Underfloor heating? Costs etc

paulmapp8306

Having a new kitchen fitten, and having granit tops and porcelain (or possibly slate) floor tiles. costs are quite close to the budget so Id not even though of underfloor heating.

I HAD thought about underfloor insulation (as Id read about heat losses through the floor when investigating roof/cavety insulation) and have asked my fitter if thats worth fitting and costs (hes getting back to me tonight with answers to other questions as well).

So - anyone know the costs of underfloor heating v costs of just insulation. Its not a big kitchen. The tiled area is around 7 to 8m2 (nearer 7 but getting 8m2 of tiles in case) and Im assuming thats the only area that needs heating? Whats cheaper (to install/buy AND to run) - electric mats, self laying cable, or hot water heating.

NO idea on this subject so any pros/cons of the two systems, the insulation only or nothing at all is welcomed.

abankerbutnotafatcat

What subfloor do you have? If it's concrete then to install wet ufh will require a lot of work. Wet will cost more to install either way but it will be cheaper to run if you have GCH.

We have just had loose wire ufh fitted as part of our new kitchen as we were replacing laminate with tiles and I didn't want our lovely new kitchen to have a colder floor for bare feet than before. We went with the loose vs the mats because it had to go on an irregular space. The mats are sold as easier to lay but I'm not sure there's much in it. There's no cost difference in buying or running between the two.

As you say, you don't put the wires/mats under the units/appliances or right up against them, just places where feet will go. My space was c5sqm and it cost me c £500 including fitting, bought from Wickes.

cyclonebri1

Biggest DIY disaster I had was with underfloor heating.

2x Wickes underfloor pads on a new build concrete kitchen floor, about 12 x 8 ft.

All tested out electrically before the addy was mixed. Tiles set up and bingo a break in the wires somewhere.

Tile and addy costs toooo high to rip, up so no UFheating:(:(:(:(:(:(:(

paulmapp8306

Dont know what the sub floor is - im assuming concrete. Currently there's laminate flooring layed over lino but were putting in stone tiles.

We do have good central heating, but I suspect wet will be too much to consider. It is an irregular shape as theres a protruding breakfast bar over base units.

keystone

paulmapp8306 wrote: »

The tiled area is around 7 to 8m2 (nearer 7 but getting 8m2 of tiles in case)

You may well run out with 8m^2 depending on the size of tile. If its a "slightly uncertain" 7 - 8m^2 then buy 9 PLUS an extra box. You can always take the extra box back for refund but Uncle Murphy says with unerring accuracy that the wastage/offcuts will be greater than you think they will be.

If you want to heat the kitchen you will need more than UFH which will take the cold out of the tiles but not much else.

Cheers

sillygoose

Some things to consider, whilst I do like the look and luxury of tiled floors in a kitchen I don't thinks its actually very practical.

Its the most likely place to spill stuff, no matter how well sealed it can get pretty shabby looking, oily grout, not nice.

Its the most likely room to drop hard objects, accidental slip when putting a cup in the cupboard, rolling pin rolls off the table and a brittle tile can easily be cracked. Your then left with a broken tile or the option to have it dug out and replaced.
- If you have electric underfloor heating this is really hard to do without damaging the heating cable and ruining the whole floor heating forever.

They are cold unless heated.

Alternatively you can get some brilliant other floor coverings, I am talking a lot better than 'Lino' ! I had some super tough stuff put down that is textured and looks like slate tiles, its cushioned (about 5mm thick) non slip and warm surface. Practical, looks good, hygienic and is lasting very well. Wasn't cheap but worth it. Can't remember what make it was now but it was from a specialist flooring shop rather than a DIY shed.

paulmapp8306

I measured the floor well, and its 7m2 (and that was slightly overestimating) so was planning on getting 8 boxes of tiles (8m2).

Weve considered lots of floor coverings - but tiles are the only one both me and the wife are happy to use (though I did have reservations regards cracking tiles). We have several friends who have stone floors and non have had issues.

I will keep looking for other options - I wanted to use rubberised floor tiles as I think Ive seen them around, but the wife vetoes it. She wants stone or wood - and I wont have wooden floors in the kitchen due to possible water damage.

paulmapp8306

Oh - were not trying to heat the kitchen with the underfloor lol. We currently have a 1000mm rad in the kitchen - which is being moved slightly and changed for an 800mm (so we can get the units we want in). The UF is soley to take any chill from the tiles in the winter.

paulmapp8306

On the "brittle tile" thing. While they are stone, I would have thought there rather harder than a cup - and a dropped one shouldnt damage the flooring. Possibly a large heavy knife falling point first might chip the tiles, ame with a big mixing bowl and the like. rolling pins? there wooden so no way I can see them damaging stone.

I can see the spills/grout argument though.

sillygoose

paulmapp8306 wrote: »

On the "brittle tile" thing. While they are stone, I would have thought there rather harder than a cup - and a dropped one shouldnt damage the flooring. Possibly a large heavy knife falling point first might chip the tiles, ame with a big mixing bowl and the like. rolling pins? there wooden so no way I can see them damaging stone.

I can see the spills/grout argument though.

haha! my wife uses marble rolling pins, very keen cake maker. Definitely no wood floors, it doesn't like heat and sooner or later something comes out the oven wrong way.

How easily tiles crack depends partly on how well they are laid of course, fully suppoorted. You can also plan ahead a bit with underfloor heating but it depends on how much depth you have to play with. Obviously you need an insulation layer but if there is enough overal depth you can have the heating wire set in its own layer of screed or levelling compound and then the tiling done on top. This is the 'proper' way generally but there isn't always the depth in the room to do it. Obviously it makes replacing a tile if needed safer (but not totally risk free)

keystone

paulmapp8306 wrote: »

I measured the floor well, and its 7m2 (and that was slightly overestimating) so was planning on getting 8 boxes of tiles (8m2).

I wasn't questioning your measuring ability.

You need 10 - 15% extra to allow for cuts and wastage depending on the size of the tile. With large format tiles you might even need to go up to 20%. Its always sensible to get an extra box at the same time because a) if you do need it you have got it on site and it will match being from the same batch and b) if you don't need it you can take it back for a refund. Its also a good plan to have some whole ones left over anyway as an insurance policy for possible future repairs.

Cheers