Rebuild a pool's plumbing for about $1k instead of a $6k quote, with ChatGPT drawing a labelled parts diagram

Posted

Aug 11, 2026 by joenot443 (Hacker News)

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Last checked

Oct 19, 2026

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Method:

How we verify

Evidence: Described by posterThe person describes what happened in words, without screenshots or video.

Outcome

joenot443 was quoted $6k to fix their pool's plumbing and rebuilt it themselves over a few days with YouTube and GPT, for about $1k of materials. It was their first outdoor plumbing job and they'd never touched PVC. They say they wouldn't have had the confidence from YouTube alone: specific diagnostic help and a full diagram made the difference, and they had it prepare an SVG of the whole assembly with every measurement and part labelled.

Agent

ChatGPT

The source didn't share its exact prompt, so we wrote this from what it describes.

Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about anything important that's missing below. Keep them quick. Then do the task, checking in with me at the key points.

Goal: Help me work out whether I can do a home repair myself, and give me a labelled plan if I can.

What I can give you (ask for whatever's missing):
- What's wrong and what I've been quoted: [DETAILS]
- Photos of the current set-up: [ATTACH]
- My experience and tools: [DETAILS]

Safety first: if this involves gas, the electrical panel or mains wiring, structural work, or anything that smells of burning or gas, stop and tell me to call a licensed professional.

Rules:
- Diagnose from the photos first and tell me what you can't tell from them.
- Tell me honestly if this is a job for a professional, for example anything involving gas, mains electrics or permits.
- If I can do it, give me a parts list with sizes and rough prices, labelled as estimates.
- Draw a diagram of the finished assembly with every part and measurement labelled.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.

Output: Diagnosis, do-it-yourself or call-a-pro verdict, parts list, step-by-step plan and a labelled diagram.

You'll know it worked when: the repair is done safely for much less than the quote.

Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about anything important that's missing below. Keep them quick. Then do the task, checking in with me at the key points.

Goal: Help me work out whether I can do a home repair myself, and give me a labelled plan if I can.

What I can give you (ask for whatever's missing):
- What's wrong and what I've been quoted: [DETAILS]
- Photos of the current set-up: [ATTACH]
- My experience and tools: [DETAILS]

Safety first: if this involves gas, the electrical panel or mains wiring, structural work, or anything that smells of burning or gas, stop and tell me to call a licensed professional.

Rules:
- Diagnose from the photos first and tell me what you can't tell from them.
- Tell me honestly if this is a job for a professional, for example anything involving gas, mains electrics or permits.
- If I can do it, give me a parts list with sizes and rough prices, labelled as estimates.
- Draw a diagram of the finished assembly with every part and measurement labelled.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.

Output: Diagnosis, do-it-yourself or call-a-pro verdict, parts list, step-by-step plan and a labelled diagram.

You'll know it worked when: the repair is done safely for much less than the quote.

Before you start, ask me 1–3 short questions about anything important that's missing below. Keep them quick. Then do the task, checking in with me at the key points.

Goal: Help me work out whether I can do a home repair myself, and give me a labelled plan if I can.

What I can give you (ask for whatever's missing):
- What's wrong and what I've been quoted: [DETAILS]
- Photos of the current set-up: [ATTACH]
- My experience and tools: [DETAILS]

Safety first: if this involves gas, the electrical panel or mains wiring, structural work, or anything that smells of burning or gas, stop and tell me to call a licensed professional.

Rules:
- Diagnose from the photos first and tell me what you can't tell from them.
- Tell me honestly if this is a job for a professional, for example anything involving gas, mains electrics or permits.
- If I can do it, give me a parts list with sizes and rough prices, labelled as estimates.
- Draw a diagram of the finished assembly with every part and measurement labelled.
- Check facts that can change (prices, opening hours, dates, availability, rules) against the official source, and tell me anything you couldn't verify.
- Tell me which steps to test before gluing or sealing anything permanently.

Output: Diagnosis, do-it-yourself or call-a-pro verdict, parts list, step-by-step plan and a labelled diagram.

You'll know it worked when: the repair is done safely for much less than the quote.

Before you finish: re-read my goal and constraints, check your answer against each one, and list anything you assumed or couldn't confirm.

Source

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49256359