If you have struggled with poor television signals in the past year, then our aerial installation cost 2022 guide is exactly what you need. Many years back, experiencing fuzzy images when you turned on your TV was normal. In today’s world, and with breakthroughs in communication technology, it is simply embarrassing not to have the most basic TV channels.
A quick fix usually employed by most people is to install an in-house aerial into the loft space or the roof. While this may work, there is a huge chance that surrounding buildings, your belongings, the roof material, and trees may block clear transmission. Instead of offering a solution, this fix may lead to more frustrations for you.
So, for a permanent solution, it would help if you installed a roof aerial. Depending on the job’s complexity, this could be a quick “do it yourself” task or a complex technical fix. For some people, all they need to do is fix an aerial to an existing pole, and they are good. For others, they may need to erect a new pole and run new cables. Both of these endeavours will be tasking and time-consuming.
Fortunately, there’s always a way to get around installing gadgets. However, when it comes to securing a gadget like an aerial, it is not so simple. We’ll discuss the cost of aerials in 2022, the factors influencing their installation, and the cost of aerials in this article. We will also see how to cut costs on installing an aerial or replacing it and the dynamics that come with installing an aerial. You’ll also learn how to get the right person to assist you in replacing or installing an aerial. If you’re looking to renovate your house, you can also check out the house extension costs and services on Bark.
If you want to put fuzzy and broken television pictures behind you, continue reading this article.
How Much Will A TV Aerial Cost In 2022?
Fortunately, installing a new roof aerial will fit most people’s budgets.
| Job | Estimated Cost | Time Required |
| Replace an old outdoor aerial | £100 to £150 | 2 to 3 hours |
| Replace an old indoor aerial | £30 to £40 | 1-2 hours |
| Install a brand new outdoor aerial | £170 to £220 | 4 to 6 hours |
| Install brand new indoor aerial | £40 to £50 | 1 to 2 hours |
| Adding an extra aerial socket | £80 to £120 | 2 to 3 hours |
| Replace TV aerial with a new dish | £220 to £275 | 2 to 3 hours |
Installation Costs Broken down
In many parts of the UK, if you wish to replace your TV aerial, you will most likely spend anywhere from £50 to £140. However, this cost depends largely on the installation company involved and your residential area.
Similarly, replacing an outdoor aerial would cost about £100 to £150. In the hands of an expert, this installation should last about 3 hours or a little less.
When it comes to an indoor aerial, you may not have to spend so much. Therefore, you should be able to replace your indoor aerial within the range of £30 and £40. Bar anything going wrong; an expert will have this replacement done in two hours.
Installing a new aerial outside your house, on the other hand, will cost you between £170 and £220. Furthermore, this job will likely take longer; you should expect a four to six-hour installation time.
If you want to install a new indoor aerial, you should have a budget of about £40 and £50. Two hours are enough to complete installing an aerial indoors.
Sometimes, you may want an extra aerial socket for your home. You may need to pay up to a maximum of £120 and wait up to three hours for the job’s completion. However, if you want a dish to replace your TV Aerial, you should have a budget of about £220 to £275. Labour hours of about three hours should get the job done.
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Factors That Influence The Cost Of Replacing And Installing An Aerial
Several factors can influence the final cost of installing a TV Aerial. However, these prices are never stable thanks to varying market situations. In this aerial installation cost 2022 guide, we’ll be looking at some of these relevant factors. Therefore, you must keep these factors in mind when working with a small budget. With the right knowledge, you can get this installation done in the most cost-effective way possible.
- Standard TV Aerial Installation Price
Not all companies are the same when defining what an industry standard installation price should be. Therefore, ensure that the company you are working with should at least have a standard installation pricing. Furthermore, if you begin to notice some irregularities in this aspect, then there’s a chance you will get a shabby service that may cause problems in the future. Moreover, problems that spring up in the future will cost you more money. Furthermore, these extra payments will increase the cost of fixing your TV aerial problems.
A reputable installation company will visit your property and assess the situation before issuing you a final quote. If there isn’t additional work or material needed to get the aerial installation going, you’ll likely have to cover the company’s standard cost, and you are good to go.
- Length of the Outdoor Pole
Apart from the aerial itself, there are some instances where the mounting pole is not long enough. However, it is always better to come to this realisation by yourself. Also, there are times when merchants may make this recommendation to inflate the final cost of installation-so be careful when taking advice from them.
As a precaution, you can look at your neighbour’s aerial installations. If you notice that they are all using long poles, your area has a signal strength problem. Therefore, for the best outcomes, you may need to install a long pole too.
If, on the other hand, the majority of your neighbours use standard-sized poles, then beware of the tradesman that’s asking you to do something different. Moreover, it may end up being an unnecessary expensive improvement.
- Your Locality
While the cost of installing an aerial will likely fit into most budgets, you should bear in mind that your location will influence the total cost of installation. Therefore, living in London makes you more likely to pay extra for labour, unlike in other parts of the country. This situation applies to other home renovation projects in the United Kingdom.
Also, if you do not have a parking solution at the building, you’ll have to get a road parking permit for your contractors for as long as they are working on your aerial. If the installation cost wasn’t already high enough, securing this permit will only make things worse.
Lastly, your house or building location, the topography, and the number of buildings around you can determine the signal strength you can enjoy. Moreover, this will determine the kind of improvements you need and the total cost of installing a new aerial in your home for better reception.
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- Membership and Accreditations
Usually, when you become a part of an association, you’ll have to give up extra time and money. Some of the UK’s most popular aerial and satellite trade associations include the Confederation of Aerial Industries (CAI), the Buy with Confidence Scheme, Checkatrade, RDI, Trustmark, and other health and safety ones. All of these memberships cost money, and the customer has to pay a little extra.
Therefore, you will have to ask yourself, can you cover the cost of using a company associated with these trade organisations? Do you want to save as much as possible when paying your installation bills?
Moreover, the answers to the questions above will help you determine quickly who you should work with and who you should avoid.
- Indoors vs Outdoors
As you may have seen in the previous descriptions, whether your aerial mounts on a pole outdoors or indoors impacts the overall installation cost.
Outdoor aerial installation costs between £100 and £160 and takes a longer job time. On the other hand, indoor TV aerials will cost you a lot less– within the range of £30 to £40.
- Disc Installation
Remember that if you are replacing your aerial with a disc transmitter, you will spend a lot more than you need to when upgrading or replacing an existing TV aerial in your home.
In the UK, disc transmitter installation can cost anywhere between £200 to £275. However, this cost depends on your location in the United Kingdom and whether the job required will be complex or not.
- Amplifiers and Splitters
If you live in an area with a lot of signal blockage, you’ll need more than just a long pole. For clearer pictures and programming, you may need an amplifier.
Also, if you desire extra TV plug-in points, you’ll have to split the cables to retain the strong signal correctly on both outlets. As expected, both factors also increase the installation cost.
If you want another aerial socket, your installation bill could fall between £80 and £120.
- Cables
For a completely new aerial installation, you will require brand new cables to send signals from the aerial to your television set.
This factor may significantly increase the installation cost regardless of your location in the country. Materials may not cost much, but cutting and carefully running cables through your building requires top-notch skill. Unfortunately, this skill may not come cheap.
Sometimes, you may need to alter your home’s painting and structural layout to accommodate new cables. All of these will only add more to the cost of installation.
- Contractor’s Skill Level
It would be best if you were on the lookout for some of the industry’s independent professionals who may quote something cheaper so that they can get the job from you. Similarly, there may be many instances of price inflation because, in reality, there isn’t much money associated with just installing a new aerial to an existing pole.
Therefore, you’ll find many workers trying to get you to buy unnecessary accessories, giving the overall payment a little boost. Furthermore, in most cases, you’ll find workers trying to get you to buy a new pole or cable when it is not desperately needed.
However, if you hire a skilled worker from a reputable company, you might have to pay a high fee. Fortunately, with this high fee, you can expect premium service from a worker who is well versed in what they are doing. Moreover, they’ll do the job and help you capture strong signals without selling unnecessary extras.
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Simple Ways To Save Money On A New Aerial
We’ve already discussed how replacing TV aerials can require you to part some extra cash. So below are different ways to help you cut down these prices.
- Get It Done Yourself
Firstly, you can replace some TV Aerials yourself, especially when they are inside the house. This move is a great way to drive down costs, as you will need to cover the cost for materials only. On the other hand, you will cover the labour aspect of the installation or replacement process at no charge.
Unfortunately, the situation gets dicey when the aerial is in a hard-reach region of your house like the roof. While you can still attempt to get this done yourself, it would be wise to secure the services of a skilled tradesperson to avoid damaging your home and your body.
- Conduct A Thorough Research
The best way to be better placed to get the prime deals is to ensure that you carry out proper research before contacting a professional for estimates on the job at hand.
Therefore, if you are pretty confident that you do not require a new pole or an amplifier to boost your TV signal into the appropriate channels, be sure to notify your contractor beforehand. Having done this homework yourself, it will be pretty impossible for them to upsell things that you really do not need.
Moreover, if you happen to live where these extra accessories have some use, you can get familiar with their cost before reaching out to a skilled worker for a quote. As a result, you have a clear idea of what you might have to pay and whether a tradesperson’s quote makes sense or not.
- Work With Local Companies
Working with large and better-organised companies always costs more because you are paying for extra services you didn’t need or bargain for. You’ll most likely pay for customer services, advertising, and expensive showrooms. However, this is not the case at all with local merchants.
Furthermore, with these local experts, you can ensure that all you are paying for is just the service rendered and nothing more. This move may mean you won’t have access to a 24/7 helpline service in case of technical glitches. However, it would keep your initial costs very low. Furthermore, with technical work like TV Aerial installation, there’s little chance of a major glitch happening. Therefore, there’s no real reason why you should not employ the services of a local merchant/trader.
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What type of Aerial Installation Is The Best?
When you walk the streets of major UK cities, it is hard not to notice an array of aerials attached to most homes. Therefore, you need to install the best aerial possible to get the best reception. Below are some advantages and disadvantages of different TV aerials in the UK.
Advantages of Yagi Aerials
This is perhaps the most common TV aerial in the United Kingdom. The appearance may differ depending on the manufacturer, but the principles remain the same.
- Possesses small conductive elements to pick up radio waves for the aerial, which improves frequency reception
- Comes with a characteristic long rod called the boom for greater reach
- Common and easy to install
Disadvantages of Yagi Aerial
- Takes up lots of space because of its extra parts
- It may not work well for radio
- May not reject impulse noise properly
Advantages of Log Periodic Aerials
Log Periodic Aerials came into the limelight with the introduction of digital TV. They are the best aerials to connect your digital TV if you struggle with bad reception.
- They are very good at blocking impulse noises that could interface with the smooth display on your digital TV.
- Log Periodic Aerials help balance TV signals by delivering flat frequency responses
- Built-in Coaxial cables
- May work for radios
Disadvantages of Log Periodic Aerials
- It may not work well in a low signal area
- Does not come with a dipole of the back reflector
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Advantages of High-Gain Aerials
High gain aerials come with unique designs that allow you to increase the signal strength coming from a transmitter. Common high-gain aerials include Bow-Tie aerials, X-Type aerials, multi-boom aerials, and more.
- They work well in all types of signal areas
- Significantly long to compensate for the higher frequency gain it is supposed to make.
- Comes with a reflector and larger boom for weight balance.
Disadvantages of High-Gain Aerials
- Requires a high budget
- Only a skilled worker can install it properly
- Requires a transmitter
Advantages of Grid Aerials
These aerials do not look like normal TV aerials. This structural difference is because they were designed for an analog setup.
- They are great for preventing “ghosting” if you are not using a digital TV
- They have a good front-to-back ratio to help stop signal interference
- Grid aerials do not take up much space
Disadvantages of Grid Aerials
- They work very poorly in weak signal areas
- Do not work with digital TV
- They are currently not very common and a little out of fashion
Advantages of Indoor TV Aerials
This aerial type works indoors and is sometimes connected to the TV itself. They come in two varieties; the amplified type and passive or non-amplified type. Amplified indoor TV aerials are more common and connect to your TV directly.
- Do not require expensive installations
- Does not take up much space
Disadvantages of Indoor TV Aerials
- They do not function in weak signal areas
- Can only be attached to your TV
- May be expensive
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Simple Technicalities Involved in TV Aerial Installation.
A merchant will select a location best suited for you to receive strong TV signals. This location is usually about 10 to 20 feet above the ground, and you can fix the aerial to the wall alongside the supporting mast.
The next step is to bring the cable from your house aerial into the house where the TV is sitting. Furthermore, the connection and signal strength undergo testing, and if all goes well, the contractor will put the finishing touches to his job and bid you farewell.
What Are The Simple Ways You Can Find Someone To Install Or Replace An Aerial?
The first step to take when it comes to any aspect of home renovation is to ask family, friends, and neighbours. Basically, anyone close to you that has had a similar job done for them recently. Moreover, you would literally have most of the job done if you could secure the services of a reputable contractor. There is no better way to do this than by getting recommendations from people you trust. Therefore, this move can help save you time, resources, and money.
However, if nobody close to you has had a similar job done recently, you can look at your local directory for contact numbers of potential contractors you can hire. This way, you can compare quotes from hundreds of vetted local merchants to find the right professional for you. Furthermore, this move will save you the time you would spend jumping from one website to another searching for a reputable company that you can work with.
Making Sure The Professional Is A Right Fit For The Job
Apart from making the challenges you face known to the contractor, getting a quote is perhaps the most crucial point of the negotiation. Moreover, this document gives you something substantial to fall back on if there is any glitch during and after the job’s completion.
Furthermore, digging deeper into someone’s experience and related references is an efficient way to escape potential rogue traders. Nowadays, anyone can build a website and say whatever they like about themselves, but you can always find truth in someone else’s verbal review of their work and expertise.
Lastly, you must ensure that the contractor has the right insurance cover for your building and themselves while they carry out the installation. However, if they do not have insurance or fail to provide proof, you should find another contractor to work with.
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Final Comprehensive Checklist
Apart from the tips in this aerial installation cost 2022 guide, another way to rid yourself of broken and fuzzy picture images is to ensure your equipment is up-to-date and right for your location. Below is our comprehensive checklist to ensure you cover all the basics when you set out to install or replace a TV Aerial:
- Pay attention to your neighbour’s houses; do they use short or extended aerial poles? If they do, chances are that you’ll need something very similar too.
- Will you need to get a splitter or extra aerial sockets for your house? If yes, where is the best location for them in your home?
- How would you best describe your TV Aerial? Is it interior or exterior? If it is interior, then you really should consider doing it yourself. For outdoor installations, you really should consider hiring the services of a professional that has a clear idea of what they are doing.
- Get quotes from different contractors and compare prices. Settle for the one that suits your situation and budget the best. You can also use bark for other services like tree removals.
FAQs Regarding Aerial Installation
- How Long Should I Expect An Aerial Installation To Last?
Except if there is a major accident or a natural disaster, TV aerials tend to work for a very long time. On average, you can expect a high-quality aerial to last up to 20 years.
- Can I Have A Plug-In Aerial Socket Included In the Installation?
Yes, you can. For this type of installation, you’ll need the services of a skilled worker. Moreover, this will ensure that there are no mistakes that can cause a technical glitch in the future.
- Will My Old Aerial Work With A Digital TV?
Yes, it will. However, you have to live in an area that boasts of strong signals. In locations with weak signals, you’ll need an aerial made for digital TVs.
- How do I Accurately Test My TV’s Aerial Signal Strength?
Some TVs come with functionalities that can help you measure the signal strength of your aerial. Unfortunately, the results from these tests are not very accurate. Therefore, your engineer should use a meter to test for signal strength before starting their work.
Advantages and Disadvantages of TV Aerial Installations
Advantages
- You can expect to enjoy crisp images every time you turn on your TV
- Aerials allow you to maximize the best of free-to-view channels in the UK.
- With a high-quality aerial, you can get quality reception even in areas with weak signals.
- Some TV aerials can equally help you enjoy some radio channels
Disadvantages
- Some TV Aerial installations may cost a lot of money
- Indoor aerials do not work well in weak signal areas
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