Radiant Floor Heating Costs

Stone and tile floors are beautiful, but they can get really cold during the winter months. Especially in bathrooms and bedrooms, no one likes a cold floor, but radiant floor heating can solve that problem. Although it has been around for decades, radiant heat has begun making a resurgence in home construction for its eco-friendly, affordable heating solution.

Installing radiant floor heating depends on a number of factors. The square footage of the flooring, as well as the type of flooring that is in place, will affect what you pay for installation. There are also different types of radiant heat: electric and hydronic (hot water heat). Electric systems typically cost a little more. Local labor rates will also affect your installation costs.

Radiant floor heating installation: 12’x10’ room, for both electric and water heat methods, and with labor costs, materials, and other expenses included.

Other considerations and costs

• This cost estimate does not include any floor removal or retrofitting construction, which can easily multiply the project cost significantly. If you are installing radiant heat in existing construction, be prepared to pay for drilling or full-floor removal as a part of the installation process.
• This estimate does not include taxes and permit fees. Permits may be required, depending on the level of construction being performed, so check with your contractor or local municipality for more information.
• If you choose water-based radiant heat, you may also need to install a larger water heater or other equipment to run the system. This could incur an additional cost.
• This estimate is for one average room, such as a bathroom or a bedroom. To install radiant heating in the entire house, you can multiply the square footage of your home by the material and labor rates to determine your costs.
• Installing radiant heat floors in new construction is the most affordable option since the floors are still open and there is nothing to remove.

DIY considerations

• Both electric and hydronic radiant floor heating systems require technical experience and can be dangerous work. They require working with electricity and/or water and should not be taken on by anyone without professional experience.
• If you are trying to save money and planning to replace floors anyway, you could do some of your own demo work in order to reduce the labor costs involved. Even if you aren’t redoing all the floors, ask your installer how you can prep for the job to cut costs and help expedite the process.

References

• Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2019.
• Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
• Literature review of DIY and arborist Web sites.