Provider profile
Roto-Rooter Plumbing & Water Cleanup
Provider snapshot
What this listing says
Kenosha and Chicago metro homeowners who need mold remediation handled alongside the plumbing or water damage that caused it, with 24/7 dispatch and no after-hours surcharge across a 13-county service area.
Best for
- Kenosha, Racine, and Chicago metro homeowners dealing with mold after a water event who want the plumbing repair, water extraction, and mold work handled by one company in one dispatch.
- Commercial properties — restaurants, apartment complexes, offices — that need emergency water extraction and cannot wait for multiple vendors to coordinate.
- Homeowners facing overnight or weekend plumbing emergencies who need same-day response without after-hours pricing.
- Buyers who want insurance documentation handled by the restoration company, since Roto-Rooter works directly with insurers and provides drying logs, photos, and damage reports.
About this company
Roto-Rooter's Kenosha branch operates out of 5115 7th Ave, managed by Andrew Collings. This is a national franchise location whose primary identity is plumbing and drain service, but the branch also runs water damage restoration and mold remediation crews. They cover an enormous territory: 13 counties spanning southeastern Wisconsin, the Chicago metro, and northwestern Indiana, including Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties in Wisconsin; Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, McHenry, Grundy, DeKalb, and Kendall counties in Illinois; and Lake and Porter counties in Indiana.
The single-dispatch model is the differentiator here. When a pipe bursts and causes water damage, the same company fixes the pipe, extracts the water, dries the structure, and handles mold if it develops. The website describes IICRC-certified technicians, truck-mounted and portable extraction equipment, industrial air movers and dehumidifiers, moisture meters for mapping water migration, and antimicrobial treatments. For mold work specifically, they reference HEPA vacuums, air scrubbers, and sending test samples to labs. They also handle the plumbing root cause — sewer camera inspection, hydro jetting, pipe repair, and excavation — so you do not need a second contractor.
Roto-Rooter has operated nationally since 1935. This branch runs 24/7, 365 days a year with no overtime charges. Financing is available through Synchrony Bank. They hold Illinois plumbing license MP: 058-197370 and Indiana license MP: JP22300062, and carry a BBB A+ rating.
4.8 stars across 1,625 Google reviews is strong for a high-volume franchise plumbing operation. Most franchise locations in this category settle between 4.3 and 4.6 because volume generates more complaints. The Kenosha branch maintains that rating despite the territory's size, which suggests the field technicians perform consistently.
Services
Service area
Headquartered in Kenosha, Wisconsin at 5115 7th Ave. The claimed service area is massive: Kenosha, Racine, and Walworth counties in Wisconsin; Cook, DuPage, Lake, Will, Kane, McHenry, Grundy, DeKalb, and Kendall counties in Illinois; and Lake and Porter counties in Indiana. The service areas page lists well over 200 individual cities from Waukegan to Joliet to Valparaiso. That is a geographic footprint stretching roughly 100 miles north to south and 80 miles east to west. Confirm response time for addresses outside the Kenosha-Racine and Chicago core.
Review consensus
Daniel appears in more positive reviews than any other technician — Sarah Watkins, Grant Sheldon, Casey Sager, Dawson Hornickel, and Peter Herrera all name him for fast response, clear communication, and drain work. Robert Welch (#2954) gets called out by David H., Mike B., Anthony Mohr, and Lauren Marshall for being knowledgeable and thorough. Nick (#5287) earned detailed praise from Susan Vera for diagnosing a whole-system backup same-day and explaining the fix clearly. Tyler draws praise from Carla Berumen and Delores Sanders for going above and beyond. Lenord earned a glowing review from Richard Hemmingway (a Local Guide with 14 reviews) for honesty and no-pressure service. Kavonte, Tony, Orion, Khaden, John, and Tyriek each appear in individual positive reviews for fast, clean work. Same-day or same-evening arrival is the single most frequently praised trait across all reviewers.
9 found across 1,625 total reviews at 4.8★. No-shows and failed follow-ups are the sharpest complaints. MP scheduled a 3-5 PM water extraction, made three follow-up calls, and no one arrived. Bernie's sewer line backed up two days after service; Roto-Rooter promised return visits and a camera inspection, but no one showed up across multiple rescheduled appointments. Rad Borislavov paid $505 for a drain clearing performed by Danny that did not fix the clog — a competing company later cleared it properly by using equipment that could navigate the pipe's turns. David Holcombe was quoted $9,800 for excavation when the actual fix cost a fraction of that. Lisa L reports Roto-Rooter caused damage to her mainline pipe and then tried to upsell additional services rather than fixing what they broke. Meghan Olson says they refused to hydro-jet a clogged sewer pipe, claiming it would flood the basement — a claim a second company proved false. Peter Hammond had a good initial experience but says technicians refused to come back a year later because of the price he received previously. Diane Johnson, a senior citizen, describes feeling pressured by both the technician and a supervisor to sign contracts with high prices during a sewer backup emergency.
The gap between technician quality and company pricing explains most of the tension in these reviews. Jeanine Spanjers gave 4 stars and wrote: the plumber doesn't have anything to do with the price. Anthony Mohr, Ben Oleari, and Philip Paxton all praised their technicians but docked stars for cost. This is a franchise pricing pattern — field workers are strong, but the rate card reflects national overhead. The owner response pattern is notable: 100% response rate, but the responses read as reputation management rather than problem-solving. Several responses appear auto-generated and mismatched to the complaint content (thanking Bernie for 'kind words' on a 1-star review about no-show appointments, thanking David Holcombe for a review alleging a $9,800 misdiagnosis).
Daniel (technician — praised by multiple reviewers for fast response, clear explanations, drain and sewage work). Robert Welch #2954 (technician — praised repeatedly for knowledge, professionalism, and thoroughness). Nick #5287 (technician — praised for same-day whole-system diagnosis and clear explanations). Tyler (technician — praised for going above and beyond, knowledge sharing). Lenord (technician — praised by a Local Guide for honesty, clarity, and no-pressure approach). Kavonte (technician — praised for Sunday service and knowledge). Tony (technician — praised for late-evening emergency response). Orion (technician — praised for team leadership and problem resolution). Khaden (technician — praised for punctuality and team work with John). John (technician — praised alongside Khaden and also alongside Nick). Tyriek #3774 (technician — praised for speed and professionalism on weekend call). Marc (technician — praised for quick pipe repair with clear explanations). Elian (technician — praised for speed). Husein (technician — praised for professionalism). Kemal (technician — praised by a Local Guide for detail and communication). Dontae (technician — praised for speed and communication). Patricio (technician — praised for friendliness). Chris #4830 (technician — praised for cleanliness and alleviating homeowner concerns). Jonathan (supervisor — praised for on-site problem-solving with Nick). Israel (technician — praised for punctuality and knowledge during estimate). Danny (technician — named negatively by Rad Borislavov for a $505 drain clearing that did not work). Sam (technician — named positively for demeanor but negatively for a $9,800 misdiagnosis). Greg (supervisor — named for late-night on-site response to a sewer excavation). Pat Swanson (customer satisfaction manager — named in all owner responses). Andrew Collings (branch manager — named on website).
The field technicians at this Kenosha branch consistently earn high marks — Daniel and Robert Welch in particular show up across multiple reviews as knowledgeable and communicative. The risk is price and upselling. Get a written estimate before any work starts and compare it against a local independent, especially for jobs over $500. Do not let an emergency situation pressure you into signing immediately. If you need 24/7 water extraction that leads into mold remediation under one dispatch, this operation delivers on speed and availability — but confirm the mold remediation scope and pricing in writing before work begins.
Keep in mind
- Pricing is the most consistent complaint across both negative and positive reviews. Multiple 4-star reviewers praised the technician's work but docked a star for cost. Lauren Marshall paid $400 for a two-hour drain snaking with no parts. Joshua Griffin could not get a price until the plumber was already in the basement with tools deployed. Get a written estimate and compare it against at least one local independent before committing, especially for jobs over $500.
- David Holcombe reports being told he needed $9,800 in excavation to replace a collapsed drain line. A second opinion from a local company found no collapse — the line just needed more clearing. If a technician recommends a major replacement, get the specific failure diagnosis in writing and seek a second opinion.
- The service area spans 13 counties across three states. That is a massive territory for a single office. Confirm dispatch time for your specific address, especially in outlying areas like Portage, IN or DeKalb County, IL.
- Owner responses to negative reviews follow a template pattern: acknowledge frustration, direct the reviewer to email Pat Swanson at rrsc.com. Every negative review received a response (100% response rate), but the responses rarely engage with specific dollar amounts or offer concrete resolution. Several responses appear mismatched to the complaint (Bernie's 1-star about no-show follow-up visits got a 'Thank you for your kind words!' response).
- None of the Google reviews mention mold remediation work specifically. All review evidence relates to plumbing and water damage. You have no third-party data on the quality of their mold work at this location.