Central Heating Cost Calculator
A full system is the boiler plus everything around it. This prices the lot — radiators, pipework, controls and the flush — rather than just the appliance.
Open the calculator →Price a heating system in 30 seconds
5 steps. Covers boiler type, radiator count, whether pipework is new or existing, controls and region.
How this calculator works
A heating quote is really four numbers: the boiler, the radiators, the pipework and the controls. Radiators are priced here at £260 fitted, the middle of the £150–£400 range, because the spread depends on size and whether the drop already exists.
Pipework is where quotes diverge most. Reusing sound existing pipe keeps a system change close to a boiler swap; a full first-fix means floors up throughout and is a different job entirely — and the making good afterwards is usually excluded, so ask.
On paperwork: boiler work is notifiable under Building Regulations. Your Gas Safe engineer registers it and you should receive a compliance certificate within about 30 days. Keep it — a conveyancer will ask.
Central heating installation costs (2026)
| Item | Typical 2026 cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Combi boiler (mid-range) | £1,800–£2,800 | Supplied and fitted |
| System boiler + cylinder | £2,500–£3,800 | For multiple bathrooms |
| Regular (heat-only) boiler | £2,200–£3,500 | Traditional tank layout |
| Radiator, per unit fitted | £150–£400 | Size and drop dependent |
| Pipework, per property | £500–£2,000 | Reuse through to full first-fix |
| Smart thermostat | £150–£300 | Zoning and remote control |
| Thermostatic radiator valves | £15–£35 each | Part L expects these |
| Power flush | £300–£700 | Often a warranty condition |
| Magnetic system filter | £80–£150 | Protects the new boiler |
Figures match our central heating installation guide and include VAT at 20%. Making good floors and decoration after a full first-fix is normally excluded — confirm before you sign.
Central heating calculator FAQs
Three to five days for a whole-house system with new pipework and radiators. A straight boiler swap onto sound existing pipework is one day. The variable is the first-fix: lifting floors throughout adds days and considerable making good afterwards.
On an existing system, usually yes, and many manufacturers make it a warranty condition. Sludge from an old system will foul a new heat exchanger quickly. If the system is genuinely clean a chemical flush may be enough — ask the engineer to justify which they are quoting.
Combi for most 1–2 bathroom homes: no cylinder, no tank, hot water on demand. A system boiler with a cylinder is better where two showers might run at once, or where mains pressure is poor — a combi cannot deliver more than the incoming main gives it.
Yes. Boiler work falls under Part L and the flue under Part J. Your Gas Safe engineer notifies it through the Gas Safe building regulations scheme and you should receive a compliance certificate within about 30 days. Ask when to expect it, and chase if it does not arrive.
Related cost guides
- Central heating cost guide — full 2026 pricing
- Boiler replacement calculator — price the boiler on its own
- Heating repair calculator — if it is a fault, not a replacement
- Building regs for boilers — notification and certificates
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