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Electric underfloor heating cost: what drives it
The cost depends on the heated area, the mat or cable type, the insulation board underneath and the electrical work to feed it. A small bathroom needs only a modest mat. A large open plan kitchen diner needs more, and possibly more than one zone. We price it alongside the floor finish so the levels work out.
Running costs depend on how well the floor is insulated beneath the heater. An insulation board stops heat soaking down into a cold slab and is almost always worth including.
Read more: Electric underfloor heating installation
- Heated area in square metres
- Insulation board thickness under the mat
- New dedicated electrical circuit and thermostat
- Floor preparation and levelling beforehand
Underfloor heating under tiles
Tile and stone are excellent over underfloor heating because they conduct heat well and hold it. The mat sits on insulation board, is covered with a levelling compound or embedded in adhesive, then tiled. The heating is tested before, during and after tiling, because a damaged cable under a finished floor is expensive to find.
The adhesive and grout must be flexible and rated for heated floors, and the system should be warmed up gradually the first time.
Underfloor heating under LVT
Glue down LVT is the best performer over underfloor heating, as our engineered wood vs LVT guide explains, because it sits in direct contact with the surface beneath. Most LVT has a maximum surface temperature, so the thermostat needs a floor sensor and a limit set to the manufacturer's figure.
Flooring
- Subfloor checks, levelling and damp readings
- Engineered and solid wood, LVT, laminate and tile
- Neat beading, thresholds and scribes
Wet systems in kitchens and extensions
A wet system runs warm water from the boiler or heat pump through pipes in a screed. It is cheaper to run over a large area but needs floor depth, so it suits extensions and floors being dug out rather than a quick bathroom refit. We look at your floor build up at survey before recommending either.
Planning heating around fixed furniture
Heating mats should not run under kitchen units, islands, baths or shower trays, because the heat is trapped and wasted. We mark out the open floor where you actually stand and size the mat to that area. In a bathroom, a towel rail on the same plan keeps towels dry and gives quick heat on cold mornings before the floor warms through.
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Common questions
- Is underfloor heating worth it in a bathroom?
- For most people, yes. It takes the chill off a tiled floor, frees up wall space and helps dry the room after a shower.
- Can underfloor heating go under LVT?
- Yes, glue down LVT works especially well, with a floor sensor limiting the surface temperature to the manufacturer's figure.
- Does electric underfloor heating need a new circuit?
- Usually, with a thermostat and floor sensor. Our qualified electricians install and test it.
- Electric or wet underfloor heating?
- Electric suits most bathroom and kitchen refits. Wet systems suit large areas and extensions where the floor is being rebuilt.
The service behind this guide
Covering Hertfordshire and Essex.