Baseboard heater installation costs a national average of $973, with most homeowners paying $420 to $1,526, per Angi’s 2026 data from 326 verified projects.1 Other published averages differ: Fixr puts a typical electric unit install at $550, HomeGuide at $800 per unit, and Bob Vila reported $860 in 2023 citing Angi and HomeAdvisor — figures that differ and are not reconciled by the sources.3,4,5 Figures below are the latest published national figures* from each source.
*National figures, not local quotes. Angi’s page is 2026 data (updated September 29, 2026); HomeAdvisor was updated June 20, 2026; HomeGuide was updated July 7, 2025 with a 2026 title label; Fixr was updated January 31, 2025; Bob Vila published December 20, 2023. Your price depends on heater type and wattage, number of units, wiring, and local labor.
$973
national average (Angi, 2026)
$420 – $1,526
typical range (Angi)
$550
average electric install (Fixr)
$200 – $1,100
per electric unit (HomeGuide)
What sources say
| Source | Figure | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| Angi | $973 average (326 verified projects); most pay $420 – $1,526 | Baseboard heater cost guide (2026 data, updated September 29, 2026) |
| HomeAdvisor | $973 average; $420 – $1,526 range | Electric baseboard/wall heater guide (updated June 20, 2026) |
| Fixr | $550 average; $400 – $650 range for a 72-inch, 1,500-watt, 240-volt unit | Electric baseboard heater guide (updated January 31, 2025) |
| HomeGuide | $800 average per unit installed; $300 – $1,100 range | Baseboard heater cost guide (updated July 7, 2025; 2026 title label) |
| Bob Vila | $860 average; $409 – $1,335 range, attributed to Angi and HomeAdvisor | Baseboard heating cost guide (published December 20, 2023) |
Angi owns HomeAdvisor, and their average and range are identical; neither attributes the other, so we report them as matching figures, not corroboration.1,2 Bob Vila explicitly attributes its $860 headline to Angi and HomeAdvisor, whose pages have since been updated to $973; meanwhile Bob Vila’s room-size and home-size tables match Fixr’s tables row for row with no attribution, so we describe them as matching figures rather than independent confirmation.1,3,5 HomeGuide’s own page is internally inconsistent, giving $300 to $1,100 per unit in its summary and $200 to $1,300 in its body; we use its summary figure in tables and note the discrepancy here.4
Cost by heater type
Angi’s 2026 averages by type: electric $200 on average ($150 to $400 range), hydronic (hot water) $500 ($400 to $1,100), high-efficiency $600 ($500 to $1,200), and smart-enabled $700 ($600 to $1,500).1 HomeGuide prices installed units higher across the board: electric $200 to $1,100, hydronic $430 to $1,200, wall heaters $370 to $1,200, and toe-kick heaters $420 to $1,300.4 The two sets differ, and the sources do not reconcile them.1,4
Cost by size and wattage
Angi’s 2026 per-unit averages by heater size: a 3-foot, 500-watt unit at $150 on average ($100 to $250), a 6-foot, 1,000-watt unit at $250 ($200 to $400), and an 8-foot, 2,000-watt unit at $350 ($300 to $600).1 Fixr prices installed units by length: 4 feet $120 to $150, 5 feet $200 to $225, 6 feet $250 to $275, 7 feet $300 to $325, 8 feet $350 to $380, 9 feet $450 to $500, and 10 feet $575 to $650.3
For sizing to a room, Fixr and Bob Vila publish the same wattage table (matching figures): a 64-square-foot room needs about 500 watts ($35 to $150 materials only), 100 square feet about 900 watts ($75 to $250), 300 square feet about 2,700 watts ($150 to $700), and 500 square feet about 4,500 watts ($300 to $1,000).3,5
Whole-home installations
Baseboard heat is usually zoned room by room, but whole-home numbers exist: Fixr and Bob Vila publish the same materials-only table by home size, from $2,400 to $2,800 for 800 to 1,000 square feet (6 to 7 heaters) up to $6,400 to $8,000 for 2,300 to 3,000 square feet (16 to 20 heaters).3,5 HomeGuide instead prices a whole home installed at $5,400 to $7,800 for 18 to 26 units — an installed figure against the others’ materials-only figures, a scope difference the sources state but do not otherwise reconcile.3,4,5
Labor, wiring, and thermostats
Angi prices electricians at $50 to $120 per hour for electric installs and plumbers or HVAC pros at $75 to $150 per hour for hydronic work.1 Fixr puts electricians at $40 to $120 per hour plus supplies, with a typical electric unit taking about five hours ($200 to $600 in labor, unit not included), and old-system removal at $75 to $150 per hour.3 Unit-only prices run $50 to $120 for a 120-volt heater and $100 to $300 for a 240-volt one (Fixr), and thermostats range from a $20 dial to $50-plus programmable and $100 to $500 smart models.3 Retailers sell the units directly (see Home Depot’s baseboard heaters category for current unit pricing), though hardwired 240-volt installs are electrician work rather than a DIY job.3
What it costs to run
HomeGuide estimates electric baseboard heat at $480 to $900 per month when run 10 hours per day, and $1,500 or more per month in larger homes, high-rate regions, or colder climates.4 On efficiency, the U.S. Department of Energy notes electric resistance heat converts all incoming electricity to heat at the point of use, but because most electricity is generated from coal, gas, or oil at about 30% conversion efficiency (plus transmission losses), electric heat is often more expensive than heat produced on-site by combustion appliances; DOE says heat pumps are preferable in most climates, cutting electricity use by about 50% compared with resistance heat, with exceptions in climates with few heating days.6
Related guides
Baseboard Heater Repair Cost: $139 to $441 (2026 Guide)
Radiator Replacement and Installation Cost
Heat Pump Cost
Electrician Cost
HVAC Installation Cost
All cost guides
Sources
1. Angi — How Much Does Baseboard Heater Installation Cost? (2026 Data, updated September 29, 2026)
2. HomeAdvisor — How Much Does Electric Baseboard Heater Installation Cost? (updated June 20, 2026)
3. Fixr — Cost to Install an Electric Baseboard Heater (updated January 31, 2025)
4. HomeGuide — How Much Does a Baseboard Heater Cost to Install? (updated July 7, 2025; 2026 title label)
5. Bob Vila — How Much Does Baseboard Heating Cost? (published December 20, 2023)
6. U.S. Department of Energy — Electric Resistance Heating (Energy Saver)