Whole House Water Filter Cost: What Goes Into the Price

Whole House Water Filter Cost: Here's What the Price Includes

Wondering why one quote for a whole-house system lands at $2,000 while another tradie's quote tops $5,000? The short answer is that you're really pricing three separate things, not one. System units themselves were listed at about $1,998–$5,178 on myhomeware in November 2026, with flow rate and features like ScaleProtect pushing the figure up or down. On top of that sits licensed plumbing installation, priced on a case-by-case basis, plus ongoing cartridge replacements every six to twelve months. Understanding how these three pieces stack up is the key to budgeting accurately rather than being surprised later.

How a Whole House Filter Works

Also referred to as a point of entry water filter, a whole house water filter is fitted at the point where the main water line meets the house (typically near the water metre). From this point, filtered water is distributed throughout the home, not just at the kitchen tap. Due to the scale of such a setup, the overall whole house water filter cost is made up of several elements, not just one flat rate.

Puretec describes its FilterWall range as a three-stage filtration system covering chlorine, sediment, scale and, per the product description, PFAS. This is a good high-level overview of what a whole house filter does, but do check the specifications of each system to determine what it will filter out, rather than assuming based on the description.

The Cost Breakdown

A whole house water filter cost is actually best viewed in three parts rather than one lump sum, because that is essentially how the cost is divided. You have the cost of the system, you have the installation cost, and you have the cost of replacement filters.

Whole house water filters are on the WaterMark Schedule of Products, so a licensed plumber must install a WaterMark-certified unit, and what they charge depends on things like where water enters your property, where you want the system placed, whether a bypass valve needs fitting (or it's already built in), and whether extra piping is needed to reach the chosen spot. Some listings call for indoor installation, others outdoor, and a few even allow for mounting on an exterior wall or boundary fence.

Plumbing work doesn't come with a standardised national price, so we've left those figures out here – you'll need to get them straight from your plumber. Avoid adding the system cost to the installation fee for an overall total, since that approach skews the figure. Should the system require electricity — for instance the HG Pure Water water softener — it will need to be connected to the electrical grid by a licensed electrician.

System Costs, Dimensions & Flow Rates

The only thing in the total whole house water filter cost that you can confirm from the product page before getting your plumber to come out and view the house is the cost of the unit. Our whole house water treatments include the HG Pure Water and Puretec FilterWall whole-house filter systems, which were listed at about $1,998–$5,178 on myhomeware in November 2026, not counting the HG Pure Water water softener.

Flow rate (30 L/min or 55 L/min) and whether ScaleProtect is included both affect the price, with the higher flow rate plus ScaleProtect versions landing at the top end. Ask your plumber which flow rate suits your household, and check the water pressure sits within the range listed on the product pages. FilterWall's operating pressure sits at 200 to 875 kPa; check the pressure range listed on the FilterWall product page before buying. Because it needs power, a drain, and indoor installation, the HG Pure Water water softener on that same product page sits outside the price range for whole house water filters.

How Much Will It Cost to Replace the Cartridges?

The total cost of whole house water filters includes more than just the initial purchase. You need to replace the cartridges in your filter according to the manufacturer's recommended frequency. Puretec recommends replacing the FilterWall cartridges every six to twelve months, and the warranty is voided if genuine Puretec brand cartridges aren't used.

Replacement water filter cartridges are specific to each type of filter and cannot be used interchangeably between brands. As of November 2026, Puretec FilterWall replacement cartridges are priced between $108–$218 for the PL Series and $368–$458 for the ScaleProtect Series, with the PX and CB Series in between. Ask your plumber whether a cartridge change is something you can do yourself in your state, or whether it is best left to them.

Is a Whole House Water Filter Right For You?

If you're mostly interested in drinking water quality at your kitchen sink, then whole house water filtration isn't necessary for you. Under sink water filters are mounted on the cold water line under the sink and provide filtered water to either the normal mixer tap or a dedicated water filter tap, so you only get filtered water from one tap. However, they also require replacement cartridges, so you should look at the cost of the filter unit and the cartridge replacement frequency against the cost of whole house water filtration to determine what's right for you, with more detail available under under sink water filters.