electric under-floor heating - expensive to run?

[runningLou]

We are having a kitchen extension built and builder has suggested electric under-floor heating as easier/cheaper to fit that a wet system. I have found some fairly cheap deals for the mats and thermostat (it is a 20m2 space so I was looking at ordering for approx. 15m2, is this about right?) but just concerned about running costs as I'd always thought electric heaters were really expensive?
Is it worth getting a couple of wall radiators as well and just a low 100w floor heating system, just to take the edge off the cold tiles?

[Fluffycloudland77]

Gas is cheaper yo run but more expensive to fit.

It depends if you'd rather have a high builders bill or high electric bills.

[80sMum]

It's very expensive to run! We have it under tiles beneath kitchen, hall and dining room, as well as in both bathrooms. We hardly ever turn it on, as our electricity consumption goes up dramatically! Only use it when guests are coming, such as at Christmas.

We do have normal gas central heating radiators in those areas as well, so the floor heating is just to warm up the floor, not to heat the rooms.

[runningLou]

Thank you - really good to know! Builder said it cost peanuts to run and I knew there was no way that could be the case - like I said I've always thought of electric heating as the expensive option.
Wall radiators and thick slippers it is!!

[StepAwayFromTheThesaurus]

The builders are looking for an easy job rather than what's best, I think.

[wallywobbles]

Builder Friend has it. He says it crazy expensive to run.

[ChablisTyrant]

We had it in our old kitchen. Yes, crazily expensive to run. We were shocked. We are currently putting it in a room in our new house but that's because there are no other options.

[PigletJohn]

peanuts to run my asre.

Energy from electricity costs about three or four times as much as energy from gas. If you have solar they produce very little in the winter when you need it.

If you have not yet had the floors laid this is the best and cheapest time to incorporate it.

[TheCrumpettyTree]

Wet flooring is much cheaper to run, your builder is talking bollocks.

[runningLou]

That's what I suspected... Wet system would blow our budget so we'll go with wall radiators.
Is there any thermal underlay you can put under tiles to male them a bit less chilly??

[PigletJohn]

If you are having a new concrete floor laid

• it should have rigid foam insulation slabs underneath

• if you know a good heating engineer, enquire about the cost of having the heating pipes laid in the concrete, with stubs coming out in case one day you can afford to have them connected as UFH. Laying the pipes is not practical after the floor is down, it is so much work and disruption.

[didireallysaythat]

We are in the same position - to fit wet OFH will require the builder to dig out at least 30cm of the existing concrete pad. For the area required, that's quite a few days labour....