EMS15 Blue Meter Controlled ECO Water Softener (EMS15)

[Lloyd-D]

Hi Guys,

I'm after a bit of advice - I had a plumber come out to have a look at installing the above water softner.

He didn't seem too interested in the job and put in a ridiculously high quotation.

Having looked online, the average price seems to be between £100-£150 - I was quoted £600.

My question is - has anyone had a water softer installed recently by a plumber and if so, what sort of cost was it?

I can't see how it would take 3 days to install a water softerner. I think the plumber was really trying to do too much work for what is required with him wanting to run new pipework here, there and everywhere.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Crystalball.exe invalid syntax.

 

[oldbuffer]

To do the job properly he or she needs to:

1. Ensure that the kitchen cold and any outside taps are on non-softened water. This may involve running new pipes to these or the other outlets to ensure separation. Running new pipes can involve lifting floors, drilling walls etc.
2. Possibly ensure that the cold feed to the domestic hot water side of a combination boiler is connected to un-softened water. (Depends on boiler manufacturer).
3. Run a pipe to a drain, preferably internally, to carry way the salt water used to rinse the zeolites. Again, no one can tell without seeing the job how much building work this entails.
4. Run the overflow pipe from the water softener cabinet to outside. Amount of work involved depends on siting and site conditions, but usually not too much.

You could get one or two more quotations, but you need to be sure each person is quoting for the same (thorough) job.

 

[Lloyd-D]

To do the job properly he or she needs to:

1. Ensure that the kitchen cold and any outside taps are on non-softened water. This may involve running new pipes to these or the other outlets to ensure separation. Running new pipes can involve lifting floors, drilling walls etc. - **This is the area in which I will accept the bulk of the cost to come from**


2. Possibly ensure that the cold feed to the domestic hot water side of a combination boiler is connected to un-softened water. (Depends on boiler manufacturer). - **Is a system boiler**


3. Run a pipe to a drain, preferably internally, to carry way the salt water used to rinse the zeolites. Again, no one can tell without seeing the job how much building work this entails. - **Can be tee'd into the washing machine/sink waste**


4. Run the overflow pipe from the water softener cabinet to outside. Amount of work involved depends on siting and site conditions, but usually not too much. **This is the bit I'm not too keen on. The kitchen sink is in the middle of the kitchen and would require a 2m pipe running along the side of the wall in order to drain outside**

You could get one or two more quotations, but you need to be sure each person is quoting for the same (thorough) job.

I've asked another plumber to come and have a look at the job so I can gauge what is a fair price.

 

[Dan Robinson]

Is a system boiler

And depending on which one, it might need a dedicated hard supply to the filling loop.

 

[Lloyd-D]

And depending on which one, it might need a dedicated hard supply to the filling loop.

It's a Potterton Powermax HE if that helps?

 

[Dan Robinson]

Then you have more expensive things to worry about than your softener

 

[Lloyd-D]

Then you have more expensive things to worry about than your softener

Are you on some kind of wind-up?!

 

[Dan Robinson]

Yes and no