Radiant Heating Design in Ontario: Heat-Loss, Hydronic Loop Layout & a Permit-Ready Package

Radiant & hydronic design Heat-loss | loop layout | mechanical Ontario | BCIN-stamped

Part of: Radiant & In-Floor Heating in Ontario · Do I need a heat-loss calc?

Radiant Heating Design in Ontario: Heat-Loss, Hydronic Loop Layout & a Permit-Ready Package

A radiant floor is only as good as its design – and “design” is a specific, engineered thing, not a guess. It’s the heat-loss numbers, the loop layout, the water temperatures, the zoning, and the stamped mechanical package your Ontario permit needs. This is the home for radiant and hydronic heating design across Ontario: what a proper design includes, why a stamped one saves you money and comfort headaches, and how to get yours – we both design it and build it.

CSA F280-12
The design standard
BCIN-stamped
Permit-ready
Low temps
Hydronic radiant design
Design + build
We do both

What “radiant heating design” actually means

People use “radiant heating” to cover three different things – the product, the install, and the design – and the design is the one that decides whether you love your floor or fight it. Design is the engineering: calculating exactly how much heat each room needs, laying out the tubing loops to deliver it, setting the water temperatures and zoning, sizing the heat source, and producing the stamped drawings your permit requires. The install is the easy part once the design is right; the design is where a system is won or lost. Get the design wrong and no installer can save you from lukewarm floors and short-cycling. Get it right and radiant disappears into the background and just works. The day-to-day comfort behind all of it is on radiant floor heating 101, and the heat-source side on hydronic heating.

What a proper hydronic radiant design includes

A complete radiant and hydronic design is a package, not a single number. Here’s what’s in a real one:

PieceWhat it does
Heat-loss / gain (CSA F280-12)The room-by-room heating and cooling load – the foundation everything else is sized from
Loop layout & spacingWhere the tubing runs and how tightly, so each room gets the BTU it needs within the floor’s limit
Supply temperatures & mixingThe low water temperatures and outdoor-reset strategy that make it efficient and even
Zoning & manifoldsHow the home is split into zones for comfort without short-cycling
Heat-source sizingThe right size of combi, boiler, or heat pump – sized to the load, not guessed
Ventilation (MVDS / HRV)The HRV/ERV design a new Ontario home requires, since radiant doesn’t ventilate
Stamped mechanical drawingsThe BCIN-stamped, permit-ready documents your municipality needs

The full breakdown of which of these the code requires, and what the package costs, is on do I need a heat-loss calculation.

Why a stamped design saves you money

A real design does three things for your wallet and your comfort. It right-sizes the equipment, so you’re not paying for an oversized boiler that short-cycles and wastes fuel. It prevents the classic radiant complaints – lukewarm floors, a room that never keeps up – by checking each room’s load against what its floor can supply. And it’s the permit paperwork itself, BCIN-stamped, so your build doesn’t stall at the building department. The calculation costs a few hundred dollars and routinely saves thousands in oversized gear and avoided comfort fixes – which is why we always start here, before anyone picks equipment.

The order that works: heat-loss numbers first, then the design, then the heat source, then the install. We’ve built radiant into our own ICF homes for 30+ years, and the homes that are quiet, even, and cheap to heat are always the ones designed in that order. The leakier the house, the harder the design has to work; in a tight, well-insulated home (especially ICF) the design is easy and the equipment is small. Design and envelope go together.

Hydronic radiant design, specifically

Most whole-home radiant in Ontario is hydronic – warm water, not electricity – and good hydronic design leans on one fact: radiant runs at low water temperatures. That’s what lets it pair efficiently with a condensing boiler, an on-demand combi, or an air-to-water heat pump, and it’s the core of a good design. On most of our jobs we design around a combi on-demand unit running two loops (one potable, one radiant) so you never run out of shower hot water, or an air-to-water heat pump that can also cool the floor in summer. The heat-source options are on hydronic heating, and whether radiant can carry your whole house comes out of the same design, covered on will radiant heat my house.

Upload your plans, get a price – BCIN-stamped, permit-ready.

Get your radiant heating design

Send us your plans and our heat-loss engineer emails you a price for the full radiant and hydronic design package – CSA F280-12 heat loss, loop layout, water temperatures, heat-source sizing, ventilation, and stamped mechanical drawings, ready for your permit. This is the work we do, and we can build it too.

Get your radiant design →

Radiant heating design near you

We design and build radiant and hydronic in-floor heating across Simcoe County and the Georgian Bay region. Pick your area for the local details – the build conditions, the towns we cover nearby, and how to start:

Collingwood
Georgian Bay & Blue Mountains – chalets, custom homes, second homes.
Barrie
Subdivisions, infill, and heated basements across the city.
Oro-Medonte
Rural estate lots, big custom homes, heated shops and garages.
Orillia
Lake Country – Couchiching and Simcoe, cottage-to-home builds.
Simcoe County (all towns)
Midland, Wasaga, Penetanguishene, Tiny, Tay, Springwater and more.
Basement radiant heating
Turning a cold slab into the most comfortable floor in the house.

How it works: design to done

  1. Send your plans. Upload your drawings and we price the design package.
  2. We design it. Heat loss, loop layout, water temperatures, zoning, heat-source sizing, ventilation – BCIN-stamped.
  3. You get a permit-ready package. Submit it to your municipality (Cloudpermit-ready where applicable).
  4. We build it. Or hand the stamped design to your installer – either way the system is sized to reality.
Get a radiant design + build quote
We’ve designed and built radiant in our own ICF homes for 30+ years – heat-loss, loop layout, the works. Send us your project and we’ll call you back, usually within one business day, with a real plan and price. No cost, no obligation.

By submitting, you agree to be contacted about your radiant project. No cost, no obligation – we never share your info.

Questions about your radiant design? Get a one-on-one consult.
Heat-loss, loop layout, water temperatures, heat source, or a second opinion on a design. We scope it on a quick call and send a secure payment link – you only pay once you know what you’re getting.

Building new? The HST rebate can cover a big slice

A new build in Ontario likely qualifies for the enhanced HST rebate – up to $130,000 back if your build contract is signed before the deadline. Worth checking while you’re planning the design.

Ontario HST Rebate | Deadline April 1, 2027

You Could Lose Up To $106,000 If You Don’t Start Before April 2027

Ontario’s enhanced HST rebate puts up to $130,000 back in a new-home builder’s pocket – but only if your build contract is signed before April 1, 2027. Miss that window and you fall back to the standard $24,000 rebate.

$0
Contract signed before Apr 1, 2027
$24,000
Signed after the deadline
$900,000
Miss the deadline and you forfeit
$0

Estimate based on Ontario’s 2026 enhanced HST rebate (Bill 114). Final eligibility is confirmed by a licensed rebate specialist – that’s what the free check is for. Full HST rebate details

Radiant design pairs best with ICF

The tighter the envelope, the easier the design and the smaller the equipment - and nothing is tighter than ICF. We design radiant into our own energy-efficient ICF homes, where the low heat loss makes the whole system small, quiet, and cheap to run. See what ICF is, browse our ICF house plans (every one offered with the ICF + radiant package), run the ICF cost calculator, or check code with the OBC Code Navigator.

All radiant guides

Radiant & in-floor hub Radiant cost in Ontario Electric vs hydronic Radiant vs forced air Radiant floor heating 101 In-floor systems & methods Hydronic heating Solar radiant heating Radiant + flooring Will radiant heat my house? Do I need a heat-loss calc? Heated garage & shop floors Radiant floor cooling Basement radiant heating Heat-loss calculator

Radiant heating design: frequently asked questions

What is radiant heating design?

Radiant heating design is the engineering behind a radiant floor: a room-by-room heat-loss calculation, the tubing loop layout, the water temperatures and outdoor-reset strategy, the zoning and manifolds, the heat-source sizing, and the stamped mechanical drawings your permit needs. It's distinct from the install - design decides whether the system is even, efficient, and code-compliant; the install just executes it.

Do I need a radiant heating design, or just an installer?

You need the design first. An installer can lay tubing beautifully, but if the loops, temperatures, and zoning weren't engineered to your home's heat loss, you'll get lukewarm floors and short-cycling. For a new home in Ontario the design is also mandatory - the BCIN-stamped heat-loss and mechanical package is required for your permit.

What's included in a hydronic radiant design?

A complete package: the CSA F280-12 heat loss/gain, the loop layout and spacing, supply water temperatures and mixing, the zoning and manifold plan, heat-source sizing (combi, boiler, or heat pump), the HRV/ERV ventilation design, and stamped mechanical drawings ready for your municipality. It's everything needed to size, permit, and build the system correctly.

What is hydronic radiant design specifically?

Hydronic means warm water rather than electricity, and hydronic radiant design centers on the fact that radiant runs at low water temperatures. That lets the design pair the floor efficiently with a condensing boiler, an on-demand combi, or an air-to-water heat pump, and it drives the loop spacing, mixing strategy, and zoning. It's the standard approach for whole-home radiant in Ontario.

Does the radiant design need to be BCIN-stamped?

For a new-home permit in Ontario, yes. The heat-loss calculation and the mechanical design documents must be prepared and stamped by a BCIN-registered designer - that's what makes them acceptable to your municipality. An unstamped layout won't pass the building department.

How much does a radiant heating design cost?

As planning numbers, a heat loss/gain calculation starts around $250 and a mechanical design starts around $250, with the ventilation summary and energy form about $100 each; a complete BCIN-stamped permit package for a typical home usually runs about $500 to $700. The design routinely saves far more than it costs by right-sizing equipment and preventing comfort problems. Full detail is on our heat-loss page.

How long does a radiant design take?

Once your plans are ready, a standard home's heat-loss and mechanical package is typically a quick turnaround - often a couple of business days. Upload your drawings and we'll price it and get the stamped, permit-ready package back to you fast, Cloudpermit-ready where your municipality uses it.

Can you design and build the radiant system?

Yes - we do both. We produce the BCIN-stamped heat-loss and mechanical design and build the radiant to match in our own ICF homes and for clients across Simcoe County and Georgian Bay. You can also take the stamped design to your own installer; either way the system is sized to your home's real numbers.

Can you design radiant for a heat pump?

Absolutely - it's one of the best pairings. Radiant's low water temperatures are exactly where an air-to-water heat pump is most efficient, and the same machine can heat the floor in winter and cool it in summer. The design sizes the heat pump, the buffer tank, and the loops to your heat loss, and plans the dehumidification an Ontario summer needs.

What areas do you serve for radiant design?

We design and build radiant and hydronic in-floor heating across Simcoe County and the Georgian Bay region - Collingwood, Barrie, Oro-Medonte, Orillia, Midland, Wasaga Beach, Penetanguishene, Tiny, Tay, Springwater, and nearby communities. Pick your town above for the local details, or send us your plans from anywhere in Ontario for the design package.

Note: code references and cost figures are general guidance, not legal or engineering advice. Final requirements, sizing, and the stamped design are confirmed for your specific project by a BCIN-registered designer.

Free planning help

Want a real radiant heating quote for your Simcoe / Georgian Bay build?

This guide gives you the lay of the land; we give you the full picture. We have designed and built energy-efficient, radiant-heated ICF homes throughout Simcoe County and Georgian Bay for 30 years - certified, Tarion-backed - and we will scope the complete radiant system, heat source, and controls for your site. We work across Collingwood, Wasaga Beach, Blue Mountains, Stayner, Barrie, Springwater, Oro-Medonte, Midland, Penetanguishene, Tiny, Tay, and nearby communities. Need the numbers first? Get a stamped heat-loss + radiant design, or try the OBC Code Navigator for instant Ontario Building Code answers.

Radiant system design
Heat-loss + permit paperwork
Full project estimate
HST rebate guidance

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