Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Passaic and northern NJ homeowners who need water damage and mold handled by the same crew, especially for after-hours emergencies where 24/7 dispatch and insurance coordination matter.
Best for
- Passaic, Clifton, Garfield, and northern NJ homeowners who need a water damage response that includes plumbing repair and mold prevention in a single visit.
- After-hours emergencies: burst pipes, sewer backups, or basement flooding at night or on weekends, where 24/7 dispatch and fast arrival time matter more than price.
- Homeowners dealing with insurance claims after water damage, since the company documents damage and coordinates directly with insurers.
- Commercial properties in the Passaic River corridor that need scalable water damage response for offices, retail, or multi-unit buildings.
About this company
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup in Passaic is a franchise location of the national Roto-Rooter chain, which has operated since 1935. The Passaic office at 625 Main Ave serves a sprawling territory across 10 NJ counties, from Bergen and Passaic down through Middlesex, Monmouth, and Mercer. Their Google listing categorizes them as a water damage restoration service, but the bulk of their work and reviews involve plumbing and drain cleaning. Mold remediation is one component of their water damage division, not their primary identity.
What stands out is the single-provider model for plumbing and water damage. When a pipe bursts or a sewer backs up, they send plumbers to fix the source and a separate restoration crew to handle extraction, drying, and cleanup. Their mold remediation page describes IICRC and AMRT training, HEPA vacuums, air scrubbers, dehumidifiers, and antimicrobial treatments. They also mention sending for independent testing by an indoor environmental professional when microbial growth is suspected, which is a better model than self-testing.
The Passaic office is managed by Scott Jackson. Plumbing work is performed under John Lucchese's license (MP #36BI01320500). They run 24/7 with no extra charge for nights, weekends, or holidays, and offer financing through Synchrony Bank plus senior and military discounts.
4.8 stars across 203 Google reviews is a strong rating for a franchise plumbing operation. Most of the praise focuses on individual technicians rather than the brand, which is typical for franchise models where your experience depends heavily on which tech shows up.
Services
Service area
Based at 625 Main Ave, Suite 504, Passaic, NJ. The Passaic office claims coverage across 10 New Jersey counties: Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, Union, Mercer, and Hunterdon. Named cities include Clifton, Garfield, Elmwood Park, Franklin Lakes, Hawthorne, Fair Lawn, Fort Lee, Dumont, Cliffside Park, Bergenfield, and Haledon. That is an enormous footprint spanning most of northern and central New Jersey. Confirm dispatch time and crew proximity for locations outside the immediate Passaic area.
Review consensus
Jean Pierre is the standout. At least eight reviewers name him specifically, praising clear explanations, courtesy, and efficient drain and plumbing work. Dmitriy (also called Dima or Dimitriy) gets five or more mentions for faucet replacements, sump pump repair, and plumbing work, with reviewers calling him prompt, clean, and experienced. James and James Smith draw praise for water heater replacement, shower repair, and quick response in bad weather. Ali gets credit for toilet repair and honest diagnoses. Syed earns mentions for same-day service and educational explanations. Rodney drew specific praise as a plumber who repaired a steam boiler with precision. Derek, Said, Maher, Harley (camera tech), David, and Jamil each appear once in positive reviews. Fast arrival time and same-day service are the most consistent operational strengths across all reviewers.
12 found across 203 total reviews at 4.8★. The most detailed complaint comes from Katelyn Fitzpatrick, who describes an 8-hour visit for a drain snaking that ended with a damaged pipe, escalating repair estimates ($13,000 to $30,000), tools left behind, and contaminated mess in the home of a medically vulnerable person. Alex's review describes what reads like the same incident from a different perspective, with the same dollar figures and outcome: another plumber fixed it for $5,000. The owner response to Alex said the customer could not be found in their system. Melody paid $500 for a camera inspection where the camera was not long enough to reach the problem, and the company refused to send proper equipment without an $1,800+ add-on. Dom Ford gave a 1-star but praised the manager and trainee while criticizing the primary plumber for unprofessionalism. Mena Gaballah reported a late arrival and a plumber who dropped tools down the drain. Nicole A and nandini singh left 1-star ratings with no text.
The gap between strong individual technicians and franchise-level operations is the central pattern. Reviewers who get Jean Pierre, Dmitriy, or James leave glowing reviews. Complaints cluster around different, unnamed technicians and escalation scenarios where a routine job turns into a large-scope proposal. This is a structural feature of franchise plumbing: the brand dispatches whoever is available, and quality varies by individual. The owner response pattern reinforces this. Pat Swanson responds to 92% of negatives with the same template asking reviewers to email. None of the responses address the specific complaint, offer a resolution, or acknowledge what went wrong. This is reputation management, not problem-solving.
Jean Pierre (plumber/technician — positive, named in 8+ reviews for drain clearing, plumbing repairs, clear explanations, and courtesy). Dmitriy/Dimitriy/Dima (plumber/technician — positive, named in 6+ reviews for faucet replacement, sump pump repair, and plumbing work). James/James Smith (plumber/technician — positive, named in 4+ reviews for water heater replacement, shower repair, and responsiveness). Ali (plumber/technician — positive, named in 3 reviews for toilet repair and honest diagnosis). Syed (plumber/technician — positive, named in 2 reviews for same-day service and clear explanations). Rodney (plumber — positive, named in 2 reviews for boiler repair and thoroughness). Derek (technician — positive, named in 1 review). Said (technician — positive, named in 1 review for late-night service). Maher (technician — positive, named in 1 review for sewage line clearing). Harley (camera technician — positive, named in 1 review for drain scoping). David (plumber — positive, named in 1 review). Jamil (technician — positive, named in 1 review for clogged toilet). John (technician — positive, named in 1 review). Nick (technician — positive, mentioned in website review for honest assessment). Drew Osborn (technician — positive, mentioned in website review for post-holiday plumbing repair). Pat Swanson (Customer Satisfaction Manager — neutral, authors all owner responses to negative reviews).
Request Jean Pierre, Dmitriy, or James by name when scheduling. For non-emergency work, get the written estimate first and compare against a local plumber's quote, because pricing is the most consistent complaint. If a technician tells you a routine job requires major demolition or pipe replacement, stop work and get a second opinion before authorizing anything beyond the original scope. The mold remediation service is real but secondary to their plumbing identity. For a mold-only job, you may get better focus from a company where mold is the primary business.
Keep in mind
- They do both mold testing and mold remediation. When the same company identifies a problem and bills to fix it, the financial incentive runs one direction. Their website mentions bringing in an independent indoor environmental professional for testing, which is the right approach, but confirm that this third party has no business relationship with Roto-Rooter before agreeing to remediation.
- Pricing complaints are the strongest pattern in negative reviews. Multiple reviewers called costs high for routine drain clearing, and one reviewer paid $700 for under an hour of work. Get a written estimate before work begins and compare it against at least one other local quote for non-emergency jobs.
- Two reviewers describe what reads like the same incident: a snaking job that damaged a pipe, followed by an escalating repair estimate of $13,000 to $30,000. Another plumber fixed the issue for $4,000 to $5,000 without the floor demolition Roto-Rooter proposed. The owner response said the customer could not be found in their system. If a simple job suddenly becomes a major repair, get a second opinion before authorizing the work.
- The service area spans 10 NJ counties, from the Passaic area down to Monmouth and Mercer. That is a huge geographic footprint. Confirm that the crew dispatched to your location is based nearby and can arrive within the timeframe you need.
- Every owner response to a negative review follows the same template: Pat Swanson, Customer Satisfaction Manager, asks the reviewer to email with their address and a copy of the review. None of the responses engage with the specific complaint or offer a resolution in the review itself.