How much does it cost to install a new central heating system in the average UK home? Here we explore common scenarios and average prices..
Thinking about replacing or upgrading your central heating system, but not sure how much it’ll set you back?
Here’s everything you need to know - from average installation costs for different property sizes to the key factors that affect the total price.
PS we fit new central heating boilers with gas installation nationwide. Simply answer these questions, get your fixed price and you could get it installed as quick as tomorrow.
Average Central Heating Installation Costs
The cost of a new central heating system (CHS) depends largely on the size of your property and how complex the installation is.
Here’s what you can typically expect to pay for a full system installation - including a new boiler, pipework, and radiators:
Property Type | No. of Radiators | Typical Cost (Incl. Boiler & Installation) |
1-bed bungalow | 5 | £2,000–£2,600 |
2-bed house | 6 | £2,700–£3,300 |
3-bed house | 9 | £3,000–£4,000 |
4-bed house | 10 | £3,500–£4,500 |
5-bed house | 12 | £4,000–£5,000 |
💡 These prices are ballpark estimates. Your exact quote will depend on the boiler type, controls, pipe runs, and regional labour rates.
Type of Boiler
To start with, there are three primary categories of boilers, namely, combi, system and regular boilers. These categories are determined based on how the boiler functions.
Combi boilers tend to be the most affordable of these three options whereas regular and system boilers are usually more expensive. However, many budget choices exist with each type of boiler.
Boilers can also be categorized based on fuel type. On average, electric boilers tend to be cheaper to install than oil or gas systems. Of course, the brand and quality of the boilers will also influence the cost of a given boiler.
Related heating/energy guides:
Size and Type of Radiators
Another key element of a central heating system is the radiators.
The cost of radiators can vary widely from as little as £20 to £30 to as much as £1,000 or more.
Regular central heating radiators, though usually cost between £20 and £100.
The Complexity of the Installation
How easy it is for an installer to fit a CHS will shape the cost of the process. This is because the more complex the work is, the longer it will take and therefore the labour cost will likely be higher.
For instance, if appliances and furniture need to be moved out of the way, the job would take a bit longer.
Where You Live
Labour costs can differ a lot throughout the UK. This could in turn play a significant role in determining your overall bill.
On average, qualified central heating installers charge more in the southeast of England (London especially). However, labour prices tend to be lower in regions like Scotland and northern England.
Other Cost Factors
Additional factors that would shape the price of a CHS installation:
Size of the Rooms.
Traditional vs Wireless Controls.
Nature of the Pipework.
Choosing The Right Boiler for You
We’ve touched on the various types of boilers in the previous section.
However, we’ll now take a closer look at these examples, starting with the primary categories and then looking at the different options in terms of fuel type.
Combi Boilers
The most popular type of boilers in UK homes are the combi boilers. These boilers combine both a central heating boiler and highly efficient water heat. They are housed in a single and compact unit.
Notably, combi boilers have no need for a separate storage tank and can provide hot water to taps and radiators directly.
Combi boiler installations generally cost somewhere between £2,000 and £3,000. However, as with all boiler types, low-costing options exist.
System Boilers
For properties with a large demand for hot water and heating (e.g., homes with 2+ bathrooms), a system boiler is generally a suitable choice. Notably, system boilers need plenty of space.
Significant space is also needed for the hot water tank/cylinder that accommodates a system boiler.
Due to the existence of this separate hot water facility, system boilers can supply a home with hot water on a continual basis. System boiler installations might cost somewhere in the range of £1,300 to £4,300.
Regular Boilers
If you want to have a regular boiler (a.k.a. heat-only boiler) installed, it will cost around £2,600 to £4,300.
Regular boilers can only produce hot water for central heating purposes. They do not generate hot water for uses such as bathing or showering.
A bit more on how they function, heat-only boilers come with a cold-water tank in the attic which is used to provide cold water for the boiler itself.
A hot water storage cylinder is also necessary to enable daily hot water use. Regular boilers should only be installed as a like-for-like replacement for an old regular boiler.
Gas Boilers
Moving on to the different boiler types in terms of the fuel source, natural gas boilers are the most popular choice.
In fact, 77% of UK households used central heating as boilers in 2021 with a further 10% using gas fixed heaters. It costs around £0.04 per kWh to run a gas boiler.
There is also a wide range of gas boilers, offering you more selection.
Oil Boilers
A less popular option is that of oil boilers with around one in twenty UK households featuring one of these appliances. Among the advantages of oil boilers are that it uses up less space and produces less noise.
However, oil boilers cost is more expensive to run at around £0.07 per kWh as well as being worse for the environment.
Electric Boilers
While generally less expensive to install, electric boilers are more expensive to run than their gas and oil counterparts. In 2021, about 7% of UK households used an electric boiler.
Electric boilers do have some notable benefits such as their low noise output, eco-friendly value, and coming with no risk of a carbon monoxide leak.
There are, however, significant fewer electric boiler options than there are gas boiler products on the market.
Keeping Your Expenses Down with Central Heating
There are various ways of reducing your bills for central heating whether it be in relation to having a new CHS installed or the running costs of a CHS that follows the installation.
Quality of the Installation
For starters, try to keep an eye out for the style of radiators you want in advance of having a CHS installed.
This way you might find them on offer giving you the chance to make a purchase early while saving money for the total installation when all is done.
The same logic applies to purchasing the actual boiler. However, installing a boiler must be done by a qualified professional. The same is true for the CHS installation process in general.
Another thing to take on board is that moving any furniture and appliances out of the way before the installer(s) arrive can make their job easier.
The faster they can install your CHS, the less you’d likely spend on labour fees.
Running Costs
There are various ways of saving on your energy bills. For one, you could ensure that you have a high-efficiency boiler installed.
Some boilers also feature energy-saving technology. An example of this is modulation technology which allows the boiler to reduce its output when heating demand is low.
Natural gas boilers are generally the cheapest option in terms of running costs. Electric boilers are about three times as expensive to run but with a caveat.
Electric boilers use about half as much energy to achieve the same results as gas boilers, so the difference is not as stark as it initially seems.
Central Heating Installation: Final Thoughts
Once you’ve decided on everything for having a central heating system installed, it’ll be time to hire a qualified professional/company to take on the job.
As mentioned, a CHS must be installed by a qualified professional (or multiple qualified professionals).
It’s worth taking your time looking around for the right person for the job. Obtaining multiple quotes is one way of finding the best offers in your area.
Of course, you don’t want to lower the quality of the installation so, if available, check out any reviews and ratings these CHS installers have received online (such as on their website or social media, again if applicable).
There are of course a ton of boiler brands on the market. Thankfully, though, we’ve narrowed things down with our guide to the 10 best boiler brands to buy.
We look at high-end brands such as Viessmann, Alpha and Worcester-Bosch. We also review our favourite budget brands like Baxi and Glow-worm.
The above guide is a great read if you want a gas or perhaps even an oil boiler. However, if you’re set on buying an electric boiler, we have a guide for that too.
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