In short, it comes down to what’s above them, and what kind of heat you opt for. Heating is either hydronic—which circulates heated water, not unlike a radiator or hot water baseboards—or electric, which relies upon electric pads laid beneath your floor. Hydronic heating can outright replace ducts or radiators as a primary heat source for your kitchen, but electric heated floors are more often used to take the edge off a chilly floor. Hydronic heat can cost $10,000 or more in some applications, since it involves intricately laying flexible hot water lines. An electric heated floor can be installed by a skilled DIYer, and the mats themselves can cost $10 per square foot, or even less. “I think a heated floor is a high-priority item in a kitchen with a tile floor,” says H-Millard. “Otherwise, it would be one of the first items I’d cut.”