Heated Bathroom Floor Golden, CO
Step out of the shower onto warm tile instead of cold stone. We install electric and hydronic heated bathroom floor systems during remodels and floor replacements, with a thermostat set to your schedule.
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- We pull the permits and handle inspections
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Heated Bathroom Floor
Cold tile on a winter morning is the reason most people ask us about a heated bathroom floor.
Mountain mornings get chilly. Tile, stone and slate feel great in July, but in January they can feel like ice. Floor heat warms the room from the ground up, so your feet stay warm and the whole bathroom feels cozy.
There are two main types. Electric systems use thin heating cables or mats set right under the tile. Hydronic systems run warm water through tubing, like the photo here, fed by a boiler or water heater.
We install both, either as part of a full remodel or when the old floor is already coming out.
Floor heat is one of the most loved upgrades our bathroom remodeler team puts in.
Below, we cover what it costs, what it costs to run, which floors work best and how the install goes.
What a Heated Bathroom Floor Costs
Cost guides put a heated bathroom floor at about $8 to $15 per square foot installed for electric, and about $7 to $17 for hydronic.
For a small bathroom of about 40 square feet, the heat alone often runs about $300 to $700. With new tile or other flooring, it is closer to $600 to $1,600. A larger primary bath of about 160 square feet often costs about $1,100 to $2,700 for the heat, or $2,400 to $6,400 with new flooring.
Each heated zone needs its own thermostat, which runs about $140 to $350 installed. Hydronic systems also need a heat source. A small dedicated water heater often costs about $600 to $3,100, and a boiler costs more.
If the floor is already coming up for a remodel, adding heat costs far less than doing it later. That is the best time to do it.
Electric or Hydronic?
For most homes, picking a heated bathroom floor system comes down to the size of the space and what heats the rest of the house.
Electric is the usual pick for one bathroom. It costs the least to put in, needs little care and goes down fast. On a timer, one electric bathroom floor often costs about $15 to $20 a month to run.
Hydronic costs more up front but less to run. It makes the most sense for big areas, like a primary suite or a whole basement, or a home that already has a boiler. It does need yearly service, often about $70 to $350 a visit.
Electric floor heat in a bathroom needs GFCI protection, and bigger floors may need a new circuit. Electrical and water heater work needs a permit here, so we pull it and set up the inspection.
Floors That Work Over Heat
Almost any hard surface can sit on top of a heated bathroom floor system, but some do the job much better than others.
Tile and stone are the best. They warm up well and hold the heat. That is why most heated floors go under porcelain, ceramic or slate.
Luxury vinyl and engineered wood can work, but they need a lower top temperature, so we check the maker's limits first. Thick carpet blocks the heat, so it is not a good match.
We also plan where the heat goes. Cables and tubing stay out from under the toilet, the vanity cabinet and the tub. The heat covers the open floor where your feet land.
How the Install Goes
Putting in a heated bathroom floor takes less time than most people think, often about one to three days for one room.
First, the old floor comes up and we check the subfloor. Then we lay the mat, cable or tubing and test it before anything covers it. Electric systems get tested before, during and after the tile goes down.
Next comes leveling compound or thinset, then the tile. Hydronic tubing set in fresh mortar has to cure before tile goes on. Electric mats under tile are the fastest, since the heat and the new floor go down in one pass.
Last, we hook up the thermostat. Most new ones have timers, so the floor is warm when you wake up and off when you leave.
What Homeowners Say
"I had to redo a basement remodel that was horribly designed. We were able to look at the old layout and come out with a better design for it all. Gutted the existing Bathroom and rebuilt a tiled bathroom with a new theme that was 1000 times better... Being an extended project that had many parts that had to be tackled individually it was easy to work with Jeff and his team. Excellent communication throughout the process and no surprises with costs. If I had to do it again I would choose Jeff and his team every time."Zeris, Google Review
Heated Bathroom Floor Questions
Here is what people ask most before they add floor heat.
Are heated bathroom floors worth it?
For most people with tile, yes. Adding heat during a remodel is a small part of the budget, often a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, and you feel it every cold morning. It is not worth tearing up a good floor just to add it, though.
How much does it cost to install a heated bathroom floor?
Cost guides put electric at about $8 to $15 per square foot and hydronic at about $7 to $17. A small bathroom often runs about $300 to $700 for the heat alone, or about $600 to $1,600 with new flooring. Add about $140 to $350 for the thermostat.
Do heated floors use a lot of electricity?
Not for one bathroom. On a timer, an electric bathroom floor often costs about $15 to $20 a month to run. Heating a whole house with electric floor heat costs a lot more, which is why hydronic is the better fit for big areas.
Can you add a heated floor under existing tile?
No. The heat has to go under the tile, so the old floor has to come up. That is why the best time to add a heated bathroom floor is when you are already replacing the floor or remodeling the room.
Ready for Warm Floors?
Tell us about your bathroom and the floor you have now. We will call to set up a free walkthrough and give you a written estimate before any work starts.
(720) 909-3011Serving Golden, Lakewood, Arvada, Wheat Ridge, Edgewater, Morrison, Applewood, West Pleasant View and Fairmount.
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