Why a price per metre misleads
Price lists by the square metre are easy to compare, and that is their problem. A ground-floor villa with large glazing and marble floors loses far more heat than a mid-floor apartment of the same size. A system priced by area is either oversized for one or undersized for the other.
The honest starting point is the heat load: how much heat each room loses on a cold night. It comes from the room’s size and ceiling height, its windows, its outside walls and roof, and the insulation. Everything else, from the boiler to the number of radiators, is sized from it.
Radiators, underfloor heating or both
Underfloor heating usually costs more to install than radiators: it needs insulation, more pipe, a manifold and a new screed. It can cost less to run, because it works at lower water temperatures, especially with a heat pump.
Radiators cost less to install, above all in a finished home, and the choice of radiator, from standard panels to designer models and towel warmers, moves the price within that. Many homes mix the two, which puts the extra cost of underfloor heating only where it counts.
The heat source
A gas boiler is usually the lowest-cost heat source to install where a natural gas line exists, and usually cheaper to run for a home heated many hours a day. An electric boiler avoids the gas work but may need a supply upgrade, and costs more per unit of heat. A heat pump costs more to buy and install, and can cost less to run.
The brand and model matter too. A quote should name them, so you are comparing like with like.
New build, renovation or finished home
Heating planned before the floors and walls are finished is the least costly to install: pipes go where they should, and nothing is opened twice. In a finished home, the work includes careful routing, small openings and making good afterwards, and underfloor heating usually means lifting floors.
If you are building or renovating, this is the moment that saves money, even if you install the boiler later.
Controls and zones
Each extra zone adds a thermostat and a valve or actuator, and smart thermostats cost more than basic ones. They also cut running costs, because rooms nobody is using are not heated. For most homes, a zone per floor or per group of rooms is a good balance.
Where cheap quotes save money
When one quote is far below the others, it is usually missing something: no heat-load calculation, a boiler sized by guesswork, thinner pipe, no insulation under underfloor pipes, no water treatment, no pressure test before the floor is laid, or no commissioning and balancing. None of these show on day one, and all of them show in the first winter.
What a proper quote should list
| What to look for | Why it matters | |
|---|---|---|
| Heat load | Calculated room by room | Everything is sized from it |
| Heat source | Brand, model and output | Lets you compare like with like |
| Emitters | Radiator types and sizes, or underfloor layout | Decides comfort in each room |
| Pipework | Pipe type and, for underfloor, insulation | Hidden once installed |
| Controls | Number of zones and thermostats | Running cost and comfort |
| Commissioning | Pressure test, water treatment, balancing | Whether it works as designed |
Get a quote for your home
The only figure worth having is the one for your home. A site survey measures the heat load, checks the gas and electricity, and looks at how you use each room; the quote that follows lists every item, so you can see what you are paying for and compare it fairly.
Conversion EG has designed and installed heating in Egypt since 2010, with one team from design and supply through installation and maintenance. Book a site survey and we will give you a written, itemised quote.
Book a site survey