Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Montgomery County homeowners dealing with water damage from burst pipes or sewer backups who need plumbing repair and water cleanup handled by the same crew in a single visit.
Best for
- Norristown and Montgomery County homeowners who need emergency water extraction and the plumbing repair that caused it handled in one call.
- Owners of older homes in Conshohocken, Narberth, or Bala Cynwyd dealing with cast iron pipe failures or root intrusion who want same-day camera inspection and trenchless repair options.
- Commercial property managers in King of Prussia or Phoenixville who need 24/7 plumbing and water damage response with insurance claim documentation.
- Homeowners who want a single contractor to handle the full chain from burst pipe repair through structural drying and mold remediation.
About this company
Roto-Rooter in Norristown is a franchise location of the national plumbing chain, headquartered at 266 E Main St. They handle plumbing, drain cleaning, water damage restoration, and mold remediation across Montgomery and Chester counties. Manager Charles Reis runs this branch, which operates 24/7 year-round.
What stands out here is the single-vendor model. Most water damage restoration companies need to call a separate plumber before they can start cleanup. Roto-Rooter sends both plumbing and water damage crews, so the source gets fixed and the water gets extracted without waiting on a second contractor. Their restoration technicians hold IICRC training, and they handle insurance documentation and coordination directly.
The company has operated since 1935 nationally, and this Norristown branch covers a wide swath of the Philadelphia western suburbs. They stock trucks for same-visit repairs and offer trenchless pipe lining for sewer work, camera inspections, and water softener installation alongside core plumbing.
4.7 stars across 1,213 Google reviews is a strong number for a high-volume franchise location. Most franchises in this category sit closer to 4.3-4.5. The volume reflects steady demand from a large service area, and the rating holds up despite a pricing backlash that shows up in nearly every negative review.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Norristown, Pennsylvania, serving Montgomery and Chester counties and parts of Delaware County. Specific communities named on their website include Conshohocken, Lafayette Hill, Plymouth Meeting, Narberth, Penn Wynne, Bala Cynwyd, Bryn Mawr, Haverford, Villanova, Collegeville, Royersford, Phoenixville, King of Prussia, Chesterbrook, Devon, Gilbertsville, Spring Mount, and Pottstown. They also list New Castle County, Delaware in their coverage area, which is a broad claim for a single branch location.
Review consensus
Fast emergency response is the most consistent strength. Reviewers describe technicians arriving within 30 minutes to 2 hours for after-hours calls, including sewer backups during snowstorms and burst pipes on Saturday nights. Aidan drew praise from multiple reviewers for emergency sewer work, with one calling him "an absolute hero" for handling a backup the night before a major snowstorm. Andrew earned praise for going beyond the fix, adding preventative drain cleaner and offering maintenance tips in an older home. Brian impressed a reviewer with weekend responsiveness and clear explanations. Taj stood out for breaking down costs and options transparently on a water heater call. John, Kyle, Lee, Kenny, Alex, Tyler, Eddie, Justino, Sam, Chris Benson, and Ben all received individual praise, mostly for friendliness, punctuality, and clear communication.
11 found across 1213 total reviews at 4.7★. Pricing dominates the complaints. Mike described a P-trap replacement where the technician said the price was "66 five," which Mike took as $66 but turned out to be $665. Alma Greer paid $600 for a pipe repair that leaked the next day, then the callback technician tried to charge again for a 5-minute fix. Ava Jasmin paid nearly $800 for a snake and sink unclog that resulted in kitchen floor leaking a week later. Richard Baron noted Roto-Rooter refuses to give price ranges before a visit but clearly has internal pricing tiers. Brenden Peddigree was quoted $8,000 for sewer work; a second-opinion company cleared the clog in 30 minutes with no additional work needed. Duane Holland, a Local Guide with 20 reviews, was charged $650 with a coupon for drain snaking and felt the technician attempted a $12,000+ upsell after learning of his medical condition. Susan Diana paid approximately $600 and could not get a copy of the camera video. Scheduling failures appear in multiple reviews: May Ford experienced three appointment windows that all fell through. Soo was hung up on while trying to cancel. Kurt, a Local Guide, had a sales representative show up to his house unannounced the same day as the service call.
The pricing complaints point to a structural issue common in national plumbing franchises: technicians use a flat-rate pricing book that produces bills far above what independent plumbers charge for the same work. Multiple reviewers describe the same dynamic: good technician, good work, shocking invoice. The 4-star reviews reinforce this pattern, with several giving high marks for service quality but docking a star specifically for price. The owner response pattern is notable: Pat Swanson, Customer Satisfaction Manager, sends a near-identical template to every negative review asking the reviewer to email. None of the responses address the specific complaint, and at least two claim they cannot find the customer in their records. This is systematic reputation management rather than individual complaint resolution.
Andrew (plumber — positive), Aidan (plumber — positive, multiple reviews), Brian (plumber — positive), Taj (plumber — positive), John (plumber — positive, multiple reviews), Kyle (plumber — positive), Lee (plumber — positive), Kenny (technician — positive), Alex (technician — positive), Tyler (technician — positive), Eddie (technician — positive), Justino (technician — positive), Sam (technician — positive), Chris Benson (plumber — positive), Ben (plumber — positive), Pat Swanson (Customer Satisfaction Manager — responds to negatives via template), Charles Reis (branch manager — listed on website).
Roto-Rooter Norristown does good work and shows up fast, especially for emergencies. The field technicians earn their praise. The problem is the bill. Get a written total in dollars before any work begins, not a verbal quote that could be misheard. If they recommend major sewer or pipe work, get a second opinion before committing. Ask for Aidan, Brian, or Andrew if you can.
Keep in mind
- Roto-Rooter does both mold testing and mold remediation. That creates a conflict of interest: the company assessing whether you have a mold problem also profits from fixing it. Get an independent mold assessment before authorizing remediation work.
- Pricing is the dominant complaint across recent reviews. Multiple reviewers describe feeling misled about costs, with one reporting a $665 charge for a P-trap replacement that he understood as $66.50. Ask for a written estimate with the total dollar amount before any work starts.
- Several reviewers report unannounced follow-up sales visits after the initial service call. One reviewer described a second person showing up to pitch insurance-funded sewer replacement the same day. Be prepared for upsell attempts after the initial repair.
- Camera inspection follow-ups are a recurring sore spot. Multiple reviewers paid for service that included a camera scope but the camera technician never showed up or showed up unannounced days later. Confirm a specific time window for the camera visit before paying.
- Every owner response to negative reviews follows the same template directing the reviewer to email Pat Swanson. None engage with the specific complaint. This is reputation management, not problem resolution.