Is it rude to get a second opinion from another plumber?

No. It is ordinary on larger work, and official advice in New York and Washington alike is to collect three or more written estimates. A good firm can state its finding in writing and let it stand. Pressure to skip the check is a reason to do it.

Should you tell the second plumber what the first one said?

You can show the written quote afterward, but consider asking for the finding first. A fresh look is worth more if the second person has not been told the answer. Then compare the two, and put any differences back to both. See one quote or three for comparing them.

What if the second plumber finds nothing wrong?

Then you hold two different answers, and neither is proven. Ask each one what evidence supports their view. If money has already changed hands for work you now doubt, call back or new plumber walks through what comes next.

Can wait / Second opinion or Go ahead

Get a second opinion or go ahead?

A plumber second opinion pays when the job is big, the diagnosis surprises you, or someone is rushing you. Go ahead when the job is small, the price is clear, and the firm checks out.

Updated November 4, 2026. Sources are listed at the foot of this page.

Find your line

If you called about one thing and were sold something much largerSecond opinionA visit that grew deserves another look before you commit money.
If you are told the discount ends when the truck leavesSecond opinionThe FTC counts sign-now discounts among warning signs. A job that can wait can wait.
If the job is small, the written price is plain and you can look up the licenseGo aheadAnother visit may cost more than the doubt is worth.
If you already have two written quotes describing the same fixGo aheadThat is your second opinion. Decide on scope, terms and the firm itself.
If you cannot follow why the part or job is neededSecond opinionAsk once more for a plain explanation. If it never comes, ask someone else.

Crumbling dug-up pipe lying on grass — A dug-up length of old fiber sewer pipe.

What does each choice cost you and protect you from?

	Second opinion	Go ahead
Cost	Possibly another visit fee	None extra now
Delay	Days, usually	None
Best for	Large, surprising or pressured recommendations	Small, plain jobs you understand
What you gain	A check on diagnosis and price	Speed and one less decision
Main risk	Waiting if things worsen	Paying for something unneeded
Paperwork needed	First written quote to show the next firm	Signed written estimate before work starts

Sources for this table: FTC home improvement guide, Washington hiring leaflet

What should change your mind about getting one?

Water is damaging the house now: stop the water first with the main shutoff, then decide.
Gas or rotten eggs in the air: leave on foot straight away. No switches, no phone indoors. Reach 911 and the gas utility once you are safely away. This is not a plumber question.
You have already signed: read cancel or keep today, since federal cancellation time is short.
The two opinions disagree: ask each one what evidence would prove the other wrong.

What does a second look cost compared with being oversold?

No dated figure was found for second opinions as such. The nearest numbers are in a 2023 Bob Vila summary of HomeAdvisor survey data, dated June of that year. Service visits come in at $100 to $350 and trip charges at $50 to $300, against a typical job of $180 to $489. That national picture has aged, and your area's prices will differ. So a second look on a small job can eat much of what you hoped to save, and on a bigger job the sums tip the other way.

Before you pay for one, ask whether another firm will quote free. See free estimate or paid visit. The FTC's line is also useful here: the lowest bidder need not win. A second opinion is for checking the diagnosis as much as the price.

Line items can be easier to question when you know the part. If a quote adds a pressure-reducing valve, say, these valves at Plumbing Supply and More, a seller run by the same team as this site, show what is being proposed. Then ask the next plumber whether your house needs one. That judgment is theirs, and you need not buy there.

Copper pipes along a wood-paneled wall — Copper lines run along a wall and ceiling.

Who should the second opinion come from, and who answers for it?

Pick someone you can check and who is not being paid by the first firm. State or county government can confirm a license, the FTC notes. Look-ups exist in Washington, which covers registration, bond, insurance and certification, and in California. Texas licenses plumbers through a state board, and North Carolina has a board for plumbing contractors. Rules vary from there; see state rules. Washington also says a registered contractor reduces risk but cannot guarantee problems will not happen.

If you have already agreed, timing matters. Federal rules give a right to cancel certain sales at home of $25 or more, as of November 2026, until midnight of the third business day. Saturdays count. If you asked for the repair visit, the rule excludes it, but not add-ons sold while the plumber was there, other than necessary parts. Emergency sales have their own conditions, and your state may add rights. This is general information, not legal advice.

Words to use

"Thanks. Please leave the quote with me in writing. Nothing gets decided today."

"Can you show me the problem, or send a photo, so the next plumber can look at the same thing?"

"Another plumber is taking a look at this. If the price is real, it should hold for a few days, right?"

"What did the first plumber miss, if anything, and how can you tell?"

Also asked

Is it rude to get a second opinion from another plumber?: No. It is ordinary on larger work, and official advice in New York and Washington alike is to collect three or more written estimates. A good firm can state its finding in writing and let it stand. Pressure to skip the check is a reason to do it.
Should you tell the second plumber what the first one said?: You can show the written quote afterward, but consider asking for the finding first. A fresh look is worth more if the second person has not been told the answer. Then compare the two, and put any differences back to both. See one quote or three for comparing them.
What if the second plumber finds nothing wrong?: Then you hold two different answers, and neither is proven. Ask each one what evidence supports their view. If money has already changed hands for work you now doubt, call back or new plumber walks through what comes next.

Next decision in can waitThe plumber's parts or parts you buy?

Sources

16 CFR Part 429 cancellation threshold and repair visit exclusion
Buyer's Remorse: the FTC's Cooling-Off Rule third business day, how days count
How To Avoid a Home Improvement Scam bids are not only price; license confirmation
How To Avoid Scams After Weather Emergencies discounts offered for signing now
How Much Does a Plumber Cost? fee and typical job dollars, 2023
Hiring a contractor, Washington registration reduces risk, no guarantee
Verify a contractor, Washington what the Washington look-up covers
Hiring a Home Improvement Contractor at least three estimates, New York