Which is cheaper to install — electric or wet UFH?

Electric UFH is much cheaper to install. Electric mats cost £30-60/m² installed, while wet UFH costs £50-100/m² installed (including manifold, pipework and screed). For a single room like a bathroom, electric is the clear winner. For whole-house systems, wet UFH has a higher upfront cost but significantly lower running costs.

Which is cheaper to run?

Wet UFH connected to a gas boiler or heat pump is much cheaper to run. Electricity costs approximately 24p/kWh vs gas at 6p/kWh. A wet system running from a boiler costs roughly 25-30% as much to run as electric UFH for the same heat output. Connected to a heat pump (COP 3.0), wet UFH costs about 8p per kWh of heat delivered.

How much does each system raise the floor level?

Electric UFH mats add only 3-6mm to floor height (just the mat and tile adhesive). Wet UFH typically adds 50-75mm including insulation (25mm), pipe and clips (20mm) and screed (40-50mm). Low-profile wet systems using 15mm foil plates can reduce this to 25-35mm total. Floor buildup is a critical factor in renovations with limited headroom.

Which system heats up faster?

Electric UFH heats up much faster — typically 15-30 minutes to reach temperature. Wet UFH with a screed has high thermal mass and can take 2-4 hours to warm up from cold. This makes electric ideal for rooms used intermittently (bathrooms, en-suites), while wet UFH is better run continuously at lower temperatures for main living spaces.

Can I use electric UFH with a heat pump?

There is no direct connection — electric UFH uses electricity while heat pump UFH uses hot water. However, surplus solar PV electricity can power electric UFH mats via a smart controller. For whole-house primary heating with a heat pump, wet UFH is the correct choice as the heat pump heats water circulated through the pipes at high efficiency.

Electric vs Wet Underfloor Heating

Compare electric mat and cable UFH systems with wet (hydronic) underfloor heating for UK homes, covering cost, floor buildup and running costs.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Feature	Electric UFH	Wet (Hydronic) UFH
Install cost per m²	£30-60	£50-100
Running cost per kWh heat	~24p (electric rate)	~6-8p (gas/heat pump)
Floor buildup	3-6mm	50-75mm (25-35mm low-profile)
Heat-up time	15-30 minutes	2-4 hours (screed)
Installation complexity	Simple — lay mat, tile over	Complex — manifold, pipe, screed
Heat pump compatible	No (separate system)	Yes — ideal pairing
Zone control	Per-room thermostat	Manifold zone valves
Best for	Single rooms, renovations	Whole-house, new builds