Lowes Water Softener Installation Cost: Is It Worth It?

Lowe’s sells a range of salt-based and salt-free water softener systems that are installed at the main water line in your home. You might be considering buying a Lowe’s water softener because the company offers softener and installation packages, meaning you can buy the softener and get it installed for you.

Here, we’ve discussed the costs, pros, and cons of getting a water softener installed by Lowes. Ultimately, you should be able to decide whether or not this service is worth your money.

🧾 What’s Included In The Lowe’s Water Softener Installation Cost?

When you pay Lowe’s to install a water softener for you, your money goes towards a professional installation from a licensed, certified, insured installer with background checks. You also pay for the reassurance of a 1-year labor warranty from the date of installation.

Lowe’s offers tailored installation services, at a cost that’s specific to your requirements. Depending on your situation, the installation costs may cover:

• The cost of removing an old water softener (if applicable)
• Labor costs to install the new softener on your existing plumbing
• The cost of the water softener
• The cost of cleaning the work site after installation
• The cost of additional materials and plumbing
• The time taken to explain the system operation to the homeowner
• 1-year labor warranty
• Permit costs (if needed)

The type and size of the water softener system you choose will also influence the installation costs.

We’ve discussed these factors in more detail later in this guide.

📌 From what we can see, Lowe’s offers installation only for its customers. So, if you want to be eligible for their water softener installation services, you need to buy a softener from Lowe’s. As far as we can tell, you can’t get a Lowe’s installer to install a water softener that you bought from another company.

What isn’t covered by the installation cost? Anything beyond the initial installation, including maintenance costs and the cost of servicing/repairing the water softening system throughout its lifespan, will have to come out of your own pocket.

📊 Lowe’s Water Softener System Cost

The Lowe’s water softener installation cost also includes the cost of the water softener.

Lowe’s sells a range of water softeners from tens of popular brands, including Aquasure, NuvoH20, Samsung, Whirlpool, APEC Water, LG, A.O. Smith, Morton, Bosch, Spring, and US Water Filters.

The size, quality, and design of a water softener all affect its cost. We found magnetic water softeners for as little as $150 and salt-based softeners for less than $400 on the Lowe’s website, with prices exceeding $3,600 for more complex multi-stage softener and water filtration systems and dual-tank water softener systems. A few systems are available in several different sizes and configurations, with prices increasing with size.

We noticed that a few brands sold by Lowe’s aren’t sold directly by the manufacturer, which means you have fewer buying options (some are also available at other stores, like Home Depot).

We recommend doing your research when shopping for a water softener system. Make sure that Lowe’s is the cheapest place to buy, since different websites often sell third-party products at slightly different prices.

💲 Lowe’s Water Softener Installation Packages & Costs

We chatted with a Lowe’s customer service representative to learn more about Lowe’s water softener system installation packages and costs.

Lowe’s doesn’t offer packages for installation. Instead, you’ll receive a personalized quote based on your specific situation.

After selecting the water softening system you want to buy, you can fill out this form on the Lowe’s water softener installation page, including the “project description” section. You’ll then receive a phone call from the Lowe’s water softener installation team, who will discuss pricing based on the scope of your project.

We did try to ask about average costs for installation, but the response we received was:

“I do apologize for the confusion but it really depends on the type of the water softener that’s going to be installed and as our professionals are the assign team for this matter. They are the most applicable department who can be able to gave you an appropriate cost for the installation.”

This is a bit sneaky from Lowe’s. It means you can’t compare pricing without having to enter your personal information and speak on the phone with a Lowe’s installer, who will likely use a few sales tactics to encourage you to spend your money with the company.

We also filled in the form to gather further information about cost, but we were told that there were no installation services in the area at this time. This was surprising since we live in an urban area – we’re not off the beaten track.

Other sources online say that the average Lowe’s installation cost for a water softener is $1,500.

⚖️ Pros & Cons of Lowe’s Water Softener Installation

Now you know how Lowe’s water softener installation works, and roughly what you can expect to pay, let’s take a look at the pros and cons of using Lowe’s as your installer.

Pros

• Convenient – Buying a water softener and getting it installed by Lowe’s is convenient. It means you don’t have to worry about installing the softener yourself or finding a professional plumber.
• Reliable – We think you can be confident in the reliability of the Lowe’s water softener installers. All of Lowe’s installers are background checked, licensed, and certified. And if you do encounter a problem, you can speak to Lowe’s customer service, who should help you to resolve it.
• Lots of choice – Lowe’s sells tens of different water softening units, so whether you want to enjoy soft water with a conventional ion exchange softener or you want to retain water hardness minerals but prevent mineral buildup with a water conditioner, there are options for you.
• Financing options available – If you can’t afford the upfront water softener cost, Lowe’s offers 36, 60, or 84 fixed monthly payments with reduced APR financing, allowing you to split the cost of the softener into affordable monthly payments over several months or years.
• Includes labor warranty – Not all professional plumbers offer a warranty of any kind for their labor, but with Lowe’s, you’ll get a one-year labor warranty as standard with the installation.

Cons:

• Expensive – You’re likely to spend more money on a Lowe’s water softener installation than you would if you chose to install a water softener yourself, or put in the extra work of hiring your own plumber.
• No long-term support – As far as we can tell, you don’t get any long-term support from Lowe’s after installing a water softener system, beyond the initial 1-year warranty.
• Pricing not available upfront – We’d prefer to see pricing for installation on the Lowe’s website so that we could compare with other pricing and get a better idea of value, without the hassle of having to enter our details and speak to a professional installer on the phone.
• Quality not guaranteed – You don’t get to choose who installs your water softener. The professional installer selected by Lowe’s may not offer the quality of installation that you expected.
• Not all areas covered – When we reached out to Lowe’s to get an installation price, we were told that our area wasn’t currently covered by Lowe’s installers. So, depending on your location, you’re not guaranteed to be able to use the Lowe’s installation package.

📋 Extra Costs To Consider

Aside from the installation package, there’s one other cost that you should consider.

Lowe’s Protection Plan

The Lowe’s protection plan is an optional add-on to your water softener purchase. It essentially helps you to look after your water softener for as long as possible, with a 3-year or 4-year plan beyond the initial warranty.

There are a few perks of the plan, including on-site service, quick repairs (with a $50 deductible), and 50% off the products you’ll need for water softener maintenance. The plan covers labor and parts after the manufacturer’s warranty has ended, and you’ll be covered even for general wear and tear.

The protection plan also entitles you to a refurbished or new water softening system to replace your unit (only if needed). After replacing the unit once, the plan will be terminated.

The price of a protection plan starts at $129.97 for the 3-year plan for a product priced at $500-$799.99, or $149.97 for a 4-year plan. The more expensive the product, the higher the protection plan cost. Water softeners are eligible for protection.

Do we recommend the Lowe’s protection plan? Generally, no. Most people won’t need the plan, which means you’ll pay a lot of money for a good few years without actually benefitting from the services offered. But if you like the peace of mind in knowing that you’ll get support if you need it, and you have the extra cash upfront, then the plan is worth considering.

🆚 Lowe’s Water Softener Installation Cost vs Plumber Installation Cost

Is it best to pay Lowe’s to install a water softener for you, or should you buy a water softener and hire a plumber separately to install the system?

There are pros and cons of both of these options.

Of course, getting Lowe’s to install your water softener system is hassle-free and saves you the task of contacting plumbers for quotes.

Lowe’s acts as the middleman between you and their go-to professional independent installers, so all you have to do is agree to the arrangements. Your installer should have worked on many Lowe’s softener installations before, which should hopefully give them some familiarity with your project, reducing the likelihood of mistakes.

However, you’ll likely save money if you hire your own plumber. This gives you the flexibility to shop around, ask for a few quotes from different installers, and choose based on price, quality, and feedback from previous customers. Your payment will go directly to the plumber, so you won’t end up paying more than necessary so a small percentage can be paid to Lowe’s.

📌 Most plumbers charge $100-$450 for a water softener installation, excluding the cost of the water softener. Fees vary depending on factors including the local cost of living, the size and scope of the project, and the time required for the project. Some plumbers charge an upfront package cost, while others charge an hourly fee.

If you do choose to look for a plumber yourself, make sure they’re licensed, insured, and background-checked – just like the professional Lowe’s installers. You should be able to find confirmation of this on the plumber’s website. Also check customer reviews on websites like Yelp, and avoid plumbers with lots of negative feedback.

🆚 Lowe’s vs Home Depot Installation Costs

Other companies like Home Depot also offer installation services for their water softeners. How do Home Depot’s installation fees compare with Lowe’s?

Home Depot offers several different packages for its softener installation services, with prices starting at $2,500 for a basic installation package (which includes the cost of the water softener system, and the cost of labor and materials). The mid-range installation package (including the cost of a reverse osmosis system) is $4,500, and the top-tier installation package (including the cost of a reverse osmosis system and a whole-house water filtration system) costs $6.500.

So, based on the limited information we have about Lowe’s pricing, it’s cheaper to go with Lowe’s for an installation compared to Home Depot. Of course, this depends on exactly what you buy and what you’ll need installing.

Again, it’s best to contact Lowe’s directly and ask for a quote for the cost of installation. This will give you a clearer understanding of whether Lowe’s or Home Depot is best for you.

📑 Final Word: Should You Pay For Lowe’s Water Softening System Installation Services?

In our opinion, the Lowe’s installation service for water softener systems isn’t worth it.

You can get a better deal from buying a water softener and paying separately for a plumber to install it – even if it requires more effort on your part.

This also gives you the flexibility to look for water softeners beyond those that are sold by Lowe’s. Some of our top recommended water softeners, including SpringWell, SoftPro, and DROP, water softener systems, aren’t currently sold on the Lowe’s website.

With that said, if you prefer to avoid all the hassle and inconvenience of finding your own plumber to install a water softener for you, the Lowe’s installation service may be worth considering.