Cost to install an extractor fan

Extractor fans are important in bathrooms and kitchens to remove moisture and odours associated with bathing and cooking. Steam creates damp walls, floors and ceilings in poorly ventilated areas that can cause mould or mildew to build up. Cooking is also responsible for the most air pollution in your home, caused by burning gas stoves and particulates from burning oils in pans and in the oven. Extracting water vapour and smoke from your living areas will keep you home safer and more comfortable.

Replacing an extractor fan is a quick job and should not take an electrician more than 1 hour if the wiring and hole for ventilation is in place. You might want to make sure that the new fan is big enough to cover the hole you are trying to extract through but other than that an electrician can replace it fairly quickly. They might need to replace connectors if the wiring is old but this is a relatively easy job for an electrician. The average hourly rate of an electrician is £34 but expect to pay a call out charge for such a quick job and VAT if they are registered.

Fitting a new extractor fan is more time consuming and assuming that everything goes to plan should take around 3 hours. You need to decide which extractor fan to choose and how you are planning to extract the air because you either need to bore a hole through the cavity wall, through the ceiling and venting out to the soffit or through a window. The latter is less common but can be equally effective in venting water vapour. We are focusing on wall or ceiling extractor fans for your bathroom or kitchen.

There are 3 types of fans on the market, inline, axial and centrifugal. Which type you choose depends on the layout of your room, size and how much air you want to vent. All need a qualified electrician to fit them correctly and safely, especially if it's a new installation . If a new fan is being fitted adequate ventilation will be required so that the moisture will be extracted efficiently. 

For new installations, additional wiring will be required that is activated by a pull cord, light switch, humidistat, sensor or timer that continues after a pull cord or light switch is turned off. Holes in the plasterboard and wall used to access wiring and fit the fan will need to be repaired and decorated, but the electrician will not be expected to do that. They will probably offer a basic filler or plastering service to make sure the wiring and fan are secure. You will need to make sure that the damaged areas are repainted and decorated accordingly.

The fan will also need an isolation switch outside the bathroom to meet building regulations so that the fan can be turned on and off independent of the live light switch. 

Kitchen extractor fans

A cooking hood is the most common extractor fan fitted in the kitchen. It is able to extract more air than a conventional extractor fan due to its large surface area and is better suited to extracting smoke and the particulates associated with cooking. 

In some cases you might not be able to fit a cooking hood extractor fan and therefore you will need to fit a conventional extractor fan. It all depends on what space you have and what kind of access you have to ventilate the air.  

For this purpose inline extractor fans that can expel large volumes of air in a short time are better suited that axial fans. The inline fans are more cost effective than centrifugal fans (that can also expel larger volumes) and are better suited for using large amounts of ducting. 

Click the link If you would like to see how much it will cost to buy and fit a cooker hood rather than a conventional extractor fan.

How much do bathroom extractor fans cost?

The extractor fan market is very competitive so you get some great bargains that will suit anyone's budget. Axial fans are the most common and can cost from as little as £15. Higher performing inline and centrifugal fans are more expensive. The fan you fit depends if you want to go through the ceiling or wall. Axial fans are better designed for venting out through the cavity wall while inline fans are more commonly used when venting through the ceiling, where more ducting is required.

Extractor fan cost

Inline extractor fans

Inline fans are used with ducting to draw or pull the air through to exhaust outside. These are normally installed in the loft space or the ceiling cavity. They have a better draw than axial fans so would suit a system where lots of ducting is required. They are also good for large bathrooms and kitchens where high rates of airflow can be achieved. Also, because the fan is not attached directly to the wall or ceiling it doesn't generate a lot of noise.

Axial extractor fans

Axial fans are visibly working when you switch them on. They require a short piece of ducting to vent out through a wall or ceiling. They are not as powerful as other types of fans and should not be used with ducting over 2 metres. For anything shorter they are suitable for most bathrooms.

Centrifugal extractor fans

Centrifugal fans are configured to extract air through the fan and then exhausting it at 90 degrees which creates an additional pressure drop that pulls the air through the short ducting. Centrifugal fans have a higher flow rate than axial fans and are suitable for kitchens as well as larger bathrooms.

Choosing the right electrician to fit your extractor fan

Whatever fan you choose you will need to hire an electrician and the best way to find one that suits your budget is to post your job on HaMuch. We have local electricians in your area waiting to quote you on your job.

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