Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Columbia and Midlands homeowners dealing with water damage or plumbing emergencies who want 24/7 availability from a national franchise with a large local team.
Best for
- Columbia and Midlands properties needing combined plumbing repair and water damage restoration in a single call
- Commercial properties — offices, restaurants, apartment complexes — needing scheduled drain maintenance or emergency response
- Homeowners who want 24/7 availability including holidays and weekends for water emergencies
- Insurance-documented water damage jobs where extraction, drying, and paperwork need to come from one company
About this company
Roto-Rooter in Columbia operates as an independent franchise of the national brand, headquartered at 4752 Alpine Road. They run a full plumbing and water damage operation covering Richland and Lexington counties, with mold remediation as one component of their water damage restoration division. This is a plumbing company that also does mold work, not a mold specialist.
Their water damage restoration service includes extraction, structural drying, dehumidification, and documentation for insurance claims. They use moisture meters and thermal imaging to verify drying. The mold remediation page exists on their national website, but the Columbia location's primary identity is plumbing and drain service — mold work follows water damage jobs rather than standing alone.
The franchise is managed by Nishan Hussain and Jeremy Gower. The national Roto-Rooter brand dates to 1935. The Columbia operation maintains equipped service vehicles across the Midlands and claims same-day response for emergencies.
With 1,098 Google reviews and a 4.6-star rating, the volume is high for a Columbia service company. The rating sits in a solid range but not exceptional territory. The negative reviews cluster tightly around pricing, which is a franchise-model pattern: flat-rate pricing set by corporate structure rather than job-specific estimates.
Services
Service area
Headquartered at 4752 Alpine Road, Columbia, SC. Serves the Columbia Midlands including West Columbia, Cayce, Irmo, Lexington, Forest Acres, Camden, and Fort Jackson. Claims coverage across 11 counties including Richland, Lexington, Orangeburg, Kershaw, Sumter, and Florence — the outer counties like Darlington and Clarendon are a significant drive from the Columbia base.
Review consensus
Samantha Bernhardt (often called Sam or Sammie) dominates the positive reviews. At least 12 recent reviews name her specifically, praising her speed, friendliness, and technical knowledge. Ayden Schaub receives similar praise across 6 or more reviews for diagnostics, water heater work, and sewer line replacement. Matt, Tim, Neil, Isaiah, and Scott each collect positive mentions for punctuality and clear communication. Hiba in the office earned praise for helping a stressed caller understand the scheduling process. The consistent theme across positives is that individual technicians deliver strong service — the complaint pattern is about company pricing, not the people doing the work.
22 found across 1098 total reviews at 4.6★. Pricing is the central issue. Brian Comer paid $550 for 48 minutes of drain work with no materials — two competitors quoted $279 and $300-$500. Yolanda Smith was quoted $1,300 for a drain flush that local companies priced at $150. Britteny Knowlton paid nearly $1,000 for a drain snake. B Jenkins was quoted $300+ for plumber putty on a garbage disposal. John Pearson paid $1,000 for a gas leak test, then Dominion Energy found no leak. In each case, management (Jeremy) defended the flat-rate pricing model. Beyond pricing, Dalee Sullivan's plumber insisted a fridge line leak was a roof leak and charged $400 for a misdiagnosis. Jade Watford's plumber caused $40,000 in water damage during a minor leak repair by failing to operate the water shutoff valve — the company declined responsibility. Mark Talbert's $4,800 sewer line replacement left broken pipe in the yard and damaged a walkway; the tech cited a signed waiver when asked to fix it. From the Heart Home Care LLC accused project manager Andrew Resendez of fabricating sewer damage to justify a $7,000 quote.
The gap between technician quality and company pricing is the defining pattern. Nearly every negative reviewer acknowledges the technician was polite or the work was done quickly — then objects to the bill. This is a franchise-model issue: flat-rate pricing is set above the field technician's pay grade, and management (Jeremy, Jerry) consistently defends the pricing structure rather than adjusting on a case-by-case basis. Owner responses follow a template pattern — most include the phrase 'we value feedback' and direct the reviewer to call 803-721-4532. Several responses claim the reviewer cannot be found in the system, which may indicate reviews posted to the wrong 'Rooter' company. The owner response rate is high, but the responses rarely engage with the specific dollar amounts or service failures described.
Samantha Bernhardt (technician — strongly positive, 12+ reviews praising speed and skill). Ayden Schaub (technician — positive, praised for diagnostics and sewer work). Matt (technician — positive, praised for professionalism). Tim (technician — positive, praised for thoroughness and friendliness). Neil (technician — positive, praised for punctuality). Isaiah (technician — positive, praised for friendliness). Scott (technician — positive, praised with Charles for knowledge). Charles (technician — positive, paired with Scott). Termain (technician — positive, water heater install). Hiba (office/scheduler — positive, calming and helpful). Joey (technician — positive mention in negative review, described as polite and sympathetic). Isaac (technician — positive, praised for sewer camera diagnostics). Andrew Resendez (project manager — negative, accused of recommending fabricated repairs). Andrew (water mitigation — positive mention in Jade Watford's otherwise negative review). Nate (water mitigation — positive mention in negative review). Jeremy Gower (manager — neutral to negative, defends pricing in multiple complaints). Jerry (store manager — negative, questioned customer's account of events).
Ask for Samantha or Ayden by name — they consistently deliver strong work. Get a written quote before any work begins and call at least one independent Columbia plumber for a comparison price. The $89 diagnostic fee is non-refundable if you decline, so treat the visit as a paid second opinion rather than a free estimate. For water damage and mold work specifically, confirm the Columbia office handles your situation locally rather than subcontracting it out.
Keep in mind
- Pricing is the most consistent complaint. Multiple reviewers report quotes $300 to $500 above what independent plumbers charged for the same work. Roto-Rooter uses flat-rate pricing — the cost is the same whether the job takes 30 minutes or 3 hours. Get a competing quote before committing.
- The $89 diagnostic fee applies to every visit. It counts toward the job if you proceed, but you pay it regardless if you decline the quote. Some reviewers felt this was not disclosed clearly upfront.
- Mold remediation is a secondary service here. If you need standalone mold work, ask specifically about the mold team's experience, equipment, and how many mold jobs they handle per month in Columbia.
- One reviewer (From the Heart Home Care LLC) accused project manager Andrew Resendez of recommending unnecessary sewer repairs and claimed a second company found pipes had been cut. The owner response acknowledged the complaint but did not address the specific allegations. This is a single account, but the severity warrants asking pointed questions about any recommended sewer or pipe replacement.
- Two reviewers reported no-shows after scheduling — one waited three days for a water heater replacement. Confirm your appointment window the morning of the visit.