- Today's Homeowner says most homeowners spend around $1,500 for a professionally installed softener.
- Single-tank salt systems are the common choice. Dual tanks give soft water while one regenerates.
- Salt-free conditioners reduce scale but do not remove hardness minerals.
- Whole-house reverse osmosis is a different, much bigger system: $4,000 to $11,000 on Today's Homeowner's numbers.
Softener cost by system
| System | This Old House | Today's Homeowner | Installed, typical |
|---|---|---|---|
| Single-tank ion exchange | $500 to $1,700 | $400 to $1,700 | $1,650 |
| Dual-tank ion exchange | $1,000 to $5,000 | $1,000 to $2,500 | $2,825 |
| Salt-free | $800 to $4,000 | $500 to $3,000 | $2,700 |
| Whole-house reverse osmosis | $1,500 to $11,000 | $4,000 to $11,000 | $7,450 |
Fixr's single-tank range of $650 to $1,500 and dual-tank range of $1,500 to $3,000 are folded in where they apply. Installation of $150 to $1,000 comes from Bob Vila.
Sizing by grains
Softeners are rated in grains of hardness removed between regenerations. This Old House and Today's Homeowner list 32,000-grain units at $400 to $1,000 and 64,000-grain units at $1,000 to $1,500. Harder water and more people need a bigger unit.
What installation involves
The softener goes on the main line after the pressure tank or meter, usually with a bypass valve, a drain line for the regeneration water and an outlet. Bob Vila says the cost is higher when the location needs new plumbing. Magnetic units clip on without plumbing.
A worked example
A single-tank salt softener at the US average comes to $650 to $2,700, about $1,650 typical. Enter a ZIP to scale the 30% labor share to your state.
Quoting softeners
- Test the water and write the result on the estimate.
- Size it in grains.
- Offer a salt delivery or service plan. Koira's maintenance plans bill it automatically.
Last checked October 9, 2026. More for your trade: how plumbers run on Koira.