How Much Does Underfloor Heating Cost?

By David Tait Reviewed by Cormac Breen

Editorial Manager

Underfloor heating for new-build construction costs on average around €18 to €26 per m², but this price can increase if the installation is part of a retrofit. Other factors that can influence the price of underfloor heating are the type of system you choose, the type of flooring you have, the number of rooms you want to heat and the type of control system you want to install.

How Much Does Underfloor Heating Cost?

On average, installing underfloor heating for new-build construction costs around €24 to €48 per square metre. The difference in the range depends mainly on adding screed or not to a water-based system.

For a retrofit underfloor heating system, the cost can range from €48 to €72 per square metre.

There are several factors that can influence the overall cost of underfloor heating installation:

1. Type of underfloor heating system.
2. Type of flooring.
3. The number of rooms you want to heat.
4. The type of control system you install.
5. Labour costs.

Given the variables involved with this type of home heating system, most companies offering installation services offer a project by project service, and we therefore recommend contacting a heating and plumbing service in your area to organise a consultation.

Below you will find the contact phone number for some of Ireland's leading companies for underfloor heating:

What Is Underfloor Heating?

Underfloor heating is when a home heating system is based underneath the flooring of a house.

It is different from traditional central heating systems or electric storage heaters in that no radiators are necessary, as the entire floor acts as a radiator.

It is extremely effective and efficient when working in conjunction with renewable energy products like a heat pump system.

The floor is heated via a series of pipes or wires, as heat naturally rises, the heat from the floor gently warms the entire room. Not only does this increase comfort levels, but is also less demanding on your boiler.

How Does Underfloor Heating Work?

A series of winding pipes or electrical wires are placed underneath your floor finishing. These pipes are heated and, in turn, heat your floor. The warmth is then gradually released into the room.

The result is a more even distribution of the heat in the entire room. As such, it eliminates cold spots and, depending on your floor’s material, does not require as much energy as a traditional heating system.

There are two common types of underfloor heating systems:

1. A Dry System
   A dry system runs electrical wires rather than pipes to heat the floor. Although cheaper to install, given the current cost of electricity, they quickly can be as *three times more expensive than a wet system.
2. A Wet System
   A wet system features pipes running in the underfloor filled with warm water. These are the most BER efficient type and tend to work with heat pumps or a gas boiler.

What Is a Dry Underfloor Heating System?

Dry underfloor heating systems tend to include electric wiring heating systems that wind under the flooring.

Electrical underfloor heating systems come with the following advantages:

• Easy to install.
• Can even be a cost-saving, DIY job.
• Can be used with or without a screed finish.
• More economical installation cost than wet underfloor heating systems

Despite all of these positives, a dry system will consume about three times more electricity than other types of underfloor heating systems.

Dry underfloor heating systems are therefore ideal in the following situations:

• To use in small, unfrequented rooms (ensuite bathroom, spare room, utility room, etc.)
• In rooms where it would be too difficult to install a wet underfloor heating system (bathroom)
• Rooms where you can control when they are heated and for how long. Avoiding hefty energy bills of both the cost of installation and the cost of heating these spaces.

Be sure to compare the best electricity offers on the market regardless of whether you plan to opt for a dry underfloor heating system or not.

What Is a Wet Underfloor Heating System?

Wet underfloor heating systems are so-called because they consist of laying down pipework for warm water to flow through. It does need to work in conjunction with a heat pump or gas and electric boiler.

Its main pros are as follows:

• More environmentally friendly.
• Higher energy efficiency.
• Easy to install as part of a new build.
• Can work in conjunction with a heat pump or boiler.

Wet underfloor heating systems tend to have a high initial installation cost and take longer to heat up, overall they are much more efficient than dry systems.

The use of a heat pump or boiler to circulate the warm water through the floor pipes consumes much less than a dry system, making it ideal in the long run.

What Is Retrofit Underfloor Heating?

Many people wonder if underfloor heating is only available in new homes, or whether it can be installed in existing homes as well?

In short, yes, underfloor heating can be installed in an existing dwelling, this is referred to as retrofit underfloor heating.

However, there are other factors to consider when installing such a system in an existing home versus a new-build construction. These are:

1. Cost
   Whether it is a wet or dry system, there are usually plenty of additional costs that an existing home will incur that a new build does not face. How much more cost will depend on the house in question.
2. Replaced flooring
   The process of pulling up the flooring to install the underfloor heating system will no doubt damage the existing flooring. You may also want to replace it with a type of flooring that works efficiently with your new heating system.
3. Compatibility
   You may require a new control system for your heating if it is not compatible with your existing one.

What Type of Underfloor Heating is Best?

As we touched on before, this will depend on your project. Common questions to answer and determine the best type of underfloor heating system in Ireland are:

• Am I looking for a new central heating system or just to improve certain rooms?
• If only some rooms, how frequent are they in use? Low usage like an ensuite bathroom or high usage like the living area?
• Is this for a new construction or an extension to an existing home?
• How long do I plan to live at the property? Is this a temporary or very long term arrangement?

As a rule of thumb, a dry system can be favoured for projects which are for a few or small rooms, an existing home unless the retrofit cost can be reasonable, or any temporary dwelling.

A wet underfloor heating system is favourable in new-build construction or new-build extensions, homes you plan to retire in (spend a lot of time inside), to replace an out-of-date central heating system.

Which Type of Flooring Is Best for Underfloor Heating?

While most floors are suitable for underfloor heating in Ireland, the best floors to pair it with tend to be the ones that are the most thermally conductive.

The more conductive the material, the better it will store the heat and radiate it upwards into the room, instead of heat-reflecting underneath the flooring.

Some of the best flooring choices for underfloor heating in Ireland are as follows:

• Ceramic and porcelain tiles
• Luxury vinyl tiles
• Stone flooring (limestone, slate, granite, sandstone, or marble)
• Thin engineered wood (12 or 15mm thickness)

Some of the materials to be more careful with would be as follows:

• Solid timber, as it tends to damage or warp with the constant changes in temperature.
• Carpet. You will need to choose the right material and thickness for it to be effective with underfloor heating.

What Are the Pros and Cons of Underfloor Heating?

As with any home heating system. underfloor heating comes with its pros and cons. While an effiecnt and low maintainence means of heating your home, they can have high installation costs especially when part of a retrofit project.

Below you will find the main pros and cons of this type of heating system: