Underfloor Heating: Is It Worth It for Your Renovation?

Underfloor Heating: Is It Worth It for Your Renovation?

Underfloor heating (UFH) has become increasingly popular in London extensions, loft conversions, and bathroom refurbishments. It offers genuine advantages over radiators in the right context — but it's not always the best choice, and the decision should be made based on the specific characteristics of your project rather than as a default.

How Underfloor Heating Works

Underfloor heating systems work by distributing heat evenly across the floor surface rather than from a point source (a radiator). There are two types:

Wet UFH (hydronic). A network of pipes buried in or under the floor through which warm water circulates from a central manifold connected to the boiler or heat pump. This is the standard choice for whole-floor heating in an extension or ground floor refurbishment. It requires integration with the heating system and a manifold located in a cupboard or utility space.

Electric UFH. A mat of electric heating elements installed under the floor finish. Simpler to install (no plumbing required), but more expensive to run. Well-suited to bathrooms, kitchens, and individual rooms where supplementary comfort heating is wanted rather than primary space heating.

Advantages

Even heat distribution across the floor — eliminates the cold spots near windows and the overheating near radiators. No radiators on walls — maximum flexibility for furniture placement and a cleaner aesthetic. Compatible with heat pumps (UFH runs at lower flow temperatures than radiators, which suits heat pump operating temperatures). Works well under tile and stone floors, which have good thermal conductivity.

Disadvantages and Caveats

UFH has a slower response time than radiators — it takes longer to warm a space from cold. This makes it less suitable in rooms that are heated intermittently (a guest bedroom used only occasionally) and better in spaces that are maintained at a constant background temperature.

UFH under timber or LVT floors is possible but requires care in specification — not all floor coverings are suitable, and the floor covering's thermal resistance affects the system's efficiency.

UFH requires slightly more floor buildup height than a conventional floor — typically 50–100mm for a screed system. In an extension this is designed in from the outset; in an existing space, this can affect door thresholds and transitions to adjacent areas.

Cost

Wet UFH installation (supply and install of the system including manifold, excluding screed and floor finish): approximately £60–£100 per m² depending on specification. Electric UFH mat (supply and install): approximately £30–£60 per m².

An extension or new-build ground floor is the most cost-effective point to install UFH — the pipes can be set into the screed as part of the structural floor build-up. Retrofitting UFH into an existing ground floor that doesn't need to be disturbed for other reasons is significantly more expensive and disruptive.

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