If you're on hard water, a water softener is the only thing that stops limescale at every tap, in the shower, in the kettle and inside the cylinder. The first question most people ask us is simple: what does it cost? Below are our real 2026 prices, what's included when we fit one, what can push the price up, and what a softener costs to run once it's in.
Quick answer
- Supply only: €549 to €779 for a quality cabinet softener
- Supplied and fitted: €899 to €1,150, installed by our own team
- Softener plus a reverse osmosis drinking water tap: €1,199 fitted
- Running costs: mainly salt, roughly €4 to €7 a month for a family of four on hard water
Water softener prices in Ireland: our 2026 price list
These are the prices on our website as of October 2026, VAT included. Every softener comes either supply only, for your own plumber to fit, or supplied and fitted by our own installers. We fit nationwide except Donegal, Kerry, Leitrim and Sligo.
| Softener | Best for | Supply only | Supplied and fitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| AquaSilk Mini 8L | 1 to 5 people, one bathroom (or one plus an ensuite), tight spaces | €549 | €899 |
| AquaSilk Midi 14L | 1 to 7 people, most family homes | €689 | €999 |
| AquaSilk Maxi 21L | Large homes, several bathrooms, very hard water | €779 | €1,150 |
| Clack cabinet softener | Anyone who wants the Clack WS1 metered valve | €639.99 | €999 |
| Cabinet softener, TX model | A fitted package with the cabinet sized to your space | Fitted only | €899 |
| Softener plus RO drinking water system | Soft water everywhere and filtered drinking water at the kitchen sink | Fitted only | €1,199 |
Save €100: use code GC100 at checkout for €100 off any softener with installation. You can also spread the cost with humm finance (subject to approval).
Not sure which size you need? Our AquaSilk Mini vs Midi vs Maxi guide walks through it, or send us your Eircode and household size and we'll tell you.
What's included when we fit it
A fitted price from us covers a standard installation in one visit:
- The softener, bypass valve and flexible connectors, fitted on your incoming cold mains
- Isolation so the softener can be taken off-line without shutting off the house
- A drain connection with a proper air gap, as the regulations require, so waste water can never be drawn back into your supply
- The kitchen cold tap kept on unsoftened water for drinking and cooking, which we recommend on every install (here's why that matters)
- Commissioning: hardness set to suit your water and regeneration set to run overnight
- A walk-through on topping up salt and the few things worth checking
What the house needs: a spot on the rising main (usually under the kitchen sink, in the utility or in a press), a socket close by, and a drain or waste pipe within reach.
What can push the price up
- The rising main is in an awkward spot. If the mains comes in a long way from where the softener can sit, the extra pipework adds time.
- There's no waste pipe nearby. The softener has to discharge to a drain. If there isn't one within reach, we have to run one.
- A bigger house or very hard water. Two or more full bathrooms, six or more people, or water above about 350 mg/L usually suits the Midi or Maxi rather than the Mini.
- Well water. Private wells often carry iron, manganese or sediment, which will foul softener resin. We arrange analysis through an independent accredited lab first, then specify any pre-treatment the results call for. See our well water treatment page and our guide to iron in well water.
It also makes sense to keep the outside tap on hard water. There's no point paying to soften water for the garden or the car.
Running costs: what a softener costs to own
Salt
Salt is the main running cost. A 25 kg bag of softener salt is around €15 at builders' merchants, though prices vary. As a rough guide, a family of four on hard water uses about 6 to 11 kg a month on a modern metered softener, so roughly €4 to €7 a month. Our water softener salt guide breaks this down by household size and hardness.
Electricity
The AquaSilk range runs off a small 12-volt adapter and only does real work during regeneration. It costs a few euro a year to run.
Water
Each regeneration rinses some water to drain. A metered softener only regenerates when the resin actually needs it, so it uses far less than older timer-only models that regenerate on a fixed schedule whether they need to or not.
Servicing
A softener needs very little looking after. Keep the salt topped up, clean out the brine tank every year or two, and get it checked if the water starts feeling hard again. If you go for the softener and RO combination, the drinking water filters are changed once a year: €89 if you fit the filters yourself, or €150 if we do it.
Is a water softener worth the money?
If your water is hard, yes, for most homes. Limescale is what kills immersion elements, electric showers, kettle elements, cylinder coils and washing machine heaters. It's also the white crust on taps, shower screens and tiles that takes the most cleaning. A softener removes the calcium and magnesium that cause it, so it stops forming in the first place. Soft water also lathers easily, so you get through less washing-up liquid, shampoo and detergent.
If your water is soft or only moderately hard, below about 150 mg/L as in most of south Dublin, you probably don't need one. Check yours in a few seconds with our Eircode hardness checker, or see the hardness levels by county.
Cheaper alternatives, and their limits
Salt-free limescale filters and conditioners cost less and don't need a drain, but they don't remove hardness. They reduce how much scale sticks, mostly on heated surfaces, and your water still tests hard. We explain the difference properly in Water Softener vs Limescale Filter.
How to get an exact price for your house
- Check how hard your water is with the Eircode hardness checker.
- Send us your details on our get a quote page, ideally with a photo of where the water comes into the house. We reply within one hour during office hours.
- Or ring us on 01 554 6266.
Get a fixed price for your house
Tell us your Eircode and how many live in the house, and we'll recommend the right softener and give you a fitted price. No guesswork, no obligation.
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Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to fit a water softener?
Most standard installations are done in a single visit. Extra pipework, a long run to a drain or pre-treatment for well water can add time, and we'll tell you if that applies when we quote.
Can my own plumber fit a water softener?
Yes. The AquaSilk and Clack softeners are available supply only for a competent plumber to fit. The drain connection needs a proper air gap, and we recommend keeping the kitchen cold tap on unsoftened water for drinking.
Does a water softener need electricity?
Yes, it needs a standard socket nearby. The AquaSilk range runs off a 12-volt adapter and costs a few euro a year in electricity.
Will a water softener reduce my water pressure?
Not noticeably, if it's sized correctly. The AquaSilk Mini is rated at about 0.9 m³/h, the Midi about 1.3 m³/h and the Maxi about 1.7 m³/h, and all work on mains pressure between 2 and 6 bar. Bigger houses with more bathrooms need the bigger models.
Do I need a softener if I have a combi boiler?
In a hard water area it's well worth it. A combi heats water through a small plate heat exchanger, which is one of the first parts to scale up on hard water. A softener stops that scale forming.
