Warm Floors in Canberra: Sarah's Renovation Win

When we decided to renovate our 1970s home in Griffith, I knew the cold tile floors had to go. Canberra winters are no joke, and every morning felt like stepping onto ice. I'd been searching for underfloor heating in Canberra for weeks, reading forums and comparing options, when a neighbour on our street mentioned Livella Underfloor Heating. I gave them a ring, not really knowing what to expect, and that phone call changed everything about how we experience our home.

We'd already gutted the bathroom and were mid-way through the kitchen. The builder had left us with a window of opportunity to run heating beneath the new tiles before they went down. I was under pressure, and I needed someone who could give me straight answers, not a sales pitch.

The Problem: Cold Floors and a Tight Renovation Timeline

Our home in Griffith sits on a slab, which means the cold from outside transfers directly into the flooring. In winter, the tiles in the kitchen and bathroom would sit at around 12 degrees in the morning. We'd tried rugs, socks, everything really, but nothing fixed the root issue. With the renovation underway, I knew this was our one chance to do it properly without ripping everything up again later.

The tricky part was that we had multiple trades booked in sequence. The tiler was coming in ten days. I needed a solution that could be scoped, quoted, and installed within that window, without delaying the whole project. Most companies I rang either couldn't come out quickly enough or gave me a quote over the phone without even seeing the space. I wasn't comfortable committing to something that significant without someone actually looking at the job.

On top of the timeline, I wasn't sure whether to go with an electric mat system or a hydronic setup. I'd read conflicting things online and honestly felt a bit lost. What I needed was someone who could explain the options clearly and help me make the right call for our specific house and how we live in it.

How Livella Underfloor Heating Responded

When I called Livella Underfloor Heating, I spoke with someone who immediately understood the renovation context. There was no rushing me off the phone. We talked through the layout of the kitchen and bathroom, the floor area, the type of tiles we were using, and how often the rooms were actually occupied. It felt like a real conversation rather than a scripted intake call.

We arranged a site visit within two days. The team came out to Griffith, walked through both rooms, checked the existing electrical setup, and gave us a clear written quote the following day. They recommended an electric underfloor heating mat system for our job given the size of the areas and the fact we were working within a renovation, not a new build. They also walked us through the thermostat options, including a programmable model that we could set to warm up before we got out of bed each morning.

What made the experience different was that they genuinely seemed interested in getting the installation right, not just getting the job done and moving on. They asked about our routines, when the kitchen was busiest, and whether we had young kids or elderly family members who'd be using the bathrooms. That level of care felt unusual, and it gave us a lot of confidence.

The Solution and Outcome

Livella Underfloor Heating installed electric underfloor heating mats beneath the new porcelain tiles in both the kitchen and bathroom. The installation happened ahead of the tiler's arrival, with the mats and sensor wires laid out precisely across the floor area and connected back to the programmable thermostat at the wall. The tiler confirmed everything looked clean and professional before he went ahead with the tiles.

The first morning we switched it on, the difference was remarkable. By the time we came into the kitchen at 6:30am, the floor was warm to the touch. The thermostat was set to start heating at 5:45am, and it delivered exactly what it promised. Our two kids now actually want to sit on the kitchen floor while they eat breakfast, which is something I never thought I'd say about a Canberra winter.

We've now been through two full winters with the system running. Energy use has been manageable because we only heat the floors when the rooms are in use. The thermostat makes that easy to control. I genuinely wish we'd done it years ago.

What I'd Tell Other Canberra Homeowners

If you're in the middle of a renovation and you're even slightly considering underfloor heating, don't wait until the tiles are down. That's the key thing I learned. Once the floor coverings are on, retrofitting becomes a much bigger job. Talk to Livella Underfloor Heating early in the process so they can work within your build schedule rather than around it.

Also, don't let anyone talk you into a system over the phone without seeing your space first. The right solution depends on your floor area, your electrical setup, and how you actually use the room. Livella took the time to understand all of that before recommending anything, and that's why the result has been so good.

If you're looking for reliable underfloor heating in Canberra for your renovation, new build, or existing home, we couldn't recommend Livella Underfloor Heating more highly. They made a stressful part of our renovation genuinely easy, and the result has transformed how comfortable our home feels all year round. Get in touch with them early and let them help you get it right from the start.