MR. ROOTER WACO REVIEW

Experience with Mr. Rooter Waco was extremely sad and horrific.  It was awful.  I would never recommend them to anyone at all for any reason.

I apologize to my friends who read my blog.  This is not pleasant.  But… in order to make certain full information is provided to those who want to check reviews on Mr. Rooter Waco, it is my best way to get it out there.  If this does not impact you, please just close this one!  Will try to post a “good” post for you soon!

Caveats regarding Review:

All of the things discussed below are things we tried to fully comprehend.

The things we indicate and note did not match what we were told are based on our opinion about the experiences and results.

The entire post includes my experiences and my spouse’s experiences which are combined for the review.

Now then... here is what we experienced from start to “finish”:

I began noticing some sounds associated with plumbing items.  Felt like plumbing needed to be checked out.  The house was built in 1965 so, obviously, things will deteriorate over time.  To avoid a possible major event (the house flooding with sewer!), we tried to get a plumbing company with major abilities out to check on things.

The first company referred to us did send someone out.  Information was provided and we were told we would hear back by the end of that week.  Over seven weeks have passed as I am typing this post… and we still have heard nothing at all… and clearly won’t.

The second company we contacted was Mr. Rooter Waco.  They had been seen in our neighborhood frequently and had (apparently) very good reviews.  (We discovered later they do not post negative reviews to their web site and there were plenty of them posted elsewhere.  So very sad.)  Mr. Rooter Waco was called out to the house for a few repairs mainly due to the guest bath tub holding water around the drain cover and gurgling sounds that weren’t right.

Mr. Rooter Waco sent out an individual on Monday (1/10).  He went through the system.  A camera probe was inserted into the sewer plumbing line and watched as it moved its way down the line to the guest bath tub. The camera stopped at the guest bath tub intersection.  When asked what we were looking at, the individual replied, in essence, that the *sewer line had collapsed*.  He ran the camera down the line a second time and again was asked at what were we looking?  The individual replied again, in essence, that *your sewer line has collapsed down on that end of the house*.  Well, it sounded like a real emergency so we should get this fixed immediately. Bottom line: He indicated we needed to replace the cast iron piping that was original to the house as some areas had corroded and had collapsed.

He ran an estimate for all of that along with a couple of other minor things we wanted to have done.  Welcome to a $32,000+ estimate, my friends.  It included digging a literal “tunnel” underneath the house, 3’x3’x3’ and 50’ long… front to rear.  Whoa!  However, the piping was beneath the slab and in order to replace it, it was clearly necessary to dig beneath for access and replacement.  He was even “kind” in indicating he was only going to charge for about 20’ of the new PVC rather than the full 50’.  Gee.  That sounded nice.  I also asked if there was a discount for a cash payment (he had suggested a firm they refer customers to that would “finance” the cost…).  He mulled about a bit and did finally subtract another $1,000.  While that sounds nice, just note that $1,000 is a VERY small percentage of $32,000+!!!  He said they would have workers out the next morning to begin the tunneling if we wanted to go ahead and sign the “contract.”  My largest error was not reading the entire thing.  I assumed (my stupidity and own fault) it was a standard-type contract for work.  I was very wrong.  I gave them a check for $10K as a “down payment.”

Tuesday morning (1/11), a few individuals arrived and began tearing out the two areas that would lead to the sewer piping under the slab (one front, one rear) that were part of my landscape beds.  Large tarps were thrown down and the dirt and rock began being dug out and piled onto them.  It was nightmarish.  A jackhammer was being used to tear into the rock in some areas.  Clearly a large concern about the support of the house once the rock was removed (and, we found later, would NOT be replaced beneath the slab!).

By Thursday afternoon (1/13), the tunnel was completely open.  After the tunneling crew left, my spouse went into the tunnel from both north and south ends and crawled the length.  He found no collapsed pipe anywhere. What he saw was 57-year old pipe in solid condition.  He noted all the original cast iron pipe was completely intact. There was no sign of a collapse anywhere. There appeared to be no emergency because there was no collapsed pipe.  It all appeared solid as shown in the picture below which he took while underneath the house.

The actual plumber group (4 individuals) arrived Friday (1/14) to begin replacing the piping. The old cast iron was pulled out (we found chunks out on the tarps and did notice corrosion, as expected, but did not see any actual collapse of the piping which we had been told had occurred).  The inside of the original cast iron piping showed normal wear and the condition you would expect from 57-year old cast iron pipe that has been buried under your house.  Corrosion?  Yes.  Collapse?  Did not see any at all.

New PVC was put in as replacement.  The original sewer pipe that runs north and south was replaced with PVC pipe. The point where the alleged collapse was supposed to be replaced did not appear to be replaced.  The new PVC pipe was connected to the “Y” fitting and the guest bathtub still has water over the drain cover, which was one of the things we were told would be “resolved” by the piping replacement. The line to the guest bathtub, toilet, and sink were left with the original cast iron piping.

On the north end of the house was the original cast iron piping going to the master bath toilet. Note how vertically straight it is. The pipe is in the far left side of the picture below.

The picture below shows how it was replaced.  It is hard to see but, in the background, the new PVC toilet pipe has a 20 degree lean to the left of vertical (which did not exist before). This may be why the toilet rocks now?

The main plumber advised we could expect the City Inspector out the following Tuesday (1/18) (Monday the 17th was a federal holiday) to check the installation.  This is when things began becoming problematic.

The main plumber indicated he would be out Monday (1/17) to do the minor things unrelated to the piping.  It was Friday evening (1/14), after the plumbing group had left, that I was walking into my “dressing room” (a front bedroom where I keep my items) when my foot was caught on a tall, pointed portion of the vinyl planking nearly causing me to fall!  What?  It was ridiculous.  The flooring had been damaged during the replacement of the piping on Friday!!  Checking other areas, we found several spots where the flooring had been literally “pushed” up and away from the slab!  It was so incredibly upsetting!  Additionally, while in the Master Bathroom (which was directly above the tunnel), it was discovered the toilet was no longer attached to the floor!!  It tilted forward pulling the back portion up off of the floor!  Clearly there had been damage done to our slab/flooring when the piping was being replaced.  These problems did NOT occur until Friday evening, after the old piping was pulled and the new piping put in place.  It had not occurred during the tunneling.  I was so upset over the weekend, I could barely sleep.

The next section will provide information about what is likely to have caused the flooring and toilet problems.

Due to the plumbers using hammer drills to place anchors from which the PVC would be hung, we believe the slab sustained damage to the top as well as the penetration points on the bottom of the slab.

See the spalling (def.  “to break up or reduce by or as if by chipping with a hammer” – Merriam-Webster.com) around the anchor point in the picture below. The concrete is chipped away in a circle mostly due to a hammer drill being used to drill the hole for the anchor.  With the repetitive hammering of the hammer drill, the spalling must have continued to the top of the slab which would cause flooring damage. The flooring cover has not been removed to ascertain the damage from the drilling.

The damage to the flooring lines up with where the pipe hangers/anchors are placed. You can see the progression/outline where the tunnel was by the bumps under the flooring.  If a standard drill was used with a masonry drill bit then perhaps the spalling would not have occurred? 

Monday morning (1/17), the main plumber was supposed to come out.  He did not show up.  No one contacted us.  We called the office near Noon and were told he was sick and had a doctor’s appointment scheduled.

Tuesday morning (1/18), the main plumber arrived at the front door… hacking, sick, discussing his weekend of vomiting… and was not allowed into our house!!!  We asked if the Inspector was coming that day (which he had told us the week before) since he had told us to NOT answer the door or leave access to the back yard when the inspector arrived.  Why?  Because, he told us, the piping from the other end of the house, where it connected to the piping that had been replaced, was about ½ inch lower than the replaced piping.  He told us that was “not really a problem”… but if the inspector saw it, he would not approve it AND it would cost us another $1,200 to dig a trench to lower the drain, etc., etc., etc.  BUT… he specifically advised it had been that way since Day One and it was NOT causing any problem and it really did NOT need to be changed… so… make sure the inspector couldn’t get to the back of the house to see it.  AND… when he was asked why he was there if the Inspector was coming that day, he indicated he had “forgotten” he wanted to make certain he was not there.  Really?  He also indicated the Engineering Report had to be done before the inspection was done AND before the tunnel could be filled.  He left to go somewhere else.  Neither the Engineer nor the Inspector showed up that day.

Wednesday morning (1/19), we called the office.  We asked why the Inspector did not come on the 18^th?  And when was he coming?  We also asked when the Engineer was supposed to be out since we had been told the Engineering Report had to be done prior to the inspection?  We were told they had been trying to reach the Engineer but were unable to do so.  Didn’t know where he was or when he would be out.  Really?  Then why was the Inspector scheduled?  We were told the Inspector would be out either Thursday or Friday (20^th or 21^st).  No information about the Engineer was included.  They would get back with us (which did not happen).

Thursday (1/20), nothing happened.  No one came.  No one called.  We were left sitting wondering what was going on.

Friday (1/21), the Inspector did arrive.  He was on our Security Camera from 12:44-12:47 p.m.  He never rang the doorbell,  popped down into the hole in the front of the house, then popped right back out.  Surely did not seem like much of an inspection?  Wonder what he looked at?

Monday (1/24), the office was called for two reasons.  First, where was the Engineer?  He has not been out (which our Security Camera could verify).  Our main plumber had told us he had to be out before the Inspector.  The office advised that the Engineer was supposed to be out AFTER the Inspector.  Really?  At that point, it was questionable which party was “lying” to us.  Those were two completely opposite timelines… and it certainly seemed as though that would not be the case in an office that booked things?

Tuesday (1/25), nothing happened.  No one came.  No one called.  Again, we were left sitting wondering what we should expect?  The Engineer?  He did not arrive (again… not on our Security Camera).

Wednesday (1/26), the workers arrived early in the morning to fill the tunnel!!!  The office was called.  Where is the Engineering Report?  The Engineer has not been here.  We have not seen him on the Security Camera.  The office tells us they now HAVE the Engineering Report… and they emailed it to us that day, 1/26/2022 at 11:32 a.m…. and it is DATED 1/26/2022.  If the workers arrived early this morning and we have yet to see the Engineer on the Security Camera at all since the beginning, when exactly was he out to do the Report?  The office couldn’t tell us anything about when it was done… but they said we could try to reach the Engineer (who they told us they could NOT reach the week before) to ask him when he was here.  Sigh.  Is this really a report from him?  It’s a very standard letter-form, unsigned by an actual person (just a name stamp), with our address filled in like on an existing form AND… with the seal approval date shown as “1-26-21.”  That was a year ago.  Hmmmmmm.

Also on Wednesday (1/26), the workers nearly filled a long trailer attached to their pickup with the rocks from under the house… AND with a substantial amount of dirt, as well.  Excuse me?  Please explain to me how you can literally remove a LARGE amount of cubic feet of earth/rock from underneath my house and it will be as well-supported as it has been since 1965?  Wonder if/when I should expect things to begin shifting at that end of the house and creating cracks in the sheetrock?

By Friday (1/28), problems continued when the main plumber still had not been out to finish do the “minor” things that had been included in the estimate.  Once again, we called the office to ask when he would be out?  They apparently contacted him and sent him to our house.  At that time, he saw the damaged flooring in the two bedrooms.  He also, allegedly, reattached the Master Bathroom toilet to the floor (remember… it had been disconnected when the other damage was done during the installation of the PVC).  Note that it was not reattached and continues, to this day, to lift from the flooring.  Oh… and the Jack and Jill bathroom toilet has also been found to be detached.  Clearly neither can be reattached due to the damage done during the “hammering” of the slab in order to set up the lines to hold the new PVC.

Monday (1/31), the main plumber came out with a woman from the office to “assess” the flooring damage.

We were told the anchors placed in the slab to hold the PVC piping had to be placed at a specific depth to meet code.  The main plumber and the woman both told me that my house slab was too thin and not of the “correct” depth/thickness. He continued to repeat the slab was only 4 to 4.5 inches thick and that the slab, to be “correct” thickness, must be 8 to 12 inches thick!  The woman agreed with Bill that the slab was not the correct thickness and said she knew this because she is in the process of getting her Master Plumbers License.  I went to the City of Woodway (where we live) Permit Department and asked what was the regulation for the thickness of a house slab, either new construction or older construction?  The Permit Department employee stated the concrete slab thickness and material makeup is whatever the engineer who drew the plans specifies.  That doesn’t sound like there is a “code” thickness of 8”-12”, does it?  Our question?  If the slab was poured and met code in 1965, wouldn’t a good company check to see if there might be any problems arising should the “current code” need to be met (questionable) without checking the property (the slab, in our case)?  Their response was simply they had to follow the “current code”… regardless.  Interesting.  She said they would contact us that afternoon to let us know when they would send out restoration people to check out the flooring problem.  She also indicated the Franchise Owner would arrive on Thursday (2/3) to discuss the flooring situation.  As of today (2/28/2022), we have never heard from anyone.  Oh… and she also Demanded the balance of the original estimate be paid immediately.  It was.  So… we have now spent a substantial amount of money for questionable purposes with problems remaining and new damage done.  So sad.

Just as a little bit of confirmation of what we believe to be true regarding slab depths, here are a few pictures:

These are from the house behind us.  Built about the same time.  It is currently under a full renovation so the plumbing is being accessed from above.  As you can see, the slab on this particular house is between 3.75 and 4 inches in depth.  The third picture shows the tape measure being held at the bottom of the slab itself.  (Are Master Plumbers taught something incorrect?  Hmmmmmmmmm?)

 

 

 

Interestingly enough, one of the local HEB grocery stores is under a remodel.  While not knowing the year it was built originally, guessing it was not any earlier than 1965?  Here are a few pictures of the building slab where the work is being done.  As you can see, the commercial retail building slab is between 4.5 and 5 inches. Where does Mr. Rooter Waco come up with a resedential house slab needing to be between 8 and 12 inches to be in compliance with code?  We just are never able to get responses to questions… or any communication at all.

 

 

Now then… as I type this (2/28) preparing it for my blog, it has been 20 business days since Monday, 1/31.  We have not heard a single word from anyone at Mr. Rooter Waco.  The check, however, did make it to the bank immediately!  Perhaps there was a concern a stop-payment would be generated?  Oh… no… we are honest, reasonable adults who meet the agreement(s) we make… even if things aren’t exactly as they should be based on an original discussion.  It certainly appears as though Mr. Rooter Waco may not be honest and reasonable.

*Update 2/15/2022: A message was left for me on Monday (2/14) from a young lady at “Mr. Rooter Corporate” here in Waco.  She indicated she had received my complaint (I submitted a survey indicating I would never refer anyone to Mr. Rooter) and wanted to discuss it.  I contacted her on Tuesday (2/15).  She was very nice.  I gave her the “Reader’s Digest” version of how horrible our experience was and the things remaining damaged. She indicated she would contact the Franchise Owner (who we were told by the main plumber would be out on Thursday, 2/3, to discuss the situation but had not done so) regarding my situation.  I told her to please make certain I was not going to be simply called and told that Mr. Rooter had no responsibility for damage (which I mentioned is in the “contract”).  If that was the case, I would prefer to NOT receive any communication from the Franchise Owner.  Period.

*Update 2/28/2022: Have heard nothing at all from either the young lady or the Franchise Owner who were both mentioned above.  Not surprised.

So… $31,000+ later, we have work done that we cannot see nor can we confirm any inspection or engineering was done in a manner that would verify it was done properly.  We have two specific problems that were generated by the company… 1) flooring damage in two rooms, and 2) two toilets that aren’t safe to use without extreme caution.  About all I can guess is we will have to pay additional funds for flooring work, a real plumber to come fix the toilets… and some landscaping help to put the areas where the work was done back into reasonable shape, including replacing any plants that were killed during digging.

Negative Mr. Rooter Waco issues:

1)         Communication – No contact made.  We were left never knowing whether we needed to stay home on given days to allow access for repairs.  We were never provided information we requested when we were told they would have to “check” on it.

2)         Honesty – Why do different people from the same company in the same office tell completely opposite things?  And who is telling the truth… and who is lying?  Additionally, if you tell me to expect a call or a visit… why does neither occur?

3)         Lack of Concern – Upon checking the actual “estimate”, page 2 where stuff is included, I discovered Mr. Rooter completely refuses any responsibility for any damage for any reason while working.  Wow.  Guess they have done so much damage over the years, they want to be certain to avoid having to pay repairs in the future.

My point for you all is this:  We have worked for different companies over many years (spousal-unit and I).  Regardless of what might have occurred during our work, we always made it our goal to provide excellent service, keep our clients notified of everything, and make sure we “fixed” anything we “damaged”, whether physically or related to the contract/agreement we had with them… even if it wasn’t necessarily something that was our fault!!  Quite honestly, as a child, I was taught how to properly offer service to clients.  I was taught how to do the right thing… business- or personally-related.  It truly saddens me that this has completely deteriorated over the years.

Since relocating to Waco, our experiences with those whom provide various services have not been that great.  There have been a very few individuals (a cabinet-maker, an individual plumber, and a roofer) who have actually done a wonderful job at a reasonable rate for us.  Most others have either done a limited job (not up to my standards) or a pathetic job (although Mr. Rooter has won the top-of-the-pathetic-job-award now!).  It’s not just Waco.  I’m sure it is everywhere these days.

So… if you have read this due to finding my review and the link to this extensive post, I hope you have figured out you need to keep looking for a plumbing firm.  If you have read it just because you are my friend and subscribe to my blog, I apologize for boring you with such sad information.

Until next post...