Silent heat, an even temperature through the room and minimal running cost when paired with a heat pump. New build or renovation. Uponor PEX pipe with a 10-year warranty.
What moves the price most is the floor work: on a slab already prepared it is clearly cheaper than a renovation that means lifting the existing floor, and a low-profile system, for cases with no height to spare, uses more expensive material. Continuous area counts too — the larger it is, the lower the cost per m². We carry out a site visit and give you a detailed quote free of charge, answered within 24 working hours.
Wet underfloor heating runs PEX pipe embedded in the screed, carrying water at 35-45ºC. The heat rises slowly from the floor and warms the air evenly — no noise, no cold spots, none of the dry air of radiators or air conditioning. European studies rate it the system with the highest perceived comfort.
In the Algarve its main job is comfort in winter and the shoulder seasons (Nov-Feb), the months when houses built for summer cool down fast. The low operating temperature makes underfloor heating the most efficient option in a well-insulated house — especially paired with a heat pump.
The price per m² changes a lot with the scenario. We look at the house, measure the area and give you the exact figure — site visit and quote free, no obligation.
On a prepared slab. Includes insulation, pipe, manifold and screed. Excludes the final floor finish and the heat source. The most economical scenario.
Means lifting the existing floor and rebuilding the base. More demolition and levelling work, and therefore more per m².
Thin systems (5-6 cm instead of 8-10 cm) where there is no height to spare. Premium material, higher cost per m².
Simpler and cheaper — we build the whole base in one go, with no demolition. Best integrated at the design stage.
Possible in any house. Means lifting the existing floor, and you lose about 8 cm of height. Where ceiling height is tight, a low-profile system solves it.
Workable but needs care: minimum ceiling height, owners association approval (structural) and coordination with the neighbours below.
Quintas and traditional houses — often the ideal system. It keeps vaulted ceilings and exposed beams clear of radiators that spoil the look.
Underfloor heating needs a heat source for the water — it is not a source itself. The three usual options:
We will tell you which heat source fits your house, your insulation and how you use it — as part of the free site visit.
Request a free quote →Underfloor heating in a renovation is the most disruptive job there is — we are not going to pretend otherwise. But there are practices that keep it manageable:
Almost all of them:
On a renovation, allow 2 to 3 weeks in total, including screed drying time.
Measurements, assessment of the existing floor and structure, and setting out the heating zones. 1-2 hours.
Room-by-room pipe layout, thermal sizing, choice of manifold and heat source. 7-10 days.
Lifting the existing floor, levelling the base, chasing out for the feed pipes. 3-4 days.
Insulation, PE film, Uponor PEX pipe, fixings, pressurisation. 2-3 days for a three-bedroom villa.
Self-levelling screed over the pipe, then a minimum 7 days of drying before loading it.
Connection to the manifold and heat source, thermostat programming. A walkthrough for you, plus documentation.
The price per m² depends mostly on the state of the floor: on a slab already prepared in a new build it comes in well below a renovation that means lifting the existing floor, and a low-profile system, for cases with no height to spare, uses more expensive material. Total area counts too — the larger the continuous area, the lower the cost per m². So we quote case by case: free site visit and detailed quote, answered within 24 working hours. The quote covers insulation, Uponor PEX pipe, manifolds, conduit and labour, and excludes the final floor finish and the heat source.
Yes, it is one of the most requested renovation jobs in the Algarve. It means lifting the existing floor, laying insulation and pipe, screeding over the top and relaying the floor. You lose about 8 cm of height (5-6 cm with some thinner systems). Where height is tight, low-profile systems are more expensive but workable.
Yes — it is in fact the ideal pairing. Underfloor heating runs at low temperature (35-45ºC) and a heat pump is at its most efficient in exactly that range. Heat pump plus underfloor heating gives the lowest running cost on the market for a house in the Algarve.
On a renovation, allow 2 to 3 weeks: 3-4 days to lift the floor and prepare the base; 2-3 days to lay insulation and pipe; 1 day of screeding; 5-7 days for the screed to dry; then the final floor finish (which may be another contractor). A new build is faster — about a week for pipe and screed.
Almost all of them work — ceramic and porcelain are the best (they conduct heat very well), natural stone too. Floating engineered wood and LVT vinyl are also compatible provided they are certified for underfloor heating. Thick solid wood is not recommended.
It is worth it if you want real comfort in winter and the shoulder seasons. Algarve houses are built for summer and cool down fast — underfloor heating removes the cold-floor feeling through the damp months (Nov-Feb). Paired with a heat pump, it is the cheapest heating system to run in a well-insulated house.
iStarTec warranty: 1 year on installation workmanship and 2 years on materials. Manufacturers add to that: Uponor PEX pipe 10 years, manifolds and valves 2-5 years depending on the component. You get everything in writing, including where each circuit runs — essential for any future work.
Underfloor heating across the Algarve. For a full renovation we travel to any municipality.
Free site visit and quote. Answered within 24 working hours.