The REAL COST of HEATED FLOORS - Are They WORTH IT???

[@SuperAfranks]

A license to set tile? Wtf?

[@SuperAfranks]

@@TileCoachI guess that explains why there's so many homeless people in California. My grandpa used to say he could make a living with a spoon. He would need a license now to bend it into a ring. Thanks for your response.

[@acyuma6555]

Isaac Ostrom Az too , i think most states require a license after a certain dollar amount

[@SuperAfranks]

I'm not sure what to say. I was an apprentice in a lot of trades. But the amount of hours required working as a slave to take a test is done on purpose. I'm grateful for the knowledge, but if a person can do things themselves and pass inspection, screw all that BS. This is exactly why things cost so much. Government sucks the wind from everyone's sails.

[@bokangleach]

@@SuperAfranks "Government [is bad]." NO. In this case, the government is there to make the incompetent and unscrupulous think twice before scamming innocent dupes (not you of course), something the "free market" cannot compensate for.

[@adamrichins1908]

@@SuperAfranks I think any licensing should be based on a knowledge/skill demonstration and that required hours should be eliminated.

[@aaronvallejo8220]

Best heat ever! After I super insulated my attic and under my floor I installed a warm electric heated floor and it is awesome. Especially since it is powered by renewably powered electricity from my roof top solar PV system.

[@Suzyston]

AARON! please text me! We have the solar panels but we haven't figured out the whole where to store the batteries...we simply have questions... were almost finished painting and we need to get a move on the floors. Ordering and getting what we need, so we can start already!!! Thank you. Om at 720 828 1202

[@aaronvallejo8220]

@@Suzyston My SunPower solar PV system is grid connected. So I export electricity seamlessly during sunny days and at night my house imports electricity from the grid. I have a light switch on my thermal mass electric floor heating slab. It is then plugged into the wall socket. When switched off the floor emits even, constant and silent heat for 8 hours before needing more electricity. My 3' x 9' unit cost around $1,000 in materials. On the hardwood floor I laid down an R6 layer of tinfoil foam board, then 2 layers of concrete board, then a 3" perimeter layer. Inside I rolled out the electric heating serpentining $300 mat. With a stapler I made it flat as possible and filled it will grout. I then placed another layer of concrete board and then tiled it completely. I recommend we focus on high insulation in all perimeter walls, floor and attic. New windows are nice but not really necessary. Thin flim plastic works really well. R35 floors are necessary along with R100 attics. You will feel an immediate increase in comfort. I dug out the crawlspace under the whole house over two winters. By allowing 2 feet of wiggle room I installed R29 batts of recycled glass up between the 10 inch floor joists. They fit perfectly. But to hold them up I plated the underside with 1" R6 tinfoil foam insulation using 2" screws and large washers. I then can spray foamed the seams, cut even and sealed everything with the aluminum tape forming an R35 plate of insulation under the whole footprint under the house. For solar PV and batteries, I say start small and add batteries and solar panels as needed in off grid applications. One 100 watt solar PV panel in cloudy northwest winter will give you 3 hours of LED 8 watt light. 600 watts of solar PV will power tools. But anything with heat...no go. Your inverter will beep beep immediately. Perhaps with an electric vehicle and off grid large batteries we can have off grid electric heated floors too. I think for off grid heat one needs high insulation then wood heat, liquid heated floor plus electric heating...with a growing solar PV rack. So after the batteries are full the extra electricity is directly into heat in the floor. Hope this helped.

[@jkling1717]

Nice video. We installed our own heated floor, before the tile work. Just a small area in front of the vanity and toilet. About 15 Sq Ft to keep the feet warm and heat a small bathroom. $500 or so material cost. I did it myself - a few hours each day for 2 days. Materials: Thermosoft mat, Honeywell GFI Thermostat, 20 amp dedicated circuit (bathroom is very close to the main panel), Sensor and backup sensor, staple gun, and Self-Leveling Cement (to protect the mat/wires). Process: - Quick coating of any waterproof membrane on subfloor (for SLC to adhere) - seal gaps where slc would run using spray foam, etc - Staple mat down - Install thermostat, circuit, and sensor (1 primary , 1 backup - backup is not connected to thermostat - just leave wires there in case first sensor fails). - Protect mat & wires with thin layer of SLC Note: SLC is optional but Very Smart. Otherwise, the tile guy can nick/cut the heating wires or sensor wires. That would be BAD. Spend a few bucks and protect it with SLC - and the floor will be fast, easy, flat and level = perfect lippage.

[@joellenbroetzmann9053]

I did it in Northern Wisconsin in the kitchen where I spend a lot of time, and in the bathrooms. It makes it much easier to feel comfortable in a place with no basement. With a basenent, your furnace in the basement and heat runs below the first floor keep it warm. Because we have at least a half month of well below zero temps, I knew as we age the comfort will make it worth the expense. If I didn't have the money to do the kitchen, I woukd still try to do the baths.

[@frankwhite6213]

Hey there. Also in Wisconsin, just bought first home. Can you point me in a direction to a distributor?

[@cornpop7805]

Thank you for the breakdown. I'm also glad to see people chime in with additional thoughts and even some corrections. That's what makes KZbin so valuable. Some brave soul starts the conversation and some other people further the discussion. I'm going to chime in too: the cost is exactly as you said "running hours", time when the thermostat calls for heat, not time when the system is enabled. Insulation below the slab (assuming you're installing on a slab) can vary from none at all to R30 and all points in between. Mainly this, but also the overall efficiency of the home, will vary the run time and the subsequent operating costs. That being so variable, I'm glad you presented it as running hours because anything else would be a hazardous guess. Great job! One slight correction: the electrician would run 12/2 for either area. There is no neutral needed for a 20A 2 pole circuit, unless the system uses a 120v control circuit or motor, as in the case of an electric range or clothes dryer, respectively.

[@wesleyticket2642]

Great video! A few years ago I did a heated tile floor in my washroom; its awesome. Decided to not heat my kitchen floor and I regret it. Its not feasable to tear up the tiles just to put back heated floor now. Live and Learn

[@paulortiz8063]

I have forced hot air heat in my condo currently. But I will soon be installing my primary heat system with electric flooring mats or cables. As a retired person what better use of my money than to make myself comfortable in my own home? (Yes, I donate money to worthy causes, too!) But the issue for me is the noise from the furnace cycling on and off. It drives me bananas!!! And it blows dust everywhere. Yes, I know there are 2 cycle furnaces but then there is still the dust issue! Even with the best filters I can find, which are about $30 a piece, dust, dust, dust. So electric heating seems ideal. Now if I can figure out the a/c issues I'll really be a Very happy person! 🤗

[@breid2323]

can the electric. chilled water in a hydronic system. raz

[@jonesconrad1]

I did my kitchen floor, insulation, heating matt, latex then tile. I found even without heating on it was much warmer than before because of the insulation, you can really notice the difference as the next room hasn't been done yet and it's freezing I tested it with the kitchen floor heating off for two weeks, walking between the two was massively different.

[@norrisonian]

I'm a newbie attempting to do my bathroom floor. Can you tell me more about the layers please? Thank you!

[@CulichorHimself]

Hmm.. the insulation alone would definible make a difference good to know my kitchen floor is a mother foker cold stone anytime of the year

[@keanukinney5733]

What would you say is the temp difference is between the rooms?

[@lightspeedguru]

For operational costs, we must first figure out how many kw will be required and that requires a heat loss calculation for the space. You can actually use the R-rating of the walls, ceilings and floors, together with U-values for any windows, and figure out the heat that will be lost (and thus needs to be replaced) in BTU per hour per square foot. For easy math, let's consider standard values for new home construction that result in a value of 15 BTU/hr/sqft of heat loss. Convert this to kw and you'll need to spend about 0.0045kw/h for every square foot of tile. Since the system is capable of providing about 3x that, your thermostat will need cycle on and off in order to maintain a constant temperature. In short, while the system is rated to provide a maximum of 12.7W/sqft, it's not likely that you'll need that all the time, so the operational costs may, in fact, be quite lower. I estimate it to be about 1/3rd of the cost calculated in the video but I'd love to hear from anyone who has real-world numbers to share.

[@tlee9484]

I wonder if running it on solar is completely out of question, because if it is, that will be the law , in California.. 😂

[@Grouperhound]

I just did 64sqft including the shower( something they don’t recommend with the same wire), and my numbers are similar. If you are doing a new build or a significant remodel there might be some efficiencies on the electrical costs. The electrician also needs to know the product and have a megaohm meter to check the wire at each step of installation. Not cheap, my Fluke was $600. My only struggle is the membrane and the memory effect in the roll, it wants to lift near the edges, otherwise I also think it’s a great product. I only time it for 3 hrs in morning and 3 hrs at night, and only during the cooler months. It has spoiled my girlfriend, I don ‘t think she would allow me NOT to use it on the next remodel. Keep up the great vids Isaac. 👍

[@alexpartridge1989]

In Canada electricity is insane. But if I were building a new home or advising a client I would 100% go with heated floors via hot water system for entire home along with walls and ceiling spray foam. So efficient and really the cost difference these days is fairly small.

[@luvdady]

Till you get a leak . Like vampire taps on a ice maker

[@davidkilpatrick3689]

Nuheat system!!41 btu's.Customers love it here in cold Pa.

[@JPS_Originals]

You get quite a lot of apartments here in the Netherlands which are now being built with heated floors being the only source of heating in the house. Combined with high energy efficiency e.g. double glazing etc, it makes for a very cozy economical home.

[@monicaduby1362]

What is “double glazing”?

[@vecamiolo]

@@monicaduby1362 common windows with insulated glass.

[@politicalpartyagnostic268]

Thank you for your valuable insights. So good of you to share!! You are a great coach!!! Also, if your wife is happy with this form of home heating I am going to follow suit 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻 Again THANK YOU!!!

[@canadapainter658]

the guy is right....I spent 10yrs in S.Korea and there floor heat is part of Korea...and it truly well living...it is worth to spend the money on it...Koreans use hotwater though vs. wires...

[@ThePalmiterfamily1]

We are in upstate New york. I pay 13 cents per kilowatt. We have a living room dining room and hallway ditra heat under vinyl tile planks. Over 700 sq ft. Using 240... it's only using 3 KW hours per day and it runs 24/7. (Vinyl flooring does not hold the heat.) Ceramic Tile floor is much warmer and a better suited as we have that installed in our kitchen... But the material and labor savings using the vinyl tile over ceramic tile... it's so cheap to run.. we're glad we used vinyl tile... Last thing I would recommend you use the company Warmly Yours. You get a much more even heat distribution but it's much more labor intensive to install... We have both systems in our house..

[@allegory7638]

I have a heated floor in my shower. It gets heated by the hot water falling to the floor. Simple, cost effective, always works...

[@richardramsbottom871]

First off, love the videos, always very helpful. Just a little math point, 2 x 290 for the larger membrane is 580 rather than the 480 that you've put :)

[@Mueneeez]

Saw that too...lol

[@cfomusic73]

Me too. But all good we still love your videos! But I won't be asking you for financial advise! Lol. Have a great holiday everyone

[@ianh7133]

Have to use both your ears, in the beginning he did say that as you purchases larger systems it becomes more cost effective. Therefore 480 is more cost effective than 580 as it should be ;)

[@cavemanconstruction116]

Saw that too. I know laticrete sells strata mat in 2 sizes 150sqft and 323 sqft or something like that and the bigger roll is cheaper. I suppose schleuter has something similas

[@jasegudat9590]

I'm am electrical contractor and I'd say the detra heat membrane is great but the cable/thermostat price is crazy. For around 75 sq.ft. I pay around $120 for the cable and $110 for a programmable digital thermostat. So $230 Canadian. So $175 usd.

[@jonathankr]

but the cost of our hydro is more expensive...so he's probably right. as of 2020: Off-peak10.1 ¢/kWh. Mid-peak14.4 ¢/kWh. On-peak20.8 ¢/kWh.

[@lessilies2048]

Isaac, thank you for your thorough presentation. I am planning to remodel our basement entertainment room. The original room design included a thermostatically controlled gas fireplace which is at the end of its recommended life. We also have forced air gas heating being pushed down from the ceiling. While the ambiance of the fireplace was nice the space it occupied was awkward. A heated floor system most likely will be cheaper to install, operate and leave more living space.

[@michaelsj8084]

I'm in Northern California as well. Tonight felt like the first cold night!! great video as always.

[@politicalpartyagnostic268]

Me too. It is soooo cold!!! Brrrrrr!!!!

[@bermudezeg]

I’m laughing right now those aren’t even cold temps

[@michaelsj8084]

Eduardo Bermudez I don’t know if you’re being rude or not lol. But I’m from California so 30 degrees is cold for me.

[@davem3789]

Did two myself so my cost is nowhere near this. Ditra heat membrane is a little over $3/ft2 at HD. I have used Danfoss cable and it fits perfectly in the Ditra membrane about $2/ft2 at SupplyHouse. Use a Honeywell floor heat Tstat for about $110. In a shower need to use Kerdi so that adds a little. Did them both in my house so no need for an electrician. In a master shower I would highly recommend. Nice to walk onto a warm floor first thing in the morning!

[@madcowusa4277]

Guess I'm old school. I put in a 2000W 240V $100 Cadet wall heater and 4 pole thermostat into a 96 sq. ft. bathroom (overkill). Placed it such that it blows toasty warm air towards the towel rack and sink. I turn in on, hop in the shower, and it's like a sauna when I get out while having turned itself off already. Runs mere minutes/day.

[@christinearmington]

madcow usa Bingo!

[@charlesbullis6241]

Thanks Isaac. This is extremely valuable.

[@jbtulsarn2706]

My cousin who does tile applications and wood floors ONLY uses Schluter Systems under his tile work!! He says they are the best and he’s tried them all. Best for floor underlayment and for shower buildout. Having the cable inside the channels also protects the cables from damage which laying it on top of underlayment does not. Schluter looked much more substantial than the other channeled brand he showed. I have found after enduring the building of a house and doing 3 different house remodels cheaper is NEVER better. You get what you pay for. Like Mike Holmes says “do it right the first time”.

[@michaelmcclellan571]

Well Done Coach. One Thing that needs to be considered, especially in Warm Climates is the Fact that You'll be warming the Floor and the Room And at the same Time Cooling the Airspace, with Your Air Conditioner, which would tend to Add to Your Energy Cost. Not that I wouldn't be Giving a Thumbs Down to Ditra Heat being installed in the Bathroom and Even the Master Bedroom But I think it needs to be Said...

[@grizzly8859]

I go to my local electrical supplier. There i get the same thermostats as Schluter minus the little logo in the corner, I get the same ditra heat mat but it comes blue not Orange and a custom made cable to length within a day or two tops! All for about half the price of Schluter. Pure extra profit! Same if not better warranty if that even means anything.

[@paulortiz8063]

So I can custom size the wiring for a room that way? Do I need an extra thermostat if I want 250sq feet, or 280 sq feet of heated flooring? Can I heat walls instead of floors this way? Any idea of how long this system should/can be operational before it needs to be replaced? Does it make sense to heat room perimeters ( perhaps from the walls out to 5 or 6 feet, as opposed to heating the entire floor, or a large centered section of the floor? ( living alone I have some trouble with the idea of heating my entire residence. If there was a family living here then heating the house would make more sense to me. If heating a bedroom can you give a rough idea of how long it would/might take to heat a bedroom from 50 degrees to 75 degrees, with 225 sq feet? Would I turn the heat off all day and only turn it on for a few hours before retiring and/or rising in the morning? Or leave it on all day due to the length of time to get the room to tempeture? Thanks in advance for any additional info you can provide!

[@grizzly8859]

@@paulortiz8063 - yes from A supplier like mine they would custom make the wire to the size of the room. You only need one thermostat per room that would be installed with heated floor. A master bedroom would have its own thermostat and the ensuite bathroom would have to have its own thermostat . Both rooms would have to be wired separately for the floors. It would not make sense to only heat the perimeter of a room or the centre. Do the whole room or don't do it at all. You can program the thermostat to keep a consistent heat all or to only heat at certain times a day. Can be set to just warm the floor so it feels good on your feet or warm enough to heat the room and be completely comfortable. You can enter informations like the cost of per kilowatt-hour and the thermostat will tell you the cost per day to run. Very efficient The system would last forever, only thing that would burn out is the thermostat sensor. Two should be installed when installing heating cable. Schluter only provides one in there kits my supplier provides to. I yet to hear of a sensor failing.

[@ralex3228]

Thank-you so much for understanding the idea of material cost and installation and heat usage. Thank-you!

[@ouchman4212]

Thank you for the analysis. Some of the numbers are a little off. For membrane, $290 + $290 = $580, not $490 for the 225 sq ft.

[@alexpottratz3028]

why would he use exactly double for more than 3 times the area? bulk pricing

[@vancouver4sure]

Did Nu Heat throughout. Benefits: ditched central heating and gas, gained space used for ducting we no longer needed, heat is passive so doesn't dry out the air, cause your feet are warm thermostat can be lower, and biggest benefit was our energy bill without gas was 40% lower. Even changed to electric hot water on demand which also dropped our electric bill another 30% - no hot water tank.

[@jimthompson1777]

I’m planning on a remodel I’ll put in floor heat in the bath just for comfort

[@pbgd3]

One thing in the wattage calcs. Since the cable is sold in specific lengths it doesn't specifically vary by sq footage but in steps and it depends if you're installing for heat or warmed tile in terms of cable density per SQ foot/wattage a sq foot. My install in a home with hydronic towel rack and warmed tile at shower and vanity on a programmed schedule consumes very little compared to the same bathroom using the floor as the heater.

[@silverscout2643]

It's like $700 kit for 60 square foot, wire, membrane and thermo

[@mikekouros4703]

This is a well thought out video. You did plenty of research. Thank you. You have 2 math mistakes which you might want to put a bubble on when they appear. The membrane is $290 for one, or $580 for 2 (not $480). Also, you have a small mistake at the cost per day: .11 x 8 = .88 (not .89). I'm not a math teacher, and I don't care about these mistakes, but if you might want to correct it. Again, thank you very much for the video!! I have electric heat in my bath. It's wonderful.

[@bobbronder1989]

Thank you Isaac. Planning on having a master shower added to our 2nd floor bedroom. I don't believe adding a forced air vent is a viable option. Your video gives me some ballpark $ for planning and what company for the heating system.

[@doncruzen6246]

I'm in so. Cal, but I grew up in that area. My daughter lives in Rocklin. Great informative video.

[@jonathanburnette3373]

Great video! Best explanation I’ve seen so far.

[@gustavotirado8933]

Thanks for your dedication in coaching others and providing such great information. I’m going for my certification next month! 💪🏽 let’s keep the trade going!!!

[@dwjonz]

Gustavo Tirado I’m in the HVAC trade and have much respect for your trade. I don’t think there’s going to be a drop off of need for good tile installers unless there’s another major recession. I wish I had heated the whole floor in my master bathroom and not just where we stand at each sink.

[@bakecorn]

Great sharing. So much details about the hearing floor.

[@patjohn775]

Just did this in the Midwest. Way less expensive than California. Also I bet my electricity is a lot cheaper to run too.

[@yankkesrule]

Pat John great

[@TheKSProduction]

Are these systems enough to hear the whole house? Or do you still need your central heating system?

[@shadespicturehangingsystem1015]

Hi Isaac, Amazing work once again! Truly enjoy your videos. One thing to consider when determining kw costs are "tier" pricing. Your costs of .11 cents per kw is based on the lowest tier which unfortunately will not be what you actually pay (unless you are ONLY using the bathroom heating as a source of your house's entire energy use). In central California the tier price easily hits .32 per kw. I don't know if the US average that you used has tier pricing. I suppose it depends on the provider.

[@bretburt7317]

First off - great video. The best I've seen on this subject. Also a great reply to Super Afranks on the Contractors license requirements in CA. As a GC I've looked into this quite a bit for my Clients. One thing to note is that slab on grade electric floor heating is VERY inefficient. This is even more so in California (I live here also) because there is no insulation under the slab like is used (or should be) in colder areas of the country. Since the slab is directly on the ground, by some estimates, the slab soaks up up to 70% of the heat generated by the cables. Basically you are heating the ground under your house - which is virtually impossible. Yes, it feels great on your feet. Yes, you will heat the air in that room to an extent. But the cost to heat the air is MUCH more than the cost to use your HVAC unit with natural gas (which is used almost exclusively in my area). As an example, my entire house gas bill goes up about $40-$50 a month in the winter (southern California). Compare that to the cost for the 225 SF in your example. I'm not saying that it is not worth it. I'm just saying that the savings on heating the overall house (or even in these individual rooms) is minuscule. The way to go for in floor radiant heating is definitely not electric like others have noted in the comments. The possible exception might be if you have the $$ to invest in a solar system that is sized for this kind of heating - which would be quite large for a 1500+ SF house.

[@bretburt7317]

@@TileCoach Hi Isaac. About 10-12 years ago I had Clients who wanted heated floors in their master bathroom. It was before Ditra Heat or at least before I had heard about it. I talked to the local Rep for the system I was looking at. I don't remember the name of the product. The Rep said that going over an uninsulated slab was so inefficient that he recommended a particular insulated panel with a built-in radiant barrier. It was 7/8" thick before the thinset to adhere it and before the thinset to float over the wires. The added height was around 1 1/4" before tile. The Clients didn't want to have that much of a step into their bathroom so they decided against doing any heated floors at all. At least the Rep was honest enough to let me know instead of just trying to sell his product.

[@derekmayfield2941]

That was an awsome video for doe of us that also install tile. Very informative! Thanks

[@hereticxxx9317]

Laticrete wire is not rated to go vertical, ditra wire is. Helps to know if your running a bench and floor in a shower.

[@justinofboulder]

Thanks for the video! Warm wire (and heat matrix mat) is what I use the most, and install 10-15 systems per year. Last year I installed a couple of 400-500 sf systems, and had to split them in to several zones (and supply a relay). Two years ago we installed a warm wire in a Master bathroom and the client had us install it everywhere (as in the entire floor, tub deck, curb, shower pan floor, bench and walls of the shower....she didn't want to touch cold tile anywhere). Also, the electrician always does the hooking up on our projects and I always install an additional temperature sensor (as a back up). May I ask what type of licence one has for tile installation in your area? Here in Colorado there aren't any credential requirements, though most guys will carry a liability policy. Also, some of the cities require a shower pan "flood test", but most of the counties don't...so not a lot of oversight.

[@justinofboulder]

One other (unrelated) thought on heated floors, I have often had clients want me to install an "off the shelf" heat mat from Home Depot in the center of the room, as the often assume that it will be adequate to heat the entire floor. I always talk them in to custom or not at all, as I have heard too many complaints from clients having "cold spots" in floors that were installed with out full coverage..

[@justinofboulder]

@@TileCoach Thanks for the reply!

[@overtheclouds9]

I just looked we’re at .0685 cents per kWh in Portland. We export a lot of power to Cali so it makes sense. It’s cheaper yet if you live in the gorge and switch to wind energy.

[@SteveGraves1960]

What a great resource, thank you very much for taking the time.

[@no-eb2xx]

100 meters of cable for 20 $ online, when cut to 5m at 330ohm can produce overall 1750W at 240V, I think if good. These prices are ridiculous. Simple thermostats cost 14$.

[@caelenow2829]

Cold is 5 degrees in an uninsulated basement bathroom. This is needed for sure

[@djmaroney]

Lived in Roseville, best town in California!

[@mindciller]

Roseville is not. There's a lot of nice coastal towns or quaint places all around ca that make Roseville look like north highlands

[@jeepxj]

Yes. mine pull 1kw when on. worth every penny to run. my god yes.

[@charisma-hornum-fries]

The previous owners of my apartment installed floor heating in the bathroom. It’s insanely expensive to use and I’ve only used it a couple of times at wintertime. I’m sure it’s great in a house but it’s just unnecessary in an apartment building situation in the capital of Denmark.

[@yaxifromeast1989]

Hej, jeg live in Sweden, Totally agree with you

[@michaeltreen8785]

You missed the math on 2 rolls. 590, 4287 total, 19.05 per sq ft. You’re still awesome

[@michaeltreen8785]

Closest I’ll ever get to nasa is fixing their toilets 😆

[@chiefyota1]

My gf has cost prices .bought heated floor kit for 25 foot sq for 250$ and i did it myself .plugged 1 extra sensor to be safe and did the job better than 80% contractors cause i took my time . yes its worth it !!!!

[@Marylmac]

Thanks. Good idea on costs. Am in the middle of a bathroom make over from a goat pen, so this is interesting.

[@canavarRo69]

Based on these calculations of use the monthly cost for a 1800sq ft house would be somewhere around $650+ 😮 I hope i suck at math and didn’t add it correctly

[@JB-yq9bn]

Electric resistant heat is also the most efficient with power with the exception of heat pumps

[@Natedoc808]

Also of note, CA is brutal with their “tiered pricing” of electricity so a kWh isn’t a constant cost, and this type of setup using electric resistive heating can easily put you up into the next tier if you have the thermostat programmed to heat that bathroom floor every morning

[@lightspeedguru]

I loved the video! I'm a bit of a data nerd in addition to being fascinated by building techniques so this really appealed to me. Not to get too nerdy but I would suggest separating the costs between 'costs per square foot' vs. 'fixed costs' vs. 'variable costs'. The one big question mark that seems to be throwing off all the numbers is the electrical, so I would remove it from the equation and quote the job per square foot, plus electrical (whatever that turned out to be). Work out your 'per square foot' costs for cable, membrane, and tile labour. These costs should be the same whether it's a small room or a large room if you keep extra materials for future jobs and don't throw away the rest of the roll/package/etc. So, if a 135 sqft roll of membrane costs $290 then it's $2.15 per sqft. Doing this makes it much easier to estimate a job. When you're able to purchase larger rolls of cable because you're doing more jobs, this cost will go down. Then, you have your fixed cost... the thermostat. This is tiered since you need one for every 225 sqft. And finally, you have your electrical which is a big unknown, so add it as a an additional cost and give a wide range estimate. This allows you to quickly size up a room and provide a ball park estimate to a home owner because you know your cost per square foot plus the thermostat for every 225 sqft and then quote electrical as an extra, dependant upon inspection and give a range. I found the operational cost estimate very interesting! That was not something that I have ever seen broken down before so thanks for that. :-)

[@ralex3228]

I think the presenter did very well. Pricing a job size is more easier to understand vs. by sq. ft. Also keep in mind that there aren't a lot of options for cable size-so by room size is the best approach

[@randalweaver2321]

Excellent video. I'm new to this product and concept. Very informative!

[@Spatzenterror]

Really love to watch your videos. always inspiring to get your from-the-other-side-of-the-ocean view. but after all i am shure that kerdi schlüter is your main sponsor... :)

[@thetiger117]

I just want to say when I heard low of 40s is considered very cold, I scoffed in Pennsylvania disgust. Low key jealous though

[@BobBlarneystone]

Heated floors are wonderful. What about a hydronic heated floor? My boiler (in Michigan) has a second set of coils that were meant to heat the driveway, but if I add on, they'll go to heat the slab of the addition.

[@primproper1955]

Can you put heated floors on concrete? Do it suck up the heat?

[@BarniRepairs]

Don`t imagine your subfloor is going to be warm to the touch if you install subfloor heating. It will be slightly warm, for a short period(couple of hours) when it`s running. It will also not be uniformly warm everywhere. The main advantage is that it is cheaper to heat your home (large thermal mass and all that good stuff). If your floor is warm all winter to the point it`s warmer than your body temperature, you probably need to insulate your home.

[@EasyToDIY]

very good.

[@jackalay23]

Worth is subjective to the individual. In floor electric resistance heating is expensive to purchase and operate and is NOT meant to serve as space heating (the air). It is a luxury, and as such price and cost of operation should not be the primary factors influencing purchase. The cost of the the Ditra-Heat wire alone is high enough to make most most people take the aforementioned $10 slippers route. Hydronic is typically integrated into a building's design and can be very efficient at space heating or cooling. Opinions will vary but in the U.S new construction hydronic is not cheap and certainly not easily retrofitted during a remodel. Subsequently hydronic is a topic for another conversation. The two systems Isaac highlights are well thought out and are a legitimate DIY option. If you have the gumption to tackle a DIY tile job I do not think installing heat adds additional difficulty, just additional steps. I prefer Schluter Ditra because it is what I have experience with and it seems to have more supplier support in my area (and it's orange). Installation is fast and easy. The uncoupling these products provide allow it to be adhered directly to your subfloor. NO heavy cement board required! These systems allow you to install heat in the shower as well (with specified waterproofing membrane). Good luck! Just remember most projects take twice as long and cost twice as much as you think. Good job Isaac!

[@paulortiz8063]

Why would one heat the shower floor? Doesn't the hot, shower water do it faster, warmer and with fewer problems? The other flooring in the bathroom I can understand but to heat the shower floor I dont get at all. Please explain. Thanks!

[@emptybinbag]

You wouldn,t get away with those prices in the UK. Quarter that price you have and you may get the job.

[@emptybinbag]

Thanks for your reply Isaac. I enjoy all your videos on tiling etc. I am a tile installer in the UK and our British Standards are quite high . So I can understand a lot of your problems that you show. Yes there is a difference in currency . 1USD = 0.765 GBP. Keep up the good work .

[@GManKeepsltReal]

Can you install wood floors over thus?

[@JasonBedient]

super helpful. thanks man! NorCal!

[@dinokadunic5002]

Buying a house with a heated floor.. And the piles in the house we want to change.. But is there a possibility that we can put piles on piles without demolishing the old piles without loosing the heating?

[@adubbelde1]

I've put in floor in my last 2 bathrooms. The first I used NuHeat. I used DitraHeat in my current one. I did all the electrical as well as the tile work. Absolutely love it/. I have in floor in my basement as well. It's PEX in the slab. Have the bathroom on a separate zone. If I could have done Hot water on the main floor, I would have. But due to the. nature of construction of our house, it would have added $20,000. It just wasn't in the budget.

[@clint3099]

If doing it again, which would you recommend, NuHeat, Ditra, or something else such as Suntouch Warm Wire? TIA.

[@adubbelde1]

@@clint3099 I like the Ditra Heat. You get the advantage of Ditra, an uncoupling membrane, along with heat. I'm very pleased. We just installed it in my Sister's house as well.

[@janineschoellhorn9891]

What would you think about using this as the only heat source in an alaska cabin? 20*20?

[@thatguy8005]

I’ve had heated floors for 10 years now…. Wouldn’t want tile floors on a concrete slab without it north of Florida.

[@thomaspleitgen9222]

Thank you for the information. Looking at installing heated floor for my kitchen remodel. Which system is better: Strata or Schluter?

[@philindeblanc]

I dont know WHAT THIS GUY is talking about!!!??(If you are already wired to have a 120v source)...This maybe the WORST case situation...maybe. Great INFO REGARDLESS :-) For my 80 sqft bathroom, I purchased a couple rolls for about $225 plus the $70 programmable thermstat...And when I was ready to have the floor done, my tile guy just put it down on the morter mix before he installed the tiles. The only thing it cost me was him/the tile guy giving me a bit of a grunt at how it goes in at first to instal, but once he rolled it out and saw how simple it is, and at $5 a sq ft of tile install, he was perfectly happy.

[@wendyw.554]

So helpful!! Thanks

[@jdj3042]

Love it I install lots of this in Canada an like to use the Newheat cable an thermostat

[@dailodai9586]

your the tile expert, how can labor for tile only be $500? i am a GC and my tile guy charges me that amount per day and a typical 80sft takes 2-3 days and runs me in the range of 100-1500. am i getting over charged? idk $500 seems low. maybe you can help me understand. thx

[@kratunkov]

Another great video! You are great man!

[@pctatc66]

membrane 290 x 2 = 580 not 480. but im sure someone else commented on that alreeady

[@susanpascal4973]

I was going to say if your feet are warm the rest of you stays pretty warm there for you can lower the main thermostat

[@dluuc]

Great video. But you forgot to tell about one detail. Once upon a time, I installed a porcelain floor that absolutely did not let heat through. it was a disaster for the project.

[@marcopoulin1897]

I dont belive that the wire is cut somewhere you can put 3/4 thick cement plus the tile its work

[@dluuc]

@@marcopoulin1897 I was able to check mortar (thinset) temperature same day, then next morning a tile still cold. Look I'm not a newbie. I talking about- just be advised,,

[@roberthall843]

Excuse me sir, I saw another video of yours, that said that you like to put wire clamps on the ground wire. When you're putting in the digital board. Board. You said the braided wire does not go well with a wire nut. Can you tell me what problems you came into because of using a wire nut?? My heating system is acting funny and I used a wire nut, not a clamp

[@franklinanderson7389]

Great video! Plus the tile cost!

[@primproper1955]

Can you use a nest thermostat

[@quietjohnoutandabout6578]

Thanks for the information. I appreciate it. I want to replace a back porch with a bathroom with heated flooring. We are in the north east usa. Gets well below freezing. Underneath this bathroom it is unheated. Is it worth it? And will the heated tile flooring help keep the water lines from freezing? Thanks for any input you can give me on this

[@bradlewis9050]

Great share and knowledge on this video posts, I wonder how this luxury can be forgiven if you tie it into a solar panel system?? Thanks

[@cjschmitt4882]

Can I tie in my heated flooring to a Nest?

[@chriskelvin248]

But that cost to heat the floor…does a heated floor sufficiently heat the room, or does it mainly just eliminate walking on an uncomfortably cold tile floor? There is no blower to continually move air, there is no radiator to somewhat take advantage of stack effect.

[@eltonnoway7864]

I had radiant heat in my last home. The entire house was heated with radiant floor heat. And I miss it. Yes... it heats "the entire room that it is in"... not just the floor. A plus is not having to walk on a cold tile floor in the colder months in you bare feet another plus is no noisy blower fans running when heat comes on. Sometimes in the winter months when coming in from the cold I used to enjoy just laying on the floor because it felt so good. Not to mention the kids love playing on the floor. Our entire house was toasty warm all winter long... floor to ceiling. Also if the floor's thermal mass is large enough (e.g. installed over a concrete slab) , the heat stored in it will keep the house comfortable for eight to ten hours without any further electrical input, particularly when daytime temperatures are significantly warmer than nighttime temperatures. Radiant heating systems also have the quickest response time of any heating technology. When entering a room, the occupant can increase the temperature setting and be comfortable within minutes. If you are adding a radiant floor heating system to a house that already has forced air you can just either turn the floor heat on when you are more apt to be using the bathroom or close off the force air heat and let the floor heat run full time. The biggest downside to this system... if you decide to change your bathroom floor(s) in the future, ripping up the tiles also rips up the heating system.

[@williamknutson6163]

Rubber backed “throw rugs”. $45 Insulated slippers.. $24

[@22337766]

Nah

[@crystalgolden9492]

It's so different, stayed in a cabin with radiant heat last winter, it was so wonderful to have the entire house be the perfect comfortable temp, even the tile floors. Especially after coming in from the snow.

[@32786luis]

Amazing video thank you

[@breathingliquid4645]

Kick ass vid. Great job.

[@tomassloboda4067]

Did you include in your labor price also installation of Ditra? Thank you

[@julianherbert9718]

I've got in floor heating in my kitchen (about 40sqft of heated area) and our floor heating costs is nowhere near $0.89 USD. Way lower. It's on 24 hours a day but we keep it at 25C, room 22C. Probably on the lower side compared to others. Electric prices here in Ontario are comparable. Our electricity, water and sewage (combined in my city) is $110CAD (85USD) on average per month. No way we are spending $20USD a month to heat our kitchen floor. I think there is something off in your calc.

[@jpdominator]

Julian Herbert I agree. There’s no way anyone would need to run this at full power for so many hours in the day.

[@paulortiz8063]

Perhaps those are max costs, not normal or average operational costs. Who needs heated floors in a kitchen? When I'm cooking it is certainly warm enough from meal preparation. And with that thick spongy mat/pad on the floor the heat would never get threw it. May I suggest a bit of cognac to warm the toes! And if you toss it down it will warm more than just your toes!!! And it is tasty addition to (onion) soup! Just a splash.😋😉🙂

[@sixtovargas4352]

Hello im a tile contractor and i just to know if i can used a different cable brand on ditras

[@seanmellows1348]

This confirms to me that I am routinely being underpaid for the installation of heat systems like this.

[@repete0122]

2 Questions. You mentioned a couple of times that you need a 20amp circuit. Why would you require 20amp with a 7.7amp system? Also, you mentioned that the 120v circuit would require a 12/2 cable while the 240v would require 12/3. What's the Red wire used for in the 240v system? Thanks.

[@whahappon3771]

1.) because you need amperage to spare 2.) two phases

[@imscanon]

Almost $30 a month to heat a bathroom and when it's at lowest 40 degrees outside? Yikes. That is crazy expensive. I'm taking that off my list.