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What changes the cost of underfloor heating?
Underfloor heating prices depend first on the type, water pipes or electric mats, then on the floor it goes under, the size of the area, the controls and how it connects to your boiler or fuse board. This page does not print a figure, because we could not find two dated public sources that agree.
Last reviewed:What an underfloor heating price covers
Underfloor heating warms a room from the floor up instead of from radiators on the walls. For a home in Cheshire, a quote usually covers the heating system itself, insulation under it, any screed or boards laid over it, the controls, connecting it to the boiler or the electrics, testing, and the paperwork. It may or may not include lifting the old floor and laying the new finish.
QuoteZila is starting in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach among the first towns, and anyone in the UK can post a job. We have not printed a price on this page. We could not find two dated public sources that agree on a figure for underfloor heating, so a number here would mislead. The sections below explain the choices that move the total, so you can ask for quotes that compare like with like.
Wet or electric?
The Energy Saving Trust describes two types [S1]:
- Wet systems pump warm water through pipes laid in or under the floor, heated by a boiler or a heat pump.
- Dry, or electric, systems use heating mats or cables under the floor finish.
The Energy Saving Trust says electric systems are cheaper to install but more expensive to run than wet systems [S1]. So ask each installer to explain that trade-off for your project. A single small bathroom and a whole ground floor are very different cases, and the answer for one may not suit the other.
The Energy Saving Trust also says wet underfloor heating works well with heat pumps, because it can run at lower water temperatures [S1]. If you are thinking about a heat pump in future, say so. It may change which system an installer suggests.
What changes an underfloor heating quote
| What changes | Why it matters | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| System type | Wet and electric systems differ in parts, labour and running costs [S1] | Which system, and why for this room? |
| Area covered | More floor means more pipe or mat and more labour | What area have you measured, in square metres? |
| Floor build-up | Screed, boards, insulation and floor height all change the work | How much will the floor level rise, and how do doors fit? |
| Existing floor | Lifting tiles or boards, or digging out a concrete floor, adds time | Is taking up the old floor included? |
| Floor finish | Tiles, wood, vinyl and carpet behave differently over heating [S1] | Is the finish suitable, and who lays it? |
| Connection to the boiler | A wet system needs a manifold and connection to the heating | Where will the manifold go, and is the boiler suitable? |
| Electrical connection | Electric systems need a suitable circuit and protection | Who does the electrical work, and how is it certified? |
| Controls | Each zone usually needs its own thermostat | How many zones and which thermostats? |
| Sign-off | Heating and electrical work may need building regulations approval [S2] [S4] | How will the work be signed off? |
When one quote is much lower than another, check this table. It often means one installer has left out the floor finish, the old floor or the connection work.
The floor you already have
The biggest surprise in an underfloor heating job is often the floor, not the heating. A new extension with a fresh concrete slab is the simplest case, because insulation, pipes and screed can be planned from the start. Retrofitting into an existing room is different.
On an existing solid floor, the choices are usually to dig out and relay, or to lay a low-profile system on top and accept a higher floor level. On a suspended timber floor, pipes can sometimes go between the joists from below or on top with spreader plates. Each route has a different amount of work, and each changes door heights, skirting boards and thresholds.
Ask each installer:
- how much the floor level will rise
- whether doors will need trimming
- how long a screed takes before the floor finish can go down
- who lays the final floor, and whether that is in the price
Electrical work and electric underfloor heating
Electric underfloor heating is an electrical installation. Electrical Safety First says that, apart from some minor tasks, electrical work must either be carried out by a registered electrician in a government-approved scheme, who arranges a certificate when it is finished, or reported to the local authority building control body [S2]. NICEIC advises using a registered electrician certified with a recognised body such as NICEIC for electric underfloor heating [S3].
That means the person who lays the mats may not be the person who connects them. Some flooring fitters lay mats and leave the connection to an electrician. Ask who does each part, and make sure the quote names the electrician and how the work will be certified.
There are no DIY steps in this guide. Do not connect heating mats, add a circuit or change a fuse board yourself.
Electrical Safety First: find a registered electrician; NICEIC; NAPIT. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
You can look up an electrician through Electrical Safety First or the NICEIC register.
Wet systems and your boiler
A wet system connects to your heating. GOV.UK lists installing or replacing a heating system among work that may need building regulations approval, and says you do not need to arrange it yourself if the installer is registered with a competent person scheme [S4]. Ask the installer how they will handle it.
If the boiler needs adjusting, replacing or moving as part of the job, that is gas work. HSE says anyone employed to work on gas appliances in a home must be a Gas Safe registered engineer and competent in that area [S5]. Check the engineer on the Gas Safe Register.
Gas Safe Register. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
Fitting it into a bigger project
Underfloor heating is rarely a job on its own. It usually goes in during a bathroom refit, a kitchen refit, an extension or a full renovation. That affects both the price and the order of work.
In an extension, the heating has to be planned before the floor is poured or the screed goes down. The builder, the heating installer and the flooring fitter all need the same drawing. Ask who is responsible for the floor build-up, so that insulation, pipes and screed are not left between two trades.
In a bathroom or kitchen refit, the heating goes down after the old floor comes up and before the new tiles or boards go on. If the installer and the tiler are different businesses, agree the dates in writing. A screed or levelling compound may need time to dry before tiles can be laid, and the heating should not be run at full power until the installer says so.
Think about the controls early too. A thermostat for each zone needs a place on the wall and, for electric systems, a supply. Deciding where it goes after the room is plastered and painted adds work.
Living with underfloor heating
Underfloor heating responds more slowly than a radiator, especially a wet system under a screed. Ask the installer whether your system should run on a steady, lower setting or be switched on and off like radiators, and ask for the controls to be explained before they leave.
Keep the paperwork: the layout drawing showing where pipes or mats run, the test results, the electrical certificate for an electric system, and the manufacturer's instructions. If you ever drill or fix into the floor, that drawing matters.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- "Electric underfloor heating wanted in a small bathroom being retiled. Room is about two metres by two metres."
- "New single-storey extension. Would like wet underfloor heating connected to the existing boiler before the screed goes down."
- "Kitchen-diner refit. Considering underfloor heating instead of radiators and would like advice on wet or electric."
Give the room size, the floor you have now, the floor finish you want, what heats the rest of the house, and whether other work is happening at the same time.
How to compare underfloor heating quotes
The Energy Saving Trust suggests getting at least three quotes and using a qualified professional [S1]. Citizens Advice says a quote is a fixed price and an estimate is only a guess, and suggests not agreeing to a deposit above 25% [S6]. For underfloor heating, ask each installer to state:
- The system type and the area covered.
- The insulation, screed or boards, and the final floor level.
- Whether lifting the old floor and laying the new one are included.
- The controls and the number of zones.
- Who connects it to the boiler or the electrics, and how that is certified.
- Whether VAT is included. A business must register for VAT when taxable turnover goes over £90,000 [S7].
Get quotes for underfloor heating
QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1]. Up to five matched local businesses can send you a quote [QZ2].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
See heating engineers, electricians, plumbers and flooring fitters for the trades involved. The electrician cost guide and plumber cost guide explain how those trades usually set out a price.
Questions about underfloor heating prices
How much does underfloor heating cost?
This page does not print a figure. Wet and electric systems are priced very differently, and the floor build-up, room size, controls and connection work change the total. Ask for itemised written quotes for the same area and the same system type.
Is electric or wet underfloor heating cheaper?
The Energy Saving Trust says electric, or dry, systems are cheaper to install but more expensive to run than wet systems. Which suits you depends on the size of the area, how often it is used and what heats the rest of the house.
Does electric underfloor heating need a registered electrician?
It is strongly advisable. Electrical Safety First says that, apart from some minor tasks, electrical work must be reported to building control or carried out by a registered electrician in a government-approved scheme, who arranges a certificate. NICEIC also advises using a registered electrician for electric underfloor heating.
Can underfloor heating go under carpet?
It can, but the Energy Saving Trust says thick carpet slows heat getting into the room, and suggests checking the carpet and underlay rating with the installer. Tiles and stone pass heat more readily. Tell installers what floor finish you plan.
Does underfloor heating work with a heat pump?
The Energy Saving Trust says wet underfloor heating works well with heat pumps because it can run at lower water temperatures. If a heat pump is likely in future, mention it when you ask for quotes.
Do I need building regulations approval for underfloor heating?
GOV.UK lists installing or replacing a heating system among work that may need approval, and says you do not need to arrange it yourself if the installer is registered with a competent person scheme. Ask how the work will be signed off.
Does QuoteZila check the businesses?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
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Related pages
- Boiler Service Cost: What You Pay For. What a boiler service covers, how it differs from a gas safety check or a repair, what changes the price in Cheshire, and how to compare engineers' quotes.
- Boxing In a Boiler: Two Quotes, Not One. Boxing in a boiler in Cheshire is a joiner's cupboard plus a Gas Safe question about ventilation, the flue and the condensate pipe. Ask before the box is built.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and jobs-for-tradesmen copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ and app README.
- S1: Underfloor heating, Energy Saving Trust. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/advice/underfloor-heating/
- S2: Building regulations, Electrical Safety First. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.electricalsafetyfirst.org.uk/find-a-registered-electrician/building-regulations/
- S3: Installing an underfloor heating system, NICEIC. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://niceic.com/householders/electrical-services/underfloor-heating-system/
- S4: Building regulations approval, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.gov.uk/building-regulations-approval
- S5: Domestic gas: frequently asked questions, HSE. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/faqs.htm
- S6: Before you get work done on your home, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/
- S7: Register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-10-25. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat