Underfloor heating can cover one room, an extension or the whole ground floor, and it works alongside radiators upstairs. We design it from the same room-by-room heat loss figures as the rest of the system, set out pipe spacing and zones for each room, and confirm which floor finishes will let the heat through.
Every underfloor design for County Antrim starts with the floor finish you plan to lay, from tiles to carpet. Homeowners in County Antrim and across County Antrim can mix underfloor heating downstairs with radiators upstairs on one heat pump. Kitchen extensions in County Antrim are often the natural place to add underfloor heating when a heat pump goes in.
Who it suits
- Self-builds and new floors where insulation and screed are going in anyway
- Homeowners who want even, gentle warmth with no radiators on show
- Ground floors being dug out or relaid as part of wider building work
- Rooms where wall space for radiators is scarce
Grants and rules for heat pumps in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland does not have a dedicated heat pump grant for homeowners at present, and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not apply here. Heat pumps have sometimes been funded through the Northern Ireland Sustainable Energy Programme, so it is worth checking what is open when you enquire about a home in County Antrim.
Installing heat pumps has been zero-rated for VAT in Northern Ireland since 1 May 2023, in line with the rest of the UK, until 31 March 2027. Northern Ireland has its own permitted development rules and building regulations, and we confirm what applies to your property at survey.
Underfloor heating with heat pumps prices in County Antrim
The ranges below are typical installed prices for homes in County Antrim, including VAT. A survey sets the exact figure, because two similar-looking houses in County Antrim can need quite different radiators and pipework.
| Work | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Wet underfloor heating, one room | £1,450–£3,400 |
| Wet underfloor heating, whole ground floor | £4,850–£14,550 |
Installed, inc VAT. Floor finishes and screed drying time are confirmed at survey.
Towns we cover in County Antrim
We cover 11 towns in County Antrim for underfloor heating with a heat pump. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for Northern Ireland.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Belfast | BT1 | Newtownabbey | 7 h 15 min |
| Lisburn | BT27 | Belfast | 7 h 16 min |
| Newtownabbey | BT37 | Belfast | 7 h 14 min |
| Carrickfergus | BT38 | Newtownabbey | 7 h 13 min |
| Ballymena | BT42 | Antrim | 7 h 12 min |
| Antrim | BT41 | Ballyclare | 7 h 13 min |
| Larne | BT40 | Carrickfergus | 7 h 12 min |
| Ballycastle | BT54 | Ballymoney | 7 h 07 min |
| Ballyclare | BT39 | Antrim | 7 h 13 min |
| Ballymoney | BT53 | Coleraine | 7 h 09 min |
| Portrush | BT56 | Portstewart | 7 h 07 min |
Underfloor heating with a heat pump questions
How much will an overlay system raise my floor?
A low-profile overlay system typically adds around 15–25 mm for the boards, plus the thickness of the new floor finish. That can be enough to need door trimming, threshold strips and adjustments where the floor meets kitchen units or stairs. We measure these details at the survey so the build-up is agreed before work starts.
How long does a screed floor take before I can use the heating?
Screed needs to dry before the heating is used at full temperature and before most floor finishes are laid. Drying time depends on the screed type, depth and conditions, from around a week for some liquid screeds to several weeks or more for traditional sand and cement. The heating is then brought up gradually over several days to avoid cracking.
Can I heat just one room with underfloor heating?
Yes. A single room, such as a kitchen extension, can have its own underfloor zone connected to the heat pump alongside the radiators in the rest of the house. It needs its own thermostat and a manifold, which for one room can be compact. The design checks the room's heat loss so the floor can meet it at the system's flow temperature.
Can I put carpet over underfloor heating?
Yes, as long as the carpet and underlay together have a low tog rating, which measures how much they resist heat. For heat pump systems a combined figure of around 1.5 tog or less is a common target. Thick carpet on heavy underlay can cut output noticeably, so rooms with carpet may need closer pipe spacing.