Bob Oates Sewer Rooter
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Bob Oates Sewer Rooter
Bob Oates offers professional, sewer and drain cleaning services in Seattle, Ballard, and other local neighborhoods! We offer affordable prices and emergency service! This morning I was fortunate enough to schedule a home drain line consult and clean out with Jeremy, who had an opening right when I was home.

I just wanted you to know how immensely professional and helpful he was during this visit. At Bob Oates, our plumbing services keep your home safe from ruined foundations, fungal growth, septic leaks, and other hazardous situations. For years, we have offered trenchless sewer repair and pipe relining to our clients, making us a leaders and experts in this innovative plumbing solution.

Whether your toilet is overflowing or the kitchen sink is backing up, we offer effective, professional drain cleaning solutions that can be completed without causing damage. Broken water mains can cause leaks that go undetected and result in high water bills, mold, mildew, and rot. Maintenance is recommended on a yearly basis.
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Bob Oates opened its doors over 20 years ago in the greater Seattle area and quickly became the name to trust in the drain cleaning, plumbing, and sewer repair industry. Bob Oates the owner and founder of the company has always taken great pride in wanting to help people. If you were to ask Bob what kind of business he is in he would say "we are in the people helping business".
Bob Oates prides itself on being the very best at the services we provide. A highly trained staff will be sent to assess your needs and we will advise you on a course of action to fit your needs. Family-owned and operated, we offer professional sewer repair, sewer cleaning, and drain cleaning at an affordable price.
Plumbing problems in the Seattle, Ballard, and neighboring communities can be as diverse as the homes themselves. From a leaky pipe to a total sewer blockage, there are a number of things that can go wrong in your plumbing system. Fortunately, routine plumbing maintenance can help you avoid the majority of the most common plumbing problems.
Our team at Bob Oates has met the plumbing and pipe needs of Seattle residents for more than two decades. After establishing our team as the industry leader in drain cleaning and sewer repair, our dedicated team set out to expand our services to neighboring communities. It's been our original goal to help as many people as we can, and our founder, Bob Oates, clings to a passion for doing right by the customer.
Just had a shower drain cleared by Shane of Bob Oates Plumbing. He was friendly, completed his work quickly and was very understanding about protecting our floors. Professional and responsive. They called me earlier than expected because of a cancellation and was able to quickly replace my pressure reducing valve.
Reviews (19)
Helene R.
Helene R.
Dec 30, 2021
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With street access cut off due to the steep slope and 7 inches of snow, our call to Bob Oates answered a prayer. Three other plumbers we were familiar with said they would not park down at the bottom of our street and walk halfway up the street on a steep grade lugging equipment, but these guys were not daunted. We had a drain clog in the washing machine while with a house full of guests. Denero was the plumber who showed up. He was clear and articulate about the problem, quick about the fix, and very pleasant to work with. Could not be happier!
Melissa T.
Melissa T.
Nov 13, 2021
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Very responsive. Helped diagnose a drain clog. Gave us a great recommendation, completed the work, was timely, professional, and clean. Would definitely recommend and work with again.
Belle M.
Belle M.
Nov 11, 2021
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Timothy was on-time, friendly, and clean. We asked for a snake-out of a slow-draining bathroom sink that we had lived with for decades. He found the problem, talked with us about how to care for the pipes more safely, and fixed it. It drains PERFECTLY now! We paid exactly what we had expected and received a great service in return. I highly, highly recommend this company.
Brendan C.
Brendan C.
Oct 19, 2021
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I used them for a quick plumbing job. Very happy with the service I received. They were able to quickly come out and quick to ID my problem.

I've used them twice. The first time the plumber was faster than the second plumber. the first plumber went above and beyond, so I guess Bob Oates Plumber can vary. Still second was good but first was better.
Jamie S.
Jamie S.
Jul 29, 2021
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This company charged $289.41 to clear a downspout drain. Job took about 3 minutes. Price was high, but I agreed to it because I needed it cleared.

However, they advertise a $50 discount for mentioning Yelp. I did mention Yelp when I contacted them. When I asked about the $50 credit, I was told they it would be processed on July 12th. I made two other inquiries (on July 19thand July 22nd), and was completely ghosted by the company.

Seems to me they should not advertise something then fail to deliver, even when they put in writing that you are entitled to the price they advertise.

It's
Mar Boyd
Mar Boyd
Jun 19, 2021
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Positive: Professionalism, Punctuality, Responsiveness, Value
Ryan was great! He came on time and helped us understand how a macerating toilet operates, as well as tips to maintain it properly.
Patti A.
Patti A.
Jun 17, 2021
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I just had a plumber over for a problem that I thought was going to be a big deal costing a thousand or more, maybe much more. The problem, as it turns out, was NOT a leak inside the wall!! It was an old (and crappy to begin with) line from the toilet tank to the wall fixture that was very close to bursting and making a huge mess. Fixed! $173.64! Woo hoo! They were quick to get me an appointment and communicated well too. I recommend asking for Luis Jeovany Martinez Arias.
Tim K.
Tim K.
Jun 17, 2021
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Michael is amazing. He was polite, cheerful, good at communicating, and fixed our problem in no time. I invited him to lunch, but he said he'd have to charge me for the hour. Good sense of humor too.
Margaret S.
Margaret S.
May 11, 2021
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Requested a quote from this company for a property I manage and was very disappointed with the service level. Would not recommend and please note, I rarely write poor reviews but feel people should be warned.

The technician came out as scheduled and didn't even look at or test the appliance in question (was having a drainage issue with a dishwasher). Stated the entire air gap needed to be replaced without even checking if the air gap was obstructed or not (which it wasn't). Just said that's the "usual case". Again, did absolutely NOTHING to diagnose the problem, didn&apos
Clinton B.
Clinton B.
Apr 12, 2021
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Bob came highly suggested from our neighbor, thankful for Bob's team, he got to our plumbing issue in record speed and had reasonable and fair prices too. It has been hard to find quality work during Covid so had to share a good review for a business that is still working hard with great customer service during these times.
Jeremie R.
Jeremie R.
Apr 02, 2021
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I initially had another plumbing service diagnose my clogged kitchen drainage issue and they didn't have the necessary tools to fix the problem so they pointed me in the direction of Bob Oates Sewer and Rooter.

Just two hours after calling, Henry arrived and got to work. Because I live in condominiums and I don't have easy access to an outdoor hose hookup for the tool he was using, he went out of his way to look around to find a location that had one and went out to gather additional tools to get the job done.

Henry was very friendly, easy to work with, and provided fantastic service
Tierney K.
Tierney K.
Apr 02, 2021
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We recently had an emergency plumbing situation that has been 'baffling' plumbers sent out from our landlords that continues to leave us without the ONE toilet we have in a household of four. Due to this emergency situation, Bob Oates sent out a technician named TJ Bruckshen to triage this on going issue. Not only was TJ thorough, informative, professional and knowledgeable, he reflected the values and abilities of the professionals hired onto this team by this family owned business. I say this because when hiring a ech like this, they know what they are doing and trust in his integrity
Saskia D.
Saskia D.
Mar 29, 2021
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Bob Oates was referred to me by another company for work they could not do. I didn't wind up hiring them because he suggested a much less expensive and ultimately less messy resolution to the problem, one that he recommended I do myself. The 5 stars is for having been so honest and helpful.
Joshua C.
Joshua C.
Mar 10, 2021
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I've been meaning to write about this really negative experience I had with Bob Oates a few months ago. I'd used them to come and unclog drains a couple times and all went well. I then had them come out to help me with updating my plumbing (kitchen sink water lines, drain, shower/tub water lines and rough in) and really had a bummer of an experience with them. There were a bunch of things that were frustrating, but here were the main ones: scheduling was a nightmare. I had one office person tell me that they had received my check and would be there at 9 am on a Monday. By 10 am, I called
Andy M.
Andy M.
Feb 05, 2021
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I called Bob Oates to address an urgent drain issue in my basement and storm drain. Even though it was right after a multi-day period of heavy rain (when I assume lots of other were having plumbing issues too), they came out immediately. The repairs ended up being substantial and conducted over a 2-3 week period, but the result was that the problem was fixed expertly and the process was extremely professional. Casey the project lead was super responsive and transparent about all aspects of the job (timing, cost, etc.) and the team members were very courteous and observant of Covid protocol. I heartily
Taylor M.
Taylor M.
Jan 05, 2021
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I reached out to them twice by phone on a Sunday morning due to an urgent outdoor drain issue. They never got back to me. I was hoping to support a local business. I ended up hiring a larger chain company as they answered the phone and had someone out same day.
Mark N.
Mark N.
Nov 20, 2020
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THEY RUPTERED A GAS LINE!!! DO NOT HIRE! My neighbor hired them to do a sewer project and they struck a gas line while digging because apparently these "professionals" don't know how to call 811 before they dig. I wasn't home at the time, but my girlfriend had to evacuate. A bunch of firemen pounded on the door and told her she had 5 minutes to gather her things and go somewhere else for 5 hours. This was during her workday and she didn't have many options of places to go due to the pandemic. The scariest part is that if she would have turned the stove on or lit a
Heather Fourie
Heather Fourie
Sep 27, 2020
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TJ from Bob Oates Sewer & Rooter dropped by our home right on time to help me diagnose and estimate cost for servicing a clogged external storm drain (city wouldn't touch) and two internal house drains that were slow-draining. TJ was super friendly and professional; what's more, he was able to show me a few quick tricks to improve the flow and left without needing to charge me for an expensive snaking job at this time. If our drains get to the point of needing a professional cleaning, I'll be calling up Bob Oates to come service them!
Kevin C.
Kevin C.
Apr 30, 2020
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They wanted $900 for the same camera+hydro-jetting job that several other places quoted $589-$650 for. Too high a price for a simple job. Look elsewhere unless their prices come down.