Plan the heating before the finished floor
Underfloor heating installation
Renovating a room or planning a new floor? Get the system, floor specification and installation responsibilities clear before work is covered up.
Send Upkeepone your postcode, room details and proposed system. We assess underfloor heating installation enquiries and confirm suitable support, the work involved and the quotation route before attendance is agreed.
London, Essex and Kent are our priority areas. Electric mats and water-based floor heating need different work; tell us which system you have in mind, or if you are still deciding.
Your floor-heating project
Request a project callback
Tell us the postcode, rooms and approximate area, proposed system and floor finish. Include the project stage and any other trades involved.
An enquiry does not confirm an appointment. The system, project scope and suitable attendance need checking first.
Start with the room and the project
What kind of underfloor heating are you planning?
A warm bathroom floor, a kitchen renovation and a whole-home heating project need different decisions. Tell us whether you want comfort underfoot or the floor to provide the room’s main heating, and whether the work is part of a renovation, extension or new build.
Electric mats or cables
These heat the floor directly using electricity. They can suit smaller areas, but running them for long periods or across large spaces can be costly. Ask about the expected use and tariff alongside the installation price.
Water-based systems
These circulate heated water through floor pipes connected to a suitable heat source. They require a coordinated heating design. Tell us about any boiler or heat-pump proposal so the necessary design, plumbing and electrical work can be checked before we accept the request.
Do not assume the two systems have the same installation requirements or running costs. Energy Saving Trust explains electric and water-based underfloor heating.
Will it be the room’s only heating?
Ask for the available heated area and system output to be checked against the room’s heat loss. A system chosen for a pleasant floor surface should not be treated as a confirmed replacement for radiators.
Warmup’s installation overview discusses system selection and heat-loss assessment.
Decide before the floor is closed up
The floor finish, usable area and build-up matter
Send the approximate room dimensions and, if you have one, a plan showing fixed units, sanitary fittings and the proposed thermostat position. The total room area may be larger than the area available for heating.
Existing floor and levels
Describe the subfloor, current covering and planned removal. Check the proposed build-up at doors, thresholds and adjoining rooms, including any insulation and floor preparation.
The complete flooring specification
Give the exact finish and relevant underlay or adhesive details. Compatibility and temperature limits need checking against both the heating and flooring instructions; a label such as “wood” or “vinyl” is not enough.
Layout and controls
Agree which areas will be heated and how they will be controlled. Fixed furniture, fittings and any future drilling should be considered with the system designer before the layout is covered.
The chosen product’s instructions govern installation and testing. Warmup’s foil-heater manual is one example of why floor compatibility, layout records and staged checks must be specific to the product. It is not an approval for that product in every room or a promise that Upkeepone installs every brand.
Avoid gaps between the trades
Agree who prepares, fits, connects and finishes
Underfloor heating often sits within a wider building project. Make sure the builder, flooring contractor, heating installer and electrician understand their parts of the job. Tell us whether another contractor has already supplied, laid or covered any equipment.
- Who specifies and supplies the system, insulation, thermostat and accessories?
- Who prepares the subfloor and lays or reinstates the finished floor?
- Who checks the electrical supply or the water system’s heat-source compatibility?
- Who carries out and records checks before work is concealed?
- Who confirms the drying, commissioning and first-use programme?
- Who manages product registration and any warranty requirements?
Electrical connection needs its own assessment
A qualified electrician needs to assess the proposed load, circuit, protection and controls before connecting an electric system. Do not assume a nearby socket or an old heater connection is suitable.
For relevant work in England, a new circuit is notifiable under Part P. Some additions or alterations in defined special locations are also notifiable. The installer should explain the route for your actual work; this is not a statement that every heated floor needs the same notification.
If your request is for a conventional room heater, use the existing electric heater installation page. For a broader heating project, tell us about the heating system so the appropriate scope can be checked.
A useful quote starts with the scope
What affects the installation price and programme?
The room size is only one part of the quotation. Floor condition, system choice, insulation, controls, supply work and the jobs allocated to other trades can change the total. There is no single price or fitting time that covers every project.
Send these details first
- Postcode and property or business use.
- Rooms, approximate area and project stage.
- Electric or water-based proposal, if known.
- Existing floor and intended finish.
- Plans, product details and any equipment bought.
- Other trades involved, access and target dates.
Check the quotation includes
- Agreed equipment, controls and labour.
- Preparation, insulation and flooring responsibilities.
- Required electrical or heating connections.
- Testing, commissioning and paperwork.
- Removal, waste and making good, where agreed.
- VAT, travel and any separately priced work.
A proposed date needs to account for access, other trades and the chosen materials. Ask which stages need separate attendance and when the floor can first be heated. Sending an enquiry does not reserve a slot or confirm that all parts of the project are included.
Keep evidence of what is under the floor
Testing, controls and a clear handover
Before work starts, agree the checks required by the selected system and when they will be recorded. For electric floor heating, testing at the relevant installation stages helps identify damage before the finished floor makes access difficult. Retain the heating layout and applicable results.
Ask the installer to demonstrate the controls and explain the permitted start-up process. Where screed, adhesive or another material needs time before heating, follow its instructions rather than using the system to rush drying. Warmup explains why heating must wait for the relevant materials to cure.
Electrical paperwork
New-circuit work needs an Electrical Installation Certificate. Appropriate work without a new circuit may use a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate or an EIC. Building Regulations compliance documentation, where required, is separate. NICEIC explains electrical certificates.
Records for future work
Keep product details, layout plans, test records, control instructions and warranty information together. Tell future flooring contractors about the heating before they drill, lift or replace the floor.
Already have underfloor heating that is not working? Identify the system and symptoms when contacting us. We will check the required specialist support; a repair request is not the same as a new installation. Our electric heating repairs page explains how to prepare a heating fault enquiry.
Postcode and project checks before attendance
Underfloor heating enquiries in London, Essex and Kent
London, Essex and Kent are our priority areas. We also cover Hertfordshire, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Sussex, with other UK areas considered by request.
Attendance depends on the postcode, installation, access, travel and appropriately qualified engineer availability. Share the proposed system and project stage so we can check suitable support before an appointment is agreed.
Our engineers are qualified and registered with NAPIT or NICEIC where applicable. The qualification and work required will depend on your installation. For other electrical work, browse our electrical services.
Questions before you order or arrange fitting
Underfloor heating installation FAQs
Can underfloor heating be fitted during a renovation?
It may be possible, but the floor needs assessing before a system is chosen. Tell us whether the covering will be removed, what the subfloor is made from and how much extra height is available. Doorways, insulation and the new floor finish can affect the approach. A low-profile product still needs a suitable floor build-up; it does not make every existing floor ready for installation.
Can I keep the flooring I have chosen?
Share its exact product details, including the underlay, adhesive or screed where relevant. The heating system and flooring instructions must be compatible. Wood, laminate, vinyl and carpet cannot be accepted on material name alone. Ask the designer or installer to confirm the permitted floor temperature and any restrictions before ordering or laying the finish.
Can electric underfloor heating replace my radiators?
That needs a room-by-room design check. The available heated area and output must be assessed against the heat the room loses. A floor intended to feel comfortable underfoot is not automatically sufficient as the room’s only heating. Keep existing heating until a suitable replacement design, running-cost assessment and installation plan have been agreed.
What needs to be included in an underfloor heating quote?
Ask who supplies the heating system and controls, prepares and insulates the floor, lays the finish and makes the electrical or heating connections. The price should identify testing, handover, removal, waste, VAT and travel where applicable. Additional circuit work, floor repairs or specialist design may need separate prices. Compare the same scope, rather than a headline rate per square metre.
When can I start using the new heated floor?
The installer and flooring contractor should give you the start-up instructions for the chosen system and floor materials. Drying, curing and commissioning requirements vary, so do not switch it on early to speed up a building programme. Keep the instructions and agreed first-use date with the handover documents.
What records should I receive when installation is complete?
Ask for the system and thermostat instructions, the heating layout, relevant test records and the electrical certificate appropriate to any electrical work. For an electric system, a new circuit needs an Electrical Installation Certificate; suitable work without a new circuit may use a Minor Electrical Installation Works Certificate or an EIC. Any applicable Building Regulations notification is a separate matter. Agree responsibility for warranty registration and keep these records for future flooring or repairs.
Which areas do you cover for underfloor heating installation enquiries?
London, Essex and Kent are our priority areas. We also cover Hertfordshire, Surrey, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and Sussex, with other UK areas considered by request. Attendance depends on the postcode, installation, access, travel and appropriately qualified engineer availability. Tell us the proposed system, floor area and project stage so we can check the required work as well as the location.
Tell us what is planned for your floor
Send your postcode, the rooms involved, approximate floor area and any system or flooring details. We will review the request and confirm the appropriate next step, quotation scope and suitable attendance.
