Hydronic or electric, new pour or retrofit—calculate the full installed cost including tubing, manifold, boiler or mat, and controls before you quote a number.
Hydronic radiant is more efficient and cheaper to operate above 400–500 sqft. The upfront cost is higher ($10–$20/sqft installed vs $5–$10/sqft for electric), but operating cost is 25–40% less if you have a high-efficiency boiler. Recommend hydronic for whole-home or large zone installs; electric for single-room retrofits.
Staple-up hydronic under existing floors delivers 60–70% of the BTU output of slab-embedded tubing, because wood is an insulator. For a retrofit staple-up to perform, you need at least R-11 insulation between the tubing and the subfloor. If the basement is conditioned space, you're heating the basement with the rest. Know this before you quote efficiency gains.
Tile transmits radiant heat 3–4× more effectively than carpet. A carpet customer gets a warm subfloor, not warm feet. If a customer insists on carpet, document in writing that radiant performance will be significantly reduced—otherwise you own the "it doesn't work" callback. Engineered hardwood and LVP are middle ground.
The Plumber's Business Starter Kit includes a flat-rate price book for 40 common jobs including radiant, a service agreement template, and a morning dispatch checklist. Guide from $19 — Complete Kit with all 19 templates, $49.
Get the Plumber's Kit →Radiant floor heating installation pricing depends on floor area, system type (electric vs. hydronic), flooring compatibility, thermostat count, and labor time. This calculator builds a complete installation quote from material costs, loop layout, controls, and labor hours — so you can price radiant jobs accurately without underselling the complexity of hydronic systems.