Start with the scope, not the price
Most "too high" quotes are actually different scopes. One plumber prices a section repair; another prices a full repipe. One includes drywall patching and the permit; the other doesn't. Before comparing numbers, write down what each bid actually includes.
What a good plumbing bid includes
- A description of the problem and what caused it
- The specific work: materials, sizes, brands where it matters
- Whether a permit is included and who schedules inspections
- Access and restoration: drywall, slab, landscaping
- Warranty on labor and materials, in writing
- The plumbing company's license number
Red flags
- Same-day pressure on a non-emergency ("this price is only good today")
- One-line scopes like "repipe house: $12,500"
- Large deposits before any materials are ordered
- Upsells bundled into a simple repair (a softener with a faucet call)
- No permit on work that clearly needs one
Typical Central Texas ranges (2026)
These are typical market ranges for comparison, not quotes: water heater replacement (tank) $1,800–$3,800; tankless conversion $3,500–$7,500; whole-home PEX repipe $5,500–$15,000; slab leak spot repair $1,500–$4,500; sewer line section repair $2,500–$8,000. Your scope may sit outside these for good reasons, and that's exactly what a review figures out.
Check it in two minutes
Run your bid through our Quote Checker for an instant read, or send it to us for a written second opinion from a master plumber who won't be doing the work.