Ron the Sewer Rat

my rear mounted toilet was leaking. call ron, they were there within 2 hours. turns out the toilet just need be tighten to the wall. NO CHARGE, great and fast service. they will be my first call next time.

Purchasing a home and called Ron for an inspection. Technician came out but couldn't scope because of roots blocking the line. He indicated it would have to be cleared first. I authorized him to do the work but he had only booked time for an inspection so would have to come back. I was charged for this initial scoping and would have to pay for another scoping tied to the cleaning. Such a scam.

Helpful and friendly, but extremely messy and unsanitary. We had them replace the wax ring on the toilet, he gouged the wall when uninstalling the toilet and placed both the old and new wax rings on the vanity while he worked. There were dirty fingerprints all over the toilet and water splashed around the bathroom. Gross. Won't call them again.

Kyle called ahead of time, waited for me at my to be sold house, and was very respectful about brining equipment in, taking his shoes off, keeping things as neat as possible. He answered my too many questions politely and explained the process of getting video for the buyers to verify that the sewer had been cleaned out. He was careful about cleaning up and overall, a positive experience. I would hire this company again.

Ron the Sewer Rat specializes in drain cleaning for  old houses in the Lake Nokomis area which is where I live. Every step of the process of having my main drain augered out due to tree roots was terrific. Mike the scheduler checked with me several times to set and confirm a convenient appointment and provided detailed cost structure. Aaron (I think that's his name) was the Ron assigned to my situation and he called in advance of the appointment letting me know exactly when he would arrive, cleaned my main drain, tested the system, and took great care to wipe up after himself and leave my house without a trace of him having been here. I need to have this kind of cleaning done every 2-3 years and it's always been 3X what Ron the Sewer Rat charged me. I'm putting their company sticker in the closet over the drain line access so I'll be sure to hire  them again.

Everything about the transaction was A+. Jeff the technician was punctual, pleasant, and communicated well. He cleaned up after himself, and did the job of cleaning the floor drain quickly and efficiently. I would not hesitate to use his services again.

The 2 technician's who cleaned my nasty clogged drain were worth every penny!  I'll never attempt to clear a drain myself when these guys are a phone call away!

Great job with cleaning out my main drain. Called at 830a and he walked out with job done by 130p

Two days ago our main sewer line was clogged up. It was Saturday, so I called Roto Rooter. They came out, charged me $250, got the problem partially solved, and tried to sell me other products. They also tried to convince me I had a serious problem on my hands.
This morning it backed up again. I called Ron's after two friends recommended them. They came and actually did the cleaning correctly, took a video of the line to make sure there was not a serious problem, and charged me less than Roto Rooter did for their service.
These guys are professional, fast, and trustworthy. I will not call anyone else.

After working with Roto Rooter and paying $250 to snake my line, my basement drain was still backing up. They sent a rookie out to my house, fresh off a 2-week training period. He claimed he was stuck at 26 feet and recommended I pay another $250 to get someone out with a camera to check the blockage. Knowing that these guys work on commission, I opted to shop around before making my decision and I stumbled upon Ron the Sewer Rat. They sent out a seasoned plumber named Rod who has been doing this for years. He was able to clean my line within an hour and an half for half the price of Roto Rooter. I highly recommend calling these pros! Save money and get the expert plumbers out to your house!

Ron the Sewer Rat is the third sewer-fixing company we've dealt with since buying a house, and they're by far the best. I  wish we'd started with them, as they were able to resolve a clogging issue that another company tried several times to fix and couldn't AND they identified an issue in our sewer line that another company failed to find during our home inspection when we purchased the house (bummer for us, but at least now we know...). They were able to schedule us the same day we called and the guy who came to our house was really pleasant and helpful. I can't recommend them highly enough - and yes, their camera sewer inspections for home purchases are a bit more expensive, BUT they're worth it.

You've gained a lifetime customer.

Over the weekend, I noticed that my kitchen sink had a slow drain while doing dishes. After the water had all drained down, I thought that maybe gunk had built up in the p-trap but I took it apart and nothing was there.

After assembling the p-trap, I went down to our laundry room which is directly below the kitchen. Shock overwhelmed me. The dish water that slowly drained earlier, was backed up in the utility sink flowing into the floor drain. I then grabbed a 5 gal bucket and started dishing out water from the utility sink and the floor drain. Come to find out, the laundry room's floor drain was clogged.  

Peter who came out to unclog my floor drain, was very knowledgeable. He did the job with a smile and we shared some stories. (Felt like a buddy who was just helping his buddy out) I wanted to share a beer with him but knew that he was too professional! Hahahaha.

We had a drainage issue with our basement drain so set up an appointment for two days out. Jeff G. Came and did a wonderful job. Explained what was going on what he was going to do and it is work quickly. Could not have been happier and will use them again if we ever have a drain issue.

While these people came highly recommended by my sister-in-law, I was very put off by the subcontractor that I got through them. After coming in, checking things out and signing the papers, the subcontractor tells me that there will be an extra $75 fee because I wasn't upfront with him on the phone that it was the main line, and that he felt he was being taken, and that if I didn't like the new fee, he could just leave. With that comment, I was feeling like I was being taken advantage of because my sewer was backing up in the basement through the floor drain and that's what I told him on the phone! I'm not a plumber or a sewer guy, how am I supposed to know that I need to first figure out myself exactly what is happening before calling them?

Now, to be fair, after the service subcontractor completed the job, he did drop the billed fee down from the new $225 ($150 for the main line + $75 additional fee for hassle) to $180 ($150 main line + $30 for additional cable)... though that was also after bringing up that I am also a small business owner (though I don't know if he changed his mind because of that, or because he realized I was completely taken aback by his attitude and rudeness with him accusing me of trying to take him because I didn't make it clear on the phone that it was the main drain line?). Positives: They were able to come out the same day, they got the job done quickly (within the hour and 1/2 quoted)

Jeff came over today.  He inspected the areas I was concerned about, gave me helpful advice and did not charge me for his time.  He was not willing to do work that could result in property damage.  I am very impressed and will call them next time.

Called Ron the Sewer Rat based on recommendation of plumber to unclog a drain. Left a message in the early afternoon and they didn't respond until late the next morning,, almost 24 hours later! Good thing it wasn't an emergency. The only reason he gets any stars is the funny message on answering machine. But seriously, if you need help in a hurry think about calling someone else. These guys don't respond on a timely basis.

Update to yesterdays review: Apparently if you leave a negative review The Sewer Rat in Ron really comes out. Shortly after my review was published yesterday, I was greeted by a sarcastic email complete with name calling. Hey, if you don't like my review, change your business practices, don't attack the people who tried to give you business! Geez, maybe you should stay in the sewer.

Came out the same day I called, and took care of everything at the quoted (and reasonable) price. Also explained the issue to me and gave me good suggestions for future maintenance. I would call them again and again, and I am recommending them to everyone.

Fast, friendly, professional, good rates. Even threw in pointers that might prevent future service calls. Recommended if you've got clogs.

We called RTSW because our floor drain backed up twice this month and flooded part of our laundry room. The person that took our call was prompt, straight forward and helpful. Great thing about this plumbing service company is that they do Saturday morning appointments or calls! Super awesome for those who work full time or cannot do weekday appointments. Peter was the guy that came out to assess our issue, he called 20 mins before showing up and was right on time. He was able to pin point the cause of our floor drain backing up which was due to build up of grease, lint and garbage disposal sediments. Also he told us that it was the previous owners not cleaning the floor drain for around 15 years! Peter was great  - taking his time to look around and educating us on tips to not only prevent but maintain our drains! Peter also cleaned up and sanitized the area after he was done. The service only took roughly 45 minutes and initially we were quote $ 175 but the bill only came to $ 125! AWESOME!

Hopefully no other issues come up in our home but if they are plumbing related, we will be calling on RTSW stat! Thanks RTSW!

This guy is awesome! Much cheaper and cleaner than Roto Rooter. Very fast service!  He even showed us how to fix the problem so that we wouldn't have to pay for it again :)

We had an awesome experience with Ron the Sewer Rat! The glowing Yelp reviews I've seen for RTSW always stood out to me, so when our inspector and realtor recommended them as well, I knew it was meant to be.

We needed an additional sewer cleaning and re-scope - and FAST - during a home inspection contingency period. The Ron the Sewer Rat team was so quick to answer my appointment request with all the info we needed!

I worked with the team via phone and email to get the service scheduled, get documentation needed for follow-up quotes to fix the sewer line with another company, and take payment. They provided a document with findings and a YouTube link to our entire scope!

I can't say enough about the service Katie, Kyle, and the team provided us in an efficient, timely, and helpful manner. This team will be my go-to for any future needs!

I wish I could give them six stars (or eleven)! I got to work with Lee when my clients had him out to do a recent sewer inspection prior to purchasing their new home. This had been a precautionary measure that paid off when the camera ran into a total root blockage in the line.

Lee's patience and skill were remarkable - as was his ability to work within a precarious situation: when the home's sellers opted to bring in the more famous name to clear the line (rather than work with the buyers' inspector, with whom they were unfamiliar) and then ran into difficulties with the company they had chosen, Lee was diplomatic and shared helpful information about what to expect from the process and how best to go about getting the work completed.

Ultimately, the sellers fired the famous name and hired Lee to clear the line (after the famous name's rep tried to charge another $150/hour to do the work that hadn't been done right the previous day). Lee resolved - in 15 minutes - what had been characterized by the previous worker as a 'major deal' that was unlikely to be solved without making a repair to the line (from personal experience, I know that repair to the line involves major excavation to both yard and pocketbook).

I'm making a point to share this experience due to the comparative value of my experience. Because the original product requested was a video inspection, I had the benefit of seeing first what the line had looked like prior to any work, then, what the line looked like after the famous name had charged $300+ for their work without solving the problem...  and then finally, what the line looked like after Lee had done the job right (and for less than half the cost and an inverse amount of trauma for parties to the transaction). There was simply no comparison...work quality, subject matter expertise, courtesy, trust, good nature... he made me look good for having recommended him.

I will be strongly encouraging sewer inspection contingencies to all of my clients going forward - and I will be specifically recommending they contact Ron the Sewer Rat, LLC, to have this work completed.

New homeowners, we woke up to our basement drains backing up. They were able to get us in same day to clear the roots from our pipes, which was likely overdue. Clean, courteous, informative, professional and prices were reasonable. We'll see you again next year!

Had drainage problem in the bathtub, call them and was able to get appointment on the same day. They give me a phone call first to let me know they were on their way. They text me ahead of time to let me know who was coming, a picture of the technician and small brief information about him. They charge me $148 very reasonable. It would of been 5 stars If I didn't had such a bad experience with the person on the phone who made the appointment. She wasn't even listening, felt like she was inpatient, rushing through everything. I kept repeating over and over again about my infor, which was fine, at the end she didn't even confirm the credit card information in her system and ended our conversation, she had to call back because she type it wrong of course totally would recommend the service maybe just schedule online appointment.

We needed our main sewer line unclogged (thanks Richfield plumbing) because the spring roots in the ground were causing issues in our basement drain. We called a handful of people we got recommendations from and Ron the Sewer Rat was able to come and snake out the main line to get it all cleared out in literally less than 15 minutes from hanging up the phone to see if someone was available. It's been about a month since they came out and we've had no issues (knock on wood). The guy who came out also was super willing to answer any other plumbing questions we had, which is a lot because we've been homeowners for less than a year. Highly recommend!

My building had a basement drain with standing water that wouldn't drain. We called Ron the Sewer Rat and were able to get an appointment for the next day. Jon J, the same tech we had previously, showed up promptly, and he remembered me and our weird drain and was able to complete the job very quickly and thoroughly. He explained what he found blocking the drain so that we could follow up (basically, coffee grounds & grease that people were putting down their kitchen sink drains) so we can prevent this from happening again.

I also had requested they help by starting a quote for replacement of our laundry machine hoses & kitchen sink. Jon was able to get the hoses replaced at the same appointment with no extra charge! He took pictures for the faucet replacement quote, as that will require review by a plumber.

Jon was very helpful, and I will definitely continue working with this company in the future!

Very happy with service. Main line was plugged, called One Hour Rooter, got scammed, no warranty, tried to sell me a ton of expensive services, at many times their value, backed up  3 days later. .
    Then I called the pros. Ron the sewer Rat sent Peter out, he was very pleasant and professional.  I told him my story and he said he had hear it many times. When he was done he said it was not a difficult job I had 2 tough spots where the roots were thick  but other wise just a normal clean out.
 Don't waste your time with the other guys, it will cost you more in the long run. Just call Ron.

Loved my experience (as much as one can with a leaky overflow pipe and water damage). I had Roman and then John come by to fix a faulty overflow pipe from our upstairs bathroom (leaked and came through downstairs). John is a master plumber and just a peach. Really friendly, patient, and thorough. Both technicians were capable, on time, and communicative.

After some less than stellar experiences with other main drain cleaning services (particularly one that would only clean our drain enough to undo a clog, but not thoroughly enough to prevent another clog), Ron the Sewer Rat was recommended to us.

Scheduling a main drain line cleaning was easy to do on their website, and prices were all clearly laid out! Communication was top notch as the service desk called to confirm our appointment, and the technician called the morning of service to confirm again. Jon, our technician, arrived on time and was friendly and efficient. He took great care when bringing in his equipment to not damage our home or make a mess. He was able to clean the drain and get rid of the tree roots we had building up within. We also appreciated that he made a recommendation for an annual maintenance cleaning, but didn't try to aggressively upsell us on other services (as some other companies have tried to do).

5 stars to Ron the Sewer Rat for an easy experience and getting the job done right!

I used RTSW 2.5 years ago for a basement floor drain that was backing up and I didn't hesitate to call them again when it started happening again now.  A friend of mine, who is a plumber, originally suggested them.

I called on Friday morning, the phone was answered by a friendly and professional person and I was offered an appointment window early Friday afternoon, which was awesome.  I had to work though so I tentatively asked about a Saturday time and that was no problem.  Peter called about 20 minutes before showing up and did a great job of explaining what needed to be done.  He spent a little over an hour working and he was on his way.  I'd use them again and recommend them to my friends.

Note: 3% charge for using a credit card (so I paid by check)

Our house is 100 years old and the two young men who came to our aid, had the wisdom and smarts of at least that many years.

The newer worker of the two was intuitive enough to check in with home base to get assistance when he wasn't 100% certain on how to remedy something. We appreciate this company very much and will continue to rely on them as the trees around our home continue to grow (we have ongoing root issues).

Ron the Sewer Rat employees are hard working and knowledgeable. They taught us a lot about what's happening out of sight and underground and why. Thank you!

This company was called for service at the estate home I am currently working at.  They called to let me know that their was a cancellation and they could come early which worked out great, He arrived and looked the problem over and I was told the 30 year old garbage disposal needs to be removed to correct the problem correctly but he was not a plumber and could not do that, he did however vacuume decayed food debris from the line and cleanup from basement.  It was VERY stinky but the sink is draining great now.  The service they provided was excellent but I later was told by the family that when they hired them that they requested a certified plumber to resolve a problem like we now have.  Unsure how it was resolved from there.  The gentleman was very nice a polite under the circumstances of the home being so messy and this problem so stinky.

I would highly recommend! Great customer service and communication. They were fast and responsive. I will definitely use them in the future for any and all drains and sewers. I also really appreciate knowing how much the service is going to be versus many of the other places that charge a trip fee and then come up with an astronomical amount once they are there that will be waived if you go with them. Ron the Sewer Rat surpassed all of my expectations and I will call them for sure! THANKS!

My second time using these guys. First time was good, following a toddler's experiment with flushing a tube of toothpaste.

Second time was even better.

We have a 95-year-old house with an ancient bathtub and a drum trap from back when dinosaurs roamed the Earth. Ron crew came out Tuesday and said pipes would have to be rerouted to get to the trap. Sewer Rat: No charge.

The plumber they recommended was way better than our previous plumber and came the following day, Wednesday.

Pipes rerouted, Sewer Rat tech was back the Thursday. He sawed off the old drum trap lid, snaked down 20', and pulled out.... well, never mind. Left the area clean and rinsed out the tub. Very tidy!

~$170, including parts. Best money I've spent in a long time. Prompt, professional, courteous.

It's an old house. We'll be using them again.

I too was suspicious of a company named Ron the Sewer Rat, but I decided to trust my fellow Yelpers and I'm glad I did! I called them up in the morning and left a message and they called me back within about an hour and was able to get out to my place later that same day.  I think he wanted to send someone out right away, but I had an appointment later and he said it was no problem to schedule around it. The guy that was sent to my place was patient and answered all my questions. He didn't talk down to me or try to talk me into additional parts or services. I felt the prices were fair and reasonable. So bottom line, my main line was clogged in the morning, Ron the Sewer Rat came in the afternoon, and in the evening all my drains work. I would call them again and recommend them to anyone who has plumbing issues.

Okay, here's the bottom line on Ron the Sewer Rat. Having problems with your sewer line? Just call Ron. Period.

I have a rental house in Minneapolis. My renters called a week ago to report problems with the main sewer line backing up when they were doing wash. I went through FOUR companies trying to get this fixed. Here's how it went.

1) First company didn't do the job correctly. Told me that they had cleared the blockage, but the problem repeated a few days later. Turns out that they had only used a 4 cutting blade when they should have used a 6 blade. Blockage was never completely cleared. They refused to come out again to fix the problem, even though their work is supposedly warrantied for 1 year.

2) Second company was rude when I first contacted them, but a friend had recommended so I decide to give them a try. I schedule a service time, but the guy never shows up. I call him back and he curses at me over the phone. I hang up.

3) Company #3 shows up, and tells me that they're unwilling to attempt to clear the blockage with their snake. Instead they try to upsell me on a $10,000 to $15,000 job to replace the sewer line. FAIL!

4) Finally I find Ron the Sewer Rat and give them a call. They were BY FAR the friendliest of the four companies and their dispatcher (Mike) listened carefully to me as I described the problem. He was flexible with scheduling, and the technician showed up ON TIME. He stuck with the job, and spent two hours clearing out all of the heavy roots that were clogging up the sewer line. Thank you!!

These guys are courteous, friendly, knowledgeable, and effective. I would recommend them to anyone without reservation. 5 stars.

Called them up about a drainage issue. They offered to come over right away. The service man was friendly and efficient.
He was here over two hours, fixed the issue along with a couple of other non emergency problems we were having. The whole bill was just over $100. Unbelievable!
If you need a plumber in the cities, I can highly recommend this company. I know we will be calling them the next time!

We woke up to water in our bathtub and the toilet had run over. They were busy that day but came the next day, to find we had a root going through our water main. It went 12 feet below the surface. Kyle worked about 4 1/2 hours and was cheerful and polite the whole time.  We really liked Kyle.  He worked hard, and knew what he was doing. He was clean and didn't leave a mess, which is very important to me. He smiled every time he talked.  Kyle went over and above what he needed to do, So thanks so much for being their for us!

Ron the Sewer Rat came recommended to me by friends when our main line backed up into our laundry room.  I called and they were out within an hour or two.  They did the job quickly and charged a fair price.  Things to know:

1.) Their prices are on their website - and it's pretty straightforward
2.) Lee is Ron's son and the owner of the business and has actually been apprenticed and trained to do this very specific task.
3.) The guys that they send out are always very courteous.

Call them first; you won't be disappointed.  They'll even leave a reminder sticker so that you can call them annually for a clean out

I wouldn't want anyone other than Ron the Sewer Rat team members check my drain lines.  Professional, efficient and no price gauging.  I love that they send you a copy of the video if you have a camera inspection.  Top notch company!

Fixed a slow/clogged drain in the laundry room, will definitely be using them again! Easy to schedule an appointment online, great communication from both office staff and repair tech. They even called to offer us an earlier appointment if we wanted which was nice. They also sent text updates which was great. Repair tech Trent was friendly, got the problem fixed quickly, straightforward & fair pricing for the issue. Will 10/10 use again!

excellent service, from calling back the next day when message was left after hours to accommodating my schedule to calling ahead and arriving on time.  You don't get this level of service on a normal basis.  Peter came out and kept me advised on what he was dong and what the costs would be.  left everything the way he found it.  Would use them again for all of my drain and sewer needs and will let all of my family and friends know about this great service.

Affordable. Timely. Have unfortunately had to use them on more than one occasion for emergency-ish situations but they have responded quickly and charged reasonable fees for their services. Literally beats the $#!* out of Roto-Rooter.

Nick cleaned out our rust-clogged floor drain, replaced the clean out plug, and demonstrated that the drain was cleared. Had no issues.

We contacted Ron the Sewer Rat based on a referral from our home inspector back this past summer and were able to book a sewer inspection for the following weekend.  Jeff was our inspector, and even though he had a terrible day (he had a job that ended up taking much more time than anticipated), he still accommodated our need to have our inspection done that same day (if we had delayed we were at risk violating the terms of our purchase agreement).  We very much appreciated it!!

A+. I use this company for drain cleanings and plumbing repairs and have yet to be disappointed. The technicians are always very friendly and prompt. Prices are fair. Quotes are accurate. It feels good doing business with these guys.

Able to schedule easily online and they called to confirm services requested. They sent a quick bio of our technician with a photo when on the way, which I really appreciate! Our technician Nick was excellent at letting us know which of our concerns needed to be addressed. He was knowledgeable and very efficient. Would recommend.

After hearing tons of recommendations for RTSR from friends and neighbors, and being referred to them by another contractor, I gave them a call to clear my main sewer line. Every contractor that comes to my house points out how nothing is the way it should be- wrong size sprinkler line, wrong kind of attic access, and most recently, no second sewer clean-out access... That wasn't good enough for Lee (my friendly RTSR plumber). He was like a bloodhound, determined to hunt down the second access  in the basement that the previous homeowners had finished. Calmly and methodically, and with the help of some equipment that looked like something the Jetsons would have, EUREEKA! He found the access under/behind a built-in cabinet. He cleaned the main, and just to make sure he got the clog, he quickly cleaned out the laundry drain too. I'm so glad Lee didn't give up on me. As long as RTSR's around, I know who will be cleaning my drains.

After hearing terrible things about Roto-Rooter, I sought out a more ethical and affordable alternative to clean out our sewer. Ron the River Rat turned out to be that alternative.

They were professional, personable, and affordable. They patiently answered all my questions as we ran a camera all the way through our sewer system. They diligently removed all the roots invading our pipes, going through on two occasions. They didn't try to sell me on anything we didn't need. What else could I ask for? I'll be seeing them again in a few years.

I called RTSW when I needed my basement drain main line cleaned out and a new drain plug installed after a TIH inspection before listing my house.  RTSW came out the next available business day.  Peter K. was my technician and he did a fantastic job- he spent about an hour cleaning the main line and everything was great. I was even surprised at the bill, I thought it was low and incredibly reasonable.

A few days later after my buyer's inspection, they had a question about the plumbing in the house.  I called RTSW to explain something to the buyer of my home in a written email , and Peter got back to me right away with an email that explained everything.

RTSW is a great local business with excellent customer service. I would recommend them to anyone in Minneapolis looking for sewer / plumbing services.

I can say absolutely nothing negative about my experience with Ron the Sewer Rat.

I emailed in the late afternoon to set up an appt and someone got back to me early the next morning.  We set up an appt that was convenient for me.
Steve called 20mins prior to appt time and arrived promptly.

He quickly fixed the problems, left absolutely no mess and it didn't cost anything near what I was afraid it would be.

I couldn't recommend Ron the Sewer Rat company more!

I've actually had to use them a couple times (for different reasons) - they are always very accommodating & professional!  The tech Devon was polite, professional, very efficient but thorough, & communicated everything throughout the process.  Because I was a repeat customer, they gave a discount! Highly recommend!!