Cost of New Radiators

How Much to Fit a Radiator?

Thinking about having a new radiator installed?

This guide covers everything you need to know - including the different types you can get, new radiator prices, the cost to install a radiator in your home, and any additional costs you should expect to pay.

If you're ready to get a quote for your new radiators, we can also help connect you with local plumbers.

Ready? Let's get to it.

It should cost you anywhere between £95 and £850 to buy a new radiator and have it installed by a professional.

An experienced plumber or heating engineer will find replacing a radiator to be a fairly straightforward and easy task.

More specifically, it should cost between £95 and £300 to install a single panel radiator, £115 to £550 for a double panel radiator installation, £375 to £725 for a horizontal radiator, £375 to £750 for a vertical radiator, £260 to £850 for a column radiator, and approximately £111 to £750 for a heated towel radiator.

These costs exclude the cost of removing a radiator beforehand. We’ll cover removals later in this guide.

New Radiator Prices

New Radiator Prices You Should Expect to Pay

So, how much does a new radiator cost to buy?

If you purchased a new radiator directly from a retailer, this is how much you'd pay excluding radiator installation costs:

• Single Panel Radiator Cost: £20 to £150
• Double Panel Radiator Cost: £40 to £400
• Horizontal Radiator Cost: £300 to £575
• Vertical Radiator Cost: £300 to £600
• Column Radiator Cost: £185 to £700
• Heated Towel Radiator: £36 to £600

It's possible that heated towel radiators prices may exceed this price range, but we've found plenty of great options that are within this estimate.

What Are the Additional Costs of Installing a Radiator?

When you have a new radiator fitted, you may want or need to have some additional work done.

Here are just a few things you might want to budget for.

The cost of a new boiler installation will be between £500 and £3,000, a medium-sized room would cost around £500 to £700 to have plastered, while you'd need to budget about £16 per hour for any decorating around the house that you hire someone to do.

To have a water tank fitted will cost about £150 to £600 while a new thermostat cost will set you back around £150 to £280.

Something a little smaller is the installation of a TRT radiator valve. This would cost between £5 and £39 to have done.

How Much Does It Cost to Fit a Radiator?

Excluding the labour cost of removing an existing radiator, how much does it cost to have a radiator fitted in your home?

A heating engineer will likely charge you between £30 and £70 per hour to install a new radiator, with a day-rate of approximately £190 to £370. However, this will be significantly impacted by where you're located in the UK.

This means that an average-sized radiator should cost between £75 to £150 to have installed by a professional.

And here's the thing.

We wouldn't expect the cost to install a new radiator (regardless of which type you choose) to vary outside this range. The only exception are horizontal radiators, which don't usually take as long to install.

That said...

The labour cost of replacing radiators will cost you a bit extra.

How Long Does It Take to Install a New Radiator?

The bottom line is this:

It usually takes between 1 to 2 hours to install a new radiator in your home - regardless of whether it's small, medium, or large.

There's one exception to this:

While it can take up to a couple of hours to get a new horizontal radiator installed, it tends to be quicker to install than other radiator types that are available.

However, there are two factors that can significantly impact how long it takes to have a new radiator installed.

This includes:

• Whether you need to remove an old radiator.
• The state of the area that you're looking to install a new radiator.

Choosing a Radiator

In this section, we outline all the different types of radiators that you could choose between.

We tackle the characteristics of each radiator type, their pros and cons, and average radiator prices.

As we've already covered, the cost to install a radiator is not usually dependent on the type you choose. Instead, the average new radiator cost is dependent on the size of the radiator.

But what should it cost to install a radiator (on average)?

Radiator installation costs usually range between about £75 and £150. Horizontal radiators are usually the exception, as they are a little quicker to install.

However:

This might not be reflected in the labour cost you're quoted - as professionals often charge a flat rate for the first few hours of work they do.

Single Panel Radiator Cost

Single panel radiators are the most common type which are installed.

It's fitted onto a wall and faced outwards - heating up the room it's in.

A single panel radiator tends to cost around £20 to £150.

Pros:

• Cheapest type of radiator
• Popular and commonplace
• Well suited to smaller spaces and rooms

Cons:

• Doesn't emit as much heat as double panel radiators

Double Panel Radiator Cost

This type of radiator combines two panels which are lined up against one another to increase the heat output. These are more appropriate for larger rooms than single panel radiators.

It will likely cost you about £40 to £400 to purchase a double panel radiator.

Pros:

• Provides more heat than a single panel radiator
• Inexpensive type of radiator

Cons:

• More expensive than a single panel radiator

Horizontal Radiator Cost

As the name suggests, horizontal radiators have a long width and narrow height. They are usually installed in the coldest spot of a room. These tend to be relatively small-sized radiators.

Horizontal radiators cost between about £300 and £575.

Pros:

• Doesn't take up too much space
• Suitable to fill dead space in the room (like below windows)
• Quick and easy to install
• May be cheaper to install compared to other radiator types

Cons:

• Costs more than alternatives
• Not suited to a room with little wall space

Vertical Radiator Cost

With a tall height and narrow width, vertical radiators extend upwards along the wall - and are perceived by many to be a modern style choice. Vertical radiators don't need a boiler to function properly.

Verticial radiators cost between about £300 and £600.

Pros:

• Ideal for rooms with limited wall space
• May work well as a room centrepiece
• Can save space if the room is relatively small

Cons:

• Vertical radiators cannot be obscured very easily
• Quite expensive

Column Radiator Cost

Column radiators comprise two hollow tubes, are durable, and are often made of iron or steel. Heated water flows through the radiator’s columns in order to heat them up and the spaces between each column.

This then allows a column radiator to heat up the room. This type of radiator will generally cost between £185 and £700.

Pros:

• Durable
• Can save on your heating bill
• Aesthetically pleasing

Cons:

• Column radiators are quite expensive
• May take longer to heat up

Heated Towel Radiator Cost

Heated towel radiators or bathroom radiators are generally hung along the bathroom wall so, as their name infers, they can be used to hold towels. They are also often used to dry items of clothing.

A small bathroom will be heated well by a heated towel radiator. However, a larger bathroom may need something more. In that case, a secondary heat source may prove necessary.

A heated towel radiator usually costs around £36 to £600, making it one of the most inexpensive radiator types you could buy.

Pros:

• Generally inexpensive
• Can heat towels and clothing items
• A heated towel radiator can warm up a small space quite fast

Cons:

• May not be sufficient on its own to heat a larger bathroom

Type of Radiator Fuel

What are the various types of radiator fuel you can get?

How much do they cost? And what are the pros and cons of each?

Let's tackle these questions now.

Oil Filled Radiator Cost

Oil filled radiators are filled with oil which is heated by an electric heating element - creating a heat source.

The oil doesn’t evaporate and can be used indefinitely without the need to be refilled. An 1.2 kW heater fan or convector filled with oil will usually cost about £0.39 per hour to run.

A 1.5 kW radiator will cost about £0.49 per hour to run, while a system that is 2kW will cost approximately £0.66 per hour.

Pros:

• Allergen-free option
• Oil can stay heated for a prolonged time period
• Can heat large rooms well
• High level of energy efficiency

Cons:

• Surface of radiators fuelled by oil can become particularly hot
• More expensive option
• Oil-filled radiators can be large and bulky
• Can take a while to heat up

Gas Radiator Cost

Gas systems consist of a boiler that warms up water, which is then pumped into radiators around a property via the pipework.

But how much does it cost to run a gas radiator?

On average, it costs about £0.11 per kWh to run gas-fuelled radiators.

Pros:

• Not as expensive as other types of radiator fuel

Cons:

• Not as energy-efficient
• Not possible to heat different rooms separately with a gas heating system
• Gas fuelled radiators can take a while to heat up
• Radiators powered by gas can be quite noisy

Electric Radiator Cost

Electric radiators depend on an internal heating element and do not need pipework to provide heat.

The cost of running an electric radiator is roughly £0.66 per kWh.

Pros:

• Electric radiators are efficient
• Environmentally friendly
• Can come with multiple thermostats
• Produce minimal noise
• Can reduce electric radiator running costs with the control provided by electric radiators

Cons:

• Can be costly to run

Radiator Maintenance Cost

Here's an important question.

What are the ongoing radiator maintenance costs you should expect to pay?

In this section, we cover how much you'll need to budget for maintaining the different types of radiators you might have around your home.

Bleeding Radiator Cost

Bleeding a radiator involves letting air out of it. This is done because unreleased trapped air inside your radiator can prevent heat from properly circulating - which leads to cold spots that reduce the effectiveness of your radiator.

Bleeding radiators costs you somewhere in the range of £75 to £150. For a heated towel radiator, you should also check the boiler pressure.

Power Flush Cost

A power flush involves utilising a chemical solution to clean your radiator. This can remove debris and rust that could be hindering the function of your radiator and causing inefficiencies.

But how much does it cost to power flush central heating systems?

In 2023, the radiator flush cost will be around £350 to £450 for 6 radiators, £425 to £525 for 8 radiators, or £475 to £575 for 10 radiators.

The same product or one that is similar can be used to clean the track. Finally, hoover the track and re-attach the rollers to the door(s).

You may need to pay between £12 and £20 per hour for such a cleaning job - plus any supply costs.

Gas Appliance Inspection Cost

It’s good to get your gas appliances tested every year, and this includes if you have a gas-powered radiator.

Such inspections may spot leaks or other problems that need repairing before they become a major issue that costs more money to resolve. It can cost anywhere from £35 to £150 to have all of your gas appliances checked.

Cost of Cleaning Oil or Electric Radiators

To clean either an oil or electric radiator, you'll first need to turn off the radiator and allow it to completely cool down. A dry cloth can be used to remove any dust. You should not use any abrasive solvents or abrasive powder products. A vacuum cleaner may be used.

And how much would it cost to have this work done?

If you hired a professional cleaner to perform the work, they would typically charge £12 to £20 per hour.

Radiator Repair Costs

In this section, we cover the cost of radiator repairs - such as having a carbon monoxide leak resolved.

Cost to Replace a Radiator Valve

If a radiator valve has broken (or become worn beyond repair), you may need to have it replaced.

The bottom line?

It will probably cost around £100 to £140 between the labour and supply costs to have a valve replaced.

Carbon Monoxide Leak Repair Cost

Gas fuelled radiators are susceptible to possible carbon monoxide leaks. If you have a carbon monoxide leak, everyone in your home should leave immediately.

A carbon monoxide alarm will go off and will alert you that such a leak exists.

You should then contact the fire services. When it is safe for a heating engineer to arrive, they will find the source of the leak and repair it, for example, if it's from a radiator or the central heating system.

It could cost you about £70 to £100 to have a carbon monoxide leak repaired - although the cost may run into a total of several hundred pounds or more depending on the severity and scale of the problem.

Carbon monoxide leaks can be very dangerous and kill around 25 to 50 people in the UK each year.

Radiator Cold at Bottom or Top Repair

A radiator can develop cold spots near the top or bottom due to sludge, particles of limescale, or rust. A radiator should be bled out in order to fix this problem.

The radiator should be turned off, sheets placed beneath it and the valves turned off. Next, the bleed valve should be opened to drain the radiator.

The bleed valve should then be closed prior to removing the radiator in order to hose it down. These steps should then be completed in reverse.

To hire a professional to bleed a radiator, it will cost roughly £75 to £150.

Fix Broken Heat Pump

If you find that your heat pump is active but not circulating water and that the issue continues to come and go, you may need a heat pump replacement.

Simply tapping the pump may fix the issue. But if this doesn't work, you should hire a professional to take a look.

One approach they may take is to perform a hot flush of your heat pump to remove any blockages. This can be done using appropriate chemicals.

Alternatively, if they suspect that airlocks are present, these may be removed by very gently adjusting the pump’s bleed screw - opening it by a mere quarter of a rotation.

There is also the possibility, although unlikely, that the heat pump was installed incorrectly. In this case, the pumps position can be switched around.

However, before this action is taken, it’s important to ensure that the system is fully drained. Other possible problems that may be fixed are that the pump speed settings are incorrect or that the fuse has blown, failing to power the heat pump.

To get a heat pump replaced will likely cost between £200 and £250. As for any of the other work discussed, a plumber may charge anywhere from £20 to £50 per hour (plus any supply costs - such as chemicals if performing a hot flush).

How Much Does It Cost to Move a Radiator?

You may choose to have your radiator moved to another wall to free up space in a room, make house renovations, or add-in a different sized radiator (which might be more appropriate for the room size).

On average, the labour cost to move a radiator will be around £80 to £120.

How Much Does It Cost to Remove a Radiator?

Now:

Let’s consider the price involved in having a radiator removed.

You may choose to have a radiator removed to free up space in a room, so that you can install a new, modern radiator in its place - or because you feel that your house has more than enough radiators as it is!

To have a small radiator removed will cost about £70 to £90. The cost to remove a medium radiator will end up around £90 to £110, while a large radiator will cost between £110 and £130 to have removed.

You could dispose of an old radiator with a skip or through alternative waste disposal services such as a ‘Man and Van’ service as offered by companies like Clear A Bee.

FAQs

Q: What size radiator do I need?

A: The radiator size you require will depend on the desired heat output level. You can use a BTU calculator to figure this out.

Q: How does a radiator work?

A: Steam radiators use steam as heated by the boiler to give off heat through the radiator’s fins. This, in turn, heats up the room.

Q: Which radiator should I bleed first?

A: You should start with the radiators downstairs and, more specifically, with the radiator that is furthest from the boiler.

Q: Can you bleed a radiator when the heating is on?

A: No. It is dangerous to bleed a radiator with the heating still on. The radiator may be too hot to touch in this case.

Q: What is the most environmentally friendly type of radiator?

A: Arguably, electric radiators are the best option for the environment.

Sources

1. https://www.superwarm.co.uk/horizontal-radiators-vs-vertical-radiators-which-are-best/
2. https://www.onlyradiators.co.uk/blog/buying-guides/how-to-choose-a-radiator
3. https://www.theheatingboutique.co.uk/knowledge/pros-and-cons-of-a-vertical-radiator
4. https://www.bestheating.com/info/how-to-bleed-a-radiator/
5. https://www.help-link.co.uk/new-boilers-and-central-heating/power-flushing/
6. https://www.fireprotectiononline.co.uk/info/carbon-monoxide-leak/

Author: Derry B

I have a BA (Hons) in Media, which includes Marketing and PR, Media Theory, Photography and Film Production. I’m also a photographer specialising in Weddings, and I have five years experience in writing and social media management.