what did you do?
We need bath remodel and I want a Kerdi shower but none of the 4 contractors we have spoken to about the job have tile guys that use Schulter/Kerdi systems...
most act like they don't know what I am talking about although they have good recommendations...

I recommend going with what your contractors is most experienced with. I interviewed 4 contractors. 2 asked if I wanted the "traditional" install or the Schluter (one recommended). The other two have never heard of it but have many years of experience installing the traditional method w/o problems. The contractor I selected has experience with both. He did say the Schluter is easier to install. I decided to go with the traditional because it was less and I spent the difference on a nice Toto toilet :) Hope this helps!

I've installed showers for many years and have never tore out Schulter shower system or any of the competitors (Laticrete) that user the membrane shower system. I have 100% of the time, had to tear out showers that used traditional methods that eventually fail. Some maintain their integrity longer than others but ultimately will fail. Similar to the comment above, most will not go the Schluter/Laticrete direction because of the cost and contractors telling them the less expensive one works fine. If a contractor has not heard of it then they are not doing their homework and continuing to improve their offering to customer, probably should not be doing showers, period. I 100% do not offer an option that does not use a proven, guaranteed shower system, I would be doing my customer a disservice in telling them a half-ass solution will hold up for their investment. When I hear Red guard, cement board, rubber pan....I know I'm going to have to quote a tear-out/replace.

I adhere with Nate above.
I have been installing Schluter for 15+ years and never a callback.
I was working with somebody building houses and plumbers were hired to put in the rubber liners. We had about 10% of them have leaks and it was using different plumbers. Sometimes it was caught during the leak test other times after the house was done and tile had to be torn out.

People don’t want to change, learn new things and think it is more expensive. Materials are more, but it cuts my labor time down to half. Another positive thing is 1/2” of water isn’t sitting in the liner for the life of the shower. The water doesn’t go below the thinset with Schluter.

It’s like paint, buy better paint and brushes then the paint will last longer. It goes on with less coats and your labor time can be cut in half. If you spend an extra $100 on 10 gallons of paint you can save a lot of labor cost.