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, 18 September 2011
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Steve P1:37 PM
Mazbar - that is NOT what I am talking about. My ae is fixed to a substantial length of bracket bolted into drilled bricks, not mortar, at either end.
And the bricks are held in place by many tons of brickwork above them.
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Hi guys
I suppose its each to their own regarding the ssb's. I like mazbar, dont like/trust them, but if they work for some & they are happy using them I would not presume to tell them to do different ! I'm (like tom) a old git who has been doing this for longer than I care to remember & being basicly self taught (not much choice back then !) I have never liked anyone dictating how I handle my erections (for steve / ron !) which is why I have only had a brief period of trady body membership, of course Im always open to learning more but I dont need to be told what aerial / cable to fit, if I needed that I shouldnt be a rigger !
Mark Aberfan Aerials
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Mazbar1:49 PM
Ormskirk
Mark when you drive past a new job and see a ssb on a one pot chimney do you think good rig or lazy bast*rd i know what i think and i am only 39 but have been doing the job for 23 years
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Mazbar's: mapM's Freeview map terrainM's terrain plot wavesM's frequency data M's Freeview Detailed Coverage
Hi Mazbar,
I dont see them new around here, thats why I was suprised that they still made them ! I think that if I saw a new one apart from the suprise I would think I wouldn't do it like that, to me they dont equate to a top notch install, but if the rigger can use them & is happy that it will stay put its their choice.
I think that after 23 years you, like me will your own way of working & will have your own standards of what is acceptable on a install. There will be some people & trade bodies who think my basic rig is not upto their spec, I think it works very well & is very good value, It gives the customer what they want (a great signal with little cost) & I dont lose the job to a cowboy. I've lost count the amount of times I've seen a rig meets trade body specs (usually fitted by a national call centre trade body member or by a dso contractor) using the top grade aerial & cable but is heap of crap that lets in water or has other stupid faults such as the f-con at the dipole not fitted correctly etc.
Mark Aberfan Aerials
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Steve P4:11 PM
Mark - Just discovered your name is clickable so clicked it.
Who are the people standing either side of you?
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Hi steve,
They are the people responsible for our high quality erections !
That was taken during our two year stint as trade body members when we attended the first English digital switchover at Whitehaven, unbelievably we were only trade body members to attend which was a bit of a shock at the time but I suppose there was no money to be made & no one to sell public liabilty insurance to !
The whole switchover process took place without any local installers being trade body members & I noticed that they appeared to cope very well !
Mark Aberfan Aerials
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Steve P5:14 PM
Well, they're a bit remote up there - probably too remote for rip-off merchants and locals trade by reputation.
I have wondered if installers were travelling around the switchovers? Presumably each creates a demand surge?
I also wonder how much was spent on new Ae for the transition period when the old ones would have been good enough once full digital power.
I had no intention of replacing our VERY old Ae until a major storm realigned it. And even miser me was convinced that it was not worth refixing!
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Hi Steve,
We went up to observe the switchover process, so we would know what to expect when it was our turn. I couldn't belive that none of the trade body bigwigs could be bothered to turn up especially when one was set up to deal with the switchover usually a trip away from home at the expense of the members is a must !
I believe the DSO contractors travel around the country following the switchover, I know that after my area switched we got work putting right the cockups, which was worth far more than doing the DSO contract work itself.
Mark Aberfan Aerials
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KB Aerials Sheffield
5:58 PM
5:58 PM
Thanks guys - makes a good read for me - still wet behind the ears (thanks tom - will run you off the road next time I see you)
Steve - you sound like my friend Bill Wright ( Wright's Aerials )
Hes hilarious when he starts rambling (read some of his stories on his web site)
As for Single side band modulation - ooops I mean SSB brackets - not used one ever - sort of scowl at them when I see them ------ BUT and a big BUT i cant say ive been to many where they have come down! but im still a young whipper snapper and probably not seen many at all - best go get my bottle its 6pm and nearly bed time!
(S201EG)
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Hi Keith,
I love Bill's site too, he has a couple of pics I took of a comical install that we had to remove & replace in his bozo section, I'm a old git but I still regard Bill as the daddy of the riggers !
Over the years he has written some great stuff which is informative & funny equal measure, a talented man.
Now off to bed with you, dont make me call your mum !
Mark Aberfan Aerials
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