Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
South Bend and Mishawaka homeowners who need mold remediation tied to an active water damage event, especially basement floods or sewer backups where plumbing repair and cleanup need to happen in the same call.
Best for
- South Bend and Mishawaka homeowners dealing with mold growth after a basement flood, burst pipe, or sewer backup where plumbing repair and remediation need to happen together.
- Property owners who need same-day or after-hours emergency response for water damage that risks mold development within 24-48 hours.
- Homeowners who want one company to handle the insurance documentation, plumbing source repair, water extraction, and mold cleanup rather than coordinating multiple contractors.
- Commercial property managers in St. Joseph and La Porte counties who need a company with the scale to handle larger water damage and mold projects.
About this company
Roto-Rooter in South Bend is a national franchise location operated as an independent contractor by John and Beth Stasney, based at 1706 W 6th St in Mishawaka, IN. Mold remediation is one service within a much broader plumbing and water damage restoration operation. Their primary identity is plumbing and drain cleaning; mold work follows water damage events.
The operational advantage here is consolidation. Roto-Rooter handles the plumbing repair that caused the water damage, the water extraction and structural drying, and the mold remediation in a single dispatch chain. The website describes IICRC-trained technicians using HEPA vacuums, air scrubbers, dehumidifiers, and antimicrobial treatments for mold work. They also coordinate directly with insurance companies, providing photos, drying logs, and documentation throughout the process.
The Roto-Rooter brand has operated since 1935. This South Bend location is a member of the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Indiana Chamber of Commerce, and PHCC. They hold Indiana plumbing license PC10100514. The location dispatches 24/7, 365 days a year, and reviews confirm late-night and weekend service calls.
With 840 Google reviews at 4.7 stars, this is a high-volume, well-reviewed location. The review count reflects the full range of plumbing and water damage work, not mold-specific jobs. Most reviews reference drain cleaning and plumbing repair, with a smaller subset covering water damage restoration.
Services
Service area
Based in Mishawaka, IN at 1706 W 6th St, operating under the South Bend market. Covers St. Joseph, La Porte, Marshall, Fulton, Starke, Pulaski counties in Indiana and Cass and Berrien counties in Michigan. Named cities include South Bend, Mishawaka, Granger, Elkhart area, Plymouth, Michigan City, La Porte, Niles (MI), Benton Harbor (MI), and St. Joseph (MI). The service area claim is broad, spanning two states and nine counties. Confirm dispatch availability and any trip fees for locations outside the Mishawaka/South Bend core.
Review consensus
Charles (also referenced as Charles Winston) is the most frequently named technician, praised for late-night calls, handling tree root intrusions, pipe scoping, and keeping customers comfortable. Dennis gets repeat mentions for patience, understanding, and doing solid work. Scott draws praise for speed, competence, and making repeat customers feel at ease about their older homes. Curtis is noted for honesty, delivering on rescheduled jobs, and fair pricing. Multiple reviewers highlight same-day or next-day response, after-hours availability at fair prices, and technicians who explain findings before starting work. Sarah Lum's review specifically calls out that they never push unnecessary repairs.
5 found across 840 total reviews at 4.7★. Ross Biggs describes a technician ready to leave after a brief power outage, then a phone operator who got aggressive, stuttered, and hung up on him. Over the following days, the same operator picked a fight with his wife about scheduling a return visit. George Santos reports an unprofessional technician who did not resolve the issue, added unneeded parts, and charged for them. The owner offered to send another technician. Barbara Eriks was told the trip charge was $200, then the onsite estimate jumped to $700 with a reschedule; the owner offered a refund. Kathy Moore-Zarzyka left a textless 1-star with no details; the owner responded with a generic invitation to call.
The split between field and office is the recurring theme. Every technician named in reviews gets positive feedback. Every detailed complaint targets dispatch, phone staff, or pricing communication before the technician arrives. This pattern is consistent with a franchise model where the field crew operates independently from the scheduling office. The owner responses vary: Barbara Eriks received a specific refund offer, George Santos was told to call for a redo, but the Ross Biggs complaint (the most detailed and damning) received no owner response at all.
Charles / Charles Winston (technician -- positive across multiple reviews, praised for late-night calls, tree root clearing, pipe scoping, friendliness). Dennis (technician -- positive across multiple reviews, praised for patience, understanding, quality work). Scott (technician -- positive, praised for speed, hard work, making customers comfortable). Curtis (technician -- positive, praised for honesty, fair pricing, persistence on rescheduled jobs). Troy (technician -- positive, praised for fixing all problems). Jace (technician -- positive, praised for fitting in a service call on a full schedule).
Ask for Charles or Dennis by name when you call. The field technicians earn the 4.7 rating; the dispatch office drags it down. Get a written estimate with a not-to-exceed number before any technician starts work. If the phone staff gives you trouble scheduling, escalate to the managers John or Beth Stasney. For mold-specific work, confirm upfront that the job will use IICRC-trained remediation crew, not just a plumber, and ask who handles the post-remediation clearance testing.
Keep in mind
- This is a plumbing and water damage company, not a mold specialist. Mold remediation is a secondary service line. If you have a standalone mold problem not tied to a plumbing failure, a dedicated mold remediation firm may bring more focused experience.
- Multiple recent reviews describe rude or aggressive phone staff and dispatch issues. The field technicians get strong praise, but the office experience has been a pain point. Be prepared to push past dispatch friction if scheduling gets difficult.
- Pricing surprises show up in reviews. One reviewer was quoted a trip charge, then told the actual job would cost significantly more once the technician arrived. Get a written estimate before work begins, including what happens if the scope changes.
- The service area claim spans 7 Indiana counties and 2 Michigan counties. One reviewer was surprised to learn the office was in South Bend, not Benton Harbor, and paid an unexpected trip fee. Confirm your location falls within the local dispatch zone before scheduling.
- The website says mold testing is handled by an independent indoor environmental assessor, not by Roto-Rooter. Ask who does the testing and whether that assessor is truly independent of the remediation team.