max k.

02/11/2023 12:00:00 SA

Howard came to my rescue on a random morning. I was trying to fix a leak myself and bought a new faucet. Short story, I don't know what the hell I'm doing and made the leaking worse. In a panic I called Urgent Rooter. Howard was at my door in about an hour. Their inspection fee was $250.
This fee gave me an education. Howard showed me which tools and washers to use to prevent leaking and how to turn my main water back on slowly to protect the pipes. He also told me all the things not to do, to protect the plumbing in the walls. Education is priceless, so for that I am ever grateful.

Mii K.

11/23/2022

Well, nasty and dirty plumbing issues are like pimples that pop up in a surprise. For those of you who are not a pro, leave this task to a competent and reliable rooter & plumber.

That's why I only hired experienced and licensed plumbing specialist. Often time the issues may take me hours to fix, but they could be resolved in minutes.

UR&P sent Howard to the rescue. Yes, it took Howard about 1 hour to unclogged and drained the sink & toilet. He quickly determined the problems, explained what caused the problems, and got rid of them promtly with proper tools and parts. The service charge is reasonable and competitive.

Unfortunatly, the main pipe was damaged badly underneath the flooring materials which it can't be done within hours. Howard was so easy to work with, and he has offered a free revisit in the future to check on the pipe for replacement if I decide to open up the flooring. He quickly helped to shut off the main water supply to temperatly stop water leakage to prevent further damages to the flooring.

I truly appreciate his kind advice and effort!! Overall, it's totally worth it for the time spent and experience. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!!!

Naomi L.

05/09/2023 12:00:00 SA

Huge thank you to Albert and Jackson! Our kitchen sink had a severe and anxiety-provoking flooding incident suddenly yesterday morning (water came sheeting out from where the cabinet meets the floorboards) while I was doing dishes.... I recalled seeing their vans in our neighborhood, so I looked them up on Yelp and called right at opening time (8 AM). Albert picked up right away and Jackson came to the house at noon. The P trap issue was fixed at a very good price along with excellent explanations of the whole shebang. Super efficient, informative, funny, kind. Will be putting them into my contacts! Thanks guys!

Lucas L.

1/16/2023

My garage flooded in the beginning of December, before the atmospheric river craziness. I asked my go to plumber to take a look and after diagnosing the problem, he said everything was fine, and the cause of flooding was my house's low foundation. I was skeptical but shrugged it off because I had been using him for years. 5 days later, when the next storm came, not only my garage, but my backyard and downstairs bathroom started backing up. I didn't call my guy again bc it had to be more than my house having a low foundation. So, I yelped and found Urgent Rooter. I called at 12:30pm, the guy that answered said someone would be at my place between 1-3. By 1:05, Vincent arrived. Vincent was extremely friendly and eased my anxiety by saying he'd find the problem. 15 mins after looking at my gutter and the main drain, he said I had a clog. He ran a snake machine down the main gutter, and within 10 mins, pop!, all the water drained from my garage, bathroom and back yard! He continued to run the snake for another 5-10 mins and said it was fixed.
Since then, the Bay Area had crazy storms and my place did not flood once!
I am super happy w their service and it's the best money I spent.
Definitely recommend Urgent Rooter! They're fast, friendly and reliable!

C S.

3/22/2023

Albert took advantage while I was out to work and charged us 2x for replacing our water heater. I will never use urgent rooter again and neither should you. They are total their scam artists.

Anna K.

02/07/2023 12:00:00 SA

Howard is a very professional and knowledgeable plumber. He did a great job on my clogged bathtub drain and gave me a 30 day warranty if it clogs up again. I will definitely use him for future repairs. Thanks Howard!

elizabeth M.

6/17/2022

I've used Albert several times for plumbing repairs and he's always been prompt and pleasant in responding and keeping appointments, thorough and skilled in his work and fair in pricing. He just recently replaced a utility sink with it's faucets and drain, reworked the plumbing under a sink which had not been properly installed the first time, fixed the hot and cold lines under a sink and repaired a leaking copper pipe junction and all the work was excellent. When his partner forgot a detail he made sure to come back and take care of it quickly.

Dwight B.

11/17/2022

Caveat emptor!!! Punctual but a total rip off. Wanted to charge $60 for a $25 valve that probably cost them $18 (in bulk). Shop around. You could easily save a few hundred dollars. Hired a competitor whose quote was 20% less and I then gave that plumber a decent tip.

P S.

1/14/2022

My mom passed away right before COVID so her house hasn't been occupied. I plan on moving in & noticed the backyard sewer was backed up. I called several plumbers & Urgent Rooter was the one who could come that day. Mr Lee came & unclogged the drain. After he left, the kitchen drain clogged so he came back the next day. Because the water isn't being used there was rust in the drain & he was able to snake it out. I paid $350 each visit. I'm not tech wealthy so the price was expensive for me but all plumbers & tradesmen are expensive in the Bay Area to us natives. At least these guys come quickly & are fast. Then my bathroom shower started leaking so I called again. This time Howard came out. He couldn't fix the problem but told me what was needed. If I have an emergency faucet or drain issue again these are the guys to call.

Julie E.

3/21/2021

Dear Albert,

Thanks for your reply , I don't need any refunds or any adjustment for the service cost. We all see your service truck on the street everyday. So please be honest to all your clients, your clients are the property owners not the management company.

Sincerely,
Julie

Allen K.

4/16/2022

The technician Howard was great in explaining the work and issues I needed to consider, and in clearing the clogged line.

Bernice L.

6/30/2022

We've used these guys for years and they've handled multiple plumbing problems in different properties. They're always courteous and professional. We called Howard in the morning and he was there 2 hours later. He unclogged our kitchen drain quickly and didn't leave a mess. 10/10 would call them again.

Daniel G.

8/17/2021

Woke up to sewage overflowing out of the bathtub. Plumber was here within the hour and unclogged and serviced the plumbing in under 1.5 hours. Very efficient service that allowed me to continue working remotely in the other room.

Victor L.

5/14/2020

When you have a sewage problem it's one of those things where you are at the mercy of the first company that comes out. Unfortunately I paid a pretty penny for their service. I had a sewage backed up and someone had to come out and snake the sewer line immediately. They were the first to respond and agreed to have them take care of the issue. Few hundred dollars later they snaked about 40-50ft and it cleared the clog. If it wasn't for Mr. Li I probably would have left them 1 Star.
As to why I say they were expensive? I had another clog at a different property and they snaked about 80ft of it for only a couple of hundred dollars. So be forewarned.

J. T.

07/04/2021 12:00:00 SA

I have used them several times during the past years to unclog my main drain, which can get clogged with tree roots.

It's get expensive, from $150 to $250 lately.

Roberta D.

07/09/2021 12:00:00 SA

They are the next - came to fix what seemed like a simple issue but found others that needed attention after the PRIOR plumber had missed a bunch of stuff. Great and timely service!

Jim M.

6/22/2021

We've used them several times to clear tub drains and side yard drains. The drains always work great after they come, and for many years after, but then they clog again. Because that's what drains do. So then we call these guys again.

Kim P.

12/19/2021

Always on time, super capable and reasonably priced. I have relied on this business time and time again and never been disappointed. Can't say enough good things about this business.

R M.

09/05/2020 12:00:00 SA

Excellent work, quickly resolved and super prompt service replacing a kitchen faucet, on Saturday late afternoon, on a holiday weekend and amidst the pandemic.

Ricardo S.

1/14/2021

Kudos to Howard for his prompt and courteous attention to our rental's plugged kitchen sink drain. Although it required a relatively simple snake, our renter was delighted with the service, stating that he also did a really nice job following Covid-related precautions and (as always) left everything neat and clean. Can't get any better than that! Recommended.

Peter T.

07/12/2019 12:00:00 SA

Great service and fast!

We had a blocked drain issue/emergency. Howard came over even sooner than promised.

Super pleased.

Thank you.

Zhen W.

9/16/2020

Mr. Lee was wonderful, professional, and honest. He came quickly and solved my drain problem in less than 30 minutes. So I was very impressed. He is worth the $ and fair pricing.

Nina M.

8/22/2019

Efficient, honest, courteous, and inexpensive! This man is a bargain and saved us when our garage was flooded. Also, he gave great advice, had top-of -the- line equipment, and had been doing this for 30 years- he knows his stuff.
We will definitely be using him for sewer maintenance and all future plumbing jobs.

Nick C.

3/19/2020

Ok so I didn't actually use these guys' services BUT as I prepared to wash my bike today one of their employees walked by and, noting the greasy work ahead, kindly offered me a pair of disposable gloves. Take it for what you will, yelpdom.

Diarmuid R.

01/11/2018 12:00:00 SA

When there's something foul, on your garage floor, who you gonna call?

Urgent Rooter & Plumbing, that's who. On a recommendation from our neighbor I called and spoke to a woman in the office. She told me that Mr Lee (Vincent - the supervisor/owner as far as I could tell) would call me back in 10 mins. He did (well, maybe 15 mins later).

I explained the problem and he said he would be round by 4.30. He showed up early and now at 5.20 the problem is fixed. He had to root the sewage line from the street into the house to clear a big blockage - now all sorted.

Truly amazing service. From calling to having problem fixed was less than 2 hours. Plus he was friendly, courteous, funny and reassuring - and the price was extremely fair compared to a bigger firm.

This is a genuine San Francisco neighborhood business - I hope you never need to use their services but if you do you'll be in excellent hands.

Clark C.

7/16/2020

They did their job well, bit two stars subtracted because of poor customer service on the phone and in person when they came to my house to do the work. I had a clogged drain. A person on the phone was dry and short. A plumber came out, not friendly, just used the snake to unclog the drain -pretty straight forward. Price was kind of high, I just did not have time to look for somebody else. Bad customer service and high price will stop me from using this company again.

V R.

8/26/2019

Both toilets in my place were backed up so I called Urgent Rooter & Plumbing. Mr. Lee came out, told me that I had a clogged pipe and that he couldn't help, but that he would still have to charge an inspection fee. OK, how much is the inspection fee? I asked. Um, let's say $150, was his reply. $150 for five minutes and refusal to do a job that they clearly list as one of their areas of expertise!

The next day I called Genteel Plumbers and they were able to unclog my pipe in 20 minutes (and their inspection fee is only $49--less than a third of what Urgent charges). Toilets are working fine now. If you want a plumber who can actually do standard plumbing work I'd suggest not contacting Urgent Rooter.

Nina K.

10/11/2018 12:00:00 SA

I had a leak under my sink in the kitchen, and unless it was fixed the new dishwasher installers wouldn't replace the washer. Urgent Rooter came to the rescue. They responded on the first ring. The Plummer showed up at my door in less than 30minutes.
He thoroughly checked the problems, and it turned out there were many leak problems. He gave me a great discount since the original out of pocket was significant. Two hours later, no more leaks, and the drainage is excellent. Thank you Urgent Rooter!!

Claire M.

8/17/2020

Howard did an amazing job with our clogged garbage disposal! We initially hired a plumber through taskrabbit who put draino down our 100+ year old pipes, only making the clog worse. After trying one other plumber who also could not resolve the clog, Howard was able to resolve the clog quickly and at a very reasonable price. I highly recommend them for any clogs!

Robin W.

9/25/2020

Been using them for years and they are always dependable and get the job done. Their prices are high but their work is medium to high BUT they don't mess up and are by far the best in town. I adore these folks.

Alisha A.

12/08/2016 12:00:00 SA

We woke up at 7am to hear water running through our ceiling and realized we had a large pool of standing water on our roof. We spent an hour manually bailing it out, and then we finally gave up and looked on Yelp for options. We called Urgent Rooter, and the call was answered by a nice woman who took our information and had Mr. Lee call us within 15 minutes.
He was at our house within an hour, and he's leaving now at 11:15am.
SO nice and so happy to help us. Super friendly and resourceful- it took 3 attempts for the drain to be cleared, but he did not give up!!!
I would highly recommend him again and am grateful to have found this small business!!!!

Lorraine L.

12/22/2018

A rarer plumber that would make an appointment after 6pm. Vincent was on time and gregarious. He unclogged my kitchen sink in about an hour. Cost was $200.

Alanur K.

8/17/2019

Vincent was just amazing! We had a clogged toilet and when I called they said it could be $180 or $550 depending on if they could snake it or if they needed to remove the toilet. Vincent walked in and I told him I flushed some stinky food left overs (I feel like an idiot) He was like No problem. I am here and I will fix it. Don't you worry. To be specific it was some stinky steamed broccoli. He joked around saying Artichokes are the worst. He did his magic with his magic wand :-) I really recommend them because I felt the honesty the moment he walked in.

Kunal M.

12/24/2016

On a Friday night a few months ago, our bathtub drain backed up. We spent several hours trying every possible solution on the 'net. Even step by step instructional videos on YouTube did not help. So out of desperation, and fearing a massive bill for this job, since the home is over a hundred years old, I called Urgent Rooter and Plumbing on Saturday afternoon expecting a we are closed message. Instead a very nice lady said that Mr. Lee was out on other jobs and he would come and take a look.

Mr. Lee had been delayed by the last job, but he did come late in the evening. This is the first time that anyone had ever arrived so late on Saturday. Most repair persons say a job has to wait until Monday in their regular hours.

I asked him why he was working so late and Mr. Lee said that he had given his word and he would keep it, no matter how late or on which day of the week.

He is extremely knowledgeable. After an inspection he told us about several possible scenarios and also hoped that it would not be expensive for us.

He found a simple solution and fixed the problem, charging us a very reasonable fee that surprised us.

Personally one of the best parts of our plumbing catastrophe was to see that there are still the gentlemanly Mr. Lees around making a difference.

Robert C.

11/18/2020

All went well Vincent arrived when he said he would, was wearing a mask, diagnosed a complicated problem, and solved it.

Kirsten B.

8/21/2020

Showed up promptly and helped us solve a clogged drain. Was t easy but he stuck with it and the price was reasonable. Wore a mask!

Jack M.

8/28/2019

Love these guys. Fast response and they know what they're doing. We've used them a number of times on our old house, from bathtub to toilets to kitchen sink to water heater, and it has always been a pleasure. Highly recommended.

Maria U.

6/14/2016

Urgent Rooter saved me a lot of money! We had a backup in our garage drain due to a blockage in the pipe in our front yard. An early estimate from another company was $1200 to flush the pipe and use a camera.
Howard Lee from Urgent Rooter snaked it and he worked hard to clear it so we wouldn't have to flush it ( his charge was $360 for the flush). Good advice from Howard - never put dental floss down the toilet!! Thanks for the great service Howard!! Total cost to fix -$160!!!

William M.

06/11/2019 12:00:00 SA

Our main sewer line was clogged and backed up into the garage - ugh! We needed the main line snaked and the clog removed (tree roots - double ugh!!)
I've tried the rest (had to), Urgent Rooter & Plumbing are the best!! Came when they said they would, provided a very competitive price prior to arriving, did exactly what needed doing, and now everything is flowing as expected. The guy that did our work was brilliant: honest, and super capable -- can't ask for better. The 'other guys' will give you a quote when they arrive and before they're done you've spent a $1000 for a job that should cost a few hundred dollars.
Lastly, no one from Urgent Rooter & Plumbing asked me to write this. I've been through the nightmare of finding a good plumber and failed multiple times. Now I can stop looking and just make a call.

Mickey A.

10/29/2010

I never thought I'd be writing an un-glamorous review on Yelp, although plumbing/rooter service could be glamorous to some people.

For most recent household emergencies I've turned to Yelp to find the right company to help out. And once again.....success!

Looked up rooter, found many to choose from, and after going through the reviews I chose Urgent Rooter & Plumbing. They were easy to schedule an appointment, came right on time, pricing was very reasonable, and now our lives are back to normal. Surprisingly quick and easy. Love that!

Meghan P.

04/09/2011 12:00:00 SA

One Saturday afternoon our kitchen sink decided to stop holding any water... basically, the garbage disposal finished breaking (it was already partially broken) which caused the sink to fully leak. My dad asked me to hop on Yelp and find a same-day plumber and I chose Urgent Rooter & Plumbing from the great reviews.

About 45 minutes after we called Urgent Rooter, their truck showed up with two nice guys (who did not seem to speak much english). They got to work pretty quickly and about 1 hour later and $200, the sink worked like new! We luckily had a new garbage disposal ready for installation but I would guess they could have provided that if we were not so prepared (though too lazy to install it before it became such a big issue!). They cleaned up the whole kitchen area where they'd worked, took out the trash of the empty garbage disposal, and even took out the rest of our kitchen trash too.

Overall, great service and a kitchen sink that works!! :)

Nathan M.

8/31/2015

I called Urgent Rooter out because my bathtub drain was leaking. They did come out very quickly to look at the problem. Within 5 minutes, they had a solution: I had to replace around 10 different pieces of drain pipe for a total cost of $3,000. This was the conversation from there:

Me: I really can't do that much work right now. Isn't there anything cheaper that would solve the problem?
Them: Well, we could replace only some of those parts, which would cost $2,000.
Me: That's still really expensive. Isn't there a quick temporary fix you can do?
Them: We could replace just the drain piece and the piece connecting to it. That would cost $750.
Me: Is that the absolute best you can do? There's nothing cheaper?
Them: Well, we don't recommend it, but we could snake the line and see if that helps for $150.

They snaked the line for $150 (which took less than 15 minutes), and the problem was solved. I waited 3 months to write this review, and the drain still works perfectly.

I don't understand why they'd recommend a $3,000 repair before trying a $150 fix, even if it's not guaranteed to work. I feel like they just realized I didn't know much about plumbing and tried to take advantage of it.

Adding to the annoyance factor, the crew at my house didn't speak English, so every time they wanted to say something they phoned someone else and handed me the phone, so the conversation above was actually with someone who hadn't seen the problem.

Girlie G.

9/24/2018

No matter what, these guys have always been there for me in a pinch. I manage apartments in SF. They are my go-to folks. You'll pay, but the job gets done within hours of your call, and it stays fixed. Highest quality.

Tim W.

8/16/2011

As I noted in another review, I manage rental properties for a living. I've used several plumber / rooter services over the last 20 years, and when my old vendor tried to get funny on me (raising prices) I went searching for another.

I came upon Urgent Rooter & Plumbing through the yellow pages (remember them? They're what Yelp! replaced). Have been using Urgent ever since.

They are fast, get problems assessed quickly, and get things fixed right the first time. And rates are extremely reasonable compared to other plumbers I've used in the past.

They've made it onto my short list of first call vendors. Call 'em - I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Ky P.

10/29/2018

They have been our saviors on separate occasions. These guys are nice, efficient, convenient, and have the best prices. We worked with Howard Lee a few times and he is truly an expert and diagnostician. He notified me of any problems or possibilities that might ensue. He knows how to tackle problems without the hassle; such a hard-worker. I have his card and will trust him with my home needs.

Barbara W.

11/14/2017

I manage properties. I used their service many times. They always provided excellent service. The workers are professional and experience. They are very prompt and efficient.

Bill G.

1/16/2020

Our slow drain stopped completely last night. Draino didn't get it going by this morning. Called at 10am, Mr. Lee was here as promised at 1:30pm. Job was done by 2:15. Thank you Urgent Rooter and Mr Lee.

L C.

10/24/2017

We've been using Urgent Rooter's services for over 3 years and we are completely satisfied. The employees are prompt, efficient, knowledgeable, and informative. The work is has been excellent and priced reasonably. Whereas some other companies have used scare tactics and price gouging when faced with a crisis situation, these guys are among the good and honest.

We own a Victorian on a hilly street with two huge tress on either side of the driveway. Unfortunately, the main sewer line is overdue for replacement (a huge project that we are not ready to take on yet) and it runs right under one of the trees. Both Vincent and Mr. Lee have been out here periodically to help maintain the sewer line, clearing out the intruding tree roots. It's great that they respond quickly and are so thorough. .

They seem care about their customers and the quality of their work. Recently, they sent over a young rookie who was very conscientious. He did an excellent job with good confidence and whenever I had a question to which he was not totally sure of the answer, he contacted his supervisor to make sure that I was well-informed.

I highly recommend Urgent Rooter & Plumbing. Besides, they are also very friendly and courteous.

Mike N.

04/11/2018 12:00:00 SA

My sister recommended Urgent Rooter and after my experience I wholeheartedly recommend them as well. Keith showed up within the agreed window and was a total professional. He's very knowledgeable (and thoughtfully volunteered to take off his shoes before walking over our carpet!). Will be going back for future plumbing needs.

Greg H.

5/13/2019

I called Urgent Rooter & Plumbing out to fix my clogged garbage disposal, and they charged me $180. Less than a week later, their fix led to a leak and I had to call out another plumber, who replaced the disposal unit. I might as well have washed my $180 down the drain.

Jeannine A.

4/17/2017

As a property manager for multiple apartments in San Francisco, I called this plumber to fix a leak in one of the apartments. This plumber was quite unprofessional rude, impatient. He acted like he was the customer and I'm the service provider. He wouldn't answer or respond to service requests and in the end I had to ask him to leave because he would not cooperate.

Mono L.

2/19/2015

Receptionist answered quick, i stated my problem, she took down my info and Vincemt the plumber showed up in 1 hr.

He fixxed my leaking toilet tank by replacing the outdated parts. He arrived around 6pm and was finished around 7:10pm.. After 3 plumbers they all quoted the same price, but this guy was able to do it on the spot. Other plumbers did not have the parts on hand.

Quality work, fast response, and honest... I highly recommend.

Vinu C.

1/16/2017

Worst service ever. I called at 9 am with an emergency. I had an appointment between 1 -2 pm. The guy called to let me know he'll be here at 2:30 pm. Later the service person came around 3 pm and looked at the problem. He then started telling how he has neck pain and back pain and cannot carry the snake up 10 steps and suggested calling a different service.

Couple things :

1. If you have issues do not take the job. Give the customer a fair warning so that they can try other alternatives.

2. If you got physical issues, deal with the company. Dong give that as a reason to the customer after being late by 2 hours.

Overall, I'm very disappointed with the service and would never use such a service again.

Laura R.

2/13/2018

Best service ever! Always timely and at a good price. I have used them twice to clear my hairy shower drain. I also learn a lot - because they are always happy to answer questions and explain the ins and outs

John D.

12/06/2019 12:00:00 SA

I had a toilet with a tough clog. I contacted Urgent Rooter & Plumbing and spoke with Mr. Lee. He was much more helpful and upfront about the work that could be done and the pricing. He couldn't tell me over the phone what needed to be done, but he was able to walk me through the various scenarios for each type of clog and how much the work would cost in each case. He even helped me through a little bit of the diagnosis over the phone -- it was inconclusive but gave us a hint at what the problem might be.
Howard showed up and was able to clear the clog. It took some time but he managed to do it with the most inexpensive of the available options. I paid the terms we had discussed over the phone (the best price I had been quoted for short notice work).
If I have any plumbing issues in the future, I'll be contacting Mr. Lee and Howard again. Of the times I've called plumbers to my home, Urgent Rooter & Plumbing has been by far the best experience.

Stefan L.

07/07/2014 12:00:00 SA

So a few months passed and the drains got clogged again, poop backing up, etc. This time I had Howard come out and grind everthing out from the rear drain all the way to the street, and if possible down to the sewage treatment plant (Joke!). But seriously, he came and spent several hours grinding away all the crap and junk in the main drain. Everything flushed out and haven't had a problem since.

A few months after that, the water heater blows up (not literally) and just quits working. No hot water, not a good sign, and nobody is happy. Called Urgent again, $1050 was the quote for a Hoyt water heater, installed and haul the old one away. Do you think I could do this cheaper by going out, buying a water heater and having someone install it? Probably but who has the three days to wait around? Another person came out that day and installed a new water heater. ZAP! All done. Hot water returns and so does a happy family!

Susan C.

2/14/2019

Good service, fair prices, responsive, repeatedly. These guys ARE our go-to plumbers, from drain snaking, to hydro-jetting big pipes to water heater replacement, hose bib replacements, infrastructure in our 3 unit building. Beware of the bad reviews.

j c.

05/04/2016 12:00:00 SA

If you are a female home owner do not call Urgent Rooter and Plumbing! This company is old school is the wrong way. They sent the most arrogant, rude, dismissive agent to my home. My request for him to pull into the garage was waived off- my question about how long he would have to snake the pipe...lifted his hand and dismissed me again with waive off.

When a neighbor asked him to move his truck I again asked him to pull into the garage. He would not discuss saying my neighbor was threatening to call the police. Not true- he lied.

There is no way if he had been talking to a male home owner he would ever have behaved so dismissively. No male would have stood there and taken it. I did in fact ask him to leave.

No female should have to take this attitude either.

Jim C.

8/26/2016

Two years ago, I had written a 5 Star review for Urgent Plumbing based on 4 separate times I used them to clear residential sewer lines at my home and my daughter's home.
They were quick to respond; cleared the line with a snake and charged me an average of $150.

Two weeks ago I was ill and I instructed a neighbor to call Urgent Plumbing to my daughter's home in the Inner Sunset whose sewer line was backed up. Urgent had been there twice before, cleared the line with a snake and charged $150.

The next day the neighbor forwarded the new bill to me and Urgent Plumbing had charged $360.

The reason given on site was that the line contained sand (the worker pointed to the tip of the snake) and he would have to use a water jet machine to clear the line and that it would cost another $180 over the snaking price of $180 for a total of $360.

If a homeowner ever wants to know what it means to be between a rock and a hard place, have any roto-rooter company man

ask you, as you are standing in the clogged up sewer water that you have already committed $180 to clearing, Would you like me

to use the Jet water machine to clear the line? What else can you do but accept? This is not an enviable position for a home owner to be in or standing in.

I wrote to Urgent Plumbing with my complaint and asked for a partial refund of $160.00

I received a phone call from a manager who was quite willing to spend time answering my questions and to tell me why I would not receive a refund.

I asked him why the Jet water machine was necessary when it had never been necessary in the past?

He replied that the reason was due to the drought. That since less water is flowing through the pipes there is a jelly build up in the pipes. Rationally, this makes sense. It also makes for a wonderful excuse, very difficult for the homeowner to refute.

I asked, Why don't you begin with the Jet-water machine to save time and charge only $180.00?

The manager answered The jelly must first be broken up by the snake before it is able to be blown out by the jet machine.

I asked What if the jet machine doesn't work?

He said, We have a bigger, more powerful jet machine that costs $450.

I asked him How long do you snake before you give up on clearing it?

His answer was 1 to 2 hours.

Remember, neither of us were on site that day.

I said, My neighbor said from Urgent's arrival time to departure it was approximately 1.5 hours.

The manager assured me that his man had been there for 2.5 hours. As you can see, it's a toss up.

What have I learned? It would be foolish to think that Urgent Plumbing's argument is without merit.

It would also be foolish for me, to take them at their word.

It would be foolish to think other companies are not charging extra for the drought.

I will recommend Urgent Plumbing as a company that will respond to your home very fast.

In 4 calls, I've never had to wait more than two and a half hours.

But, what makes for quick response by any company are the multiples of trucks ready to respond.

This means many jet water machines must be bought and placed on each truck. Business wise, this is increased overhead.

I am not saying don't call Urgent Plumbing or other multiple truck companies, I'm saying be aware the drought may not only be ruining your lawn, it could hurt your pocket book when they arrive.

For me, I'm going back to the guy that had one big snake machine and one small snake machine. His response was not as rapid, but after 3 hours work and a cleared drain, the bill was $150.

Kim L.

4/15/2016

I've used Urgent Rooter quite a few times for my apartment building and every time, they've taken care of the problem. Today Howard came to clear a clogged drain in the bathroom on a top floor apartment. He ended up having to change a portion of the pipe due to wear/erosion. I came home from work to discover my bathroom sink was now clogged and I'm on the bottom level. I called and Howard came back after his current call. He snaked the drain, cleared it and had to do the same with the pipe under my sink, due to wear/erosion. Howard worked on my sink a good two hours but I'm so grateful for him taking care of the problem and finishing it up so I wouldn't have to go through the weekend with a backed up sink. They are efficient, professional and very knowledgable. I highly recommend Urgent Rooter & Plumbing!

Debbie G.

4/15/2017

I have been using Urgent for several years for my home and rental property plumbing problems - new water heaters, clogged sinks and drains, installing new basement sinks and toilets, bathroom water leaks going below to another apartment - you name it and Urgent has fixed the problem to the highest standards. All the workers are very knowledgeable, efficient and clean up after the job. I work directly with Albert the owner and he always gives me first rate service. After one job , he even came after work himself personally to fix my leaky water pipe that was damaged ! Five star company - highly recommended!

Mangoz _.

08/09/2018 12:00:00 SA

This company's boss attitude's is very bad And it's not professional. The prices are very expensive, the company just very bad

Nicholas M.

9/19/2019

Our whole garage flooded from a blocked main sewer line. I called about 8 different companies and all were shady with quotes but Vincent got back to me in about ten minutes. He arrived promptly with a warm, welcoming continence and got right to work. Great service, will recommend to anyone who needs it.

Sydney J.

07/12/2019 12:00:00 SA

I was referred to Howard from another plumber I called who was on vacation. We spoke on the phone and he was here within 30 minutes. He explained all possible outcomes and the prices for each to me and got to work. He's fixed the issue within 10 minutes. Howard is friendly, professional, and great at his job.

Jeff A.

3/27/2014

These are the only rooter folks you need to know about. Years ago, I handled litigation involving disreputable rooter companies, who told people they had problems they did not, created problems they would then charge you to fix, and generally overbill everything. In other words, the exact opposite of Urgent Rooter.

My sewer was clogged and backed up, the rain was falling, and I discovered my roof run-off flows into the same pipe, backing nasty stuff into an ever-widening toxic pool covering the garage floor. It's an emergency. Urgent Plumbing's answering machine said they open at 8. I called at 8:01 and a polite woman answers, and says they can be there within an hour.

Li arrives on time, takes 10 minutes to diagnose the location of the clog, gives me a fair quote, and gets to work. Within an hour, the drain is flowing clear, and I am at work with a hose and a lot of bleach.

By noon, the nasty adventure is over, except for my kids complaining that the garage smells like a hospital.

Urgent Rooter is who to call.

Jenna E.

09/01/2016 12:00:00 SA

Howard was so professional and thorough! He made sure all was working tip top and in shape--found that my toilet was leaking due to maladjustment from previous install. It's never flushed better--- so happy!!!!thank u Howard

shirley w.

2/16/2016

I highly recommend, Urgent Rooter plumbing. They do a fantastic job, quickly and professionally, Vincent ! Very knowledgeable and what he does best.

Judie C.

05/12/2016 12:00:00 SA

This is my second time giving a 5 star rating to Vincent Lee. I needed help with an extremely clogged pipe in my basement which caused my sink to overflow everytime I used the washing machine. He began with the easiest approach which I was able to observe and then needed to use a longer snake and stronger machine. He once again worked so hard to fix a problem that at one point seemed impossible but he did it!!! He is an extremely diligent worker, committed to customer satisfaction and an overall professional. He is a model on how business should be conducted and how customers should be treated. I recommend him highly and would call upon him again if I need help with plumbing. I feel very fortunate to have found him
Judie C,

Susan L.

12/09/2018 12:00:00 SA

Howard was punctual (even arrived earlier), thoughtful in the process, efficient, diagnosed the problem quickly, and cleaned up the area in the tub that was worked on. He was very informative about other issues I had regarding the plumbing outside too. I now have other family members who will contact Urgent Rooter - based on my positive experience - when they have problems with their own homes or rentals.

Nader M.

2/23/2012

I have no idea how this business has 5 stars.. it must be a scam.

I called and made a next day appointment for a clogged urinal and floor drain. Later that same day I received a phone call from them letting me know the urinal may need to be taken off the wall to be fixed and there would be an extra charge, I agree to the extra charge.

The following day when they showed up the guy checked out the urinal and floor drain and told me he was going to snake the urinal and if that does not got work they were NOT going to take it off the wall to fix it. I explained to him that I agreed to the extra charge to remove the urinal to have it fixed. His reply was they do not do that anymore and that it was my problem. He then tells me he is charging me $160 to snake the drain, which is a total rip off. Basically I wasted my entire day and nothing got fixed.

Pretty sure this comment will be removed - that is the only way this company could have a 5 star rating.

Yan G.

9/15/2009

You may say I am spoiled, but I take life's little luxuries for granted. Having a working faucet and running water in the kitchen is one of them. But, as the song goes, you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone.

One evening, I turned on the faucet and . . . nothing. I don't know what happened, but I was expecting some water and it wasn't coming. Uh oh. I tried praying to various deities, screaming at the faucet, pulling my hair out and cursing at whomever built my house in 1963--basically, I tried everything short of fixing it. Nothing seemed to help.

Since I have a better chance of beating Tiger Woods in Augusta than fixing a faucet, I called my dad for some plumbing recommendations. He recommended Igor the Plumber, a Russian guy he had used a couple of times. Igor came by on Friday, confirmed that the faucet was broken, told me to get a replacement one and . . . disappeared. After two missed appointments (Monday and Wednesday), 6 or 7 un-returned voicemails and 6 days without running water in the kitchen, I decided I'd had enough.

I found Urgent Rooter on Yelp and called them at 8:15 am. They took down my information and called me back with a quote in 5 min. They quoted me $180 to install my faucet, which was more expensive than the elusive Russian plumber, but cheaper than the $255 quote I'd gotten elsewhere the night before. They said they could have a plumber at my house by 9:30 am.

At 9:25 am, I got a call from Tony the Plumber who said that he was waiting for me at my front door. I was 5 minutes away from my house, but he said he didn't mind waiting. We walked in, he looked at my faucet, confirmed the estimate with his manager over the phone and got to work.

About 90 minutes later, my shiny new faucet was installed. Tony demonstrated to me that the faucet was working great and that there were no leaks. He insisted that I take a look under the sink and test everything out to make sure I had no complaints. He was a true professional, which I certainly appreciated. Not only did he bring his own paper towels, but he also put back every single item he had to move while he performed the installation! When he told me he was done, I couldn't even tell that someone had been working in my kitchen. Tony even put back the area rug that he had to move out of his way. That rug really tied the room together.

Trust me: next time you have a plumbing problem, don't fall for the old I can get you a Russian, cheap trick. Just call Urgent Rooter & Plumbing, and they will take care of it. They take checks, credit cards and, of course, cash.

P.S. $180 for 90 minutes of work? Why did I go to college again?

M W.

3/18/2008

Albert and his guys are absolutely amazing!

Fast, efficient, friendly and very responsive.

5 Stars for the excellent work and outstanding customer service.

Joanna S.

12/04/2009 12:00:00 SA

Albert was as polite, efficient, timely and considerate as I could have hoped for. He went out of his way to test a few things about the mystery leak in my garage and then gave me a free diagnosis and excellent advice.

Thank you, Albert. I will surely call you again when my 100 year old house demands it.

Flora F.

9/24/2011

Alright, so I stayed at my friend's house now these days. And they have this old disposer stopped working after I pulled down some veggie soup left over. After that, even the water went down super slow. Ugh... Anyway, I called Urgent Rooter and Plumbing, and turned out it needed to change a new disposer with a flat rate is $350, including all the connected pipes. Even I mentioned Yelp, only got 20 dollar off of it.

Here're my suggestions from this experience to everyone:

1/ If u wanna just go get all the pieces u need yourself and ask some plumber do the actual installing work for u (probably will be a lot cheaper that way). This is not the place you wanna call.

2/ It's fast as the other reviews mentioned, it's nice service as the other reviews said. The guy came on time and working fast. They'd better be with that much money... But again, if u wanna get the plumbing work done quickly and save ur energy and time, call them now! Also you probably won't worry about ur plumbing problems in their 30 days to 60 days warranty. At least I got mine for 60 days, plus the disposer itself 2 years warranty. (They didn't left the original box for me, I guess I'd have to call them if it's broken... LOL)

Anyway, long story short, one star off, because of the $$ and also, it would be better if they could mention the price when people call in to make an appointment than telling us when the plumber actually walks in your door.

Jim K.

05/04/2008 12:00:00 SA

Sunday morning and there is a big, smelly puddle in my garage. Turns out my main sewer pipe is blocked. Here's the dilemma. Do I let the smelly puddle sit a day, and hope for a lower rate from the plumber on Monday, or do I bite the bullet and get the problem fixed today.

I found another option, called Urgent Rooter, and paid the low, regular weekday price.

Before I found Urgent Rooter, I called several other highly-rated plumbers from Yelp. Robert the Friendly Plumber was friendly. But he doesn't do rooter work. So he referred me to Rooter Bong (great name). Well, Rooter has a good price ($145 to snake the line), but he doesn't work on Sunday.

Atlas was willing to come over in 3 hours and snake the line for $325 or come on Monday for $250.

Mr. Rooter would come in 3 hours to provide a free estimate, but they wouldn't quote anything over the phone. Why would I want to do that when every other plumber was willing to quote the price for a snake job?

Urgent Rooter was an easy choice. He was willing to come over in 30 minutes and snake the line for $150. When he got to my house (on time), he asked if I wanted the regular snake for $150, the electric power flush for (I forget the price), or $400 for the super-duper gas flush. Suspecting that I was being up sold unnecessarily, I asked what the advantages of the other methods were. My only complaint is that I didn't get a very clear explanation. (It's up to you what you want.)

I chose the regular snake job, and Mr. Urgent tried valiantly to unclog my pipe for 45 minutes, but this was too much of clog for the snake to fix. Feeling desperate, I decided to go for the super-duper flush. That fixed the problem.

Now, here's the great part. Mr. Urgent only charged me for the super-duper flush $400. He didn't even charge me for the 45 minutes he wrestled with the snake. I was totally expecting a bill for $550.

I hate to shell at $400, but I am happy to be able to use the plumbing again, and I don't even have to stay home from work on Monday to meet the plumber.

I will be using Urgent Rooter in the future.

Jake M.

01/10/2017 12:00:00 SA

Howard was here less than an hour after I called. Rain falling, water backing up, and he had it taken care of in minutes. Reasonable price, and he explained maintenance steps I could take to prevent future problems.

Tom M.

2/24/2012

I took my toilet apart trying to get a dental appliance that was accidentally flushed, and when I put it together the new wax ring didn't seal. Better to have a professional reinstall than risk leaking water onto my neighbors. Of the top plumbers on yelp, these folks were the only ones open till 6pm not 5pm, and they actually answered the phone when I called at 5:58pm.

The Asian woman who scheduled my appointment for 9:30am the next day couldn't give me a quote but said they won't start work until a price is agreed upon.

Two very friendly Asian men showed up at exactly 9:30am (try getting that from your cable guy :-). Their English was not good enough to really communicate much, but with their boss on the cell phone we communicated just fine for this simple job.

The boss quoted $220 to reinstall the toilet, which seemed quite high given that I had already done much of the prep work (removed old caulk and wax rings). I offered $150, we agreed on $180 including new ring and supply line, other parts extra.

The two workers did the job in about 50 minutes total, and I was happy with the workmanship; no mess left behind. I noticed that they replaced the valve inside the bowl; the worker's English wasn't good enough for me to get an answer about why that was done, but there was no charge so I'm happy.

Overall, I'd call Urgent again for simple jobs, but might look for native English speakers if there was a job that required lots of communication. These guys were really friendly.

Kashya s.

1/13/2009

Amazing service. This past Saturday night our basement laundry sink got clogged. Figured we'd snake it in the morning. Morning comes along, now the laundry sink was half full with warm water (we weren't doing laundry). Looked to Yelp for a good plumber and called Urgent Rooter. The supervisor, Howard Lee answers and asked is this the main line problem? I go, I have no idea, can you come and take a look. He said I'll be there in 15 minutes. Wow, on a Sunday morning? He actually shows up 15 minutes later. I'm already impressed.

He does his thing (I'm not sure what, but he looked at the clog while we ran water from various sinks and flushed the toilets). In about five minutes, Howard has figured out the problem and goes, yeah, it's the main line, don't run any water, flush the toilet, or anything water related until I fix this. He explains that it'll cost $150, unless he has to access the line by cutting the pipe, which would cost more. Two hours later, after pulling out a whole bunch of roots from our main line (the City had warned us a couple of months back that we may have a root problem in our sewer line), the problem was solved.

I ask him, do I need to replace the entire line? He goes, I wouldn't recommend that because it would cost too much, at least several thousand dollars, and if the line runs beneath your foundation then the costs could really be high. Instead, he recommended that we clear the line annually (for a cost of $150), and if that doesn't work he could try toxins to kill the roots growing in the pipe. He explained if none of those efforts work, then we should consider replacing the line. Howard actually explained in better detail, but, it's a little too much to write.

So, I go, great, when should I call you again? He said, try and clear your line before the raining season, so November, December time because the rain water also runs into the sewer line. And if that's clogged with tree roots, then the water could back up into the house. Good to know. He then assured me that he would call us to remind us. Wow, what great service. Loved them. Our tree root problem could have been the biggest nightmare, instead, it was quickly fixed at a very reasonable price. Just excellent. Highly recommend.

Jennifer C.

11/27/2010

After taking the pipes apart and snaking the line myself, I still couldn't get my kitchen sink to drain. I finally broke down and called these guys after reading the previous Yelp reviews.

This is a great company and I will use them again. They came within a few hours, gave me a good price quote (not obscenely expensive given it was a Saturday) and went to work. The problem turned out to need some pretty big guns. He was prepared and capable and was very sensitive to the fact that I was in the midst of a dinner party for my birthday.

In the end he charged me $5 less then the quote---even tho it was a more complex task then first thought.

I'll keep their number on my fridge and call when the pipes have digestive issues again.

Lizzie L.

03/05/2009 12:00:00 SA

Drum rollllllllllllllll... and the winner for the 2009 BEST PLUMBER AWARD goes to ALBERT LEE and for the BEST SUPPORTING PLUMBER AWARD goes to HOWARD LEE. Please come on stage and receive your golden wrench award. Clap! Clap! Clap!

Okay, this review is mainly for you single ladies out there. I lack all skills when it comes to automobiles, plumbing, electronics and electrical. These traits are not part of my makeup or genes. I know my good friends work for food, but there is always a limit to asking for their help. Right, guys? :)

Thanks to yelp.com, I found Urgent Rooter & Plumbing. Okay, it's always a risk and gamble in trying a new service. B-I-N-G-O! WINNER!!! Look no further. You don't need a second opinion when it comes to their service and advice. Albert is the plumbing doctor. Howard cleared out my pipes in the garage and Albert came at a different time to do some analysis on another problem. Albert didn't charge me for his advice and it feels good to have trust and confidence in a company's work. Kick ass!!!! A++++++++++++++++++++++! Thank you, Albert and Howard.

Drea L.

7/15/2008

Garage full of water...bad. Urgent rooter and Albert Lee.....good.
I would totally call these guys if you have a problem that needs to be solved. Fast and reasonably priced.

Ryan B.

2/26/2009

Howard, you rock.

- Showed up within 30 minutes of my call.
- Done removing a nasty clog, including vacuuming out my failed attempting at drano'ing the rice wad in the disposal, and replacing the busted trap, within an hour.
- Very reasonable price.
- Plus personal lessons on how to avoid the whole mess in the first place!

Awesome all around. Thanks, Urgent Rooter & Plumbing!

Philip C.

7/23/2011

We called Urgent Rooter & Plumbing this morning after our shower began backing up and our repeated attempts to use drain cleaners failed. A service man was promised between 12 noon and 2 p.m. and sure enough, a very pleasant man arrived at 12:20 p.m.
He brought in a portable rooter and cleared the drain pipe completely. He showed us the gunk that had built up over years deep in the pipe. The shower drains perfectly now.
The service fee was a little high, but well worth it.

MishEddie G.

7/30/2008

Hooray for Urgent Rooter and Hooray for Yelp! I came home last night to a clogged main sewage pipe in the garage. After two and a half hours trying to snake the drain ourselves (so disgusting) with no fix, I logged onto Yelp and tried to find a Rooter Man.

Luckily I stumbled on Urgent Rooter! This company deserves the 5 Star, Super Rating! I called this morning at 7:30AM and Albert promptly provided an appointment at 11AM. He arrived on time with Wen, our Service Technician. He surveyed the area, provided us with his diagnosis, and recommended we snake the drain and flush the pipe.

GULP. I was expecting to pay $500, but to my pleasant surprise it was only $280! PHEW!!! He also gave me a 90 day warranty too! After signing some papers, Wen started working on the clog (from the outside into the house) and spent over an hour and a half clearing out the pipe. He did a super job and took a lot of care into what he was doing.

Even after he cleared the clog, he still ran the snake for 25+ minutes with the water running to clear anything out. Then he spent a good amount of time flushing out the pipe too! The icing on the cake was when he actually cleaned up the area around the sewage pipe opening before putting the cover back on.

It just showed how much attention and care he put into clearing our clogged drain. I mean it's a yucky job, but he was so dedicated! I feel so lucky to have found this Rooter Service!

Great customer service and dedication! Super nice people! Reasonable Prices! Top notch Rootering services! If you are having sewage problem, I recommend you contact Urgent Rooter.

Thanks Albert and Wen!!!

Lucky Y.

04/03/2009 12:00:00 SA

Vince arrived in 30 minutes. Fixed our broken sink in half an hour then took extra time to clean it out nicely, and did a thorough job - testing and retesting the disposal. He also took extra time to find out where this tiny, tiny leak from our disposal was coming from (which he didn't need to do). Very friendly, thorough service.

The experience was painless. I hope we won't need more plumbing service, but we would totally use Urgent Rooter & Plumbing again.

David O.

5/28/2009

Nicely done! The guy from Urgent Rooter just left with a job well done and another satisfied customer. I had a drain that had been clogged by roots and such. I called these guys. Dispatch told me I'd get a call in 10 minitues, which he did, and was over in about 30 minutes or so. Then another 20 minutes later, problem solved for $150. In less than an hour I went from a big smelly puddle in my garage (and unable to use the showers or bathroom) to a happy place! THANKS
:D

Chris F.

01/08/2012 12:00:00 SA

The drain in the bathroom sink has been longer and longer to drain over the past month or so, until it finally backed up and needed to be taken care of. I pulled the trap apart under the sink, but it was clean. I knew then it was time to call a plumber. We Yelped Plumbers and decided on Urgent Rooter and Plumbing because of all the positive comments.

I called Urgent Rooter & Plumbing around 11:00 am on a Saturday; they were busy but were at my house by 2:00 pm. The plumber Li confirmed the estimate of $150 which had been agreed upon over the phone when I made the call. He then protected the entire area that he was working in with plastic so water and dirty material from the drain would not get all over. Li was very polite and as I read in some other Yelp reviews, removed his shoes at the door. He was very efficient and was able to use a plumbers snake to pull out a ton of hair out of the drain line. He re-installed everything that I had taken apart and solved the problem. Li tested the pipes as well to ensure no drips or leaks and then removed all the plastic projection that he had put down and took it with him. I give them 5 stars and say Great job to Urgent Rooter & Plumbing.

Ross S.

10/28/2012

Howard, came to fix my toilet. At first he was curmudgeonly and terse, but he had a heart of gold buried just below the surface.
Ultimately he did not fix my toilet but he was clear that he did not know how to fix my model (a tricky, dual-flush Sterling... confirmed to be a beast by other plumbers), but he was careful to not give poor advice even when we pressed him.

He was accommodating on timing and he charged me nothing for the visit even though I'm sure he had better things to do.

Thanks Urgent. I hope to actually give you some business one day!

Yelp R.

2/13/2014

Gotta love Yelp! I noticed that in the past year, I can depend on Yelp for services outside of Restaurants. This is a big help since it is hard to find good, honest people to do quality work without ripping you off.

Albert of Urgent Rooter responded to my emergency within minutes. I had a leaking water heater that was gushing water in my condo. I live on the second floor so the impact could have been disastrous. He sent a guy out within 30 minutes and replaced my old water heater with a new one.

The cost was decent but most importantly the service was fast and good. Thanks Albert!

Miray V.

6/28/2010

I called for them to come early monday morning. They gave me a time frame for 9-10:30. I was really hoping they would not come at 10:30 and was very happy they came just after 9.

They replaced the system in the back of the toilet and then noticed that the connection to the wall was leaking and should be replaced. I said go ahead and when he was done he showed me the part/small pipe he took out of the wall. It looked way to old and was really happy we avoied a problem. He also fixed a leaky faucet.

he was gone just before noon. I did not compare prices but it seemed resonable considering he seemed to have fixed so much quickly and cleanly.

Elizabeth F.

3/25/2012

I had backed up my toilet and dirty sewer water was starting to come into my home through the shower drain. I needed help quick!

I called at 830am and was able to schedule a plumber, Vince Li to come out to my house within an hour. Vince was on time and experienced. He looked for the drain in my backyard and asked me to flush a toilet from a different bathroom and showed me that water was accumulating in the drain outside and concluded that there was a back-up in the sewer line. He said that there were two possible solutions, a cheaper one ($160) and a more expensive one if the first one didn't work ($260+). The cheaper solution included sending a 50 foot snake under my garage to clear that line, it worked. Vince took care of the issue within an hour and provided me a 15 day guarantee (which I didn't need). I highly recommend them!

Connie S.

10/02/2010 12:00:00 SA

i'm a new home owner and as a result of a clogged bathroom sink and wobbly toilet, this was the first time i had to deal with a plumber, handyman, etc. being a chick who quite obviously knows squat about plumbing, i was 100% convinced i'd get ripped off. after calling a few plumbers i found on yelp, i decided to give urgent rooter a try based on (i) their stellar reviews and (ii) the fact that they gave me the best quote. here's how it went down:

i called urgent rooter at 2:56 pm.

howard arrived at my condo at 4:28 pm.

howard left my condo at 5:30 pm - after fixing both problems.

howard was the nicest guy. he explained everything to me, including the fact that if his first plan of attack didn't work (for fixing the clogged sink), plan B would be more expensive (plan A worked - yippee!). as for the wobbly toilet, he gave me a few different options, which had vastly different prices. he explained the pros and cons of each, and we decided he would try the cheapest option first (which also worked - double yippee!).

added bonus - howard left my place as clean as he found it. i've had plumbers work on apartments i've lived in who have tracked mud into the house, and left nasty things all over the bathroom. the fact that howard took the time to make sure everything was how he found it goes a long way in my book.

overall, i was completely happy with howard's work, his friendliness, and the very competitive price. i'd absolutely recommend him for your plumbing needs.

James T.

05/03/2009 12:00:00 SA

My experience with Urgent Rooter & Plumbing was 5 stars, just like the previous reviews I read before I called to have them quote for remediating a minor gas leak in my kitchen. Albert showed up on time as promised to evaluate and give the quote, which was ~$400 below another quote I received from another highly rated yelp plumber. I decided to repipe the gas pipe from my garage up to the kitchen. A week later, Albert and his crew arrived promptly and finished the job exactly as promised in 2.5 hrs. The crew left my kitchen clean and cleaned my garage as well. The plumbers and Albert were highly professional and courteous.

It turned out my water heater was not re-lit, which I didn't find out until the next day (Sunday morning). I called and 15 minutes later, the Urgent Rooter van showed up to help me re-light my water heater, no questions asked.

They have certainly earned my future plumbing repairs business.

Adam D.

2/19/2010

We had a potential drainage issue in our back yard and contacted Urgent to come assess what could be done and potentially clear any drains that needed it. As it turns out the issue wasn't one that could be addressed by their service, but they offered to refer us to a service that could do sump-pump installation.

That said, they were very responsive, honest and did not charge for not one, but two visits. They were even very respectful of our napping baby upstairs. Great guys and a great asset to the community, I highly recommend calling them up if you need any plumbing matter looked into.

Delia W.

07/03/2015 12:00:00 SA

My shower was clogged and backup. I called Urgent Rooter and Plumbing Inc. Howard was very professional when he arrived on time. The job he did was excellent and he unclogged the shower drain less then 15mins. I am a very happy customer. I paid $135.00 even with a 30 day warranty. I would recommend their service to anyone who needs it. THANK YOU URGENT ROOTER.

Bill H.

10/25/2011

Water heater replacement - these guys are good.

I live on the second floor of a two floor condo building so you can imagine why a leaking water heater could be problematic.

I called these guys around 2:30pm, and they were at my place by 4:00p.

The new water heater was installed and working by 6:15p.

These guys are super friendly, fast, and super clean!

I will DEF be using them again!!

Tori F.

5/15/2009

We've worked with Vincent Lee at Urgent Rooter three times over the years. He is always prompt, professional and good at his job.

Today we learned that if you have a low flow toilet, you need to hold the handle down for 15 seconds.

He fixed our broken toilet and we'll call him in the future if there is ever another problem.

Thanks Vincent! - LSarc / lsarc-sf.com

Carolyn S.

6/22/2009

A few hours before party start time the kitchen sink won't drain. We tried plunging, we tried white vinegar and hot water with the plunging, we got out the thingy and snaked 15 ft down, we removed the pipe (trap?) under the sink - nope.

Yelp to the rescue. Search plumbers and there it is - URGENT Rooter & Plumber with 31 reviews and a five star rating. We call, Vincent answers and arrives 45 minutes later (exactly when he said he would), sees we are in party-prep mode, works quickly, fixes the problem, and charges a fair price for a Saturday afternoon plumbing emergency.

Thank you Vincent and thanks to Yelp.

Bee J.

10/09/2010 12:00:00 SA

Cheerful, prompt, efficient. I thought their prices were reasonable and they totally stuck to their quotes. I needed 2 visits because of a thoroughly stuck pipe underneath & behind the sink and a old, leaky pipe down below.

The first visit was on a Thursday afternoon (I called in the morning) and the second was on a Saturday morning (I called late Friday afternoon). Honestly, I was a little nervous after the first visit because of the amount of snaking and not being sure as to what to think of the leaky pipe. I was considering a 4-star review because of the way the situation was explained to me at the end of the visit.. It left me thinking, geez... what the heck do I do now?! After looking at the pipe with my landlord on Friday, I realized... okay, it hadn't burst (I'm picturing a flood in between the floors) but there were a couple of rust spots wearing away.

Albert showed up for the 2nd visit fully apprised of the 1st visit and wanting to check it for himself. I was half expecting a quote and then having it fixed later, but he said... here's the quote... we can start on it right now. Awesome. The pipe was replaced before noon as promised. 5 stars! I'm back in business and have a 30-day warranty. Here's hoping I never see them again but if I ever have plumbing needs, I will definitely call Urgent.

Trang N.

8/17/2017

Great service, fair prices and most importantly they are fast. Vincent comes yearly to snake our shower and has great customer service. Called today to have our bathroom sink unclogged and he showed up in 30 min and has us back up and running in another 30. Definitely was expecting a longer wait. Thanks for your speediness Vincent!

Melissa D.

8/20/2011

Albert and his team really came through for me. On a Saturday afternoon they came out made an assessment and replaced our leaking water heater within 30 mins of me calling them. I called two other well known plumbing companies prior to phoning URP and was told that while a plumber could come out it was unlikely that they would be able to get the needed parts to fix the problem until Monday. Waiting until Monday was not an option as this was for a rental property.

I highly recommend them. Not only did they fix the problem they were a pleasure to work with and their prices were reasonable.

Chris A.

05/11/2010 12:00:00 SA

Last month, we found ourselves knee deep in sewage - literally. Our main sewer line under our house had backed up and sewage was pouring in from the drain at the back door of our garage and running all the way throught the garage and right out the front garage doors onto the street. When I realized what was in the water (sewage!), I called a friend who had a friend who is a plumber and he came out to help.

After 2 days and 2 tries, he was not able to snake out the main sewer line. He recommended that we replace the main line going all the way out to the street and said it would probably run around $8,000. My partner and I were devasted and had no idea how we could come up with that kind of money on such short notice. We couldn't use the toilet, shower, sinks, dishwasher or washer so there is no way we could have lived at our house until it was fixed.

As a last resort, I suggested that we call another plumber and give snaking the line one more try. I called Roto Rooter and they told me they could not give me any quotes until they arrived and looked at the problem. I didn't like the idea of that, so I kept searching online and on yelp and found that Urgent Rooter was in our neighborhood and had good reviews. I called and someone picked up immediately. I was told it would be $150.00 to try to snake out the line and I would be given a quote for any further work that was recommended. I agreed and in less than an hour, Vincent showed up at our house.

Vincent clearly knows what he's doing. The other plumber was still at our house and had some of the same equipment Vincent had, but Vincent said (in a joking and fun way) that he would show him how it's done. Boy did he!! In the first try, Vincent was able to clear the line!! Clumps of roots were pulled out and the sewage river stopped flowing. We all breathed a huge sigh of relief and celebrated!!

Vincent suggested that because roots were clogging the line, we might want to replace the main line in a few years but until then, we could have him come once a year to keep things clear. We were charged $150.00 and that was it!

From now on, I will make Urgent Rooter my first call for ANY plumbing problems. They are professional, pleasant, highly skilled and very reasonably priced. I recommend them to everyone!

Sean C.

12/22/2011

I had a clogged drain as well as some leaking pipes in my bathroom sink. I called Urgent Rooter to make an appointment and their worker showed up right on time to inspect the work to be done and give an estimate. After agreeing to the estimate he began work right away.

Unfortunately the sink started clogging up again the next day - one phone call and it was taken care of the same day and has been problem free ever since

David O.

5/28/2010

If I could give 4.5 stars, I would. First off, these guys are FAST. I called at 10am and somebody was at my place by noon (exactly when the operator told me they'd arrive).

He explained the situation to me (drain needed to be snaked) and even showed me the monster hairball left by previous tenants that caused the clog (gee thanks, Vince).

The only demerit is that he wasn't 100% clear with me on what I should do or how much it should cost to do a separate fix that should ultimately get done (replacing a part that was sort of broken). However, that wasn't why I needed help that day and he got the job done.

Highly recommend these folks if you find yourself in a pinch and need fast service.

Paul R.

08/04/2013 12:00:00 SA

Howard came over within 30 minutes of our call on a Sunday morning. He unblocked our kitchen drains efficiently and cleaned up meticulously after he was done. He quoted $150.00 if the snake worked, $250.00 if he needed the water jet. He did for $150.00, shook hands and left.

Totally professional. Highest rating.

Julian C.

03/08/2015 12:00:00 SA

My plumbing backed up. I called and they showed up almost immediately. The cost was $150 even. I paid cash. The man who helped was very informative, friendly, and even funny. He used his gigantic router machine to clear the drain, which worked in the first pass. He afterwards did another pass of routing and he also routed towards the street. In other words, he spent a good while doing more work even after the problem was fixed, to assure quality. My weekend was saved.

Matthew C.

12/23/2008

10 Family members in the house using one bathroom for the Holidays...enough said!

Shower decides to clog up on me...called Urgent Rooter...they came in 1 hour...charged $135 to unclog the shower...and Vincent Lee was very friendly...

Highly recommend! Made my holidays much less stressful...now just have to figure out what to feed everyone!

Jack C.

3/13/2009

I was happy that both times I needed a plumber for clogged drains URGENT was able to come over the same day.

The cost is decent ($125 for tub, $150 for outside alley drain)

My buddy told me sewer rats are usually only $90 though...

Bjj P.

3/20/2012

First of all $150 is not a rip-off to snake a drain. If you need to hire a plumber to snake a drain in the first place you have a major blockage issue because a home snake only costs 26.00. The machine they use to 'snake' the drain is over a thousand dollars. Used, $400. Urgent (VINCENT) came out to snake my main pipe that had roots and soil. After over 1 HOUR! it was clear. For an additional $50 (asked $75) they snaked my garage drain. If you package a few services with them try doing a simple technique called 'negotiating'. And you may get a better discount. If you dont know what negotiation is look it up in the dictionary. Thanks for reading!

cat c.

11/25/2012

Thanksgiving weekend is the perfect time for our toilet to get clogged... I called Urgent Rooter on Sunday morning and Howard arrived an hour later as promised. Once he looked at it he could try to snake it and if that worked they would charge me $125, if it didn't work then there would be no charge but he couldn't fix my this European (Duravit) toilet. That seems fair enough to me and I was pleased that snaking eventually worked.

So, while he's here I asked him to look at our bathroom sinks which drain painfully slowly. He did a thorough job, snaked the line, checked the trap and cleaned out the vents. Unfortunately this problem will persist due to the poor design of the push stoppers. He took the extra time to explore all the possible issues and then explain them to me clearly so I know how to fix it in the short (clean out the gummed up vents) and long term (replace the poorly designed push stopper). Nice guy, good service, I'm thankful.

Long C.

04/11/2015 12:00:00 SA

Main sewer line running from inside garage to the street got clogged by tree roots. Called around different companies and was told that I would have to wait a few days for an appointment. Called urgent rooter, who was able to schedule me for a same day appointment. Vincent showed up on time, he was friendly, informative, and humorous. The price is on par with what other companies charge for the service (in my case, unclogging it with an auger). I've never used another plumber (and probably never will *fingers crossed*), so I cannot compare the level of service. I have no qualms about urgent rooter, and their scheduling flexibility makes it a whole lot easier and a lot less stressful.

Babette H.

02/09/2014 12:00:00 SA

I was prepared for the worst, but Vincent, a Supervisor for Urgent Rooter & Plumbing, showed up and wow, he was just great. Easy to work with, put my mind at ease and listened to the problem. I mean LISTENED. He listened to the water going through the pipes and properly diagnosed the problem points without using a more costly camera examination which is what my contractor and I had assumed someone would have to do. He cheerfully cleared the pipe and recommended annual maintenance as I have roots around my pipe system. I felt fully supported and it cost me a fraction of what I had anticipated.

Thanks, Vincent!

EunJoo C.

05/02/2015 12:00:00 SA

My bath tub was clogged. I called and the plumber came almost immediately on Saturday morning. He was very friendly and informative. He fixed the stoppage issue and saved my weekend.

David C.

9/18/2009

My mother in laws back yard's drain was clog after the rain, I called Urgent rooter dispatcher advise a tech will contact me within 10min, and Mr. Lee called I explained the situation and he quoted a basic snake job, and a max $ for a non-damage pipe will cost. Then he offer to work with my schedule and came over to take a quick look, he assure to get the job done 90% with no additional repair needed.

VERY GOOD unlike other plumbing I called, very honest and efficient

Eugene P.

05/03/2010 12:00:00 SA

I've had albert over to our house 2x now, 1st time to replace a water heater and the 2nd time to fix a faulty faucet.

Both jobs seemed straightforward enough, but turned out to be a fair amount of work (ave time for both jobs 8 hours due to strange plumbing installed by previous owner and hard to access pipes behind walls).

Both times he came over within a 24 hour period, quickly diagnosed the problem and fixed the issue.

I've run his quotes past a couple of other plumbers, and his name afterwards, and I have received positive comments from them. Says a lot when your competitors respect you.

Definitely recommend him!

Tommy B.

11/17/2009

9am: Call Urgent Rooter & Plumbing

9:05: Operator calls me back to confirm information

9:30: Plumber arrives

10:30: Plumber leaves and my faucet is fixed and no longer leaks.

What more can you ask for?

ps: this place is hella chinese but theyre proffesional and got the job done at a very efficient manner.

Harry Q.

08/06/2016 12:00:00 SA

I used Urgent rooter and plumbing today. I had a clogged kitchen sink. Li came out and unclogged my kitchen sink clog in 30 mins, but was here longer to make sure everything was all cleaned up, and ran the water for a long time to make sure he got the clog and made sure they were no leaks, He even covered the work area in plastic. The price was $160. Save me alot of money from other companies who charge alot more. So if you want excellant service and fair price , call Urgent rooter and plumbing. Extremely happy, and highly recommend.

Thanh P.

5/26/2009

Picture this - 16 people coming in one hour for BBQ and disposal breaks and kitchen sink backs up. Called Vincent at 2:05pm - at our house by 2:25pm - everything fixed and working by 3pm!

He was professional, courteous and knows his stuff. I cannot recommend him highly enough. I will definitely use him any time we have a problem in the future.

E K.

6/25/2016

I called another Rooter service to unclog the toilet. They wouldn't give me a price on the phone and came an hour later with such a high price that the person had to SHOW me the price. I then called Urgent and they came in a half hour, told me the price ($160). It was unclogged quickly and easily. I appreciated knowing the cost for the service beforehand.

L B.

6/13/2014

Water started backing up into the garage drain a week after a highly rated rooter business from another review site unclogged he drain. Granted they did it free of charge but that was because they truly want me to either replace the entire pipe from the garage to the street for 4K or for them to come back at another time to jet the lines for $500!!!
So I came back to Yelp for help and was so glad when Urgent Rooter was on top of the list! I called them at 8 am in the morning. The lady who answered my call was courteous and patient as I was deciding on the best time that would work with my schedule with the available times she had provided. She was upfront on the minimum cost.
Mr Howard Lee arrived promptly (on time , maybe even a bit earlier than expected which was great). opened the curb drain and immediately told me the possibilities -- the last of which is replacement of the sewer pipe.
Mr. Lee explained the steps he would take to unclog the drain and the cost increase. The simplest and easiest is the electric auger -- he went 40 feet even though the line was at most 20 feet. Since that procedure did not drain the water in the garage, his next step was to jet the lines. As he was jetting, he showed me the sludge that was being cleaned out of the pipes and after 10 minutes of jetting, the water from the garage drained immediately. He continued the jetting again going more than 20 feet.
He continued with hosing down the garage really well (I mean really really well, as if he had no other job waiting and as if it was his own place!!) as I watched the water flow well inside the curb sewer line. The total time it took was 70 minutes and $350 at this time for this job (there was no access or other issues that needed to be done).
Mr. Lee also pointed out stuff that should not be flushed down the drain. He also provided a 45 day warranty as long as we did not flush down these items --- he definitely would know if we did !!
Definitely would use again and recommend this company's service.

Mr. Lee also pointed out that if upon jetting, we started to see mud, that would mean that the pipes burst or broke and that would be the only time he would recommend replacing the pipe from the curb to the garage.

I wish I met this company a year ago ... I could have saved 5K ! Another lesson learned for me..... paying for reviews doesn't necessarily mean you'll get better companies !!

Chris G.

03/10/2015 12:00:00 SA

I called and the dispatcher shortly had a plumber call me back to set up an appointment. His name was Howard. He asked several questions to determine what the exact problem might be. He came out that afternoon and unclogged the main water pipe. He explained why it occurred and guaranteed it would remain clear for 30 days. The total was $150. I was very happy with his courteousness and service.

Drake C.

02/08/2012 12:00:00 SA

This review is not for the service provide by urgent plumbing.
I am ratting the service because of the customer service and the help over the phone that I got from the technician.
I was suspecting a leak in my house because my water bill was increase by 30% or so.
I called the office and they said that I can preform a simple test by myself.
one of the technicians explain to me step by step how to check if I got water leak by monitoring my water meter.
I was able to find that my toilet water tank was not set up right and to adjust it myself.
So my review is not for the in home service , it is for the technician that had the time and the willing to help me.
Thank you.

Rowena S.

02/10/2014 12:00:00 SA

After my husband was unable to fix our leaking kitchen sink, a recurring problem, I telephoned Urgent Rooter & Plumbing today after calling another plumber that was unavailable. Urgent Rooter was fantastic. The woman who answered the phone promised that a plumber would telephone me within an hour to schedule a same-day appointment. (I admit that I was concerned she didn't understand my telephone number and address, and insisted on repeating them. She was patient and accommodating.) The plumber, Feng, called shortly thereafter, then showed up within the allotted time period. He was incredibly polite - even insisting on removing his shoes before he entered my place. He quickly identified the problem, replaced the pipe fitting and fixed the leak for a very reasonable price. I'm very happy with the work and Urgent Rooter will be my go-to plumber from now on!

rex a.

12/01/2014 12:00:00 SA

My mom called another Rooter & Plumbing company to check a problematic drain in the backyard. The other company tried to snake the drain in 2 different locations with different types of Machines. They recommended we start to digging up the line. I spoke to the Tech who did the work and he said he thinks the pipe is broken ~15 feet from the drain, which puts the break under the house. Needless to say, he was recommending a huge job. I called Urgent Rooter for 2nd opinion based on the reviews on Yelp. They showed up on time and were able to clear the drain in ~2 hrs. My mom doesn't have a Yelp Account, but she says they are the best and deserve 5 Stars.

Toney W.

11/25/2014

Ten years ago, I had Urgent Rooter come out and change my water heater, they did an exceptional job. Work and water heater was guaranteed. Had them come out last year because my garbage disposal was leaking, unit was replaced. My water heater was having problems and I called them to replace it. As usual the work was excellent. They are very clean and tidy. My water heater is in my family room (converted garage) and not a drop of water was leaked on the floor! I had taken a day off to receive delivery of a refrigerator and they were accommodating to come the same day.

Alex S.

06/11/2009 12:00:00 SA

I had to change my rating on this, originally I thought, okay four stars because he was definitely prompt, and he said what he could do for $150 might not actually work, but he spent two hours with an electric auger down our back-to-back bathtub drains to try and unclog them. He left showing me that it was draining okay. Eventually we figured out after a couple days that what he had done didn't really fix anything. At first it seemed better but then, worse! :( He was honest about the fact that it might not work, but he didn't really try anything else while he was here. We'd rather not spend $350 to have him go under the house and drill through the drain, it seems a little pricey.

John D.

05/10/2014 12:00:00 SA

Had a clogged sewer drain. These guys were fast, on-time, and did quality work.
I called on Saturday morning at 8:40
They said they be here at 9:30, and they were.
Finished in under an hour, including hosing down all of the yuck from the backed up drain in the garage.
Super happy with the service!
One word of caution-- when you are freaking out about the rising pool of sewage in your garage, do NOT accidentally dial the 418 area code instead of 415, because you will reach someone named Pierre in Quebec City, and he will not know what you are talking about.

Cappy P.

6/29/2012

These guys are horrible. I hired them to fix a water heater. They showed up late & misdiagnosed the problem. They said a $400 valve needed replacement or I needed to replace the whole water heater. The following day I hired a different company, who showed up timely, and quickly fixed a thermocoupling in 30 minutes for $75. Urgent Rooter either has plumbers that aren't knowledgeable in their craft, or they try to take advantage of people. Either way be aware!!!

和子

7/25/2014

We were told that we needed someone who could do rooting work, that is, plumbing under the surface. We called and were given an appointment time. Howard was running late, but called to let us know that. He showed up pretty much when he said he would. He comes off as serious and knowledgeable. He quickly diagnosed the problem, gave us an estimate and completed the work. Yay! He was also good at helping us figure out our ancient plumbing system and gave us some pointers for the future. He seems to really enjoy his job and knows a lot. He also comes across as fair. What else can a homeowner ask for? I hope we don't have to call him again, but if we need plumbing or rooting work, he is our man! I would suggest him to my friends, too.

James K.

04/10/2010 12:00:00 SA

Is there a negative star available? This business tried to rip us off. Worse yet, the manager verbally abused my elderly mother.

We had a hot water tank fail. They gave us an estimate. We asked for a better deal and gave the guy some cash to start. After the job was done, the manager called us using his worker's cell phone and DEMANDED more money, despite the fact that the bill was paid in full. When my mother tried to reason with this manager he became very verbally abusive. The manager was Chinese, and he was swearing at my mom in Chinese. He probably figured that no one else spoke the language because the person who originally called them did not speak Chinese. Unfortunately for him, I and everyone else listening in on the speakerphone understood what he was saying. I would guess that if any reader on Yelp had some one say these kinds of things to one of their parents, they would be more than a bit upset. This guy was vulgar and abusive. There was no need for it because my mom is the model of diplomacy.

So my opinion of this service is that they are to be shunned. There are other companies who will deliver better service without abusing their customers. And let's not forget that they tried to take some cash without putting it on the receipt. I wonder how the IRS feels about that.

Sandra R.

8/26/2013

Long story short, I had a VERY clogged tub. I called Rooter and scheduled an appointment with Vincent. He was accommodating to my work schedule. He brought up a machine and got to work. He even went outside the building to look at the pipes. 45min later the job was done. He said there was definitely something unusual as to how clogged it was, but that it was probably the old pipes. He was glad he was able to fix it without having to do outside repair. He even made sure my tub was clean of all the debris after he was done.

Vincent is a quirky, friendly, humorous man. I actually enjoyed his company while he was here.

I highly recommend Vincent. He is the type of guy that will look for the least expensive way to fix your problem, but at the same time giving you the right options for your needs. Humble, extremely professional and knowledgable about his craft, and straight to the problem. You can't go wrong.

B W.

9/17/2015

I called because our drain was running a bit slow. They came out and snaked the line for $400. They did mention that a piece of pipe was old but not totally deteriorated. However the next day we had 3 separate leaks in that piece of pipe. I called again and they quoted me $3,000 to replace that piece of pipe, Yikes!!! I spent the $400 for nothing., no warranty. My contractor replaced the pipe for $350 including all the parts. These guys are shysters and not to be trusted !!

Nancy J.

10/22/2016

Vincent was great! He was knowledgeable and sincere. I would highly recommend Vincent for professional, quick and honest service.

Natalie D.

11/15/2011

Really thankful for this business. Our first oh sh*t moment happened last night in our new house, right after I had cooked a huge feast for my lady. The kitchen sink backed up, and the garbage disposal was doing all kinds of crazy things. I think you can tell from that sentence just how little I know about plumbing. Ha. So we called a buddy who thankfully came over right away and essentially told us within a few seconds that we most definitely needed a plumber. I called these guys at 8am on the button the following morning, and they arrived at 9am. $280 later they had fixed the problem and installed new pipe stuff, as it turns out some of the equipment was pretty old. Again, I know nothing about plumbing. They asked us prior to installing the parts, and made sure we were aware of and approved of the final cost. Thanks a million Urgent Rooter and Plumbing!

Victoria Z.

5/14/2011

Albert and his crew were very responsive and professional in the handling of an outside burst water pipe. I really appreciated the way Albert assessed the situation and then came up with flexible ways to approach the problem. He didn't just suggest we immediately go the most expensive route to fix it. He is a class act. Thank you!!

D C.

7/26/2013

I used this plumber for years. He got the job done and was reasonably priced.
Three months ago I referred him to a friend. They were surprised how expensive the job was.
Yesterday he fixed a broken pipe for me. Very high estimate but I had taken the day off to be able to get the work done so I went with it. When his hired guy returned from buying the pipe, he told me Albert, the owner had increased the price an additional $60. Bait and switch. Very disappointing, especially given the amount of work he had done for me over the past years.
There is better value elsewhere. I would suggest you not use this plumber.

ari s.

10/26/2010

Vincent was working on my neighbors house and I asked him to look at my dishwasher overflow. He was gracious enough to inspect it and not even charge me for the few minutes he spent looking at it. that was nice.

B I.

5/16/2008

I almost didn't write this review for fear that they'll get too busy for my needs! Alas, I must give props to my new favorite plumber.

Took the job on short notice (less than an hour), arrived EXACTLY on time, charged me *very* little, and did the job right then and there.

I was stunned.

He asked me how I heard of him and I told him yelp. He doesn't have a computer, so after the job was done I sat him down and showed him yelp. He was very happy.

Audra E.

11/19/2008

I called these guys to come and unclog my tub drain, they came the same day, and got the job done within an hour. Quick, easy, and relatively inexpensive for the job - about $100. There were some issues with my plumbing, but they worked around it and were professional. Would definitely use again.

Ashly M.

12/12/2011 12:00:00 SA

Bathtub was stopped up, so I called these guys. They were here in an hour, the drain was fixed in less than half an hour. They are courteous, fast, and really reasonably priced- if you need a plumber, call them!

Jeni K.

11/05/2010 12:00:00 SA

Excellent service, very prompt and professional. There are few guarantees in life, and a clogged toilet is definitely one of them. Next time it happens, I will definitely call these guys again.

Beautiful S.

5/18/2007

Albert Lee the owner is amazing. I've used him for some years now for big and small jobs but last weekend he was my rock star. A friend's water heater busted over the weekend and by Monday afternoon is was replaced, the old one hauled away and at a reasonable price considering the turnaround time. One thing I know is that he's honest. I found him after another plumber told me it was going to be $500 for my sink line repair/replacement. I called Albert for a 2nd opinion, $85 and 1 hr later he was outta my house, problem fixed, solved, finished, done. That was 4 years ago, no problems so far.
UPDATE December 07
Another amazing job by Urgent Rooter and Albert the owner. We have been having issues at our business location and not only did they resolve our problem, Albert told me he would have 1 of his plumbers on standby for the evening just in case ! Can't say enough good things about them.

Jennifer L.

04/01/2013 12:00:00 SA

I am writing a review for a company that didn't complete the work and maybe couldn't have. BUT they showed a lot of integrity by not charging me either. I had what I assumed was a super simple job in that the rain had flooded my garage area and the drains were clearly plugged. But the guy who came couldn't find the main line from the street, and after 45 minutes had another plan of attack when I called it off. But they showed up when they said they would, and they didn't charge me when they couldn't complete the job. I did what I realized later I should have done - we all know the name Roto Rooter for a reason - and the guy was amazing. Done in 30 minutes or less.

I gather from the reviews that this company may have other good qualities. Just not this kind of job. But they really did the right thing, and I appreciate it. Give them a chance if you have some other plumbing job other than a sewer line situation.

Eric C.

9/29/2016

I am so glad I found this plumbing company . Real fast response for service . Technician work very fast and quality of work is excellent .Highly recommend this company to anyone who got plumbing needs .

Tim M.

9/20/2013

Mr. Lee and his assigned plumbers are very professional and serious about helping. I called them to find a water leak in the ceiling and they did not find it after several hours, but refunded my payment ($250) when a subsequent investigation by another plumber (with an electronic device) found the leak. Mr. Lee was apologetic that he did not find the leak and called several times during my effort to solve the problem. I think Urgent Rooter is a good company and I subsequently used them to clear a toilet drain with very satisfactory results. I would not hesitate to use this company on an ongoing basis. It was just unfortunate that were not able to find the ceiling leak when I first called them.

Krista L.

6/18/2011

He came out within an hour from calling. He was able to fix two problems without charging extra. Dishwasher and the leak in the sink. Very nice person. Will call him again to fix another leak down the road.

Steven G.

10/24/2014

I had a recurring backup in the sewer line leading out to the street and Howard of Urgent Rooter & Plumbing was able to come out within 2 hours to troubleshoot. He offered a fair rate to snake the pipe and was able to readily do so and was done within an hour and got my drains cleared with plenty of time for my Giants World Series BBQ Party! Thank you Howard for getting my back up and draining!

Ralph L.

7/23/2011

Having had problems continuously with our shower clogging and trying several declogging agents, I decided to look for a plumber as it was clear we were not going to be successful on our own this time. Of course I turned to Yelp as normal to see what others had to say. I found Urgent Rooter & Plumbing to be one that I would call first. I phoned around 10:15 AM and the polite lady answered and took our information and asked if it were possible for someone to come between 11 AM and 12 PM? I was surprised that it could happen so quickly. Promptly at 11:40 AM Li showed up! He accessed the situation and quoted me a fair price. He went back to his truck and in the end took care of the problem. I was very happy that he was able to get things taken care of so quickly. He also threw in a trap to keep the hair from going down at no charge. I would call them again in a heartbeat.

Tara M.

6/24/2010

Albert and his team have helped me out with a couple of emergency plumbing problems. I trust his judgement, his pricing is reasonable, and he is absolutely true to his name: he is available in a pinch. Priceless.

Donna B.

07/02/2018 12:00:00 SA

DO NOT USE. We had previously used Urgent Rooter to clean our sewer line. Having owned the property 25 years we understand what has to be cleaned and where to start. When our drain line became clogged on a Saturday afternoon, we called Urgent Rooter again and explained the problem. We specifically explained where the equipment needed to go (up 3 small stairs and to our backyard cleanout). We were quoted a specific price for that job of $180 cash. When the person arrived to do the job, not only was he unable to effectively communicate with us, he refused to bring the equipment into the backyard. Instead, he worked from the sidewalk cleanout pushing the clog back into the house sewer line. We stopped him twice, and took him to the backyard and showed him where to start. He said yes, I understand (twice), and went back to the street and continued doing what he was doing. Finally we got his attention a third time and told him to stop. He called his manager and spoke in another language for a few minutes. When he put his manager back on the phone, the manager informed us that the job was now $350 cash only. Since we had fully disclosed the original job we refused to pay that increased price and sent the company away. Fortunately we were able to find another plumber who understood our request, charged a fair price, and dealt with the problem quickly. DO NOT USE.

Christina O.

11/11/2011 12:00:00 SA

Vincent is fantastic. I called in the afternoon and they were able to fit me in that evening at 6pm. Vincent called to confirm he was on his way and even took off his shoes in the house. He explained what was wrong with both my sink and toilet, even taking the time to explain the pipes and plumbing to me. He showed me that both the toilet and sink were working before he left. Really friendly and didn't complain about having to carry his equipment up and down three flights of stairs. Will definitely use them next time I have plumbing problems!

Colleen M.

6/29/2013

We have used Urgent Rooter & Plumbing twice - both times on a weekend, same day appointment. They are super speedy and show up when they say they will show up. Both times they fixed our problems in less than 30 minutes and made our weekend much better!

Sally V.

6/16/2016

Another great experience with Urgent Rooter & Plumbing. This time it was a clogged bathtub. They were very friendly, responsive, on time, great communication. They took care of the problem quickly and efficiently. I would highly recommend them.

Tracey M.

06/07/2016 12:00:00 SA

My airbnb unit was flooded from one guest and I had a new one arriving in 4 hours. Urgent Rooter and Plumbing arrived within an hour. They let me know what 3 options it could be, and they'd try for the least expensive/time consuming, first. Luckily, they got in on the first try, and everything went great. They listened to my needs and were done within 2 hours. Will definitely (but hopefully not urgently) use them again!

Vickie W.

10/16/2009

Best plumbing company!
Albert and his crew are very knowledgeable and responsive. I use this company all the time for all my plumbing needs. Very trustworthy.

Chad B.

10/17/2009

For folks that are not so savvy when it comes to plumbing problems. I really think that we hit a jackpot with this company. We basically woke up to find standing water in the garage, we get online and saw this company getting great reviews. We call and we get a same day appointment, Vincent comes to our place an does his magic. The good thing with this experience is that there was no sewage problem and that the water issue was easily remedied. In addition, we paid a little over a $100 to drain the mini flood we had in our garage. This company comes highly recommended.

Christine L.

8/27/2010

I'm always doubtful about service contractors. Urgent Rooter gave me hope. They showed up on time, a rarity with these types of service companies. The guy snaked my pipes to fix the issue at hand. Did call out I need to get my pipes replaced which I knew as much (was prolonging the inevitable). He will have his manager contact me for that. A great experience for a bad problem.

Adam G.

11/10/2008 12:00:00 SA

Garbage disposal barfed and clogged my pipes. Urgent Rooter was available almost immediately and spent time clearing the blockage, as well as putting everything back together cleanly. Excellent, friendly service, definitely would call them again. Price is slightly below average at $150 to clear the my clog.

Rachel P.

02/06/2009 12:00:00 SA

Great service. We had a problem with a shower that wouldn't turn off, forcing us to shut off the main water valve to the house. They arrived only 45mins after the initial call and had everything fixed, including replacing some parts with the next 90 mins.

Molly P.

8/17/2010

CALL THEM! After spending 2 hours calling half a dozen places and getting a run around from most of them, I confirmed a SAME DAY visit with Urgent, who was flexible about meeting me at 5:45pm (several places either refused to meet me after work or said it would cost more than a daytime appointment, which thoroughly annoyed me; another place said they charge a 2 hour minimum no matter how little time the work takes - um, no thanks). Vincent arrived right on time, was friendly and courteous, snaked out my bathrub drain in 1 hour for the price quoted to me on the phone, and offered to come back within 15 days if I noticed any problems. I will never call anyplace other than Urgent when I have any plumbing issues! What a relief to find a reliable service that doesn't try to swindle or upcharge you, or invent fake prices when you need to meet after 5pm. THANKS URGENT!

Christian N.

1/27/2013

I noticed some water pooling around my building's drains on a Sunday. Howard was here within a half hour to snake the sewer line, and done less than an hour later.

Justin L.

04/09/2014 12:00:00 SA

Howard Lee and Urgent Rooter were awesome, and significantly cheaper than Roto Rooter.

Their dispatch had a plumber in the field call me within twenty minutes. They were able to schedule the same day, within two hours.

Howard was extremely knowledgeable and didn't hesitate to offer advice for how to avoid these kinds of situations in the future.

Courteous. Professional. Prompt. And a friendly known 'em for years kind of attitude.

A+

Drew H.

05/11/2009 12:00:00 SA

Promptly responded to a problem with our toilet on a Sunday morning. Informative and reasonably priced. I would call again for urgent plumbing repair needs.

Sam S.

06/03/2009 12:00:00 SA

I called Urgent because of the reviews here. I'm very pleased. Because of a City citation since my partner and & I are going condo, we had to replace a toilet and do one other upgrade. I've replaced a number of toilets before, but DBI demanded I get a permit and use a licensed plumber. I picked up a decent toilet on a Saturday and called Urgent. Albert said he could be here Wednesday morning to submit a bid. A while later, he said he could come over and he had two guys coming off a job and they could do the work that day. The bid was not cheap at all, but it was significantly lower than the other bid I got from Friendly Plumber, and time was of the essence.
His crew performed the chores that aftenoon, even using a drop cloth and a vacuum cleaner to make sure my WC remained clean. The work was professional quality and I even learned some things about installing a toilet on an uneven floor.
Look, more than the job and the timeliness, Albert is a decent and honorable businessman. I've been burned by a lot of contractors, and his work was not cheep, but trust and quality are invaluable. Call Urgent first. Buy quality and cry only once.

Debbie W.

07/10/2009 12:00:00 SA

I concur with the other outstanding reviews. Had a leaky toilet, called and scheduled an appointment. The guy was on time, professional, efficient. Diagnosed the problem, gave me the estimate (seemed reasonable, didn't get other bids), and fixed the problem. All within about 30 minutes. Gave some helpful advice, but wasn't excessively chatty or overly familiar, which I dislike. Wouldn't hesitate to use him again.

Jen B.

7/22/2011

Had been dreading what I assumed would be an expensive and annoying (meaning the plumber would be really late) plumber visit. Urgent Rooter said they'd be here between 4:30-5pm and showed up at exactly 4:30. The plumber (I wish I'd gotten his name) was done 20 mins later - really easy for all of us. I'm totally down.

Julia T.

2/20/2012

My kitchen sink was clogged and needed a snake. Fearing the worst (since tenants are responsible for their own plumbing on our property), I called Urgent Rooter given the good reviews. Not only were they available on a holiday weekend, but sent someone over within 90 minutes and said they could help for $150. (Much better than the $500 charge my dad warned me to expect.) Li was on time, very nice, thorough, and kept the work area clean with protective plastic. He was clear on costs every step of the way. In the end, I had to pay for some extra pipes since some of the apartment's had corroded. But all in all, extremely reasonable with high-quality service. Thank, Urgent Rooter!

Emma S.

7/26/2014

Before I called Vincent Urgent Plumbing, I researched plumbers on yelp and called Fast Response in West portal because they are close to me and got good reviews, I also just have an affinity to west portal businesses. I left them 3 voicemails on 3 different days, all at different times of the day. I never got a call back from them so I went back to Yelp and called Urgent Plumbing. Vincent answered the phone right away and chopped it up with me on the phone. He said he could come over at 2 pm and asked if if like him to call me if he became available sooner, which was nice. He showed up at the scheduled time and offered to take his shoes off upon entering my apartment, also very nice.
Vincent quoted me $125 and that's what he charged. He assessed the problem, went and got his tools and got to work. As others have mentioned, I think he even cleaned my tub afterwards. I had cleaned it before he came so it's hard to tell but he had cleaning products in there with him.
I'll never have to look any further for a great plumber. Vincent at Urgent Rooter is highly recommended.

Olga B.

3/24/2014

We needed help with our clogged sink urgently and voila! Vincent fixed our problem in an hour after we called. The service was quick, professional and reasonably priced. It was a pleasure to deal with urgent Rooter and Plumbing.

Andy P.

3/16/2008

Today I had Urgent Rooter come out to fix my backed up main sewer
line. (This is after a whole day of trying to unclog the sewer line myself) He responded to my call within the hour. Assessed the problem and gave me my options and quote within 5 minutes of arrival. Started work after agreeing to the $150.00 rootering of my main sewer line from the sidewalk. He cleared the sewer line with the first pass of the rooter. He then ran the snake about four to five more times the entire lenght of the line to make sure it was completly clear. I have had other rooter companies over the years, they have tried to upsell some unnecessary products or services.
I gave Urgent Rooter & Plumbing a five star rating for a no nonsence attitude, quick responce, great service with resonable rates.

Nora D.

3/28/2009

You always wonder whether the reviews for companies are real when they're given 5 stars consistently. Well, it's good to know there are honest folk out there who will give an honest opinion. I'll have to add mine to the list.

I placed a call at 6:45pm, after futilely trying to get my kitchen sink to drain with Liquid Plumber. Vincent arrived 45 minutes later, and quoted me $150, quite reasonable given how expensive other plumbers can be, with an extra $50 for an after-hours fee. Not bad, considering I was able to get someone in right away, who could fix my problem right away. He was very considerate with the job, and explained to me that they were honest guys, who weren't there to overcharge for a job. He was knowledgeable, and got everything fixed in an hour. I'll definitely go with them again if I have a plumbing problem!

E L.

04/07/2009 12:00:00 SA

I got a quote from another contractor for 4x the amount Albert quoted me to fix the main waterline outside the house which included unnecessary city permits and cement removal. Albert provided me an honest assessment and his price was fair. His team did a great job and I'd definitely recommend them. Also, one of his partners had to fix a pipe inside the house. He took off his shoes before coming in! That deserves a 'star' on its own.

K-Tjen K.

11/18/2009

I've used Urgent twice - once to fix a dripping shower and once to fix a leaking toilet. Both times they were punctual, got the work done quickly and got it done well.

Tessie S.

10/30/2010

We had two plumbing companies out to fix a blocked drain in the basement. Both bad - one refused to recognize an existing warranty and tried to get us to agree to a complex and expensive repair job. The other so expensive we were as choked up as our drains.

So in desperation we called a third company, Urgent Rooter, because of the Yelp reviews. They came out promptly, found the root ball that was blocking the drain, removed it, cleaned up, and the price was as stated! By chance we mentioned a malfunctioning toilet that no-one else had been able to fix before (see above) and for a reasonable price Urgent Rooter fixed that as well.

Nice people, honest, on time, straightforward and competent. And they saved us a bunch of bucks!

nate m.

1/22/2011

We discovered our shower handle no longer working all of a sudden. On a saturday. Called these guys, they came over, diagnosed and fixed the problem. Albert, the person who responded to the call was very friendly, helpful, and informative. Also, before starting he offered to charge nothing if he couldn't fix it.

Anyway, I'm completely satisfied. Thanks guys!

Alex G.

5/17/2011

I am a repeat customer of Urgent Rooter & Plumbing. I have a property in the East Bay and Vincent helped me resolve plumbing problems in the most efficient and professional fashion on multiple occasions.
Case One: Toilet plugged up
Case Two: Laundry utility sink clogged
Case Three: Leak from garbage disposal
Not only did Vincent fix the problem, he took the time to explain the cause and gave me some maintenance tips.
I have confidence in his honesty, workmanship, and reliability. Definitely five stars for Urgent Rooter!

Brian H.

11/20/2012

Have used this firm twice in a one year period.

In both instances, the office phone was answered promptly, everyone was friendly, the new van and plumber arrived on-time, fixed the problem and explained themselves clearly, charged a good/low price, left premises clean, and drove off. Doesn't get much better to my mind...

Sunny-Toby W.

12/27/2015

I called Urgent Rooter and Plumbing last week because we had a problem on the roof from the heavy rain, Vincent came over in no time and went up to roof to clear the drainage, he was very professional, very easy to talk to, he took pics and explained the problem to me. One time we had water in the garage and he came over within 15 minutes and took care the problem. Their price is very reasonable. I definitely will call Urgent Rooter and Plumbing again.

Jennifer C.

11/07/2007 12:00:00 SA

These guys are my heroes! I manage a few apartment buildings and plumbing issues are always a problem. The worst is when the sewer line gets backed up.......I won't get into details but it's a real mess. They get the job done right every time. They also gave me some advice on keeping the sewer lines in good condition. I even called on a Saturday with a plumbing emergency and had same day service. Amazing! Urgent Rooter plumbing gets someone to the site quickly and on time! They are also very reasonably priced....my heroes.

Elle C.

5/18/2009

Thanks again yelpers! I found this plumbing company through Yelp and got quotes from other plumbers for this major plumbing job. Albert Lee was great! He got an estimate at short notice and his quote was very reasonable and comprehensive. Most importantly, his crew was able to entire work (from cutting pipes, install new fixtures, tilework to wall patching) at a quick turnaround. I was impressive with the work and glad I did not go with other plumbers.

Eric H.

6/16/2009

I called Urgent Rooter based on Yelp reviews and Yelp reviewers came through. Had a slow draining bath tub, called Urgent Rooter, they quoted a good and fair price, showed up within a half hour of the call (non-urgent) and the pipes were clear within another half hour. He also checked the kitchen and under the house for leaks. Warned me of NOT using drain clearing chemicals in the pipes because the will eat up the pipes and when you do have to call a plumber to snake a clog out, the snake can bust through the weakened pipes. Thanks!!!

Lauren N.

8/30/2009

Since Citiapartments wouldn't come fix my toilet.... (cough) I called this dude. He was here in less than an hour, fixed the toilet in another hour, and gave me TEN PERCENT DISCOUNT!!! There were apparently 3 broken parts on the toilet that really should have been fixed by Citi BEFORE we moved in, but thankfully Vincent got here quickly and replaced them all with some spiffy new ones AND fixed the rest of the toilet for $225. That's some badass urgent rooting.

Barak K.

7/29/2012

Vincent Lee was great... he arrived quickly (on a Saturday) and did exactly what needed to be done. I highly recommend Urgent.

Betsy A.

7/20/2013

When I walked into our garage on a Saturday afternoon and found a POOL of sewage, I knew I needed help right away. My husband was out of town and I had our two very young kids - I needed help NOW.

Vincent answered my call immediately and said he could come in the next two hours. Perfect. An hour later he called and asked if it would be ok to come 30 minutes EARLY. Even better.

He's very matter of fact and told me not to worry, that he was going to check it out and all he needed was a power source and access to the garage. I could go inside and tend to my children. I really appreciated that.

It took about 30 minutes for him to do his thing. I came downstairs when I heard the noise stop and found him cleaning up the entire garage floor with water. The work was all done!

Since this was my first experience with a lateral sewer problem, I figured I'd be the one to clean up everything, but Vincent did a great job so all that was left to do was an easy clean-up with some bleach.

He didn't charge me for a weekend or emergency, he charged me their flat fee which was extremely reasonable. Again, I don't have a great deal of experience in the lateral sewer realm but I'm very familiar with other home maintenance costs and I'll just say this was far below what I dreaded it would be.

I made a point to ask him some tips for the future, which he gladly gave (although I don't believe he would have offered them up if I hadn't asked him - so just ask!).

He came quickly/early, charged what seems to be an extremely reasonable rate, and went the extra mile with letting me tend to my children plus doing a great initial clean-up. I appreciated everything.

mizzy b.

6/30/2014

I called Urgent Rooter because I exhausted my self plunging the kitchen sink 200-300 times trying to dislodge the clog that was the aftermath of running a whole bunch of broccoli through the garbage disposal at one time. all I got from my effort was an open blister on my hand and sore triceps the next two days. I finally gave up on plunging after continuously being doused with a propulsion of dirty yucky water from the stagnant pool at the bottom of the sink. with every determined effort.
I got on the internet and Yelped plumbers in the area. I found Urgent Rooter to have wonderful ratings and having faith in Yelper-nation, I contacted them. I spoke with a woman on the phone who took down my information and what my problem seemed to be and she assured me someone will get back to me soon. Within a few minutes I had an appointment for a plumber to come by within the hour-hour and a half. The plumber was very courteous and efficient. However, after trying twice to snake the drain, the clog did not clear up. In fact, he found roots at the end of the snake coil...which meant bad things. Also, he had found evidence of a leak in the kitchen pipes behind the sink walls. Uh oh. I was put in touch with his manager whom he conferred with and who told me that I may need more extensive snaking and possibly digging up main lines and replacing the old leaky pipe behind the wall. Needless to say, I was bummed out. I envisioned going into major debt to fix the plumbing in this old 80 year old house.

Three days later, (I had to go out of town, so the work could not be done immediately). the plumbers came back as scheduled and within 8.5
hours, I had an unclogged kitchen sink,new kitchen pipes, new 10 ft long drain pipe behind the kitchen sink wall going down to the garage, a new 4 inch cast iron clean out installed out in the yard by the main line and the main line snaked to clear out roots and root killer applied. All in all, it cost me big bucks...I have no comparison, but I was happy with the results and the work done and the speed in which it all occurred. And I did not go into debt.
They were even nice enough to re-caulk my tile shower stall that seemed to be seeping water out just because I mentioned it. Urgent Rooter did the job!! Urgent Rooter was there when I needed help, without agonizing over the wait and inconvenience of having to do without a functioning sink. Albert Lee, the manager, was very gracious and knowledgeable and friendly. The workers were excellent and cleaned up superbly...as if they were never there. Kudos!

Jessica A.

7/24/2009

Really satisfied with their service. The guy was friendly, funny, and came on short notice--on a Saturday, of all days. He got there when he said he would, called 45 minutes before arriving to let us know he was coming, and worked until the job was done. Turns out we needed our pipes snaked and our 100-year old under-sink pipes replaced. We're pretty handy but after realizing we couldn't handle this ourselves--Urgent Rooter & Plumbing came to the rescue!

CAPT i.

09/02/2009 12:00:00 SA

I live with Lauren N. and I must say, Vincent did an amazing job, all while I was sleeping on an air mattress in the middle of the living room of our empty apartment.

Jen M.

09/11/2009 12:00:00 SA

My issue wasn't urgent but I happened to be working from home and decided to look up yelp reviews for a couple of annoying plumbing problems including a slow draining tub and a running toilet.

I called Urgent Rooter at 2pm and Howard came by 30 mins later. He provided a reasonable estimate for both jobs and explained the work that needed to be done to fix the problems. He was also very thorough in his explanation of the reasons for why I was having the problems in the first place and provided me with some other useful troubleshooting tips.

Normally, I dread making service calls but I can definitely say that the service level exceeded my expectations. I would highly recommend Howard to anyone who needs a knowledgeable and thorough plumber at what seemed to be a reasonable cost.

Joanne W.

11/28/2009

It's very disturbing when you hear running water when you enter your house, especially when you know you didn't leave the water running. I thought perhaps gremlins had struck. Instead I found one leaking water heater and I furiously began texting friends in search of a good plumber. Although my pals suggested some plumbers, it was YELP that helped me find Albert from Urgent Rooter & Plumbing.

After seeking 3 estimates, I chose Albert and his crew because I found his concern was to do the job right and make sure everything would be perfectly safe (especially if a quake is in our future). He was very careful to explain everything that would be done. He and his crew were prompt, thorough and cleaned up completely after the work was done. Albert even stopped by while the work was being done to double check that work was progressing OK. Everything he said they would do was done within the time frame he estimated. Albert and his crew know their business and if I could give them more than 5 stars... I would. I would definitely recommend his company & crew to other people, and should gremlins strike again, I would call him. Thanks very much Albert & crew!

Corey T.

4/17/2010

The first plumber I called that had 5 stars on yelp never called me back. The second plumber said that my bathtub fixture issue would require a complete replacement of the fixtures, including the removal of all the original tile, all for $1300. So I called Urgent Rooter for a second opinion.

Howard came out that afternoon and told me the other plumber either didn't know what he was talking about, or he was just trying to swindle me. Howard said he could fix it within 3 hours for $300 plus parts. So I said hell yeah, and boom, $335 later, good as new.

He also wasn't annoyed by my (sometimes) hyperactive dog, which was totally cool. I'd definitely recommend Urgent Rooter.

Alev E.

4/25/2010

There was a downspouts drain problem which other plumbers could partially clear. Vincent came and worked on it until it was completely open. Same prices as others.

Herlinda H.

10/25/2010

10/25/10 - We were visited by Albert Lee on two occasions. He showed up on time, very polite, professional, and thorough. As the job got bigger, he provided a couple of options instead of being a pushy salesmen. He was very easy to work with and though the job took longer than expected, in one day he replaced our kitchen faucet, fixed our water pressure problems in the bathroom and kitchen, fixed the urinal and replaced the water heater. They did an excellent job! I definitely recommend his services.

M R.

1/15/2011

Had a massively clogged toilet this morning and in an attempt to fix it I stuck the toilet brush down there and it got SUPER STUCK! I rapidly called Urgent Rooter and Vincent showed up within an hour.

He took a look at the toilet brush and I could see he was confused. Why the hell did you do that? his eyes were saying. He began to pull and tug as I had done for the previous hour to no avail. I seriously thought he was gonna have to break the toilet to get it out. Then I heard him exclaim I got it! Relief flooded over me and I quickly told him he just earned every damn penny!

After that the snaking with the auger took care of the rest, he noticed the refill pipe was pretty old and water flows pretty slow so he threw in a new one and POW...turbo flush!

These guys really know there stuff, are quick, competent and very polite. They always verify that the fee they are charging seems fair and you can handle it. Overall fantastic experience and I now have a for sure go to plumber I can count on.

Thanks guys!!

Rod F.

12/29/2013

Responsive, professional, and reasonably priced. Just what you hope for in a service company.

Joshua M.

3/18/2015

Amazing! We called them at 10:30am, they were here by 1:30pm after giving us a 1p-3p window, and our sink was unclogged and back to normal by 2:00pm. Definitely will use them again if we have a similar issue happen.

Albert Y.

11/06/2010 12:00:00 SA

Woke up Saturday morning to find my bathtub's drain completely clogged, and envisioned a beautiful weekend day wasted, either at the hardware store or waiting for a plumber. Called Urgent Rooter, and they said someone would be there within an hour (On a weekend? Are you kidding?) Vincent arrived 65 minutes later, started work immediately, and was done within 20 minutes. Great work, prompt service, a fair price, and Saturday saved! I'll definitely call them again if needed.

Amy W.

4/28/2014

Vincent Lee saved my Saturday. I had to turn the water off in my house, as a hose broke to the toilet. On short notice he was able to come and fix the hose so I could turn the water back on and host dinner for 13 friends. He was so friendly, knowledgable and got the job done. thank you Vincent!

keith R.

05/06/2014 12:00:00 SA

My brother in law had emergency medical issues and a leaking toilet and damaged second toilet. Urgent rooter was referred to me by a master plumber friend who was busy and couldn't handle my plumbing issues I called Howard Lee of Urgent rooter and he met me promptly and offered me sound advice and options which I took. I must say that I am happy to have been introduced to a knowledgeable friendly guy who pulled me out of a big jam to help my brother in law. He did a wonderful job replacing the toilets and you can never have too many qualified tradesmen to call when you have problems at home. Howard Lee is a nice man and if you are as picky as I am, you will certainly want to make note of his company for any plumbing issues you might have.

Andrea C.

06/02/2010 12:00:00 SA

This is only the second time I have been moved to post on Yelp, and my only negative review. I called Urgent Rooter because of all the great reviews and because we had an urgent problem with a backed up drain. I admit that the problem is somewhat gross (involved displacing a fair amount of stagnant water to access the drain), but the guy took one look and ran for the hills. Do not call this company for anything that is not completely straightforward. I waited a day for them to come based on all the awesome reviews, and am now back to square one.

Kara Y.

09/06/2011 12:00:00 SA

Simple, inexpensive. Just amazing service. I called to schedule appointment to completely replace my sink (it had a 3inx3in hole in it... don't ask). They gave me two estimates depending on whether the sink internals needed to be replaced. They came the next morning exactly on time. They charged me the lower of the two estimates and took less time then estimated! Thanks yelp for the rec!

Amy K.

08/03/2011 12:00:00 SA

I was so pleased with their service! I called at 9:30am and they were here by 10:30am and fixed an hour later. Very nice and great price.

Kirk J.

5/16/2011

These guys are good. Called on a Friday to try to get an appointment for Saturday. Albert came out early and gave me an estimate. He needed a guy familiar with tile work to do the job. I appreciated the fact that he didn't just put anyone on the job who could've potentially screwed up my beautiful new bath tile. His guy shows up later and does the job to perfection. No mess, no hassle. They seem very responsible about the way they schedule and do business.

Elizabeth C.

10/11/2012 12:00:00 SA

I called them after our office toilet got plugged up and made a bit of a mess. They showed up within 45 minutes of my initial phone call. The gentleman who work on our toilet was efficient and they charged significantly less than I anticipated, especially with the speediness of their response. Vincent let me know that I would need to clean up any water that was in there. I was a little disappointed that he didn't take care of it, seeing as he was the one dressed to do so and I was in a suit. Overall, great company and easy to work with. I will DEFINITELY call them again when we have an issue.

K M.

03/03/2012 12:00:00 SA

Vincent was great! Super friendly, fast, and very helpful. He even noticed that my hose was spraying, so he went out to his truck and got a washer for it. Then, when he came inside to look at something, he took off his shoes. I will definitely use them again, and recommend them to everyone I know.

Stephanie L.

07/02/2011 12:00:00 SA

I called Urgent Rooter at 5:20pm on a Saturday on a holiday weekend (4th of July). I was expecting to get an answering machine, but someone actually picked up the phone. The manager told me to wait 5-10 minutes and he would check to see if one of his drivers would take the call. In 10 minutes, Vincent Lee called me back and told me he would be there in 30 minutes. Indeed, in 30 minutes he was at my apt building and he was able to clear my bathtub drain in about 20 minutes. Vincent was great and was very nice about the whole thing. I was so happy that he was able to clear the drain and appreciative that he took my last minute call. I would definitely use them again for any future plumbing needs and would not hesitate to recommend them to any of my friends.

K C.

12/08/2008 12:00:00 SA

Great. Punctual. Professional. Clean. On a Sunday. Saved us from drains backing up in kitchen and bath right before Thanksgiving. Stuck to reasonable estimate, though had to replace the old trap that broke in the process of the dis/connecting and snaking. Maybe I got taken for an extra few bucks there, but he told me I could fix it myself if I wanted and I just had him do it while he was there. Weeks later all seems good. I'll post a retraction if there's a problem, so for now I recommend this company highly.

rob s.

04/07/2011 12:00:00 SA

Wow. A quote of $180 to stop a faucet leak? And I thought my medical bills were high.

Michelle S.

2/28/2012

mr. lee arrived in 30minutes, after hours! fixed it right up. what a relief.

AK W.

03/08/2010 12:00:00 SA

Albert and his crew do amazing things! They are fast, responsive, and get the job done right. They have always been available the same day and they go out of their way to take my emergency calls. I work for a property management company and i have tenants report back to me all the time about what a great job these guys do. I really appreciate all the follow up phone calls and Albert always reports back to me if there are more issues at hand. I can always trust Alberts judgement! I don't know what i would do without them! These guys are really a great company to work with and are anyways honest in their work.

danica s.

11/26/2010

these guys are GREAT. i've used them twice and they were professional, prompt, friendly and reliable both times. they were more than happy to talk to my landlord over the phone and explain the problem (roots in the pipes) and i think what they charge seems more than reasonable. i trust them completely.

Sofia B.

3/25/2013

Vincent is wonderful!!! My double sink was clogged and both filling with water. He came and gave me the two possible prices depending on what he finds. In the end, he just had to snake it and charged me the lower fee. The following week my shower drain gets clogged, he came back but gave me a discount. NOTE - make sure to have the plumber snake all your drains at the same time to save money... This company is legit and upfront. I called around for quotes and spent some time doing so. It may not be the cheapest but they respect you and your home. That's what matters to me.

S L.

10/03/2008 12:00:00 SA

so my cousin and i were visiting my sister in her BRAND NEW apartment in SF and what do you know, the toilet backs up. after scouring yelp and calling up a bunch of places, urgent rooter agreed to send someone first thing in the morning and lo and behold, they sent vincent lee. vincent was fantastic! he stayed with us for almost 5 hours and pointed out to us that the building company installed her pipes incorrectly, he cleared the back up but gave advice to have the building company fix it immediately because the issue will continue to happen. all for the low low cost of $380. i completely recommend this company for all of your future plumbing needs. they gave thorough, fantastic work for a great bargain. you can't ask for anything more!

Clarice C.

07/05/2009 12:00:00 SA

Thank you Yelp! Howard was available today (Sunday!) to help us with a backed up sewage line. We had raw sewage in our garage - yuck. My neighbor has 3 house guests this weekend so it was the worst time for this to happen. Howard was here in 10 minutes (!), snaked out 40ft (!) and we now have a clean pipe and a clean garage. Thanks Howard!

aya o.

01/11/2010 12:00:00 SA

We called Urgent Rooter because our bathroom sink backed up. Tried Drano to no avail. We called at 10 am and Howard Lee showed up by 11.30am. Super fast response. He was very efficient and straightforward, snaked the drain, works great now. Reasonable price. We thought it might be good to snake our other drain just to be sure, which would have had an extra fee, but he advised us against it saying it wasn't necessary, so I feel like he was honest and not trying to drum up more work for himself. Definitely we will call them in the future (though I hope we won't need to!)

Lauren J.

3/28/2010

Very prompt service and willing to work with our schedule late on a Saturday night. Identified and fixed the problem rapidly and thoroughly, and at a reasonable rate. Vincent Lee was great - highly recommend!

Aaron S.

2/26/2012

Vincent from Urgent Rooter arrived within an hour of my call on a Saturday afternoon to fix a clogged sink. He quickly diagnosed the situation (a clog about 20 feet down the pipe), quoted me a price, and snaked out the drain. He went to great lengths to make sure I was happy with his service and even offered a warranty for his work. Very friendly and prompt service.

stykkisholmur t.

5/14/2015

we had a couple of plumbing issues: slow shower drain, bathtub that wouldn't hold water and toilet that sounded like it was constantly running. i contacted Urgent on a Tuesday and scheduled an appointment for that Friday at 930am. at 935am, Albert calls to tell me that the technician is on his way. Li shows up 5 minutes later, and i run down the list of problems with him. because English is not Li's first language, i had to clarify a few times the issue with our tub. after we had gone over all our bathroom issues, Li then repeated back to me everything that needed to be fixed so that we were on the same page. he called Albert to get an estimate for the work required and got to work immediately. Li spent almost two hours addressing all the bathroom issues and after he was done, he cleaned up thoroughly and had me check everything to make sure all of it was in working order. i will definitely use Urgent again if we have another plumbing issue in the future.

Gary O.

5/20/2009

Called in the morning for a non-urgent clogged sink. Scheduled appt for 6pm that same evening. Vincent showed up on time and was able to fix the problem in a jiffy. Straightforward and reliable service...what more can you ask for!

Terry O.

07/05/2009 12:00:00 SA

These guys are GREAT!!! and Friendly too. I got a new gas range and called them due to the high Yelp ratings. Thanks to all the Yelpers for your input. Called them and Albert came over to provide an estitmate. He came over after normal hours and took a look and provided a quote. Called him back after we ordered the range and he remembered us. We coordinated and set the date when the new appliance was to be delivered. He let us know that he wanted to help get us up and running that day (day before the 3-day weekend). He called me early in the AM and told me what he wanted to do (come by and take measurements, then return when the range is delivered to help us install it) The range came, then he and his crew shows, they worked to make it the best fit possible. All went well, before Albert left one of his guys to finish, we chatted and became fast friends. The worker finished, showed us the work and that it was not leaking gas, told us the water heater is re-lit, tested the gas range and helped put it in place. The guy worked hard (past 7pm!) Next day, I received a call from Albert, checking in on how everything is going with the range, if we smell gas, etc...and to remind us of the warranty and if anything is wrong, that we should call him and he'll be over to fix it. WOW!!! CUSTOMER SERVICE A+++++!!!!!! Albert knows how to do the work and to serve his customers! Call him and you'll be happy! Thanks Yelpers and Thanks Urgent Rooter!

Linda K.

5/25/2010

Quick response to my call. Very knowlegable and reasonably priced. Would definitely use again.

Sean N.

9/20/2010

Same day, excellent service. Quoted a very fair and reasonable price and completed the work immediately. I am exptremely impressed with the speed and quality of the service.

Seymore B.

5/13/2013

These guys were great. Called on a Saturday morning, and they were at my house in less than an hour. Very courteous, clean, professional. GREAT pricing... this is not the plumber you have to be afraid of. They were HALF the price of other plumbers I've had snake my drains in the past. I will never use anyone else again!! Thanks Mr Lee!!!!! :) See you next time.

Alisa S.

5/15/2009

This is, by FAR, the best plumbing company I have ever worked with. Our water heater sprung a leak and they came out to give us a bid on fixing it. Albert immediately told us what was wrong and even helped us figure out how to save some money fixing it. They showed up exactly on time, replaced our water heater with an Echo friendly brand and even moved a pipe without charging us. I can't imagine using anyone else in the future. These guys are top notch and made sure to protect our house while doing the work.

jayne y.

7/13/2009

I had a garbage disposal clogging incident and they were prompt and professional, completing the job quickly. I've used them before and was not disappointed.. very friendly and trustworthy people.

Pheeebeee G.

7/17/2009

Vince Lee, got it done!! Prompt, professional and friendly. He's the man to ask for when you have an issue. I wouldn't think twice about calling him for future needs.

Chris B.

08/07/2009 12:00:00 SA

I found them on yelp and was skeptical of the rating, but they delivered. They came on short notice, were on time, fixed the shower drainage problem quickly and all at a reasonable price. I will use them again and highly recommend.

stanley p.

1/20/2010

Had Vincent come out. Very professional and able to unclog a drain most plumbers would have gave up on.

H P.

7/23/2010

Wow! Very impressed. My husband called this business, then he called me telling me someone would be at our door in one hour. Vincent arrived, was super nice, thorough, and reasonably priced. He fixed the problem in 15 minutes. I would highly recommend this business to anyone looking for a plumber and if I ever need a plumber again, we will call Urgent Rooter & Plumbing.

B. K.

7/30/2010

I had same day service from Vincent. He was 'green' conscious by sucking up the debris from the sewer drain instead of just flushing it into the ocean. He took his time to snake it well and cleaned up the area. He also snaked the bathroom sink and was very conscious of doing a good job. He spent 2hrs 15 min on the two jobs and priced reasonably. I would hire him again. Bilingual for those who speak.

Marilyn M.

9/24/2010

Needed them in a hurry and they were great. Howard L. showed up on the early side of the 1-hour time frame they gave me. Fixed things fast, and explained everything well. Would definitely call them again, although I hope I don't need to. :-)

Gerard B.

8/14/2012

Wow! This plumber named Howard worked like a dog! Wouldn't leave until that sink drained. Amazing! I would call them in a minute. Prompt ,clean,and polite. Gérard

Abu A.

8/29/2008

Called these guys in for a leaky kitchen sink and clogged bath tub. They did a good job fixing the kitchen sink which does not leak any more (2 weeks later) and the bath tub is running a little better although the wife isn't 100% satisfied ;) . They quoted me a good fair price for the repairs. I would definitely call them again if I have any plumbing needs.

nina h.

07/12/2009 12:00:00 SA

I highly recommend Urgent Rooter & Plumbing. My bathroom pipes made a loud terrible noise when the water was turned on and a contractor friend couldn't figure out the problem. Albert, the manager at Urgent Rooter, came to my house, and figured out what was the matter right away. His crew did a lot of work: the problem was fixed and the price was reasonable. They were on time and took exactly as long as Albert estimated, and Albert himself is a very nice guy and easy to work with. I would definitely use them again.

Scott F.

08/07/2009 12:00:00 SA

Fantastic service. I called and they arrived within 30 minutes, fixed the problem and I didn't pay an arm and leg.

Ana B.

8/14/2009

Vincent Lee from Urgent Rooter is awesome. He came to look at a very clogged tub and broken toliet. He took one look and said he would both fixed in an hour. Sure enough in under an hour both were working perfectly. And the price was right. Would use him again in a heart beat.

stephanie h.

1/19/2010

Our main pipe backed up and started to flood our garage. We usually use Cabrillo, but they could not give us an appointment time until late the next day. Urgent Rooter & Plumbing came by in the evening and handled the issue promptly and professionally. Their pricing is nearly half of what we usually pay and the service is on par. I'm definitely calling Urgent R & P the next time we have an issue.

L K.

1/23/2010

Fabulous company! My call was returned within hours and someone came out on a Saturday for no extra charge. Vincent Lee was really fast and knowledgeable. Even though he came for a slow drain, he did me a favor and checked my disposal. I thought I had to change it but he told me that it was running fine. Save me hundreds! Would call them again.

Megan A.

1/28/2010

Found these guys on Yelp after three days of a non-functioning kitchen sink. Not only did they answer the phone on the second ring, give me an really reasonable quote over the phone and show up half an hour earlier then they said they would but they snaked our line to 40 ft and removed two blockages! With 30 day warranty. Of course, we also had to endure a lecture on not using drano or the garbage disposal but we totally deserved it given the state of the drains.

MM M.

04/03/2010 12:00:00 SA

Great. I had a clogged sewer connection that backed up into my yard and house. When I called for a quote, they sent someone out in 45 minutes. For a flat rate of $150 to rotor rooter the connection, Howard spent just over an hour and rootered the connection 5 times pulling out bag fulls of tree roots. (I hate my neighbors tree.)

Joey C.

06/06/2010 12:00:00 SA

I called Urgent Rooter on a SUNDAY!!! Yes, Sunday!. Howard was out here in 30 minutes. In the meantime my tenant's handyman fixed the problem. Howard looked at, said there was nothing for him to do and WOULD NOT give me a bill! Like I said, this was Sunday and I was expecting to pay doubletime. Howard earned my future business and he should get your first phone call.

Sofya N.

9/26/2011

Very good service!! I had my toilet clogged over week-end. Used Yelp to find a plumber, and picked Urgent Rooter & Plumbing based on reviews. Howard showed up exactly at 9 am as he promised. Advised me on all the possible charges depending on the problem before he started. After he was done with the fix (20 minutes), my toilet was fixed and cleaned as new. Before he left he explained what I did wrong which caused my problem. What can I do, I am a girl, and sometimes common sense is not there:)). He also answered all my questions regarding other fixtures I had in my place (sink, etc.). I am very happy with this company. Thank you.

Annie L.

10/03/2011 12:00:00 SA

I have dealt with many plumbers over the years and never one to keep. I read the reviews on Urgent Rooter & Plumbing and decided to give them a try on a sewer issue where sewer was backing up from the shower drain. In addition, to have a kitchen faucet changed. The owner came with his guys on time...one to work on the faucet and one to work on the sewer. I was extremely pleased with their work. The sewer problem resolved and the new faucet installed perfectly. Both guys left the place in perfect condition. GREAT JOB! Unfortunately, I forgot to mention Yelp..maybe I would have gotten $20 off (lol). I found their prices very reasonable!

Ginnie L.

5/28/2012

If there was a ten star rating I would give it to Urgent Rooter. They are prompt, more than fair in cost and get the job done quickly and correctly. I was having nightmares as I recently bought an apt. building from hell. Urgent rooter also gave very good maintenance tips for the future. Thank you guys

D. K.

01/08/2013 12:00:00 SA

Like some of the other reviewers, I needed urgent help on a Sunday. I called three plumbing services and Howard was the most responsive, helpful and reasonably priced of the three. I was impressed with how communicative he was about the problem and how he was going to fix it. I was so impressed that I had Albert come back the following day to fix a separate problem. I had the same great experience. After years of using Heise Plumbing and some recent disappointing experiences, I plan to switch my preferred plumbing service to Urgent Rooter.

Dina H.

4/26/2011

I called them because of a clogged toilet. The promptly responded and placed a rod type device in the boil and immediately resolved the problem. I was very satisfied with the service and I'll call them again it needed!

Evelyn H.

11/30/2014

Vincent spent ~3 hours yesterday unclogging a very old pipe that had a lot of rust as a result of no one living in the unit for a long time. The original quoted price before any of us understood how extensive this job was going to be was $125 for completing the job. We almost gave up on the job when after a few hours the metal snake had only traveled 4 feet down (and we felt there was a fork in the sewage pipe that it needed to get past by at least a few more feet) and the clog was still there. Then in the last few minutes, we the water going down the drain. They had solved the problem! We saw how hard they were working and how grimy the pipe was, and ended up paying $200. By the way, BE VERY WARY of the other plumbers who have amassed 5-star ratings over hundreds of customers. They are typically giving discounts in order to buy 5-star ratings consistently. Vincent and his crew didn't do anything of the sort. They clearly earned their keep.