Riverdale sits at Chicago’s far southern edge, bordered by the Calumet River and surrounded by heavy industrial land use — one of the city’s most geographically isolated and economically distressed communities. The neighborhood encompasses the Altgeld Gardens public housing development, one of the oldest in the country, as well as older residential streets whose housing stock reflects decades of limited reinvestment. But the residents here are Chicagoans with the same right to functional plumbing as anyone in the city.
The proximity to the Calumet River and the area’s low elevation make flood control and sump pump systems a practical necessity for many homes. Older housing stock in the area carries galvanized supply lines, aging cast iron drains, and sewer laterals that benefit from regular camera inspection and drain cleaning. The Scottish Plumber serves Riverdale with the same thoroughness we bring everywhere else — honest assessments, proper repairs, and water heater service when needed.
When you call us about a backed-up or slow sewer, our first move is to rod and clear the line — get things flowing and your home back to normal. Sewer rodding starts at just $99 when there’s an outside cleanout to rod from, a price we’ve held since we opened in 2006. While nearly everything else has gotten more expensive, our starting price hasn’t moved in nearly twenty years. Once the line is open, we follow up with a sewer video inspection to see exactly what caused the problem — tree roots, a crack, a pipe belly — and give you an honest picture of what, if anything, needs to happen next.
We are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year — including holidays — so when something goes wrong at 2 a.m., you can reach us. We offer free estimates during regular business hours with no trip charge to come out. Most companies charge just to show up; we don’t. When a sewer line needs more than rodding, The Scottish Plumber is one of the most experienced trenchless sewer repair companies in Chicagoland — doing this since 2006 with thousands of repairs completed across the area. For older homes especially, pipe stent repair is worth knowing about: a precise, minimally invasive fix that spares your floors, walls, and landscaping.