Rooter Man GTA

I couldn’t be any more disappointed in my experience with Rooterman. I feel taken advantage of and wonder how many other people have been vulnerable to their scheming tactics to manipulate a minor problem into a major expensive issue to increase sales. I called Rooterman on January 30th to address a backed up main drain. The following is what occurred:

- The plumber began snaking the drain from my cleanout. Everything was going fine until the snake got stuck.
- Brian, the rep said it was definitely a broken clay pipe because the snake got stuck and it wouldn't get stuck on anything else. He said there was no way to get it out other than excavation at which point the broken clay pipe needs to be replaced. This was an additional $6500.
- He proceeded to say that we have to do a camera inspection as well to locate the broken clay pipe. (This is another $500)
- He said emergency permits had to be gathered right away so the work could be proceeded with the next day which turns out is just 'call before you dig'.
- He also said all the clay pipes from my house to the problem area should be replaced (turns out they're pvc which he should've seen if he used the camera)
- I authorized the camera inspection which I found out later wasn’t necessary.
- I told Brian I had to think about the additional $6500 because it was a lot of money for a spur of the moment repair.
- The next day Brian called to follow up and see if I wanted to get the work done. I said in all honesty I needed to get another price as a reference point; that I wasn't just going to agree to the price.
- At that point Brian said he wanted to check something out and maybe try again to get the snake out.
- It's an absolute joke that he was able to get the snake out in 5 minutes when he realized the job might not be given to Rooterman.
- In addition when he pulled out the snake a tiny bit of soil and thin root came out that I could probably cut with scissors. The camera was never needed in the first place as the snake wasn't stuck.
- I'm amazed that what I was shown to be a heavy-duty snake got caught on what looked like a ball of hair.
- During this time, my neighbour and I also got a hold of the previous owner of my neighbours house. Turns out he has a cleanout on his front lawn buried in snow.
- We called the city to now inspect from there.
- Turns out the area that the rooterman plumber said was the problem area is actually on the city side. Brian from rooterman assured me that it was private property because it was behind the city water shut off. Doesn't he know that it's not actually the line.
- Turns out there is no crushed or broken pipes and the could confirm that in the camera. The rooterman also used a camera. I don’t know why he couldn’t see that.
- I told the city workers what the plumbers snake got stuck on and they just laughed. They got through it in 30 minutes
- I got very lucky that I was able to get another opinion to figure this out. Most people wouldn't be able to wait in an emergency situation and the sequence of events wouldn't allow them.
- To top it all off Brian from rooterman dented and ripped my drywall and left sewage splatters on the wall which I cleaned up twice. I had to clean a second time when he came to remove the stuck snake
- The most frustrating thing was then when I called and emailed the management about this they just said 'protocol was followed'. I don’t even think they read my email.

As I'm writing this, I'm getting more angry at how unethical this pressure treatment is in emergency situations. I'm actually disgusted with this company.