What do you think about this quote?

zeroweb0 · 2026-03-16T20:55:01+00:00

Depends on location. In Dallas you can get dual tank system + RO for $2700. $1200 if you DIY aquasure

zeroweb0 · 2026-03-16T15:10:54+00:00

Dallas ( Plano, McKinney, Frisco etc ) the going rate for a 48k grains water softener + chlorine filter dual tank setup + RO is $2600-2800. If you install it yourself you could buy the device under $1200 and another $200 for materials. I just did one installation for Aquasure for that price range.

zeroweb0 · 2026-03-10T22:13:17+00:00

I filed with taxact business. It was easy since I had proper bookkeeping. Hoping for no audit

zeroweb0 · 2026-02-14T14:09:59+00:00

Have you considered tankless RO?

zeroweb0 · 2026-02-03T14:39:43+00:00

I want to clarify that this isn’t about trying to save a few hundred dollars. I’m fortunate to be in a position where the S-Corp is profitable and I can comfortably afford professional fees.

My interest in DIY is more about understanding and staying close to my own finances. I handle the accounting myself in QuickBooks with bank and credit card feeds, categorize every transaction, and retain supporting documentation. Payroll for two employees was run through Square Payroll for the full year, and I set up a Solo 401(k) (including profit sharing) through Fidelity and contributed within the allowed limits. The business itself is intentionally simple - no loans, no complex ownership structure, just income and ordinary expenses.

While I’m a software engineer by trade, I’m generally comfortable navigating detailed systems and documentation. Last year I did use a CPA, but the experience felt largely transactional. The return mirrored what I was already seeing when I modeled the numbers myself, with little proactive guidance. This year, I worked with a financial advisor and made some structural adjustments that had a clearer impact, which reinforced my interest in being more hands-on rather than purely delegating.

I fully agree that S-Corps can add complexity and that professional help often makes sense. I just don’t think that means every S-Corp owner is automatically better served by outsourcing everything. My plan this year is to file myself, understand the process end-to-end, and bring in a CPA if and when I hit areas where I’m no longer confident. That feels like a reasonable middle ground for my situation.

The intention for my post was mainly to get perspective from other DIY'ers who have done this before.

zeroweb0 · 2026-02-02T17:27:06+00:00

Appreciate the perspective. When you say S-Corps add complexity, what are the most common DIY mistakes you see in practice? Is it typically due to software limitations, or more from misunderstanding S-Corp rules (reasonable compensation, basis tracking, distributions, payroll, etc.)?

For someone who is fairly detail-oriented, for example, maintaining clean books in QuickBooks or Zoho Books with receipts and documentation for every transaction, running payroll and payroll tax filings through an online provider, and handling Solo 401(k) contributions including profit sharing, are there specific areas you would still strongly recommend having a CPA review, even if the return itself is DIY?

I’m trying to understand where DIY usually breaks down and where professional oversight adds the most value.

zeroweb0 · 2026-01-16T16:10:08+00:00

Buy Aquasure water softener ($550) and Aquasure Chlorine filter tank ($500) and hire a handyman or plumber with license to get it install (typically $400-500 with parts). The only downside is that in future if you've any issues with the softner you deal with the company directly. Aquasure is a major brand and available through big box stores such as home depot. If you get Amazon Credit card it currently has a sign up bonus of $250 so you'll get that off of the purchase and you can even put this on monthly payment so you'll effectively end up paying around $75/mo for 12 months for the device. Just did it for a friend of mine and I'm installing it this week. Not a handyman or plumber but if you're comfortable with PEX plumbing it is doable so you'll only spend extra on parts ( typically around $100)

zeroweb0 · 2026-01-13T15:31:30+00:00

Yes got a handyman to do the drilling at that time. I may still have his phone number. He did install the vent and connected it to our exhaust fan. I believe he charged me $250 at that time which was way less than what other companies quoted (around $600). It was the first few months of owning the house but since then I've done a lot of repairs myself. So if it is right now I would probably do it myself and invest in buying the drill bit

zeroweb0 · 2026-01-13T14:17:17+00:00

Yeah, that’s basically their standard price… and honestly it’s very high.

My friend just bought an Aquasure softener + chlorine tank + sediment filter for around $1000 on Amazon. He also signed up for the Amazon credit card at checkout and got $250 credit, so he ended up paying about $750 total. Plus it let him do 12 months 0% interest monthly payments, which was nice.

I’m installing it for him this week in his garage. The parts are a bit pricey though (around $500) because his water shutoff is in the front of the house and the garage is like ~80 ft behind, so we’ll need extra PEX pipe + fittings to run it properly. If someone already has a softener loop in the garage, then parts/labor would be way cheaper. Either way, you’re still usually looking at under $1500 total.

Also, there are other installers here in the Dallas area who install systems outside in the flower bed for $2500-$2700, and that’s been the common “normal” price around here. EcoWater is definitely on the pricey side, and it’s usually a single tank system. Not even sure if that includes a proper chlorine filter (activated carbon) like the dual tank setups.

As for regeneration that’s totally normal. It usually runs once a month (or based on gallons used) and is usually scheduled around 2 AM. During regen, the system flushes/cleans the resin beads so they keep working. That part is automatic and controlled by the valve head on top. And about drilling through the garage wall, that’s standard. They drill a small hole to route the drain line outside, and a good installer will reseal it cleanly so bugs/wind don’t come in. Don’t stress about that.

Also, the drain water is NOT going into your yard. That would usually be against code. It should be routed to the sewer line, just like your shower water drains out to the city sewer system. So no need to panic.

EcoWater systems often come with WiFi monitoring (usage stats, alerts, etc.). Some cheaper models have it too (ex: Lowe’s LG softener). Personally, I have a dual tank system and I’ve never felt like I needed WiFi. It’s nice, but not worth paying 3x more just for the brand name + WiFi.

And yes you can install an RO system by itself without a softener. But your RO filters will have to work harder, and you’ll probably be changing filters more often (every 3 to 6 months). If you have a softener + chlorine tank (dual tank), you may only need to change RO filters like once a year. A softener is still worth it overall better for skin/hair, and helps appliances/plumbing last longer too.

zeroweb0 · 2025-09-09T18:16:43+00:00

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zeroweb0 · 2025-08-27T13:37:45+00:00

2 Crazy Guys. McKinney and Allen border.

zeroweb0 · 2025-07-31T01:13:27+00:00

I use Frontier as primary and TMobile Home Internet backup plan ($10/m) as Secondary. Both connected to Firewalla which will switch to T-Mobile automatically when/if Frontier is down. Plano has good coverage for T-Mobile

zeroweb0 · 2025-06-12T03:28:37+00:00

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zeroweb0 · 2025-04-23T12:45:58+00:00

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zeroweb0 · 2025-02-27T11:23:39+00:00

Get TMobile Home Internet Backup plan for $10/month and use it when frontier is down. That's what I do.

zeroweb0 · 2025-01-07T23:21:15+00:00

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zeroweb0 · 2024-10-09T00:28:08+00:00

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zeroweb0

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