How much does underfloor heating cost?

In this guide

Get a free quote

Find tradespeople near you

Share This Post

Share on facebook
Share on linkedin
Share on twitter
Share on email

In this guide

Ever wondered how much that fancy floor heating system will set you back? Underfloor heating is a popular heating system that is rapidly growing in popularity. It’s not as popular as the radiant heating system, but it’s quickly catching up. And if you’re on the fence about whether it’ll be worth the investment, here’s a good reason to go for it: It’s actually cheaper than other heating systems! Underfloor heating is a wise choice for any home.

What is underfloor heating?

Underfloor heating is a form of radiant heating, and is traditionally popular in rural or ‘off-grid’ areas, where remote heating isn’t an option. The system heats air that circulates around a subfloor, heating the floorboards and keeping the rest of the floor warm.

Basically, it works like radiators: the underfloor heating zone is insulated from the rest of the room, which means it’s always warm – even if you leave a door open! There’s no messy, noisy radiators to worry about, and the fact that you don’t have a ventilation system means you can use the underfloor heating without worrying about gas leaks. Also, as it uses warm air, it works very efficiently: you won’t need much ducting and it’s much less energy-intensive than radiant heating.

How much does it cost?

Underfloor heating is expensive. But it’s not incredibly expensive. At its most basic, a conventional system is priced at around £3,000 – £4,000. That’s for a single-storey home and a double-storey home (or similar) with a conventional boiler fitted, of course. The costs can increase depending on how many rooms there are and the extent of the heating and de-humidification you need.

If you’re really serious about heating your home with underfloor heating, you’ll want to opt for a triple-storey system. These cost around £8,000-£9,000 and offer a more comprehensive solution. Just make sure you budget for its installation. You’ll need a plumber, electrician and fitters to get it installed. What are the main benefits of underfloor heating?

Post a job in minutes & get free quotes from top rated tradespeople​

Electric system costs

Even with the most advanced heating system available, if you don’t have access to a proper source of electricity you’re going to struggle. As mentioned earlier, modern homes and apartments are usually heated using electricity. So let’s start off with a more detailed look at electric heating: Electric heating systems tend to be a bit more expensive than radiant systems.

Electric heat is more energy-intensive. It can be tricky to get the system working with cheap UK electricity. It’s not as efficient as radiant systems. When you’re comparing electric heating costs, you have to take into consideration the cost of heating equipment as well as the cost of the electricity you use. But remember that this comparison is based on a typical UK winter, when electricity costs are on the rise.

Wet system costs

Underfloor heating comes in two forms: moisture and water. Wet systems are where excess water drips down from the ceiling into a reservoir beneath the floor. These systems cost more. It’s only possible to put in one or the other as a wet system as it is a drain-on-use system.

Wet systems are mostly found in commercial and industrial properties, where water leaking out of a building can be extremely costly and disruptive. Some homeowners with damp homes can avoid a full system by hiring a damp proofing expert and using water-absorbing materials around the home. Water-absorbent materials won’t remove the damp from the property – they just absorb it. However, you can still use the damp proofing, if you want to.

Other benefits of underfloor heating

Underfloor heating is a warm, draft free solution that’ll make your home even more beautiful. This is the main benefit, because getting cold air through your walls will seriously affect the look of your house, so you’ll want to spend as little time as possible battling cold air with hot air.

Even if you don’t get the snooze button, this is still an attractive and comfortable way to get your home heated. The flexible heating system can also easily be adapted to different temperatures to suit the requirements of different rooms.

The smart technology that underfloor heating incorporates means you’ll be able to regulate the heat accordingly, while the responsive temperature control will allow you to adjust the temperature quickly if your radiators fail.

Find top rated & vetted tradespeople

Get competitive quotes emailed to you today

You may also like

Other Guides