Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Cleveland-area homeowners dealing with basement flooding or water damage who want plumbing repair and water cleanup handled by one company with 24/7 availability.
Best for
- Cleveland metro homeowners who need plumbing repair and water damage cleanup from the same company, especially for after-hours emergencies.
- Basement flooding situations where water extraction, drying, and the underlying plumbing fix need to happen on the same visit.
- Homeowners who want their restoration company to handle insurance documentation and communicate directly with the adjuster.
- Commercial properties needing scalable water damage response across offices, retail, or industrial spaces.
- Property owners who discover mold after water damage and want remediation tied to the original plumbing repair.
About this company
Roto-Rooter's Avon, Ohio location serves the greater Cleveland metro area as a national franchise outpost handling both plumbing repair and water damage restoration under one roof. That dual capability is the main draw — when a burst pipe floods your basement, one crew fixes the pipe while another handles water extraction and drying, instead of you coordinating two separate companies.
The mold remediation side uses HEPA vacuums, air scrubbers, dehumidifiers, and antimicrobial treatments. Their water damage technicians hold IICRC certification, and the company works directly with insurance providers to document claims. They also offer financing through Synchrony Bank for uncovered work.
The Avon Lake branch is managed by Nick DeVries and serves Lorain, Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Erie counties — a wide footprint spanning dozens of cities from Elyria to Solon. Roto-Rooter has operated nationally since 1935, and this location holds plumbing license MP 51152 and IICRC certification 21452.
At 4.8 stars across 2,126 Google reviews, this is a strong rating for a franchise operation at this volume. Most reviewers praise individual technicians by name, suggesting the local team is delivering consistent service even if the corporate pricing structure draws complaints.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Avon, Ohio. Serves the Cleveland metro area across Lorain, Cuyahoga, Geauga, and Erie counties, including Avon Lake, Elyria, Lakewood, Strongsville, Parma, North Olmsted, Westlake, Solon, and dozens of other communities. The service area is broad but consistent with a franchise operation covering a major metro region.
Review consensus
Robert appears in the most positive reviews — praised by multiple customers for clear explanations, follow-up photos, and going above standard service. Van gets repeat mentions for detailed work and product knowledge, including coordinating with electricians for water heater installs. Jake draws praise for same-day service and professionalism on sewer pump replacements. Trayvon is noted for fast response on weekend drain calls. Daryl, Doug, Gahad, Deonna Parish, Andrew, and Matt Schmaltz each receive individual praise for knowledge and courtesy. The consistent theme is technicians who explain what they find and walk the customer through the repair. Multiple reviewers mention crews staying late to finish jobs.
6 found across 2126 total reviews at 4.8★. Pricing dominates. One reviewer was charged $480 for a 10-minute bathtub drain unclog. Another was quoted $9,285 for a kitchen drain repair that a competitor completed for under $3,500. A third reports being quoted six times the market rate for a bathtub snake job. Beyond pricing, two reviewers describe scheduling failures where emergency service was promised but no technician ever arrived — one at 9 PM after waiting all evening, another at 8:30 PM after a 2-6 PM window. The most detailed complaint names Bill, a sump pump installer, who allegedly damaged a light post, replaced an 8-month-old pump instead of adding a backup, charged full price despite the customer assisting with installation, and then the cleaning team pressured the homeowner to authorize $8,000+ in restoration work before confirming insurance coverage. The owner Hussein is described as siding with the technician until the customer produced neighbor security camera footage of the property damage.
The negative reviews split into two distinct issues that both tie to franchise economics. Pricing complaints reflect Roto-Rooter's national rate structure, which can run well above local independents for straightforward jobs. Scheduling failures reflect the challenge of running a 24/7 emergency operation where demand occasionally exceeds crew availability. The owner response pattern is notable — only one of seven recent negatives received a response, and it was a template pointing to a customer satisfaction email rather than addressing the specifics. For a company with 2,126 reviews, this suggests reputation management is not a priority at this location.
Robert (plumber/technician — praised by multiple reviewers for communication, follow-up, and going above standard service). Van (technician — praised for detailed work, water heater installs, and coordinating with other trades). Jake (technician — praised for same-day service, pipe replacement, professionalism). Trayvon (technician — praised for fast weekend response on drain calls). Daryl (technician — praised for punctuality and problem-solving). Deonna Parish (water damage — singled out as a 5-star employee for kindness and informativeness). Doug (technician — praised for thoroughness and honest assessments). Gahad (technician — praised alongside Robert for clog and water heater work). Andrew (technician — praised for honesty and reasonable charges). Ben (camera technician — praised for showing customers drain footage; separately named in a negative review as part of the cleaning service team). Korey (technician — praised alongside Robert). Drake (technician — praised for water heater install work with Jake). Stephan (technician — praised for knowledge and customer service). Matt Schmaltz (technician — praised by repeat customer for dependability). Keith (technician — praised for drain unclogging). Eli (technician — praised alongside Rob). Bill (sump pump installer — named in a detailed negative review for property damage, replacing a recent pump, and charging full price while the customer assisted). Hussein (owner — named in the same negative review for siding with the technician until camera footage was produced).
For emergency plumbing and water damage in the Cleveland area, this Roto-Rooter location delivers strong technician-level service — Robert, Van, Jake, and Trayvon are consistently praised by name. But get a competing quote for any non-emergency work, because pricing complaints are real and recurring. If you need mold remediation, get an independent assessment first since Roto-Rooter both identifies and remediates mold.
Keep in mind
- Roto-Rooter both tests for mold and performs remediation, which is a conflict of interest. The same company that tells you mold exists is the one billing to remove it. Consider getting an independent mold assessment before committing to their remediation work.
- Pricing is the most common complaint in negative reviews. Multiple reviewers report quotes significantly higher than competitors for basic drain clearing and sump pump work. Get a second quote for any non-emergency job.
- Two recent one-star reviews describe being promised same-day or emergency service, waiting hours, and then being told no technician was available. Confirm your appointment is locked in, not just queued.
- One detailed 2026 review describes pressure to begin water damage cleanup before the homeowner's insurance had confirmed coverage. Ask for written confirmation of what insurance will cover before authorizing restoration work.
- The owner response rate on recent negative reviews is only 14%, and the one response provided reads as a template directing the customer to email a satisfaction manager rather than addressing the specific complaint.