Quick Comparison
| Firm | Founded / Tenure & Credentials | Services & Specialties | Geographic Focus |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOS Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Service | 1970 (founder lineage); 56-plus years of continuous family-owned operation | CSLB #1006939 (C-36 Plumbing, C-55 Water Conditioning, Active); BBB Accredited | Irvine plus Orange County, Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County |
| Shafer Plumbing Contractors | 1989 (founder lineage); 37 years continuous service to commercial, industrial, and residential customers | CSLB #579269 (C-36 Plumbing, Active); licensed, insured, bonded; BBB Accredited | Orange County base; Irvine plus Greater Orange County and Southern California |
| AllStar Rooter Inc. | 2000 era (25-plus years); family-owned and operated; Santos Davila and son work together on service calls | CSLB #1083139 and #978139 (Plumbing, Active); BBB Accredited | Gardena PO Box base; Irvine plus Los Angeles County, Orange County, Inland Empire |
| Rocky Rooter | 2005 (Jeffrey Holmes founder and owner); family-owned and operated | CSLB #910872 and #303463 (Plumbing, Warm Air Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning, Sheet Metal); BBB Accredited | Irvine base; Irvine plus Orange County |
1. SOS Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Service
- Address: Orange County, CA (Irvine plus Southern California service)
- Phone: (800) 400-4767
- Founder: Founder lineage 1970; 56-plus years of continuous family-owned operation
- Operating Since: 1970 (56 years)
- License: CSLB #1006939 (C-36 Plumbing, C-55 Water Conditioning, Active); BBB Accredited
- Service area: Irvine plus Orange County (Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita), Los Angeles County, San Bernardino County
- Website: sosplumbingrooter.com
56 Years of Continuous Family-Owned Operation
SOS Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Service has provided reliable plumbing service throughout Orange County, Los Angeles County, and San Bernardino County since 1970. Across 56 years of continuous family ownership, the firm has built a sustained Southern California reputation centered on plumbing service plus drain cleaning specialty work. The 56-year operating tenure ranks SOS Plumbing among the longer-tenured family-owned plumbing operations in Orange County.
Orange County Operating Base With Tri-County Reach
SOS Plumbing operates from an Orange County base. The position extends dispatch reach across Irvine plus the broader Orange County corridor (Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo, Rancho Santa Margarita). Service extends into Los Angeles County and San Bernardino County. Service extends into trenchless sewer repair work for older Southern California housing stock.
CSLB #1006939 Plus Water Conditioning Specialty
SOS Plumbing operates under California Contractors State License Board (CSLB) license #1006939 with C-36 Plumbing classification plus C-55 Water Conditioning classification. The dual-classification credentialing supports water-quality remediation alongside core plumbing service. BBB Accreditation provides third-party reputation verification.
2. Shafer Plumbing Contractors
- Address: Orange County, CA (Irvine plus Southern California service)
- Phone: (714) 891-1300
- Founder: Founder lineage 1989; 37 years continuous service to commercial, industrial, and residential customers
- Operating Since: 1989 (37 years)
- License: CSLB #579269 (C-36 Plumbing, Active); licensed, insured, bonded; BBB Accredited
- Service area: Irvine plus Greater Orange County (Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo) plus Southern California
- Website: shaferplumbing.com
37 Years of Commercial, Industrial, and Residential Service
Shafer Plumbing Contractors has served commercial, industrial, and residential customers in Greater Orange County and Southern California since 1989. Across 37 years of continuous operation, the firm has built a multi-segment dispatch reach covering commercial buildings, industrial facilities, and residential properties. The combined commercial-industrial-residential service depth distinguishes Shafer among Orange County plumbing operators.
Orange County Base With Greater Southern California Reach
Shafer Plumbing operates from a Greater Orange County base. The position brings dispatch within across Irvine plus Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Anaheim, Santa Ana, Huntington Beach, Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, and Mission Viejo. Service extends into Greater Southern California for commercial and industrial project work.
CSLB #579269 C-36 Plumbing Plus 37-Year Compliance Record
Shafer Plumbing Contractors operates under CSLB license #579269 with C-36 Plumbing classification. The license carries Active status per CSLB records. The firm holds licensed, insured, and bonded operating status. BBB Accreditation provides third-party reputation verification. The 37-year continuous operating tenure supports a verifiable compliance record.
3. AllStar Rooter Inc.
- Address: Gardena, CA (Irvine plus Southern California service)
- Phone: (800) 240-4567
- Founder: Founder lineage 2000 era (25-plus years); family-owned and operated; Santos Davila and son work together on service calls
- Operating Since: 2000 era (25-plus years)
- License: CSLB #1083139 and #978139 (Plumbing, Active); BBB Accredited
- Service area: Irvine plus Los Angeles County, Orange County, Inland Empire (Riverside County, San Bernardino County)
- Website: allstarrooterinc.com
25-Plus Years of Family-Owned Davila Operation
AllStar Rooter Inc. has provided trusted plumbing services in Southern California for over 25 years. The firm operates as a family-owned and family-operated business. Santos Davila works alongside his son on service calls, supporting two-generation operating depth. AllStar Rooter has built a sustained Southern California coverage area covering Los Angeles County, Orange County, and the Inland Empire.
Gardena PO Box Base With Tri-County Reach
AllStar Rooter operates from a Gardena PO Box 2739 administrative base. The position opens rapid dispatch coverage across Irvine plus the broader Southern California metro (Los Angeles County, Orange County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County). Service depth covers residential and commercial plumbing alongside drain cleaning specialty work.
CSLB #1083139 and #978139 Dual-Plumbing Classification
AllStar Rooter operates under two CSLB licenses (#1083139 and #978139), both Plumbing classification with Active status. Dual-license credentialing supports broad regional service coverage across Southern California’s tri-county metro. BBB Accreditation provides third-party reputation verification. Two-generation Davila family operating depth supports a verifiable family-owned compliance posture.
4. Rocky Rooter
- Address: Irvine, CA (Orange County service)
- Phone: (949) 484-3434
- Founder: Jeffrey Holmes (founded 2005); family-owned and operated
- Operating Since: 2005 (21 years)
- License: CSLB #910872 and #303463 (Plumbing, Warm Air Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning, Sheet Metal); BBB Accredited
- Service area: Irvine (University Park, Turtle Rock, Northwood, Woodbridge, Westpark, Quail Hill, Shady Canyon, Orchard Hills) plus Orange County (Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo)
- Website: theirvineplumber.com
21 Years of Founder-Led Holmes Operation
Jeffrey Holmes founded Rocky Rooter in 2005. Across 21 years of continuous founder-led operation, the firm has built an Irvine-framed Orange County service grid. The firm operates as a family-owned and operated business specializing in plumbing service across Irvine and the Orange County metro.
Irvine Operating Base With Orange County Reach
Rocky Rooter operates from an Irvine base. The position speeds dispatch reach across Irvine neighborhoods (University Park, Turtle Rock, Northwood, Woodbridge, Westpark, Quail Hill, Shady Canyon, Orchard Hills). Service extends across the surrounding Orange County corridor (Newport Beach, Costa Mesa, Tustin, Lake Forest, Laguna Niguel, Aliso Viejo, Mission Viejo).
CSLB #910872 and #303463 Multi-Trade Credentialing
Rocky Rooter operates under two CSLB licenses (#910872 and #303463) covering Plumbing, Warm Air Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning, plus Sheet Metal classifications. Multi-trade credentialing supports unified plumbing-and-HVAC residential and commercial service. BBB Accreditation provides third-party reputation verification.
Reference Notes
California plumbing licensing runs through the California Contractors State License Board (CSLB). CSLB issues sequentially numbered contractor licenses with classification suffixes including C-36 (Plumbing), C-20 (Warm Air Heating, Ventilating and Air Conditioning), C-42 (Sanitation Systems), C-43 (Sheet Metal), and C-55 (Water Conditioning). Verification runs through the CSLB public license search at cslb.ca.gov. The City of Irvine Community Development Department issues building permits within Irvine city limits. Irvine Ranch Water District handles water service connections plus annual backflow-prevention testing across the Irvine planned-community footprint.
Irvine-area residential housing reflects more than 50 years of master-planned-community construction since the city’s 1971 incorporation. Irvine ranks as one of the first planned cities in the United States. The community is supported by the Irvine Ranch agricultural lands plus the University of California, Irvine campus founding in 1965. Pre-1980 housing remains in University Park, Turtle Rock, Woodbridge (one of the original Irvine villages), Northwood, El Camino Real, and the original Irvine Industrial Complex residential edges. The 1980s-2000s drove the Westpark, Northwood Pointe, Quail Hill, Shady Canyon, Oak Creek, and Spectrum-area expansion. The 2000s-2020s drove the Orchard Hills, Stonegate, Cypress Village, Eastwood Village, Portola Springs, Beacon Park, Pavilion Park, and Great Park Neighborhoods build-out. Slab-on-grade construction throughout the Irvine planned-community tracts, copper-and-PEX supply piping in newer construction, plus master-planned-community shared-amenity backflow-prevention requirements shape recurring service categories. Hard-water mineral content from Irvine Ranch Water District supply drives water heater service demand.
The four firms profiled cover four positions on the Irvine market arc. SOS Plumbing & Drain Cleaning Service leads tenure with 56 years of continuous family-owned operation since 1970. The firm holds CSLB #1006939 with C-36 Plumbing and C-55 Water Conditioning classifications across Orange, Los Angeles, and San Bernardino counties. Shafer Plumbing Contractors follows with 37 years of commercial, industrial, and residential service since 1989 under CSLB #579269. AllStar Rooter Inc. brings 25-plus years of family-owned operation, with Santos Davila and son working together on service calls under dual CSLB licenses #1083139 and #978139. Rocky Rooter runs 21 years of founder-led operation since Jeffrey Holmes’s 2005 founding, supported by dual CSLB licenses #910872 and #303463 covering plumbing-HVAC-sheet-metal classifications.
Verification paths run through cslb.ca.gov, BBB Orange County listings, the PHCC of California directory, and the City of Irvine Community Development contractor records. Long-tenure tri-county Southern California residential service since 1970 fits SOS Plumbing. Commercial-industrial-residential Greater Orange County service since 1989 fits Shafer Plumbing Contractors. Two-generation tri-county Southern California service since 2000 fits AllStar Rooter. Founder-led Irvine-rooted Orange County multi-trade service since 2005 fits Rocky Rooter. National rollup brands operating in Orange County (Authority Brands’ Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Neighborly’s Mr. Rooter, Service Experts, Roto-Rooter, Wrench Group, Redwood Services, Master Trades Group, ARS, Apex Service Partners, Turnpoint Services) sit outside the four-firm independent profile. Pacific Plumbing of Southern California (1929; profiled in the Santa Ana directory) and Orange Coast Plumbing (1977; also profiled in Santa Ana) cover additional historic Orange County operators outside this Irvine list.
Selection Methodology
Selection follows four criteria. First, continuous family ownership or founder-operator continuity outside the national rollup pattern. Second, verifiable CSLB C-36 Plumbing classification cross-checked through the CSLB public lookup. Third, BBB Accreditation or equivalent third-party rating. Fourth, minimum 10-year continuous operating tenure with documented Irvine service coverage. Firms acquired by national franchise networks (Authority Brands’ Benjamin Franklin Plumbing, Neighborly’s Mr. Rooter, Service Experts, Roto-Rooter, Wrench Group, Redwood Services, Master Trades Group, ARS, Turnpoint Services) are excluded.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I verify an Irvine plumber’s license?
Use the California Contractors State License Board public license search at cslb.ca.gov. Search by license number or business name. Confirm active C-36 Plumbing classification, expiration date, bonding, and workers’ compensation coverage before authorizing work.
What credentials should an Irvine plumber hold?
At minimum: CSLB C-36 Plumbing classification plus general liability insurance and workers’ compensation coverage. Specialty work may require additional CSLB classifications. These include C-20 (HVAC), C-42 (Sanitation Systems), C-43 (Sheet Metal), and C-55 (Water Conditioning) for gas line, backflow prevention, sewer lateral, water heater, and HVAC scope.
How can I tell if an Irvine plumber is locally owned versus a national rollup?
Check ownership disclosures and acquisition history. National franchise brands typically operate under parent-company branding. Search the firm name plus “acquired” or “parent company” to surface ownership structure. The four firms in this directory all run as independent locally-owned operators.
When should I call an emergency plumber in Irvine?
Burst pipes, sewer backups, gas leaks, no-water events, slab leak events, and water heater failures justify after-hours dispatch. Hard-water mineral content drives water heater service demand across the Irvine Ranch Water District footprint. Each firm in this directory offers either 24/7 emergency service or structured after-hours response.
Editorial Note
Compiled by the editorial team. Firm details cross-verified through state license databases, BBB business profiles, and firm-published websites where available. License numbers should be re-verified through the CSLB public lookup before authorizing work. Information current as of the date below; firm details may change without notice. Last updated: 2026-05-10.