My main shutoff valve was leaking around the packing nut on a Sunday morning. In order to repair or replace the valve the water has to be turned off at the curb by the city. They charge the homeowner to turn it off and then again to turn it back on. This was a job that I wanted to do right the first time.
I didn't have a lot of time to shop around as I wanted to get the leak fixed asap. I quickly browsed through google's and homestar's review and Mr Rooter came up with great reviews.
I called the number on their website and reached their call center who was very polite and professional. They also brought to my attention that if I wanted a plumber to come out on the weekend there would be a trip charge since it's Sunday. I appreciate being made aware of this before having them take on the job. However, this contradicts with what they advertise on their website, they have in big bold letters "Never an Overtime Charge Weekends, Evenings, Holidays—Always the Same Price. " They may not call it an overtime charge, but I was definitely charged more to have a plumber out on the weekend.
In fine print they mentioned, "*Not offered at all locations. Reach out to your local Mr. Rooter Plumbing to find out more." It would be less misleading if they mention what location do participate.
Every company advertises they're #1 in the industry. No company is ever going to say say "We may not be the best but we can offer you a good price" or "We pride ourselves in being the best so you will have to pay more for our services". So when I hire someone, my decision is based a lot on reviews. Since this is something I want to get right the first time, I decided to proceed with Mr Rooter based on their reviews.
The plumber arrived quickly and he was very polite and professional. He was quite knowledgeable. I would give him 10/10. Before doing the repair, he showed me a break down of the cost. I was charged with the $69 trip that they pointed out. I was also charged with a $15 fuel surcharge, which I don't really understand. For the parts and labour I was charged $448. I don't see the part costing more than $30 at Home Depot. The plumber mentioned that this was the industry standard for labour. It seems really high to me. I was in a position where I wanted it be done asap and correct. I didn't have much time to shop around. I had a feeling Mr Rooter would do a good job. But if I had more time, I would have turned down their services and continued shopping after the estimate.
I also noticed they have a $20 discount on their website. It was my fault I forgot to mention this when the plumber was on site.
The reason I give Mr Rooter 5/10 is because I probably wouldn't recommend them to someone as they are expensive to homeowners like myself. I would recommend them if money wasn't a concern. The saying "you get what you pay for" is true. But I do believe that you can get the "best bang for the buck" if you do your homework. This definitely would be the case if I had more time.
