How much is an aerial installation?

With household costs soaring just now, one of the cheapest ways to watch TV is by using an aerial for Freeview or a satellite dish for Freesat. There are no subscriptions or fees (unless you subscribe on your Smart TV to a service like Netflix or Now TV) and once it's plugged into your TV you're up and running.

We get phone calls every day asking for the price of aerials, some people will have an old system on the roof and sometimes we can use it but often it's best to install a whole new system. If using an old system or putting a new cable on an old aerial, you can often kick problems a few months down the line and we don't supply a warranty. With a whole new system, there is a full warranty and it should last for years trouble free. Also you don't want old kit potentially rusting away on your roof and the cost is often not that different to the cost of getting a new one anyway.

Saying that, if your system is in good condition and just needs a simple repair, then we're more than happy to help and should be able do that relatively quickly.

As to cost, a standard service call or repair, is generally around £95 (inc the VAT). We can do lots of repairs to any system and will do a full assessment on the day.

Here are our 2 main aerial systems we install day to day.

Loft Aerial Installation

This will work in most properties and has various advantages to roof aerials.

No weather damage so it should last longer than a roof aerial.
Easy to access if there are any issues in the future.
Cheaper than a roof aerial installation.

Disadvantages:

Can be knocked or damaged if the loft is used a lot (eg dragging Christmas decorations out of the loft).
The signal will generally be less than on a roof but if in a decent signal area and installed using professional equipment and a signal meter, it should be good enough for your TV signal.
If in a poor signal area, then an amplifier may be required which is usually around £30 (there are a few types that we use).
Factors such as loft insulation or solar panels have to be taken into account as these could affect the signal.

The typical cost of a standard loft aerial is £179 (installed and fitted).

Roof Aerial Installation

This is our second most popular aerial installation and will give a good, consistent and strong signal. We use steel brackets and masts so you know that our aerial will stay up for years. There are a couple of ways that are used to secure the aerial on the roof and various places we can install it but we will always ensure it's in a great signal area and that we take great care on your roof.

Advantages :

If the signal in the loft is poor, then the roof should be much better.
You'll get a stronger and more consistent signal generally on the roof.
More flexibility with positioning - we can install on chimneys, walls etc and can increase the size of the mast if we need to.

Disadvantages:

Weather - the Scottish weather isn't ideal for roof aerials, especially in rural/hilly areas where snow can also cause problems.
Access can be a problem, especially with shared roofs where we may need to get access via a shared loft space.
Access - some roofs are difficult to get around on and may require extra time, or specific rope and access techniques which can add to the price.

The typical cost of a standard roof aerial is £224, supplied and fitted. Again occasionally an amplifier may be required (depending on the signal strength) which may be added on top. We also use good quality coax cable on all of our installations which will last for years.

These prices are for standard aerial installations which make up most of our aerial jobs but sometimes extra time may be required so we can run cables discretely or perhaps you'd like to add extra room points on. This can be done but it increases the cost - extra rooms are priced at £55 per room and extra time is charged at an hourly rate.

If you'd like us to pop out, get in touch and we can get an installer to come out and do an evaluation and give you a price for an install. We work Monday to Saturday and have a team of installers who have years of experience. We are registered with the CAI and have Trust Mark accreditation so you know that we are full insured and take care with our installations.