If you are having trouble installing the one you bought from Home Depot, call a Handyman. There are lots of recommendations in TOV, just do a search. Many places try and talk you in to all these over priced systems. BTW, we don’t even use a water softener. The filtered water from our refrigerator works just fine.

Softener vs Filter
 

Check if you need a softener at all. If taste is your concern a filter will work. When we bought our 2004 villa it came with a sink filter from Aquasana, Inc. Works great and the coffee and bourbon and branch taste much better. Replacement filters cost about $50 and last us better than a year.

For $6800 it should turn your water into an endless supply of bourbon, wine or beer. Just contact Nova. I went to HD, their combo filter and softener units were under a thousand, problem was when you contact the installers they want to come to your house to evaluate which one was correct. That’s was when I said I’m out.

You bought more than a water softener.
 

You bought a water filtration system, much more than a water softener. Surprised that it wasn’t installed already, as they want you to keep it. The water is delicious, and you won’t have all the suspended particles (salts, chemicals). We didn’t realize what we bought at first, but when you take into consideration the minimal maintenance needed, it has value. You can knock off about 1,000 by going with the basic meter system (no WiFi).

Have you had the water tested to see if you even need a filter? As a retired commercial plumbing contractor from New England, I found that less than 20% of properties that were on town (city) water needed any sort of filtration.

Cancel, get Nova.

We just purchased a Nova water softener. $899 installed. Installation took 1 hour.

You do not need a water softener. You need a whole house water filter. The Villages water has a lot of crud in it and it will stain . NOVA is a popular filter provider and cost less than $1000.

We've had the Pelican system for more than a year and are please with the taste/quality of water and the fact it uses no salt. In the village of Hemingway. Didn't like the taste of the water before.

Culligan in Ocala is who wrote have used. We had a softener with exchange tank and carbon tank to get rid of the chlorine. We paid $3800 three years ago
for all of the above. I have it serviced once a year. They are great to deal with!!

OP, as others mentioned this contract is way overpriced. Cancel by certified mail and contact Home Depot regarding this outrageous contract. Home Depot should take them of their list of potential contractors. Always get more than one bid before signing anything similar. Good luck to you.

Ohiobuckeye
 

Sounds pretty high to me too. I still say these services around TV take advantages of the retirees & senior citizens. I hope that $6795. Includes FREE salt for at least 5 yrs. I do admit the water inTV doesn’t smell or taste good, I don’t care what anybody says. Good luck!

Get a whole house water filter instead.

We do the same. I did check water quality in the villages before buying and for Florida it is pretty good. We do have hard water. That is due to the fact that our soil is loaded with limestone. Issues with water softeners, most of them use salt and they backflush.
The salt if it is dumped on your plants will likely damage your landscaping. Some plants are more salt tolerant.

Far as laundry adding borax to your detergent makes it work better in hard water.

$5000+, still way overpriced.