The price on the quote is only the first cost. Once the unit is running, the yearly bill is mostly salt, plus water and a little power, and those amounts move with things you can measure at home. Compare providers and models on the same yearly inputs, or the cheapest quote can end up the most expensive to run.
Salt use follows the hardness
The harder the incoming water, the more often the unit must regenerate, and each regeneration uses salt. Ask for the hardness number from a water test, in the unit of measure the test uses. Use that same number for every quote so the comparison is fair. A quote built on a guessed number is not comparable to one built on a measured number.
Water use sets the cycle count
A household that uses more water runs through the softening capacity faster. Regeneration also uses water. Count the people in the home, the laundry load, and any large water users fed from the same line, such as irrigation, and give that picture to each installer.
Control type changes the schedule
Some units regenerate on a timer, and others measure the water used and regenerate when enough has passed through. A timer-based unit can regenerate on schedule even when little water was used, while a metered unit tracks use. Ask which control type each model uses and what settings the installer will program. The same household can see a different salt use depending on this choice.
Salt, power, and service
Salt prices vary by store and by the form you buy, so use the price where you shop rather than a number from a website. Electrical use from a controller is often small compared with salt, but ask. Ask whether a service plan is extra, and whether it covers parts or only visits.
Build the yearly estimate
- Hardness number from a water test, the same for every quote
- Household water use, and any large seasonal use
- Control type and the regeneration settings each model uses
- Local price of the salt form you will buy
- Service plan cost, and what it includes
With those five inputs, estimate how much salt you will buy in a year and compare the totals, not the sticker prices. Ask every provider to show the same calculation so you can check their math line by line.