Wondering how much it will cost to move a radiator? Find out before you start planning your next home improvement project

Thinking about moving a radiator? It's a common option when planning a home update. Whether you're decorating, knocking down a wall, or remodelling a space, there’s a good chance you’ll need to reposition a radiator – perhaps to a new spot on the same wall or even to a completely different room.

Moving a radiator is also the perfect opportunity to upgrade to one of the best radiators on the market and make a design statement.

However, you’ll need a professional’s assistance to make it happen. Here, we explore various scenarios for moving radiators and what you can expect to pay for each.

Factors that affect moving a radiator costs

The cost to move a radiator will vary depending several factors, including:

• The type of radiator you are moving
• The new position
• Existing pipework
• The radiator size
• The nature and complexity of the job, including the construction of the walls and floors

"It may seem like a simple task, but moving a radiator can have some hidden complications," explains heating expert and regular Homebuilding and Renovating speaker David Hilton.

"The first thing that is required is to ‘map’ the existing pipework to be sure that it can be easily rerouted to the new position, and also a health check to be sure there is no corrosion or bacterial growth due to a lack of servicing and chemical inhibitors.

He adds, "Radiators are usually plumbed in parallel and as such the plumbing must maintain this configuration. A simple move could cost around £80 to £200 for materials, but if there is a lot of wall chasing and rerouting of pipework, plus a potential power flush to clean the whole system, and then a rebalance, then the cost could easily reach the thousands."

"Get a few quotes and plan the work for summer when the engineers are less busy, and you also do not need the central heating," concludes David.

David Hilton

David has a Masters degree in Sustainable Architecture, is a Gas Safe, renewables and ventilation installer, and has over 35 years experience in the industry.

Cost to move a radiator to another wall

If you’re remodelling the layout of your home and knocking down internal walls to create a more open plan layout, there’s a good chance that you’ll need to move a radiator to another wall.

"Or, perhaps you are replacing one that is a bit old and rusty, or moving one to another part of your home for better heat circulation," says Mike Flook, plumbing expert at MyBuilder.com. "But, before hiring a qualified plumber to complete any of these jobs, there are a number of things you must take into consideration," he says.

"Firstly if your pipework is suitable enough to allow you to move your radiator from one location to another. Prices will be higher if your radiator is being added to somewhere that needs new pipework, and this will likely cost at least £400.

"If this issue is unavoidable, and you also need a new radiator, removing and replacing an old one costs around £150 - £300, the price again depending on the size of your radiator, or any issues that occur when doing this job, such as spills or heating system malfunctions."

However, if you don't require new pipework, "this can be expected to cost between £120 and £180, owing to the materials needed, and the labour costs to move the radiator. You may, however, be expected to pay a higher fee if there is existing corrosion or bacterial growth, or if the radiator is particularly large," adds Mike. 

Try these radiators when you upgrade

Mike Flook

Mike is the owner of MJ Flook Plumbing and has over a decade of experience as a plumber 

Cost to add a radiator

If you decide to buy a new radiator, as opposed to simply moving an existing radiator from one spot to another, you will also need to factor in the cost of buying this new model.

A small single-panel radiator can cost as little as £30, with prices rising to around between £80 and £150 for larger radiators with higher heat outputs. Designer radiators and cast iron models will cost considerably more, with prices easily surpassing £200.

"Adding another radiator will likely cost at least £150, not including materials, and may amount to even more depending on the size and type of the radiator," confirms Mike Flook.

Cost to move an electric radiator

Moving an electric radiator is usually a far simpler job than moving a central heating radiator.

Most electric radiators are just plugged into a power socket, meaning that they can be taken off the wall and fixed to the new wall before being plugged into another socket.

However, things get a little more complicated if the radiator is hardwired into the wall – in this case, you should call in a qualified electrician, who is likely to charge you around £40 per hour to carry out this job.

Cost to remove a radiator

To simply remove a radiator, a plumber will typically close the valves at both ends, drain the water from the radiator (rather than the entire system) and then remove it from the wall and cap off the pipework.

The job is relatively easy and shouldn’t take long, although as with all radiator jobs will depend on the final amount of work needed. Expect to pay anything from around £80 - £140 & VAT.

To save money, many people who are confident in their DIY skills choose to do this job themselves.

Cost to drop a radiator

You may have heard the term 'dropping' a radiator. All this refers to is temporarily moving a radiator off the wall before putting it back in the same position – something that is commonly done when painting behind a radiator.

There is usually no need to call in the professionals for this job, although, depending on the weight of the radiator, you might need someone to help you lower it to the floor.

You will first need to isolate the radiator in question from the rest of the central heating system before draining the water from it. (Ensure you protect floor finishes below, such as carpet and wood flooring, whilst completing this task.) Once you are sure all the water is out, you can lift the radiator off its brackets and place it out of the way while you paint.

Once the paint is dry, the radiator can be reattached to its brackets and reconnected to the valves and pipework before refilling the system.

A plumber is likely to charge you around £100 – £125 for the job of dropping and replacing a radiator.

Extra costs to consider when moving a radiator

Labour and material costs aside, there are several other factors that can come in to play when calculating how much to move a radiator.

• You may need to fill holes and make good any damage to the wall the radiator is being moved from
• If the wall you are moving the radiator to is an existing stud wall, extra timber battens may be required as reinforcement before attaching the radiator. Again this wall will need to be 'made good' following this task
• Holes in the floor where the radiator was located previously will need to be filled
• Don't forget to factor in the cost of a new radiator if you plan on buying a one rather than reusing the old one
• In order to finish the job off nicely, consider covering radiator pipes and factor this into your overall costs.

Before moving a radiator check where heat loss in a house happens to choose efficient placement. To enhance new radiators you can add a little style and panache with some smart radiator shelf ideas and radiator cover ideas.