Looking to get a water softener installed in my house. It already has the "hoop" in the garage, along with a drain, so would just need to install a softener, and maybe a filtration system, on the existing pipe. In doing research, all the major plumbers/water softener companies want $3K+, which just seems crazy to me, given that well-reviewed softeners can be bought for $700 on Amazon. Any thoughts?

I bought a $500 Whirlpool water softener from lowes and have been very happy with it. I'm not sure what the $3k softeners do that mine doesn't but in two years, I haven't been disappointed. Perhaps mine will last 5 years and the others will last 15 years but even then, it doesn't make up for the difference. Maybe someone can provide some more insight on what you get with a more expensive one.

I also had the loop in the garage and it makes it "easier" to install yourself but if you've never done it before, I'd pay the $199 for the lowes installation. I did and watched the guy do it and was happy that I did. From now on though, it will be very easy to slide this one out and put a new one back if I need to replace it. If you want to look it up, it's the 44,000 grain Whirlpool Softener at Lowes.

I installed a fleck water softer that I bought on amazon...now with the shark bite product, no need to solder brass when tying into existing connections. It's just tie it all together with PVC and put it together. Just make sure you consider the flow rate and get one that can handle the use of the people and the size of your house. Works great.

I had looked into the $3000 systems by Jason's water system. Had Jason himself try to scare my wife that we were all going to die because of the trace chlorine that was in the water that his system removed. He said it absorbs in your skin while showering. I asked him if that meant professional swimmers had a shorter life span because they swim daily in chlorine pools. I have a good water filter installed on my fridge and that's where we get all of our drinking water.

That said, I am sure they work just as good as any other system. What you get is the system, support, installation, and to pay a large mark up. Water softeners are really simple systems.

I had a Culligan system for years. When it finally failed, after about 12
years, I replaced it with one from Lowes that cost less than 1/3 of what Culligan wanted to replace my old one. Have had it for two years and is working great. No complaints at all with it. I bought an extended warranty on the Lowes unit since I paid so much less for it. Ended up with a very functional unit and a better warranty altogether than Culligan or any of the of the overpriced units i looked at.