Water softener supplier advice

[Fern204]

I am buying a house which has been fitted with black taps and showers, glass screens etc and live in a hard water area. The house is newly renovated so is spotless and I want to install a water softener to help maintain this.
I know I want block salt for ease. There is a plumber onsite who is happy to install a softener before we move in next week. Is there a decent brand anyone can recommend for me? It would need to be available for next day delivery. We are in Brighton area. Or is it better to wait and get one of the specialist companies to install?
Thanks

@pigletjohn ?

If you are in Brighton there is probably more than one local softener specialist. Ask local friends and neughbours of they recommend one. I'd use a local company that does repairs and delivers salt.

Cheap brands from DIY sheds may not be repairable.

The technology of softeners is very simple.

If you phone a local company, your first question should "do you repair softeners." They may say, only ones they installed. Ask what the hourly charge is. IME one repair per ten years is reasonable. Your second question is "do you deliver salt". You might need 100kg twice a year, packed in sizes you can carry. Don't carry salt in your own car. Look inside the salt delivery van and you will see why.

Companies that advertise in the Sunday papers or send a salesman to your home have to recoup the additional costs by their pricing.

P.s..

If you have an experienced local plumber onsite whom you consider to be trustworthy, he probably installs dozens in a year and know the local companies.

We have a Harvey’s water softener which uses the block salt. We’ve had no issues with it and it does the job!

Are you going to keep at least one hard water tap? I think it’s recommended for e.g. people on certain medications and for making up baby formula. We were constrained where we could put this without having pipes strung around doorways, so have just one hard tap in the utility room, closest to the softener.

I think we will keep a hard water tap, but have it filtered for drinking.
Many thanks for advice, I’m waiting to hear from the plumber.