Where It Works Best
Six places underfloor heating earns its keep.
Underfloor heating will not suit every room, and we will tell you when a space is better off without it. These are the jobs where it consistently makes the most sense.
Wet or Electric
Wet vs electric underfloor heating: the honest comparison.
Our work is wet underfloor heating, because for an extension, an open-plan kitchen or a whole ground floor it is the system that makes sense over the long run. If a small electric mat would genuinely suit a room better, we will tell you.
| Feature | Wet (water) | Electric |
|---|---|---|
| Heat source | Your boiler or heat pump | Mains electricity |
| Best suited to | Extensions, open-plan rooms and whole floors | A single small room used in short spells |
| What goes in | Pipe loops, a manifold and a suitable floor build-up | A thin heating mat or wire laid beneath the tiles or boards |
| Running cost | Usually the cheaper of the two over larger areas | Higher, because it uses electricity at the full unit rate |
| Pairs with a heat pump | Yes, one of the best matches there is | No, it runs on its own |
How We Fit It
Underfloor heating installation in five steps.
01
Free survey
We look at the rooms, how the floor is built, what is going on top of it and how your current heating is set up. If building work is under way, we talk through timing so the pipework goes in at the right stage.
02
Heat-loss & layout
Each room's heat loss is calculated so the pipe spacing and the number of loops match what that room needs. Rooms are split into zones so each one can be controlled on its own.
03
Fitting the pipework
The loops are laid across the floor and run back to a manifold, which shares the warm water out between the zones. This happens while the floor is open, before the screed or floor finish goes on.
04
Connect & commission
The manifold is connected to your boiler or heat pump, flow temperatures are set for the floor, and every zone is balanced and checked so each room reaches its design temperature.
05
Handover
We show you how the controls work, explain how to get the best from a slower and steadier kind of heat, and leave you with your paperwork.
Pricing
How much does underfloor heating cost? It depends on six things.
No two underfloor jobs are alike, so we do not publish a one-size price that would mislead you. Each job begins with a free survey and finishes with a fixed price for your rooms, in writing. These are the things that decide the figure.
Floor area & zones
More floor means more pipe, and every separately controlled zone adds a loop and a thermostat.
New floor or existing one
Building it into a new floor is straightforward. Fitting it under a finished floor means lifting the old covering first.
The floor build-up
A screeded floor and a low-profile board system are different jobs with different costs, and which suits depends on how much height you can spare.
What it connects to
Your boiler or heat pump needs the capacity for the extra load, and the floor circuit needs the right controls to run cooler than any radiators.
The floor finish
Tile, stone, wood, vinyl or carpet all behave differently over underfloor heating, and the design allows for whichever you choose.
Controls
A simple thermostat per zone or a smart setup across the house. We recommend what suits how you actually live in the space.
For a fuller look at what moves the price and how the two types compare to run, read our guide to underfloor heating costs and options.
Mixed Systems
Underfloor downstairs, radiators upstairs.
You do not have to convert the whole house. A ground floor on underfloor heating with radiators in the bedrooms is a very common setup, and both halves run from the same heat source.
The floor circuit wants cooler water than the radiators, so the system is designed to feed each one correctly, with its own controls. If your existing radiators or pipework need attention while we are there, our central heating service covers the rest of the system.
Heat Pumps
The natural partner for a heat pump.
A heat pump does its best work producing water at a moderate temperature rather than the much hotter water an old radiator system expects. A large, warm floor is exactly the kind of emitter that suits it.
Whether you are fitting a heat pump now or keeping the option open for later, it is worth planning the floor with that in mind. See our air source heat pump installation page for how we approach the heat source side.
Common Questions
What people ask us most.
Do you fit underfloor heating in Barnsley and South Yorkshire?
Yes. We install wet underfloor heating, which circulates warm water from your boiler or heat pump through loops of pipe beneath the floor. We fit it across Barnsley, Wakefield, Sheffield, Rotherham and Doncaster, from a single room or extension up to a whole ground floor, each one designed around a proper survey.
How much does underfloor heating cost to install?
We price every underfloor job individually after a free survey, because floor area, how the floor is built, whether it is new or existing, and what the system connects to all move the figure a long way. You get a fixed written quote for your actual rooms rather than a ballpark that falls apart later.
Should I choose wet or electric underfloor heating?
For an extension, an open-plan space or a whole floor, wet is normally the better long-term choice because it takes its heat from your boiler or heat pump. Electric mats are simpler to lay but draw power at the full unit rate, so they tend to suit a small room used in short spells, such as an en-suite.
Can you add underfloor heating to a room that already has a finished floor?
Often, yes, though it takes more work than laying it in a floor that is still being built. The existing covering normally has to come up, and the floor level can rise a little, which affects doors and thresholds. Low-profile systems keep that rise small. We check the floor first and tell you plainly whether it is worth doing.
Can I keep radiators upstairs and have underfloor heating downstairs?
Yes. Underfloor on the ground floor with radiators in the bedrooms is a very common arrangement, and both can work from one boiler or heat pump. The floor circuit runs cooler than the radiators, so the system is set up to send each part water at the right temperature, with separate controls for each.
Is underfloor heating a good match for a heat pump?
It is one of the best. A heat pump gives its best results when it only has to produce water at a modest temperature, and a well-designed underfloor system heats a room comfortably at exactly that kind of temperature. If you might switch to one in future, putting underfloor pipework in now keeps that option open.
What flooring works best over underfloor heating?
Tile and stone perform best, because they let heat through readily and hold on to it. Engineered wood, vinyl and laminate are fine as long as the product is rated for underfloor use. Thick carpet on a heavy underlay slows the heat down, so if carpet is the plan, tell us early so the design allows for it.
Does underfloor heating take long to warm up?
It responds more slowly than radiators, because the floor itself has to warm before the room does. The reward is a steady, even heat with no cold corners. It works best left on a consistent schedule rather than switched on and off, and we set the controls up that way and show you how before we leave.
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