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.
Older houses around the Highlands and Islands with suspended timber floors can often take underfloor pipes between the joists. Every underfloor design for the Highlands and Islands starts with the floor finish you plan to lay, from tiles to carpet. Homeowners in the Highlands and Islands and across the Highlands and Islands can mix underfloor heating downstairs with radiators upstairs on one heat pump.
Who it suits
- Self-builds and new floors where insulation and screed are going in anyway
- Extensions, especially open-plan kitchen-diners with large glazed areas
- 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 Scotland
In Scotland, heat pump funding comes through Home Energy Scotland rather than the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: a grant of up to £7,500 (up to £1,500 extra for eligible rural and island homes) and an optional interest-free loan of up to £7,500. For a home in the Highlands and Islands, apply and receive the written offer before the installation date is fixed.
Installing heat pumps is zero-rated for VAT across the UK until 31 March 2027. Scotland has its own permitted development rules for air source heat pumps and its own building standards, so we confirm what applies to your property at survey.
Underfloor heating with heat pumps prices in the Highlands and Islands
Here are typical prices for underfloor heating with a heat pump in the Highlands and Islands, installed and including VAT. Use the guide price tool for a figure based on your home, then a survey confirms it in writing.
| Work | Guide price |
|---|---|
| Wet underfloor heating, one room | £1,700–£3,900 |
| Wet underfloor heating, whole ground floor | £5,600–£16,800 |
Installed, inc VAT. Floor finishes and screed drying time are confirmed at survey.
Towns we cover in the Highlands and Islands
We cover 12 towns in the Highlands and Islands for underfloor heating with a heat pump. Each links to local guide prices and the grant position for Scotland.
| Town | Postcode district | Nearest town | Midwinter daylight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inverness | IV1 | Dingwall | 6 h 35 min |
| Fort William | PH33 | Oban | 6 h 45 min |
| Aviemore | PH22 | Inverness | 6 h 40 min |
| Dingwall | IV15 | Inverness | 6 h 34 min |
| Kirkwall | KW15 | – | 6 h 11 min |
| Lerwick | ZE1 | – | 5 h 49 min |
| Nairn | IV12 | Forres | 6 h 34 min |
| Portree | IV51 | – | 6 h 36 min |
| Stornoway | HS1 | – | 6 h 24 min |
| Thurso | KW14 | Wick | 6 h 17 min |
| Ullapool | IV26 | Dingwall | 6 h 29 min |
| Wick | KW1 | Thurso | 6 h 20 min |
Underfloor heating with a heat pump questions
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.
How much does underfloor heating cost with a heat pump?
Wet underfloor heating for a whole ground floor has a guide price of £5,000–£15,000, installed and including VAT, and a single room has a guide price of £1,500–£3,500. The spread reflects floor type, area, whether an overlay or screed system is used and how much floor preparation is needed. Your written quote fixes the price after the survey.