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Electric Underfloor Heating Built For Primary Heating

EkoBuild electric underfloor heating uses AHT amorphous metal ribbon technology, 300% more heating elements than cable systems and built to replace your boiler as the main heat source. No radiators. No noise. Just warm floors, room by room.

From £45/m²
15-Year Warranty
Free Delivery £150+
100+ UK Homes
EkoBuild electric underfloor Ribbon heating installed in a modern kitchen

What Electric Underfloor Heating Actually Is

Electric underfloor heating turns the entire floor into a low-temperature radiator. A thin heating element sits under your floor finish, tile, vinyl, laminate, engineered wood, or carpet, and warms the surface to around 25°C. Heat rises evenly across the whole room. No cold spots, no hot patches.

EkoBuild is not a normal electric UFH system

Most electric underfloor heating uses a single resistance cable looped back and forth. It works for warming a bathroom floor in the morning. It does not work as primary heating for a whole house.

EkoBuild uses AHT amorphous metal ribbon, a Japanese-developed conductor that puts 300% more heating elements into the same square metre as a cable system. That extra heating capacity is what makes it certifiable as a primary heat source: it delivers enough watts per m² at safe surface temperatures to actually replace radiators.

300%
More heating elements vs cable
1.8mm
Total Ribbon thickness
150W/m²
Output (primary heat rated)
15 yrs
Warranty

Why Electric UFH Beats Wet Systems For Most UK Homes

Wet (hydronic) underfloor heating runs heated water through pipes. It is the standard fit-out for new builds because it pairs with a boiler or heat pump. But for retrofits, renovations, and single-room upgrades, electric wins on almost every measure.

£

Lower install cost

No screed required. No manifold. No pipe-laying. A bathroom retrofit with EkoBuild is £299 complete. The equivalent wet retrofit is £2,000+ before plumber time.

1.8mm vs 100mm

Our Ribbon adds 1.8mm to floor height. Wet systems add 40–70mm of screed. For a renovation, that means doors and skirting stay where they are.

Heats up in minutes

About 3 minutes for the Ribbon, 5 minutes through carpet and 10 through laminate or wood. Wet systems take 1–3 hours to reach temperature because they have to warm a slab of concrete first.

Zero maintenance

No pump, no valves, no pressure to top up. Nothing that needs servicing. Wet systems need annual checks and the manifold is a leak risk for the life of the floor.

Room-by-room control

Each room gets its own WiFi thermostat. Heat only the rooms you use. Wet systems share zones and respond slowly.

DIY-installable

Roll out, stick down, tile over. Only the final 240V connection needs a qualified electrician. Wet systems need a plumber for the install AND an electrician for the controls.

Pricing: the Ribbon, Kits, Accessories

All prices below are inclusive of VAT and free UK delivery on orders over £150. Read the full breakdown in our 2026 cost guide.

Ribbon Heating

ProductCoverageBest ForPrice
0.5m Wide Ribbon HeatingPer m²Bathrooms, kitchens, awkward shapes£45/m²
1m Wide Ribbon HeatingPer m²Living rooms, bedrooms, open plan£65/m²

Controls & Insulation

ProductWhat it doesPrice
WiFi Smart ThermostatTouchscreen, app control, Alexa & Google Home, 7-day programming£89.99
Therm-All Insulation (10m² pack)6mm low-profile insulation. Boosts efficiency by ~30%£53.50

Complete Kits

KitIncludesPrice
Bathroom Complete Kit4m² Ribbon + thermostat + insulation£299
Kitchen Complete Kit8–10m² Ribbon + thermostat + insulationFrom £549
Whole-Room KitCalculated from your room, use the plannerGet exact price →

Running Costs, The Honest Numbers

The Ribbon draws 150W per m² across the 70% of the floor it covers, but it only pulls power for about 25% of each hour it's on in an average home (nearer 7-10% in a well-insulated one), at 28p/kWh. Below is the honest picture, and every job is tested on site.

RoomHeated areaAverage home / yrWell insulated / yr
Bathroom4m²~£64/year~£19/year
Kitchen10m²~£161/year~£48/year
Living Room18m²~£290/year~£87/year
Whole House (75m²)75m²~£1,207/year~£362/year

Those numbers assume average UK insulation and 6 hours of daily use. Pair EkoBuild with solar panels or battery storage on an off-peak tariff and running costs drop by 60–80%. The full breakdown including comparison to gas central heating is in the 2026 cost guide.

Install It Yourself, Or Bring In A Pro

EkoBuild Ribbon heating is designed for confident DIYers. A bathroom or kitchen install is genuinely a weekend job. Bigger projects benefit from a tiler or builder for the floor prep.

The 5-step DIY install

  1. Prep the subfloor. Clean, flat, dry. Lay Therm-All insulation board if you want maximum efficiency.
  2. Plan the layout. Use the EkoBuild Room Designer to know exactly where the Ribbon goes and how to route around fixtures.
  3. Roll out the Ribbon. Tape it down with our high-tech tape. Cut the mesh between heating elements, never cut the elements themselves.
  4. Connect the thermostat. Get a qualified electrician for the final 240V hookup. This is the only part that legally needs a sparky.
  5. Lay your floor. Laminate, wood and carpet go straight over; tile sits on a backer board and vinyl gets a thin levelling coat.

No screed. No waiting. Most bathrooms are heating their floors the same day. Russell and the team are on the phone Mon–Fri if you need a question answered mid-install: 07883 298944.

Common Questions

How much does electric underfloor heating cost?
EkoBuild 0.5m wide Ribbon heating starts from £45 per square metre. The 1m wide Ribbon is £65 per square metre. A typical bathroom is around £299 with the complete kit including thermostat and insulation. Use the Room Designer to get an exact price for your room.
Can electric underfloor heating be used as primary heating?
Yes. With 70% or more floor coverage, EkoBuild's electric UFH becomes your sole heat source, no radiators needed. The AHT ribbon technology provides 300% more heating elements than cable systems, giving the output needed for primary heat at safe surface temperatures.
How much does it cost to run?
A typical 12m² room is around 50p a day in an average home, and close to nothing once well insulated. The Ribbon draws 150W per m² across 70% of the floor but only pulls power for about 25% of each hour it's on (nearer 7-10% well-insulated). Pair with solar or a battery on Octopus Go and it drops further.
Can I install it myself?
Yes. EkoBuild Ribbon heating is designed for DIY. The Ribbon rolls out and tapes down. Laminate, wood and carpet go straight over; tile sits on a backer board and vinyl needs a thin levelling coat. Only the final 240V connection needs a qualified electrician. Full installation guides are included with every kit.
What floors can it go under?
Any floor type. Tile, stone, vinyl, laminate, engineered wood, and even carpet. EkoBuild's ribbon technology is 1.8mm thin so it adds almost no height to the floor. Always check your floor finish manufacturer's max temperature spec.
How does it compare to a heat pump?
Heat pumps cost £8,000–£15,000 installed and only make sense in well-insulated homes. EkoBuild electric UFH costs a fraction of that and works in any property. Read the full comparison on our heat pumps page.
Is there a warranty?
15 years on the Ribbon heating. 2 years on thermostats. Honoured by EkoBuild directly, call 07883 298944 if anything ever fails. We've been doing this since 2001 and we will be here when you need us.

Plan Your Room In Under 5 Minutes

The EkoBuild Room Designer lets you draw your room, drop in baths, sinks, cabinets and beds, and get an exact Ribbon plan with instant pricing. No email needed to use it.