Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Providence-area homeowners dealing with water damage that has led to mold growth, where having plumbing repair and remediation handled by one 24/7 crew matters more than price.
Best for
- Providence metro homeowners who need water damage cleanup and mold remediation handled by one company, start to finish.
- After-hours and weekend emergencies — Roto-Rooter runs 24/7 with no extra charge for off-hours calls and typically responds same-day.
- Commercial property managers in Providence who need a single vendor for plumbing, water extraction, drying, and mold work across multiple buildings.
- Homeowners who want their insurance claim documented by the remediation company — Roto-Rooter coordinates directly with insurers and provides photo documentation.
- Situations where the moisture source is a plumbing failure, since Roto-Rooter can diagnose and fix the pipe issue before starting mold work.
About this company
Roto-Rooter in Providence is a national franchise location at 1195 Broad St, managed by Joe DeSimone. The company is primarily a plumbing and water damage operation that also offers mold remediation — not a mold-first company. They handle the full chain from pipe repair to water extraction to mold removal under one roof, which means you do not need to coordinate multiple contractors after a flood or leak.
Their mold remediation page references IICRC-trained and AMRT-trained crews, HEPA vacuums, air scrubbers, dehumidifiers, and antimicrobial treatments. The combined plumbing-and-restoration model is genuinely unusual — most mold companies subcontract or refer out plumbing work, while Roto-Rooter sends its own plumbers to fix the moisture source before the remediation crew starts. They also handle sewage cleanup and Category 3 water damage.
Roto-Rooter has operated nationally since 1935. The Providence location serves the full metro area across five Rhode Island counties: Providence, Kent, Newport, Bristol, and Washington. They hold Rhode Island plumbing licenses MP003473 and MP003580, maintain A+ BBB accreditation, and belong to the RI Master Plumbers Association.
A 4.8-star rating across 3,281 Google reviews is strong, especially for a high-volume franchise that handles emergency calls around the clock. Most plumbing and restoration companies at this volume settle closer to 4.5. The rating reflects consistently positive field technician experiences, though pricing remains a sore point even among satisfied customers.
Services
Service area
Headquartered at 1195 Broad St, Providence, RI. Serves the full Providence metro area including Barrington, Bristol, Central Falls, Coventry, Cranston, East Providence, Lincoln, Pawtucket, Warwick, and Woonsocket. Covers five Rhode Island counties: Providence, Kent, Newport, Bristol, and Washington.
Review consensus
Field technicians get the strongest praise. Fernando (Monzon) appears in at least four positive reviews for being thorough, explaining work clearly, and leaving work areas clean. Arturo and Miguel are praised as a team across multiple reviews for efficiency and clear communication — one repeat customer calls them twice a year for maintenance. Jamari draws praise for holiday responsiveness and professionalism. Apolo (tech #1853) earned a callout for same-day water heater replacement. James, Nick, Issac, Dave, Lamar, Matt, Charles, and Allen are each named positively. Reviewers consistently note on-time arrivals, clear upfront pricing explanations from technicians, and thorough cleanup after work.
13 found across 3281 total reviews at 4.8★. Pricing and value dominate the complaints. tommy59 described the initial visit as a sales call rather than a service call, with the arriving person unable to do the work and needing to reschedule a different technician. Ron B was quoted $700+ for a 15-foot snake job that two local companies priced at $285-$290. Vanessa Hernandez paid $300 for an unsuccessful repair lasting under an hour. Joan Kwiatkowski says two staff members promised a $652 diagnostic fee would apply to a $9,000 repair, and the company did not honor it. Communication failures are a secondary pattern — L Cogan was ghosted after an initial conversation, Jan waited four days for a camera inspection that never happened, and E.H. was told a leak could not be looked at for three days despite giving all their information. Easton Clary reported that a sump pump job made things worse, backing up the main line and causing toilet overflow and shower contamination. Gayle G paid Allen $101 for a wrong septic diagnosis that a later company disproved by simply opening the right cover.
Owner responses to negative reviews are almost entirely template-driven. Pat Swanson, the customer satisfaction manager, posts a standardized reply directing reviewers to email with their address and a copy of the review. In at least two cases (Dario Dacosta's 1-star and Maxine Rogers' 1-star), the response thanks the reviewer for a positive experience — despite the review being negative or having no text at all. This pattern indicates automated or bulk reputation management. On multiple negative reviews, the owner states they cannot find the customer in their system, which could indicate franchise record-keeping gaps or could flag a review the company believes is not genuine.
Fernando Monzon (technician — praised repeatedly for thoroughness and cleanup). Arturo (technician — praised repeatedly, often paired with Miguel). Miguel (technician — praised repeatedly, often paired with Arturo). Jamari (technician — praised for holiday responsiveness). Apolo, tech #1853 (technician — praised for same-day water heater replacement). Nick (technician — praised for politeness). Issac (technician — praised for straightforward explanations). James (technician — praised for persistence on commercial job). Dave/David (technician — praised across multiple reviews). Lamar (technician — praised). Adam (technician — praised). Matt (technician — praised, part of dig team). Charles/Chuck (technician — praised, part of dig team). Allen/Alan (technician — praised in dig team context, but named in one negative for misdiagnosing a septic issue). Joe (technician — praised for professionalism). Art (technician — praised). Pat Swanson (customer satisfaction manager — named in owner responses). Joe DeSimone (location manager — named on website).
Roto-Rooter Providence delivers strong field work — their technicians are consistently praised by name, and the 4.8-star rating across 3,281 reviews reflects that. The risk is pricing: get a written estimate before any work begins, confirm whether diagnostic fees apply toward the final bill, and get a second quote from a local competitor. If you need mold remediation specifically, ask whether the assigned crew holds AMRT credentials and request an independent mold assessment before authorizing the work.
Keep in mind
- Roto-Rooter does both mold testing and mold remediation. This is a conflict of interest — the company that finds the mold also profits from removing it. Consider getting an independent mold assessment before agreeing to remediation work.
- Pricing runs high. Multiple reviewers report quotes 2-3x above local competitors for comparable work. One reviewer was quoted $700+ for a basic drain snake that other companies priced at $285-$290. Get at least two competing estimates.
- The initial visit is not free for plumbing work. Several reviewers paid $100-$650 for a diagnostic visit that did not resolve their issue, and at least one reviewer was told that fee would apply toward the full repair — then it did not.
- Owner responses to negative reviews follow a near-identical template directing complaints to a customer satisfaction manager email. In at least two cases, the owner posted a positive thank-you response to a 1-star review, suggesting automated reputation management rather than genuine engagement with complaints.
- This is a plumbing company that also does mold work — not a mold specialist. If your mold problem is not connected to a water or plumbing event, a dedicated mold remediation firm may have more relevant experience.