Doctor Rooter

Got my old investment property in problem with drainage system. Called multiple rooter companies to do snake, camera, diagnose and estimate. I feel very lucky having chosen DrRooter to do the job with respect of the quality and cost.

Since I have this old investment house as a rental property and source of headaches/nightmares, I’ve been hiring all types of contractors from roofing/window/AC/décor/appliance … OMG, don’t know how I went through those bad contractors’ half-work-then-gone. DrRooter is the best holding hands with the window company from my experience.

For those who got basement flooding as me and looking for rooter service, I highly recommend them. You don’t have to trust me, but making a call to them, you might have saved a half month salary to fix the pipe without compensating any work quality. I can summarize the reasons I’m recommending them:

Pros:
1. Quality of work: The old engineer with multiple decades experience with pipes is one of the best plumbers. This comment is not from me, it’s from 311 guy who did my gas pipe locating told me. Before they dig, they need 311 locate the gas pipes and bell lines. I had a chit talk with the locator. He said the old plumber may not recognized him but he worked with him 5 years ago. He know the old plumber is very knowledgeable and finishing details, he’s one of the best plumbers. When they are done the job, it’s perfection. My basement floor and backyard looks exactly same as the attached pictures on their page.
2. Cost: I have saved a lot by hiring them to do the project. To be honest with you, big rooter companies might have charged you insane profit for the same work.
3. Professionalism: boss is very strict with his employees. He came to work several times a day to check the quality of work. Even he’s criticizing his little young guy to pick up small piece of garbage no one would noticed and through it to garbage bag because he wants everywhere looks clean and organized though as you know, this is the dirties work around the property. They put sheet everywhere to cover inside the house and outside to protect my walls, kitchen, and lawn.
4. Knowledge: They know what they are doing and will not speak ambiguous words or threatening you to pay extra money. They tell you what the problem is and why this and that. You understand what you are paying for.
Cons:
1. They don’t speak perfect English. They are like me as immigrant. A lot of times I have to say pardon to ask them to repeat. But I don’t care. I totally feel comfortable. But I can imagine, if you are a short tempered local people, don’t bother to call them.
2. Schedule: well, my project delayed for 2 days. Still manageable and with reasons. The pipe broke during the long weekend that even we can’t find anywhere to buy tapes. City inspection needs to wait, in this way, we have to left the basement ground open for a couple of days. Again, it could be 1.5 days faster if without the city’s inspection to the basement water backup valve, but I would not be able to get the city’s rebate for the valve. If comparing with other rooter companies, some of them even did not mention about installing the valve. Dr Rooter told me to install this valve to get Toronto City’s $1,250 rebate. Literally, I paid nothing for the valve from my own pocket, just kept the ground open for a couple of days waiting for city’s inspection. Also, some other rooter companies Got my old investment property in problem with drainage system. Called multiple rooter companies to do snake, camera, diagnose and estimate. I feel very lucky having chosen DrRooter to do the job with respect of the quality and cost.

Since I have this old investment house as a rental property and source of headaches/nightmares, I’ve been hiring all types of contractors from roofing/window/AC/décor/appliance … OMG, don’t know how I went through those bad contractors’ half-work-then-gone. DrRooter is the best holding hands with the window company from my experience.

For those who got basement flooding as me and looking for rooter service, I highly recommend them. You don’t have to trust me, but making a call to them, you might have saved a half month salary to fix the pipe without compensating any work quality. I can summarize the reasons I’m recommending them:

Pros:
1. Quality of work: The old engineer with multiple decades experience with pipes is one of the best plumbers. This comment is not from me, it’s from 311 guy who did my gas pipe locating told me. Before they dig, they need 311 locate the gas pipes and bell lines. I had a chit talk with the locator. He said the old plumber may not recognized him but he worked with him 5 years ago. He know the old plumber is very knowledgeable and finishing details, he’s one of the best plumbers. When they are done the job, it’s perfection. My basement floor and backyard looks exactly same as the attached pictures on their page.
2. Cost: I have saved a lot by hiring them to do the project. To be honest with you, big rooter companies might have charged you insane profit for the same work.
3. Professionalism: boss is very strict with his employees. He came to work several times a day to check the quality of work. Even he’s criticizing his little young guy to pick up small piece of garbage no one would noticed and through it to garbage bag because he wants everywhere looks clean and organized though as you know, this is the dirties work around the property. They put sheet everywhere to cover inside the house and outside to protect my walls, kitchen, and lawn.
4. Knowledge: They know what they are doing and will not speak ambiguous words or threatening you to pay extra money. They tell you what the problem is and why this and that. You understand what you are paying for.
Cons:
1. They don’t speak perfect English. They are like me as immigrant. A lot of times I have to say pardon to ask them to repeat. But I don’t care. I totally feel comfortable. But I can imagine, if you are a short tempered local people, don’t bother to call them.
2. Schedule: well, my project delayed for 2 days. Still manageable and with reasons. The pipe broke during the long weekend that even we can’t find anywhere to buy tapes. City inspection needs to wait, in this way, we have to left the basement ground open for a couple of days. Again, it could be 1.5 days faster if without the city’s inspection to the basement water backup valve, but I would not be able to get the city’s rebate for the valve. If comparing with other rooter companies, some of them even did not mention about installing the valve. Dr Rooter told me to install this valve to get Toronto City’s $1,250 rebate. Literally, I paid nothing for the valve from my own pocket, just kept the ground open for a couple of days waiting for city’s inspection. Also, some other rooter companies might charge you extra grand to install the valve.

In general, you can’t go wrong with them. One more time, you don’t have to trust my words, but call them before signing contract with other rooter companies, a single call might have saved you a lot. I like these Russian guys, very straight, working hard, and get paid for the work. I love our immigrants hard working guys like them no matter where we are from, but way better than many local perfect English speaking companies charging insane money and left dirty work half done.