Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Scranton-area homeowners dealing with water emergencies who want a single company to handle plumbing repair, water extraction, and mold remediation without coordinating multiple contractors.
Best for
- Scranton metro homeowners who need water damage restoration and the plumbing repair that caused it handled by a single crew.
- Basement flooding or sewer backup emergencies where you need same-day extraction and someone available 24/7.
- Commercial property managers in Lackawanna or Luzerne County who need scalable water damage and mold work with insurance documentation.
- Homeowners who want financing options for large restoration or mold remediation jobs they cannot pay upfront.
About this company
Roto-Rooter in Scranton operates as an independent contractor under the national Roto-Rooter franchise, headquartered at 2 Keystone Industrial Park Road. Brian and Rachael Roeder manage the location. The core pitch: one call handles both the plumbing repair that caused the water problem and the restoration cleanup afterward, so you skip the usual wait for a separate plumber before the water damage crew can start.
The mold remediation side uses HEPA vacuums, air scrubbers, dehumidifiers, and antimicrobial treatments. Technicians hold IICRC and AMRT mold remediation credentials. They handle source detection, contaminated material removal, air filtration, and drying with documentation for insurance claims. The plumbing-plus-remediation model means they trace moisture to its plumbing source and fix it in the same visit rather than handing you off to another company.
Roto-Rooter has operated nationally since 1935. The Scranton location covers Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties in Pennsylvania, plus Tioga and Broome counties in New York. They offer financing through Synchrony Bank for larger jobs.
4.8 stars across 1,615 Google reviews is unusually strong for a franchise operation at this volume. Most of the positive reviews highlight fast same-day response and individual technicians who explain the work clearly. The negative reviews cluster around scheduling and pricing, not workmanship.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Scranton, PA at 2 Keystone Industrial Park Road. Covers Lackawanna, Luzerne, Monroe, Susquehanna, and Wyoming counties in Pennsylvania, plus Tioga and Broome counties in New York. The service area list includes over 100 named cities from Stroudsburg and East Stroudsburg in the Poconos to Binghamton and Endicott in southern New York. That is a wide geographic spread for a single office, so confirm response times for outlying locations.
Review consensus
Dave (appears in multiple reviews as Dave Jr., Dave Mickle, and Dave Duden) is the most frequently named technician, praised for knowledge, courtesy, and going beyond the basic fix. Bobby draws repeat requests for his upfront explanations and attitude. Patrick, a master plumber, impressed reviewers by downscaling a projected 60-foot repipe to a simple clean-out. Joe, the project manager, earns consistent praise for professionalism and follow-through. Jay, Noah, Michael, Corey Jones, James, Chuck, Tyler, Billy, Kory, Ronnie, and Vincent all receive individual positive mentions. The most common praise themes are same-day or faster-than-expected arrival, clear explanations of the problem and repair, and courteous behavior in stressful situations.
13 found across 1615 total reviews at 4.8★. Scheduling and communication failures account for the largest share. Josh McClain had an 8-10am appointment canceled day-of, rescheduled to 2-4pm, then nobody arrived until 5:30pm with an after-hours fee tacked on despite assurances otherwise. Lisa Dotter booked online for a 1-5pm window and learned at 2pm that no appointments had ever actually been available. Shawn Conway was told no emergency service was available two days before Christmas and spent the holiday in a hotel. Abby Weaver called at 9pm for emergency service, was promised a callback in 20 minutes, and learned an hour later that they do not take calls after 8pm. Pricing disputes are the second pattern. Kevin Carvalho was quoted $1,200 by phone and charged $2,000 on site, then had an additional $108 taken from his account. Rory Collins found that a technician had his elderly mother sign a separate $4,000 contract rather than presenting it to him. Dee K. paid $1,244 across two visits with no functioning sewer and was quoted over $9,000 for 20 feet of pipe. Yanellys Solano paid $550 for a fix that failed two days later and was told she would be charged again. Julia P. reported a technician punching a snake into a drain, damaging a pipe, and taking selfies in the flooded basement. Dave Wilson called for an emergency pin-hole leak and the plumber who arrived said he needed a different plumber to make the repair. KittenKit alleged theft of personal belongings during a job; the owner responded that they have no record of this customer.
The owner responds to 93% of recent negative reviews, but the responses follow a pattern: acknowledge frustration, offer a phone number, and in several cases claim they cannot find the reviewer in their system. At least four responses include some version of "we could not locate your account." This may reflect legitimate fake reviews, but the frequency raises questions about record-keeping or follow-through. The gap between the field crews (consistently praised) and the office/scheduling operation (source of most complaints) suggests a structural split where dispatch and pricing communication do not match the quality of the on-site work.
Dave / Dave Jr. / Dave Mickle / Dave Duden (technician — strongly positive across multiple reviews). Bobby (technician — positive, repeat requests). Patrick (master plumber — positive). Joe (project manager — positive). Jay (technician — positive). Noah (technician — positive). Michael (technician — positive). Corey Jones (technician — positive). James (plumber — positive). Chuck (technician — positive). Tyler (plumber — positive). Billy (technician — positive). Kory (technician — positive). Ronnie (technician — positive). Vincent / Vince (technician — positive). Josh (technician — positive). Robert (technician — positive). Keil (water manager — mentioned in owner response). Adam (staff — mentioned in owner responses). Mindy (office manager — mentioned in owner response). Cramer (plumber — positive).
The technicians at this location consistently earn praise by name, and the 4.8-star rating across 1,615 reviews reflects real on-site quality. The risk is in the booking and billing process: get your appointment confirmed directly with the office, ask for the total price in writing before anyone starts work, and clarify whether after-hours fees apply. If you need water damage restoration tied to a plumbing repair, the single-company model saves real coordination time. Ask for Dave, Bobby, or Patrick by name if scheduling allows.
Keep in mind
- Scheduling reliability is the top complaint. Multiple reviewers report confirmed appointments that were canceled, rescheduled, or delayed by hours without proactive communication from the office.
- Pricing surprises show up in several negative reviews. Quoted amounts changed on arrival, after-hours fees were added despite assurances otherwise, and one reviewer described a separate contract presented to an elderly family member for ancillary work. Get the full price in writing before work starts.
- After-hours availability does not always match the 24/7 marketing. At least two reviewers were told no service was available during evening or weekend hours despite the emergency hotline.
- This is a franchise location operated as an independent contractor. National Roto-Rooter policies on pricing, guarantees, and hours may not apply identically here.
- The service area spans seven counties across two states. Confirm actual response times for locations outside Scranton proper, especially in the more remote parts of Susquehanna, Wyoming, or Broome counties.