Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Indianapolis homeowners dealing with water damage that led to mold growth, where Roto-Rooter can fix the plumbing source and handle remediation in one dispatch.
Best for
- Indianapolis and Marion County homeowners who need water damage cleanup and mold remediation handled by one company without coordinating multiple contractors.
- Basement flooding emergencies where mold risk is high and you need someone dispatched at 2 a.m. on a holiday without surcharges.
- Property owners whose mold problem started from a plumbing failure, since Roto-Rooter can fix the pipe and remediate the mold in the same service chain.
- Commercial properties in Indianapolis that need scalable water damage and mold work with insurance documentation built into the process.
- Buyers who want financing options for large remediation jobs through Synchrony Bank rather than paying the full cost upfront.
About this company
Roto-Rooter in Indianapolis is a national franchise location at 5170 Commerce Circle, managed by Joe Saez. Mold remediation is one piece of a much larger operation that focuses on plumbing, drain cleaning, and water damage restoration. They categorize their mold work under the water damage division, handling it as a follow-on service after water extraction and structural drying.
What makes this location different from standalone mold companies is the plumbing-and-restoration pipeline. When a burst pipe or sewer backup causes water damage, Roto-Rooter sends plumbers to stop the source, then dispatches IICRC-certified restoration crews to extract water, dry the structure, and remediate any mold that develops. That single-vendor chain removes the coordination headaches of hiring a plumber and a separate mold company. Their website lists HEPA vacuums, air scrubbers, dehumidifiers, and antimicrobial treatments as standard equipment. Technicians hold IICRC and AMRT certifications for mold work.
Roto-Rooter has operated nationally since 1935, and this Indianapolis branch covers Marion County plus 12 surrounding counties including Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, and Hendricks. They run 24/7 with no extra charges for nights, weekends, or holidays, and offer financing through Synchrony Bank.
4.8 stars across 3,464 Google reviews is a strong rating for a franchise operation handling this volume. Most of the recent positive reviews praise individual technicians by name, which suggests the field crews are driving satisfaction even when scheduling and office communication draw complaints.
Services
Service area
Headquartered at 5170 Commerce Circle, Indianapolis, IN 46237. Covers Marion County and the Indianapolis metro including Beech Grove, Speedway, Cumberland, Southport, Carmel, Fishers, Noblesville, Greenwood, Brownsburg, Plainfield, and Avon. Claims coverage across 12 counties: Marion, Hamilton, Hendricks, Johnson, Morgan, Boone, Hancock, Shelby, Bartholomew, Putnam, Clay, and Vigo. The Vigo County claim (Terre Haute area) puts the western edge roughly 75 miles from Indianapolis, which is a broad reach for a single branch.
Review consensus
Daniel Osagie is the standout technician, named in roughly a dozen recent positive reviews for fast drain clearing, kitchen sink repairs, and above-and-beyond effort. Evan draws praise for water heater replacements and plumbing diagnostics. David Tlou earns mentions for holiday responsiveness and careful property protection. Harrison and Taylor are called out as a strong team for complex plumbing jobs. Across the board, reviewers highlight same-day or next-day arrival, clear explanations of the problem, and willingness to work nights and weekends without surcharges.
16 found across 3464 total reviews at 4.8★. Missed and rescheduled appointments are the most common complaint. Amber Codozor waited two days across two missed windows before canceling. Lenny Antkowiak had a Sunday 6-8 PM window pushed to 11:15 PM and then canceled entirely. Aubree Scaife called for an emergency and no one showed. Kayla Vanausdal was told dispatch never pushed through her ticket. Pricing disputes appear in multiple reviews: Cee G paid $750 for a disposal replacement that turned out to be a switch issue, Satish Musunuri was charged $163 after being told the visit was free, and David Chamblin paid nearly $700 for an hour of work. On drain work, Christian Francescon paid Philip for a full cleanout but another company cleared the same line the next day. Dustin Ward paid for a cleanout and a follow-up camera found Roto-Rooter left a clump in the line, only to be told they had met their "contractual obligations." Dominic Rankin waited five days for a camera inspection that was half his bill. Anastasia described techs pushing an expensive fix with high-interest financing after John had already done the basic work.
All owner responses are signed by Pat Swanson, Customer Satisfaction Manager, and follow a near-identical template: acknowledge frustration, invite the reviewer to email or call, close with the same signature block. The responses rarely engage with the specifics of each complaint. In one case, the response to Dustin Ward's 1-star review thanked him for a "5-star rating," suggesting automated or careless response handling. This template pattern means the 100% owner response rate looks more like reputation management than case-by-case resolution.
Daniel Osagie (technician — praised in 10+ reviews for drain work, plumbing repairs, speed, and kindness). Evan (technician — praised for water heater replacements and plumbing diagnostics). David Tlou (technician — praised for holiday responsiveness and property care). Harrison (technician — praised as part of a team with Taylor). Taylor (technician — praised alongside Harrison). Trever (technician — praised for emergency water heater service). Andy (technician — praised for answering questions). Taha (technician — praised for educating a first-time homeowner). Kris Wiening (technician — praised by name). LN (technician — praised for honest water heater replacement). Rob (mentioned in negative review as helpful). Chris and Chris (two techs praised together by Sarah). Philip (technician — named in Christian's 1-star for incomplete drain work). Joe Saez (GM — called a "salesman and jerk" in Autumn Keown's 1-star). Zach (office — refused refund request in Christian's complaint). Dan (office — hung up on caller in Logan Harris's 1-star). John (technician — praised as kind but associated with upselling team in Anastasia's 2-star). Abraham (technician — initially praised by Shelbi but review later edited to 1-star citing overcharging). Pat Swanson (Customer Satisfaction Manager — signs all owner responses).
Ask for Daniel Osagie, Evan, or David Tlou by name if you can. Get the full price in writing before any work starts, and confirm your appointment window directly with dispatch rather than assuming the first time slot will hold. This is a strong plumbing-and-water-damage operation where mold remediation rides along as an add-on, so treat it accordingly.
Keep in mind
- Roto-Rooter does both mold testing and mold remediation. The same company that tells you mold exists also sells you the remediation. Consider getting an independent mold assessment before committing to their remediation scope.
- Scheduling reliability is a recurring complaint. Four recent 1-star reviews describe missed appointments, no-shows, and last-minute reschedules with poor communication from dispatch. Confirm your appointment window in writing and get a direct callback number.
- Pricing draws consistent complaints. Multiple reviewers report charges they did not expect, including a $163 diagnostic fee after being told the visit was free. Get the full cost in writing before work starts.
- Mold remediation is not the core business here. Roto-Rooter is primarily a plumbing and water damage company. Their mold work is a downstream add-on, not the focus of daily operations.
- Owner responses to negative reviews follow a rigid template signed by Pat Swanson. Nearly every response redirects the reviewer to email or call rather than addressing the specific complaint. One response thanked a 1-star reviewer for a "5-star rating." Do not rely on the response pattern as evidence that complaints are resolved.