# Get a second opinion before you pay for a big home repair

> A $17,500 AC replacement quote turned out to need an $18 capacitor, and the air blew cold again.

Describe the symptoms, the system and the quote you got. You get likely causes from cheapest to priciest, safe checks you can do yourself and sharp questions for the contractor.

- Page: https://thesolocreators.com/prompts/second-opinion-big-repair-quote/
- Category: Upgrade your everyday
- Made for: Everyone
- Works in: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini
- Time: About 10 minutes
- Effort: Just copy and paste
- Note: Leave anything electrical, gas or refrigerant to a licensed pro. A capacitor can hold a dangerous charge.
- Video: https://thesolocreators.com/media/ai-use-cases/video/second-opinion-big-repair-quote.mp4 (60 seconds, shows it working)

## The prompt

Fill in the parts in [square brackets], or leave them and the AI will ask you for them.

```text
I've been quoted [QUOTE AMOUNT] by [CONTRACTOR TYPE, e.g. an HVAC company] to [WHAT THEY'LL DO, e.g. replace the whole AC system]. Before I agree, help me get a second opinion.

What it is: [SYSTEM AND MODEL, e.g. central AC, 11 years old]
Symptoms: [THE SYMPTOMS, e.g. hums, fan runs, air isn't cold]
What the contractor says is wrong: [THEIR DIAGNOSIS, e.g. the compressor is failing]
I can upload photos of: [YOUR PHOTOS, e.g. the model label and the quote]

Please:
1. List the most common causes of these symptoms, from cheapest to most expensive.
2. Tell me which simple checks I can safely do myself (filters, breakers, drain lines, settings), step by step.
3. Mark anything involving high voltage, gas, or refrigerant as 'call a licensed pro' and don't walk me through it.
4. Tell me whether a full replacement sounds justified or whether a repair is worth asking about.
5. Give me five specific questions to ask the contractor, and what a good answer sounds like.
6. Tell me how to ask for a second quote without sounding difficult.
```

## Step by step

1. Write down the model number, age and exact symptoms.
2. Run the prompt and do only the safe checks it lists.
3. Take its questions back to the contractor, or get a second quote.

## What you'll get

Likely causes ranked by cost, safe checks you can do yourself, smart questions for the contractor and a clear sense of whether the quote makes sense.

## Video transcript (60 seconds)

[0:00] Hey, let me show you how to get a second opinion before you pay for a big repair.

[0:05] Because when the AC quote says $17,500, most of us would just sign, right?

[0:11] But one homeowner on Reddit says ChatGPT pointed to an $18 part, and the AC blew cold again.

[0:18] So write down the model, its age and the symptoms.

[0:21] Then paste your quote into ChatGPT, and say, hey, help me get a second opinion.

[0:27] List the likely causes, cheapest first.

[0:29] Mark anything with high voltage, gas or refrigerant as call a licensed pro.

[0:34] And give me 5 questions for the contractor.

[0:37] So the $18 part gets checked before a new system. Like, how cool is that?

[0:42] Now, that part was a capacitor. It can hold a dangerous charge, so call a pro.

[0:47] The full prompt's free, just head to thesolocreators.com/prompts.

[0:52] Want more like this? Give me a follow, and leave a comment. What's the biggest quote you've ever gotten?

## Good to know

**Which AI tools does this work in?** It works in ChatGPT, Claude and Gemini. On this page, ChatGPT and Claude open with your prompt already typed in. Leave anything electrical, gas or refrigerant to a licensed pro. A capacitor can hold a dangerous charge.

**How long does it take?** About 10 minutes. It's rated "Just copy and paste". There are 3 steps, listed above.

**What do I need before I start?** Just your details for 7 blanks: quote amount, contractor type, what they'll do, system and model, the symptoms, their diagnosis and your photos. You can skip any, and your AI will ask for them.

**What will I get back?** Likely causes ranked by cost, safe checks you can do yourself, smart questions for the contractor and a clear sense of whether the quote makes sense.

Idea spotted on Reddit, shared by u/Aegean8485: https://www.reddit.com/r/ChatGPT/comments/1ubyo7v/comment/ot0la5r/. The prompt is The Solo Creators' own version.

## Go further

Ready-made skills in the Solo Creators AI Studio (https://thesolocreators.com/studio/) that fit this: TLDR (Your AI stops writing walls of text: every reply leads with the next action, numbered and skimmable); Second Brain (Give your AI a memory it reads across every project, so it finally knows your business).

From AI Use Cases and Prompts by The Solo Creators: https://thesolocreators.com/prompts/. Free to use; please link back to the page when you share it.