How Much Does It Cost To Install Electric Radiant Baseboard Heating?
$570
Electric Radiant Baseboard Heating Costs
Electric heating can be a low-cost installation choice for adding heating at distributed points of a home without requiring special ventilation. Electric heating can be expensive considering electricity prices.
You will find that the cost to install average electric radiant baseboard heating depends upon the unit power rating, electric circuit availability and length, preparation and special requirements, and the labor rate.
In the following table the Labor Cost figure is what the able DIY person should expect to save by performing the installation.
Electric radiant baseboard heating: install baseboard units on each wood frame wall of a 10' x 15' room. Provide all related materials, supplies, transport, and equipment. Provide all trim, final adjustments and clean-up.
| Item | Unit Cost | Quantity | Line Cost | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic: install and connect units of 500 watts each (1,700 Btu/h, 2'6" long) to existing circuit outlet, include one thermostat. | $45 | each | 4 | $178 |
| Upgrade Moderate: additional to Basic for cold climate, install and connect units of 1000 watts each (3,400 Btu/h, 4'0" long) to existing circuit outlet. | $12 | each | 4 | $50 |
| Upgrade Deluxe: additional to Moderate, install new circuit to existing breakers using 15 amp 600V THHN cable in surface mounted 1/2" EMT metallic conduit. | $1.66 | per foot | 32 | $53 |
| Material Cost | $281 | each | 1 | $281 |
| + Labor Cost (Basic) | $38 | per hour | 8 | $304 |
| + Labor Cost (Moderate) | $38 | per hour | 1 | $38 |
| + Labor Cost (Deluxe) | $42 | per hour | 3 | $126 |
| Total Cost | $749 | each | 1 | $749 |
Typical capacity unit conversions are:
1 Ton = 12,000 BTU/h = 3.5 kW = 4.6 BHP
Other considerations and costs
- Heating system size depends upon regional climate zone conditions, building zone conditions, windows, insulation, and fan usage.
- Heating system sizing per square foot of well-insulated and sealed building zones follows regional climate zones ranging from coldest (50 BTU/h/sq.ft. = 15 watts/sq.ft.) to moderate (25 BTU/h/sq.ft. = 7 watts/sq.ft.) to the few regions where no heating is necessary.
- For units of greater than 12,000 BTU/h (or 3.5 kilowatts, or 1 ton) a 240V or multi-phase electrical circuit is generally required.
- Forced-air electric heating will additionally require fan equipment power.
- Not-forced-air electric heating has less heat projection not suitable for larger areas, like baseboard electric and other radiant heaters.
- During the initial inspection the contractor should inform the homeowner of any and all necessary modification or upgrade on electrical circuits or building structure.
- Labor cost will rise with a “hidden” installation in a finished environment.
- These prices are for service in the immediate area of the provider.
- Taxes and permit fees are not included.
DIY considerations
- This project is somewhat suitable for DIY with good electrical skills and tools.
- Heavy lifting to above-door height installation is required.
- Electrical circuits and installations must comply with codes to reduce fire-risk.
References
- Craftsman Estimator Costbook, complete series year 2015.
- Latest prices found on Home Depot and other vendor Web sites.
- Literature review of DIY Web sites.
Enter your zip code to get estimates
Cost by city
- New York, NY$916
- Bronx, NY$752
- Brooklyn, NY$627
- Philadelphia, PA$782
- Washington, DC$679
- Atlanta, GA$614
- Miami, FL$559
- Fort Lauderdale, FL$585
- Minneapolis, MN$686
- Chicago, IL$800
- Houston, TX$825
- San Antonio, TX$554
- Austin, TX$627
- Denver, CO$530
- Phoenix, AZ$559
- Las Vegas, NV$613
- Los Angeles, CA$691
- San Diego, CA$627
- San Jose, CA$758
- Seattle, WA$555
Local costs have been calculated by accounting for labor and material cost differences across different cities. To get accurate cost estimates, indicate yours: