Cold feet in the morning. Radiators taking up wall space and dictating furniture placement. The bathroom floor that never gets warm. Underfloor heating is one of the most requested improvements during renovation — but the cost and disruption put many people off.
Here is an honest overview of what underfloor heating costs and when it makes sense.
What does underfloor heating cost?
Prices depend on system type, floor construction and home size. All prices are indicative including materials and installation:
Wet underfloor heating (new installation): 500–1,200 DKK/m² Heating pipes cast in concrete or laid in groove panels. The most energy-efficient system — lower flow temperature means lower running costs. Requires connection to the home’s heating system. For 80 m² of living room and kitchen: 40,000–96,000 DKK.
Wet underfloor heating (low-profile): 700–1,500 DKK/m² Thin systems (17–30 mm) for existing houses where the floor cannot be dug up. Groove panels or heat distribution panels are laid on top of the existing floor. More expensive per m², but saves the large expense of a new floor construction.
Electric underfloor heating: 300–700 DKK/m² Heating cables or heating mats under tiles. Cheapest to install, but most expensive to run — electricity typically costs 2–3 times more than district heating per kWh. Used primarily in wet rooms and smaller spaces.
Electric underfloor heating (bathroom): 3,000–8,000 DKK total For a 5–10 m² bathroom with a heating mat under tiles. An affordable comfort improvement, often installed as part of a bathroom renovation.
What affects the price?
The floor construction is the expensive part. The heating system itself costs 200–500 DKK/m². But if the floor needs to be broken up, new concrete slab cast and new flooring laid, the total can reach 2,000–3,500 DKK/m². Underfloor heating is cheapest when installed as part of a larger renovation where the floor is being replaced anyway.
Wet rooms. Underfloor heating in wet rooms requires correct construction with membrane and falls towards the drain. This is often more expensive per m² than dry rooms because tiling and wet room waterproofing must be correctly executed.
Insulation under the floor. Without proper insulation beneath the heating pipes, much of the heat disappears downward. In houses with a crawl space or uninsulated ground slab, floor insulation is critical for effectiveness.
Controls and regulation. Modern underfloor heating requires a room thermostat and possibly a manifold (distribution box) for wet systems. Budget 5,000–15,000 DKK for controls and regulation.
The heat source. Wet underfloor heating works best with low-temperature sources — heat pump or district heating. If you have an old gas boiler with a high flow temperature, you still benefit from underfloor heating, but the energy advantage is smaller.
When does underfloor heating make sense?
Underfloor heating is not always the right choice. Here are the situations where it gives most:
- With new floor construction. If the floor needs to come up anyway — due to moisture damage, level changes or new layout — the additional cost of underfloor heating is modest.
- When switching to a heat pump. Heat pumps perform best at low flow temperatures. Underfloor heating at 30–35°C flow gives up to 25% better COP than radiators at 55°C, according to the Danish Energy Agency.
- In wet rooms. The comfort of warm tiles in the bathroom is hard to argue against — and the cost is manageable with electric underfloor heating.
- In open floor plans. Radiators along window walls are designed for rooms with walls. In open kitchen-living room solutions, underfloor heating gives a more even heat distribution.
Which homes are most at risk?
Detached houses from the 1960s–70s with ground slab. Concrete floor directly on soil, often with minimal insulation. Cold floors are a frequent problem. Underfloor heating solves the comfort issue, but insulation under the slab is critical.
Older houses with timber floors on joists. Timber floors can rarely bear wet underfloor heating without reinforcement. Low-profile systems or electric heating mats under new timber floors are often the best solution.
Flats with shared heating systems. You may not always be able to freely choose wet underfloor heating, as it affects the shared heating system. Check with the homeowners’ association. Electric underfloor heating in the bathroom is normally unproblematic.
New builds. In new construction, wet underfloor heating is standard and BR18 requirements for low energy consumption make it the obvious choice. Here the price is lowest, because the floor construction is built from scratch.
Flooring and underfloor heating
Not all floor coverings are suitable for underfloor heating. Here are the most commonly used:
Tiles and natural stone. Best for underfloor heating — good thermal conductivity and tolerates high temperature. The fastest warm-up and most effective heat output.
Timber floors. Solid timber can be used, but should be thin (max 15 mm) and a stable species. Engineered parquet with timber is better than solid plank flooring, because it works less with temperature changes.
Vinyl and linoleum. Suitable for underfloor heating, but check the manufacturer’s instructions for maximum surface temperature (typically 27°C).
Carpets. Insulate against the heat and significantly reduce effectiveness. Generally not recommended over underfloor heating.
Running costs and maintenance
Wet underfloor heating has a very long service life — 40–50 years for PEX pipes cast in concrete. Electric heating cables typically last 20–30 years. Neither requires maintenance, but damage can be expensive to repair because the floor has to be opened.
Running costs for wet underfloor heating in a detached house with district heating are typically 8,000–14,000 DKK/year for 100 m² of heated area. Electric underfloor heating in the bathroom alone costs 500–1,500 DKK/year.
How to move forward
Underfloor heating is most appropriate as part of a larger renovation — not as an isolated project. Think about it together with floor insulation, new floor covering and possibly a change of heat source. A comprehensive plan for your home gives a better result than piecemeal measures.
Also consider whether underfloor heating is the right choice for your situation — or whether new, efficient low-temperature radiators can provide comparable comfort at a lower cost and with less disruptive installation.
Get a complete picture of your home’s energy situation and possibilities — that is the best starting point.
Underfloor heating is often combined with bathroom renovation — it is cheapest to install while the floor is already open. And if you experience a cold house, underfloor heating is only part of the solution: insulation typically has the greatest effect.
Sources: Bolius — underfloor heating, Danish Energy Agency, BYG-ERFA