters throughout the process.
- Commercial property managers across metro Atlanta who need scalable water damage and mold response from an operation with enough trucks and staff to handle large jobs.
About this company
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup operates from 2805 Peachtree Industrial Blvd in Duluth, Georgia, serving Gwinnett County and the broader metro Atlanta corridor. This is a franchise location of the national Roto-Rooter brand, managed by Brian Smith, holding Georgia plumbing license #MP209666. Their primary identity is plumbing and water damage restoration, with mold remediation as a downstream service they offer after water intrusion events.
What stands out is the single-call model. Most mold remediation companies cannot fix the plumbing failure that caused the moisture problem. Roto-Rooter sends plumbers and restoration crews from the same operation, which means the leak gets repaired and the water extraction, drying, and mold removal happen under one contract. Their website describes containment, antimicrobial treatment of surfaces, and post-remediation moisture verification. Crews carry IICRC training, and the operation runs industrial-grade extraction equipment, air movers, and dehumidifiers. They also document conditions throughout for insurance claim support.
The brand has existed since 1935. This Duluth location covers 18 counties and lists communities from Alpharetta and Sandy Springs to Decatur and McDonough. The BBB rates them A+. They offer Synchrony financing, senior and military discounts, and free on-site estimates with no trip charge.
4.9 stars across 804 Google reviews is an unusually strong rating for a high-volume franchise operation. Most restoration franchises with that many reviews settle around 4.5 to 4.7. The volume of 5-star reviews with named technicians and specific job descriptions suggests a field team that consistently delivers, even if the pricing structure draws complaints from a small percentage of customers.
Services
Service area
Headquartered at 2805 Peachtree Industrial Blvd, Duluth, Georgia. Serves Gwinnett County and the broader metro Atlanta region, including Lawrenceville, Lilburn, Snellville, Johns Creek, Alpharetta, Roswell, Sandy Springs, Buford, Acworth, Decatur, Stone Mountain, Tucker, Conyers, and McDonough. Claims coverage across 18 counties including Cobb, Clayton, DeKalb, Fulton, Cherokee, Forsyth, and Hall. That is a wide footprint for one office; confirm dispatch times for addresses outside Gwinnett County.
Review consensus
Chris Smith (or Chris/Christopher) dominates the positive reviews. Erica Miller described him diagnosing hot water, leak, and pressure issues in one visit. William Rodriguez praised Chris and Jeremiah for handling an urgent midnight request, noting Chris relocated a shut-off valve to eye level without being asked. Alicia Wilson called him reliable and communicative. Laurie Ward said he worked non-stop until he found the issue. Shanona Kilpatrick described him replacing a water heater in under an hour. Trence (also spelled Trent, Trynce, Trance) appears across six reviews. Alma H praised his crawlspace work and positive attitude. Jenny Wang described his thoroughness inspecting and replacing an outdoor faucet. Amy Strong called after a botched repair by another company and Trence fixed it. Monique B credited him for proactively catching an expansion tank problem. Steven Russ noted he went into diagnostic mode beyond the reported issue. ASM appears in two reviews for fast, well-explained repairs. Kamal drew praise from Phil Bartkowski for calm, efficient water heater replacement after a rupture. Jeremiah pairs with Chris across multiple calls. Emergency response speed is a consistent thread: multiple reviewers report same-night or next-morning arrivals.
8 found across 804 total reviews at 4.9★. Inconsistent and inflated pricing is the dominant complaint. John (91 reviews, Local Guide) described technician Mang quoting $700 for a faucet replacement, then dropping to $500, then $485 within seconds when challenged. Arun Gupta (6 reviews) paid $675 for sewer clearing without a camera inspection and was quoted $7,200 for pipe replacement that a competitor quoted at $4,000. Pam Dixe (1 review) reported $10,000 for three hours of work and difficulty reaching anyone for answers afterward. keondra weaver (8 reviews) described an initial quote that was reduced multiple times within minutes, creating discomfort about pricing consistency. Jimmie Johnson (3 reviews) said they sold him something he did not need and he had to call another company to fix the actual problem. J E (4 reviews) called twice over 10 days requesting a statement about a water leak diagnosis before a water heater was sold, and never received a callback. Minhyung Kim (7 reviews) found estimates nearly twice as high as a competitor. Nakisha (58 reviews, Local Guide) left a 2-star rating with no text.
The pricing complaints reveal a structural issue common to large plumbing franchises: technicians have discretion over quoting, and the initial price is often a ceiling rather than a fixed rate. Three of the eight negative reviewers specifically describe prices dropping after pushback, which suggests a negotiation-first pricing model rather than true flat-rate pricing. The owner response pattern reinforces this: every negative review gets a template response from Pat Swanson directing the reviewer to email, without engaging the specific complaint. One response (on J E's 1-star review about not getting a callback) was clearly a positive response pasted on the wrong review, praising 'Srefan' for quick service. The 100% response rate looks diligent on paper, but the responses are interchangeable.
Chris Smith (technician — positive, named across 8+ reviews for water heater replacement, leak diagnosis, pressure valve work, and emergency response). Trence/Trent/Trynce/Trance (technician, ID 2559 — positive, named across 6 reviews for plumbing repairs, crawlspace work, and proactive diagnostics). ASM (technician — positive, named in 2 reviews for fast, well-explained service). Jeremiah (technician — positive, paired with Chris in 2 reviews for emergency response). Kamal (technician — positive, praised for calm water heater emergency response). Jonah Swartz (technician — positive, 1 review for fast repair). James (manager — positive, 1 review for sending crew to correct an issue). Lenny Rivera, #1390 (technician — positive, praised for quality service beyond drain work). Mang (technician — negative, named in John's 1-star review for dropping price from $700 to $485 within seconds). Pat Swanson (Customer Satisfaction Manager — responds to all negative reviews via template).
Roto-Rooter Duluth delivers strong field work, especially on emergency calls. Ask for Chris Smith or Trence by name if you can. Get every quote in writing before the technician starts, and do not accept the first price without asking whether a lower rate applies. Compare any estimate over $1,000 to at least one other company before committing.
Keep in mind
- Pricing is negotiable at this location, which is not necessarily a good thing. Multiple reviewers describe initial quotes dropping by hundreds of dollars after pushback. John, a Local Guide with 91 reviews, reported a faucet replacement quoted at $700 that fell to $485 within 30 seconds. keondra weaver described multiple price reductions within minutes. Get a written flat-rate quote before agreeing to any work, and compare it to at least one other bid.
- Several reviewers report charges that seem disproportionate to work performed. Arun Gupta paid $675 for a sewer clearing without camera inspection and was quoted $7,200 for a pipe replacement that a competitor priced at $4,000. Pam Dixe reported $10,000 for three hours of work. Ask for a detailed scope of work in writing.
- This is a plumbing company that also does mold remediation, not a mold-focused operation. Their mold work comes after water damage events. If you have a standalone mold problem unrelated to a plumbing failure, confirm they will send remediation-trained crew rather than plumbing technicians.
- The service area claims 18 counties across metro Atlanta. If you are outside Gwinnett County, confirm dispatch time and whether the crew comes from the Duluth office or a different Roto-Rooter location.
- All owner responses to negative reviews come from Pat Swanson, Customer Satisfaction Manager, and follow a template directing reviewers to email. One response on J E's 1-star complaint was clearly meant for a different review. This is reputation management, not problem-solving.