By Emily Rivers
Last updated 13th June 2025

Heated towel rails are a perfect addition to any bathroom. Unlike a radiator, they need less space as they are vertical rather than horizontal. Not only does a towel rail keep the bathroom at a comfortable temperature, but it warms the towels ready for use, and dries them after a bath or shower to prevent them from smelling musty.

There are three types of heated towel rail to choose from: electric, hot water or dual fuel. But how much do heated towel rails cost to install?

How much does it cost to fit a heated towel rail?

The cost of fitting a heated towel rail is dependent on the work involved. If you already have a heated towel rail and want to do a straight swap, it will cost less than if you need to remove an old gas radiator and fit a new towel rail, or if you want to switch from one type to another.

Image Name Cost
Lux Heat Anthracite Grey Towel Radiator Lux Heat Anthracite Grey Towel Radiator£44.00
Flomasta 1200mm x 600mm Chrome Flat Towel Radiator Flomasta 1200mm x 600mm Chrome Flat Towel Radiator£70.00
Lux Heat Open Flat Chrome Towel Radiator Lux Heat Open Flat Chrome Towel Radiator£126.00
Reina Cavo Stainless Steel Towel Radiator Reina Cavo Stainless Steel Towel Radiator£223.00
Typhoon - Black Dual Fuel Towel Rail H1564mm x W500mm Thermostatic WIFI Typhoon - Black Dual Fuel Towel Rail H1564mm x W500mm Thermostatic WIFI£257.00
Arundel - Traditional Electric Towel Rail H963mm x W673mm 600w Thermostatic Arundel - Traditional Electric Towel Rail H963mm x W673mm 600w Thermostatic£263.00

It shouldn't take more than a couple of hours to fit a new heated towel rail, as long as no new pipework is involved.

Cost to fit a heated towel rail

Average cost

Replacing a gas radiator with an electric towel rail

£140 per hour

Replacing a gas radiator with a dual fuel towel rail

£150 per hour

Replacing a gas radiator with a hot water towel rail

£150 per hour

Replacing an electric towel rail

£80 per hour

Installing an electric towel rail in a new location

£160 per hour

These costs are averages based on the entire UK. HaMuch has a large database of hourly rates for electricians and plumbers across the country, so take a look at the table further down the page for more accurate labour costs in your area.

Cost to fit a heated towel rail

Types of heated towel rail

There are three main types of heated towel rail to choose from, and each has their own benefits:

Electric towel rail

Electric towel rails are ideal if you want to use your heated towel rail separately to your central heating. Most modern electric towel rails have a thermostat and a timer so you can control when they come on and at what temperature.

You can also get bluetooth- or WiFi-enabled electric towel rails so you can control the temperature and on/off settings remotely. The timer allows you to have the electric towel rail running for the duration needed to dry a towel and dry out some moisture from the bathroom.

Electric towel rails usually cost between £95-£500.

Hot water heated towel rail

Hot water heated towel rails run off your central heating system, like normal radiators do. They will come on at the same time as your central heating and turn off at the same time too, so they won't operate in the summer months when your heating is off.

Hot water heated towel rails cost anywhere between £25-£200, while designer hot water towel rails start at £150 and can cost as much as £900.

Dual fuel heated towel rail

Dual fuel heated towel rails give you the best of both worlds. They will run on your gas central heating circuit during the winter months and come on when your central heating system is timed to come on.

In the summer, when the heating is switched off, the towel rail will be operated via an electrical element and can be switched on when you need to dry towels or even an emergency clothes wash!

Dual fuel heated towel rails are generally the most expensive, ranging between £100-£400.

What affects the cost of installing a heated towel rail?

  •   Type of heated towel rail: Hot water heated towel rails tend to be the cheapest, while dual fuel heated towel rails are the most expensive.
  •   Style of towel rail: Luxury or designer styles made from more expensive materials will cost more.
  •   Size of heated towel rail: Larger towel rails will be more expensive. It's also worth considering that if you are replacing a radiator with a hot water towel rail that is bigger than the radiator, the installation will take longer and therefore cost more.
  •   Accessibility: Can a plumber or electrician get to the area easily? Will they need to remove any flooring or add extra pipework? If accessibility will be difficult or the installation is not straightforward, it will add extra to the fitting costs.
  •   Making good: You might need to redecorate or re-tile your bathroom where the old towel rail or radiator has been removed. You should factor this into your budget, even if you will redecorate yourself.
  •   Your location: Where you live will affect the labour costs of installing a heated towel rail. If you live in London or the South East, expect to pay more than in other areas of the UK.

Are heated towel rails expensive to run?

Heated towel rails aren't very expensive to run, no matter what fuel type they use. Let's look at the cost to run an electric towel rail, as these are the ones that most people are worried about.

  •   If one kilowatt hour (kWh) of electricity costs 34p on average. Typical towel rails are rated between 60 watts (W) and 150 watts.
  •   A 60W electric towel rail would take 16 hours to use 1kWh of electricity – so it would cost just over 2p per hour to run.
  •   A 150W electric towel rail would take nearly 7 hours to use 1kWh, so would cost just over 5p per hour to run.

So, leaving your electric towel rail on for a couple of hours to dry a towel won't break the bank! These costs should decrease as we see the wholesale price of electricity reduce in the next few months.

Is a towel rail enough to heat a bathroom?

Yes – a towel rail is certainly enough to heat an average-sized UK bathroom. However, you'll need to make sure you buy a heated towel rail that's appropriate for the size of the room and is fitted in a space that maximises its efficiency – i.e. don't install it where it will be partly covered by a storage unit or other obstruction.

If you're concerned about keeping your bathroom adequately heated, you could install an electric towel rail in addition to a central heating radiator. Alternatively, there are large heated towel radiators available that can be almost floor-to-ceiling length to allow for a good heat output.

Can I retrofit an electric towel rail?

Yes. If you have a dual fuel towel rail or a towel rail on the gas central heating circuit, these can be converted to an electric-only towel rail. You won't need to buy a new towel rail. You can use the existing heated rail but will need to purchase an electrical element kit which comes with blank plugs.

For an electric towel rail to work, it needs to be filled with internal liquid that is confined to the rail. The element works similarly to a kettle heating the water inside the rail. You will need an electrician to hardwire the electric towel rail in to the wiring circuit of the house.

Who would install a heated towel rail?

Who will install your heated towel rail will depend on the type you choose. If you want an electric towel rail, you'll need a qualified electrician to fit it. Use an electrician that's able to self-certify that their work meets Part P regulations – they may be registered with a trade body like NAPIT, NICEIC or ELECSA.

If you want to install a hot water towel rail, you'll need a plumber to fit it for you.

Dual fuel towel rails cost the most to install because you'll need both a plumber and an electrician to make sure both components are connected properly.

If you're ready to get your heated towel rail installed, post your job on HaMuch. We'll put you in touch with qualified plumbers or electricians in your area.


Estimates for common heating engineer jobs;

Rates for other trades

Fit a heated towel rail radiator cost in the UK
Estimate Fit a heated towel rail radiator cost in the UK, including Heated Towel Rail valued at £44, based on hourly/daily rate (excluding VAT or callout charges)
Location in UKFit a heated towel rail radiator cost
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near London£224
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Birmingham£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Leeds£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Glasgow£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Sheffield£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Bradford£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Liverpool£173
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Edinburgh£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Manchester£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Bristol£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Kirklees£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Fife£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Wirral£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near North Lanarkshire£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Wakefield£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Cardiff£158
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Dudley£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Wigan£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near East Riding£158
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near South Lanarkshire£173
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Coventry£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Belfast£146
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Leicester£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Sunderland£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Sandwell£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Doncaster£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Stockport£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Sefton£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Nottingham£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Newcastle Upon Tyne£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Kingston-upon-Hull£158
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Bolton£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Walsall£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Plymouth£149
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Rotherham£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Stoke-on-Trent£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Wolverhampton£173
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Rhondda, Cynon, Taff£158
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near South Gloucestershire£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Derby£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Swansea£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Salford£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Barnsley£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Tameside£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Oldham£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Trafford£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Aberdeen£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Southampton£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Highland£152
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Rochdale£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Solihull£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Gateshead£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Milton Keynes£197
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near North Tyneside£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Calderdale£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Northampton£191
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Portsmouth£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Warrington£173
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near North Somerset£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Bury£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Luton£206
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near St Helens£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Stockton-on-Tees£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Renfrewshire£173
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near York£155
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Thamesdown£194
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Southend-on-Sea£185
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near New Forest£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Caerphilly£155
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Carmarthenshire£149
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Bath£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Wycombe£215
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Basildon£191
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Bournemouth£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Peterborough£173
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near North East Lincolnshire£155
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Chelmsford£191
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Brighton£194
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near South Tyneside£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Charnwood£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Aylesbury Vale£200
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Colchester£185
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Knowsley£173
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near North Lincolnshire£155
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Huntingdonshire£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Macclesfield£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Blackpool£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near West Lothian£185
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near South Somerset£149
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Dundee£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Basingstoke & Deane£224
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Harrogate£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Dumfries & Galloway£143
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Middlesbrough£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Flintshire£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Rochester-upon-Medway£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near The Wrekin£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Newbury£221
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Falkirk£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Reading£221
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Wokingham£221
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Windsor & Maidenhead£218
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Maidstone£188
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Redcar & Cleveland£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near North Ayrshire£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Blackburn£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Neath Port Talbot£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Poole£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Wealden£191
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Arun£188
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Bedford£194
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Oxford£191
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Lancaster£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Newport£155
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Canterbury£185
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Preston£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Dacorum£212
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Cherwell£191
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Perth & Kinross£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Thurrock£197
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Tendring£212
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Kings Lynn & West Norfolk£152
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near St Albans£215
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Bridgend£158
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near South Cambridgeshire£185
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Braintree£185
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Norwich£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Thanet£182
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Isle of Wight£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Mid Sussex£203
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near South Oxfordshire£209
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Guildford£218
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Elmbridge£224
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Stafford£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Powys£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near East Hertfordshire£203
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Torbay£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Wrexham Maelor£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near East Devon£152
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near East Lindsey£155
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Halton£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Warwick£173
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near East Ayrshire£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Newcastle-under-Lyme£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near North Wiltshire£185
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near South Kesteven£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Epping Forest£221
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Vale of Glamorgan£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Reigate & Banstead£221
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Chester£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Mid Bedfordshire£197
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Suffolk Coastal£233
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Horsham£209
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Nuneaton & Bedworth£173
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Gwynedd£134
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Swale£182
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Havant & Waterloo£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Teignbridge£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Cambridge£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Vale Royal£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Amber Valley£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near North Hertfordshire£200
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near South Ayrshire£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Waverley£215
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Broadland£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Crewe & Nantwich£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Breckland£161
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Ipswich£224
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Pembrokeshire£128
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Vale of White Horse£188
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Salisbury£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Gedling£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Eastleigh£182
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Broxtowe£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Stratford-on-Avon£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near South Bedfordshire£194
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Angus£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near East Hampshire£185
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near East Dunbartonshire£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Conway£152
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Sevenoaks£209
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Slough£218
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Bracknell Forest£221
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near West Lancashire£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near West Wiltshire£185
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Ashfield£164
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Lisburn£146
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Scarborough£152
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Stroud£170
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Wychavon£173
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Waveney£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Exeter£158
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Dover£188
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Test Valley£179
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Gloucester£215
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Erewash£167
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Cheltenham£176
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Bassetlaw£155
Fit a heated towel rail radiator near Scottish Borders£182