What price for an aerial installation?
Brian Butterworth published on UK Free TV In responses to the guideline I posted about how much having a new aerial fitted should cost, Ian Grice posted: "£40-£50? Every aerial fitter I contacted wants at least £150+VAT considering you can get a class 3 aerial for under £10 and a class 2 for under £15 and cable is 40p a metre why are they charging so much for 30 minutes work?"
OK, for some places putting up a TV aerial is hard work, such as multi-story properties. As many people will simply be exchanging a Group A, B, C/D, E or K aerial for a wideband type, often without changing the supporting pole or cable, a high price cannot be justified.
I am concerned that some companies will exploit vulnerable groups (such as the elderly).
So, I what prices have you been quoted for aerial installations? What price have you paid for installation?
Do you know of any companies to avoid? Do you know of any companies that are good value for money?
Or do you work for a great aerial installation company?
Help with TV/radio stations?
Sunday, 22 September 2013
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mazbar11:58 AM
rob: the reason I am not a member of the cai is all they are is a money making origination, charging over £200 per year. I have been doing aerials over 25 years that will be longer than some of the people who work for the cai have lived. I don't over charge, £69 for replacing a tv aerial,mast bracket and lashing, ( I won't put a wall bracket on a chimney as some poor riggers do) coax. I still make money my customers are happy and so am I. Even at that price I am undercut by local cowboys but that or the price I charge. A cai rigger can charge up to double whar I charge but you won't get twice the job.
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rob8:24 PM
To Mazbar.... Really i didnt know you had to pay over £200 a year just to be certified by CAI... But your charges are very very reasonable. and like you say if you do a good job ... you get repeat business...... good for you and hope it goes well for you
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Monday, 23 September 2013
mazbar: I hate it when I see a wall bracket or a skydish drilled into the chimney! I take it your charge is only for a small aerial, bracket, mast etc? at that price I would be making a loss! I am also not a member of cai, but I offer a 2 year parts and labour guarantee and use only the best components. no screwfix crap here!
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Andrew's: mapA's Freeview map terrainA's terrain plot wavesA's frequency data A's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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mazbar9:16 PM
Andrew Brown: hi I'm on winter hill so very high powered for that price I use a rx12' 6ft*32mm steel mast, 9" bracket and lashing, use only rg6 but I find it ok. But in the north west I am expensive at £69
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Andrew Brown:
Good to hear Andrew. :)
I see so many installs which are falling apart after only a few months, sometimes sooner.
Too many of these £69 fully fitted installers about using cheap low quality materials, rubbish cheap cable (RG6) steel masts and painted brackets.
Pay the extra few quid and have your installs last 20 years not 2 years at best.
Do the maths EVERYONE £69 every 2 years over 20 years = £690
OR pay for an RDI or CAI installer who will charge around £150 for an install lasting 20 years
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jamie's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
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mazbar9:58 PM
jamie stevens: the coax is low cost but why would I fit a stronger aerial when an rx12 can bring in 70dbuv. My masts are galvanised and heavy duty. As I said I am expensive at £69. Or would you fit a class 2 type aerial even if the customer doesn't need it. By the way I normally expect my rigs to last over 10 years not 2. So my 2 rigs would be cheaper than your 1
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Tuesday, 24 September 2013
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mazbar3:17 PM
I went to one of our old customers today and had to replace the aerial but it was over 20 years old so Jamie if you expect your aerial to last 20 years and my aerials do last over 20 years why should customers pay £80 more to you and get no extra channels or it to last any longer ?
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mazbar:
Hi, not commenting on you specifically, in my area a lot of £69 installers fitting rubbish aerials that fall apart when a bird flies past it let alone sit on it, brackets that rust away and cheap cable that allows too much loss when exposed to UV from the sun. and generally not fitting the stuff very well as they can just move onto the next customer without a comeback.
regards
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jamie's: mapJ's Freeview map terrainJ's terrain plot wavesJ's frequency data J's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Got to agree with Jamie generally the £69 installers wouldn't offer any kind of comeback and would use the cheapest parts available
When let's be honest a 9" galvanised bracket is only a few pound more than a 6" steel painted bracket and a 6' alloy heavy gauge mast again is only a few pound more than a 6' steel 1" mast
So from doing a job properly the actual out lay is not a lot more
Percentage wise it is your probably talking 400% more for initial parts outlay but in the scheme of things it's not
It's what people are expecting to pay for the job that counts and what you and your competitors are charging
If the average price is £69 then I'd prefer to do as Mazbar does and do a job that lasts and doesn't rust rather than snowball a bad reputation up
If you live in an area where the job is anticipated to be higher then there has to be a reason
Perhaps your overheads are higher having to pay for expensive advertising to get the jobs or your having to travel further
Just a thought though Mazbar if the signal is as strong as you say it is
Why are you using 6' masts
I generally now cut masts down and 9 times out of ten place the aerial in between the bracket
There's less wind loading then and more likely to last longer
Do you need the height of a 6' mast any more?
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mazbar8:12 PM
kb aerials: 6ft is the maximum size mast I use for that price. Here in the north west I see 1" mast, 6" pressed brackets and the worst of all SSB . There is a new one the ratchet strap bracket. This is for rubbish riggers who carn't do proper lashings, I have been to a few that go slack. Don't like alloy they don't rust but are weaker even the heavy duty. As I have said I use heavy duty steel. As for galvasning when was the last time you saw a bracket rust through to the point of fail, this normaly takes over 15 years if not longer have seen brackets over 30 years still very strong. Around here I have seen full aerials advertised for £45 what do you think there work is like. As for signal strength done one on Monday for a cheapskate landlord 4 points off one rx12 coax length about 15 m signal strength 65 dbuv I would call that strong.
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