Homeowners often ask what actually happens on site, mostly because underfloor heating has to slot in around other trades. Here is how the work runs on the two most common project types.
New build: in-slab
The design is locked before the slab is poured, so we need final floor plans, floor-finish selections and the manifold location early. On the day, we lay insulation board, edge strip and PEX-A loops at the spacing shown on the heat-loss design, then pressure-test every loop. The loops stay under pressure while the concrete goes in, so any damage from boots, barrows or the pump hose shows up immediately rather than years later. Pipework is usually laid in one to two days. The heat source, manifold actuators and thermostats are fitted later in the build, and the system is commissioned at handover once the slab has cured.
Renovation: in-screed or direct-under. In an existing home we strip the old floor covering, check the subfloor is flat and sound, and lay low-profile loops in a self-levelling screed, typically 5–10 days on site for an average home. The screed needs time to cure before tiles, stone or engineered timber go down, so we sequence the work with your tiler or flooring installer. Where floor height is tight against doors, kitchen joinery or a step into the next room, we measure the available build-up first; that single measurement often decides between screed and a direct-under system.
In both cases, the decisions that cannot change later are the ones made before the floor goes down: zone layout, pipe spacing, manifold position and floor finish. That is why our fixed-fee design and quote come back within 24 hours of the site visit, so your builder has them well before the pour date.
For local pricing, see underfloor heating in Sydney or underfloor heating in Melbourne, the underfloor heating cost guide, and our Melbourne new-build underfloor case study.
