Smart Thermostat Installation in Cambridge: Hive, tado° & Drayton Wiser
Control your heating from your phone, heat each room to the right temperature and stop paying to heat empty rooms. Our Gas Safe engineers supply, fit and set up smart heating controls across Cambridge and the surrounding villages.
Why upgrade to smart heating controls?
A smart thermostat does far more than a traditional programmer, and it’s one of the cheapest upgrades you can make to a heating system.
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Control from anywhere
Turn the heating up, down or off from your phone, wherever you are.
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Room-by-room heating
Add smart radiator valves so bedrooms, living rooms and offices each run their own temperature and schedule.
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Heating that fits your routine
Schedules, boost and away modes mean the heating is on when you need it and off when you don’t.
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Better boiler efficiency
On compatible boilers, OpenTherm control lets the boiler run lower and longer, which is gentler and more efficient.
Hive vs tado° vs Drayton Wiser
All three let you control your heating remotely. They differ in features, how far they expand, and whether the best features need a subscription.
Prices are for the thermostat kit supplied and installed. Smart radiator valves and extra zones are extra. 0% VAT until 31 March 2027, then due to be 5%.
Hive
From £340 supplied and installed
Best for simple, reliable smart heating
One of the UK’s best-known brands, with a straightforward app and attractive thermostats. Ideal if you’re upgrading from a standard programmer.
- Remote control, schedules, boost and holiday mode
- Hive Smart Radiator Valves for individual rooms
- Up to 6 conventional heating zones
- Works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit
- OpenTherm on selected models
App: free · Hive+ optional, about £3.99/month
Our verdict: the best choice for straightforward boiler and radiator systems where ease of use matters most.
tado°
From £345 supplied and installed
Best for automation & room-by-room control
The tado° Smart Thermostat is a popular system focused on automation and energy efficiency, with smart radiator thermostats for room-by-room control.
- Independent schedules for every room
- Geofencing, open-window detection and weather adaptation (automatic with Auto-Assist)
- OpenTherm with compatible boilers
- Works with Alexa, Google Assistant and Apple HomeKit
- Separate Smart AC Control for compatible air conditioning
App: free · Auto-Assist optional, from about £2.99/month or £27.99/year
Our verdict: ideal if you want plenty of automation and room-by-room control.
Drayton Wiser
From £333 supplied and installed
Best for larger homes, multiple zones & no subscription
Designed around UK central heating, with excellent room-by-room control. Its core smart features are free, with no monthly fee.
- Up to 16 rooms and 32 smart radiator thermostats
- Eco, Comfort and Away modes plus open-window detection, all free
- Dedicated wet underfloor heating controller
- Integration with selected heat pump systems
- Works with Alexa and Google Assistant
App: free · no subscription needed for core heating
Our verdict: the best value for larger or more complex homes, especially with underfloor heating.
Feature comparison
How the three systems compare on the features that matter most.
| Feature | Hive | tado° | Drayton Wiser |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smartphone control & schedules | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Smart radiator thermostats | Yes, no published limit | Yes, up to 25 devices in total | Yes, up to 32 |
| Geofencing | Reminders; some paid features | Free reminders; automatic with Auto-Assist | Away Mode |
| Open-window detection | Feature dependent | Yes (automatic response with Auto-Assist) | Yes |
| Boiler OpenTherm support | Selected models | Yes | Selected models |
| Heat pump products | Limited | Limited | Selected integrations |
| Wet underfloor heating | Limited | Limited | Dedicated controller |
| Air conditioning control | No | Separate AC controller | Selected cooling integrations |
| Maximum rooms / zones | Up to 6 zones | Up to 25 devices | Up to 16 rooms |
| Device capacity | Hub dependent | Up to 25 devices per home | Up to 63 Zigbee devices |
| Paid subscription | Optional (Hive+) | Optional (Auto-Assist) | Not needed for core heating |
Compatibility depends on the thermostat model, boiler, hub generation and heating system.
Subscription costs compared
None of the three needs a subscription for basic smart heating. The difference is how much automation and energy insight you get for free.
| Cost over time | Hive+ | tado° Auto-Assist | Drayton Wiser |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic app | Free | Free | Free |
| Premium, monthly | £3.99 | £2.99 | £0 |
| 1 year | £39.90 | £27.99 | £0 |
| 5 years | £199.50 | £139.95 | £0 |
| 10 years | £399.00 | £279.90 | £0 |
Assumes current annual prices stay the same. Excludes equipment, installation.
Which smart thermostat is right for you?
Choose Hive if you want something simple: remote control, schedules and the option to add radiator valves later.
Choose tado° if you want plenty of automation, room-by-room control and Apple HomeKit support, or you also want to control compatible air conditioning.
Choose Drayton Wiser if you have a larger home, several zones or wet underfloor heating, and you don’t want to pay a subscription.
Not sure? We’ll recommend the right system after looking at your boiler, radiators and how you use your home.
Do smart thermostats really save energy?
They can, by making sure heating is only used when and where it’s needed. Savings depend on your current controls, insulation, heating system and how you use the new controls.
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Better scheduling
Heating runs around your actual routine, not a fixed timer.
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Room-by-room control
Spare rooms and bedrooms can run cooler than living areas.
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Remote access
Turn the heating off when plans change or you’re away.
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Optimisation
Compatible systems adjust for occupancy, weather and demand.
What we check before installing
Choosing the right controls is about more than the app. Our engineers check:
- Your boiler and heating system type
- Whether your boiler supports OpenTherm modulation
- How many heating zones you have
- Whether you want individual radiator control
- Compatibility with your existing radiator valves
- Any wet underfloor heating circuits
- Hot water control needs
- Future heat pump upgrades
- Smart-home integration (Alexa, Google, HomeKit)
- Wireless coverage throughout the property
How it works
From choosing a system to controlling your heating from your phone.
Tell us about your home
Book online or call us. We’ll ask about your boiler, radiators and what you want the controls to do.
We recommend and fit
We recommend Hive, tado° or Wiser to suit your system, then fit and wire the thermostat, receiver and any radiator valves.
Set up on your phone
We set up the app, schedules and rooms with you before we leave, so everything works from day one.
Smart heating FAQs
Common questions about smart thermostats and radiator valves.
How much does a smart thermostat cost?
Supplied and installed, Drayton Wiser starts from £333, Hive from £340 and tado° from £345. Smart radiator valves and extra heating zones aren’t included and are priced to suit your home, and we’ll confirm a fixed price before we start. Heating controls are zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027, then due to be 5%.
Do I need a subscription for a smart thermostat?
No. Hive, tado° and Drayton Wiser all have free apps that cover remote control, schedules and smart radiator valves. Hive+ (about £3.99 a month) and tado° Auto-Assist (from about £2.99 a month) add extra automation and energy insights, while Drayton Wiser includes its core smart features for free.
Will a smart thermostat work with my boiler?
Most smart thermostats work with most UK gas boilers using a simple on/off connection. Some boilers also support OpenTherm, which lets compatible thermostats modulate the boiler for better efficiency. We check your boiler before recommending a system.
Can I control individual rooms?
Yes. All three systems offer smart radiator thermostats that replace your existing radiator valve heads, so each room can have its own temperature and schedule.
Which smart thermostat is best for a heat pump?
Drayton Wiser integrates with selected heat pump systems. Many heat pumps also have their own manufacturer controls, so we’ll advise on the best option for your system.
Can a smart thermostat control underfloor heating?
Drayton Wiser has a dedicated wet underfloor heating controller that handles multiple zones. tado° supports wired control of compatible circuits, while Hive’s underfloor heating integration is more limited.
Do smart thermostats save money?
They can reduce energy use through better scheduling, room-by-room control and remote access, but savings aren’t guaranteed. The benefit depends on your existing controls, insulation, heating system and how you use the new controls.
Can you install smart thermostats in my area?
Yes. We install Hive, tado° and Drayton Wiser across Cambridge and the surrounding villages, including Histon, Cottenham, Sawston, Great Shelford, Waterbeach and Northstowe. For Hive, tado° and Drayton Wiser installs, there is no travel charge within 15 km of our base in Cambridge. Between 15 km and 25 km, travel is £2 per km + VAT (£2.40 per km including VAT) for the distance beyond 15 km, one way, so never more than £24 including VAT. Beyond 25 km, please call us first.
Information and indicative subscription prices are based on manufacturer details available in October 2026. Features, compatibility, device limits and prices can change, so we confirm the current specification for your exact model before installation.
Upgrade your heating controls
Book a visit and we’ll recommend and fit the right smart thermostat for your home.
Related: Boiler servicing · New boilers · Heat pumps · Underfloor heating · Air conditioning