HOW TO HIRE · ELECTRICAL

How to hire a TV aerial installer in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

No register applies to aerial installers; the work at height rules do. The checks, the signal and access questions, and what to be handed.

  • Search and compare — no account needed
  • Nearest to you first
  • One score from Google, Trustpilot and Locufy reviews

THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a TV aerial installer in five steps

  1. Say what you watchFreeview, satellite or both, and how many rooms need a point.
  2. Ask for a signal testThe installer should measure before choosing the aerial.
  3. Ask how they get upLadder, tower or platform — matched to the roof and the time on it.
  4. Agree the cable runsOutside routes, entry point and points in each room.
  5. Check every channel before they goEvery room, every multiplex, with the signal readings.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

No register applies

No licence or register applies to TV aerial and satellite installers in England, Wales, Scotland or Northern Ireland; the Welsh Government lists extra-low voltage communication cabling as minor work that need not be notified.

Check insurance, reviews from booked jobs and how they plan to work on the roof. gov.wales →

Work at height

The Work at Height Regulations 2005 (Northern Ireland has its own regulations of 2005) require work at height to be planned, supervised and done by competent people with the right equipment.

Ask how the aerial installation will be reached — ladder, tower or platform — and why that is right for your roof. hse.gov.uk →

Ladders for short jobs only

HSE treats a ladder as suitable only for low-risk jobs lasting up to 30 minutes in one go; longer or riskier roof work needs other access equipment.

For a chimney-mounted aerial or a long job, ask what access equipment is in the price. hse.gov.uk →

Insurance and trader status

Ask who insures the trader doing the aerial installation and for how much; public liability is standard. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 covers the aerial installation when the provider is a trader, and a contract made off-premises or online can usually be cancelled within 14 days under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 — less what was done if you asked for an early start, and not at all for goods made to your specification.

For the aerial installation, see the insurance document and confirm the profile carries the trader and ID-checked badges.

VAT

HMRC puts aerial and satellite dish installation at the standard rate of 20%; once a trader's taxable turnover passes £90,000 it must register, charge the 20% and list it apart from the price of the work.

Ask for the VAT number, and look for VAT as its own line on the aerial quote. gov.uk →

“Will you test the signal before choosing the aerial?”

A good answer: Yes, with a meter, and the aerial type chosen for the reading — a high-gain aerial only where the signal is weak.

“How will you work safely on the roof to fit the aerial?”

A good answer: A plan for the access — ladder for a short low-risk job, a tower or platform for longer work — and insurance that covers it.

“Loft, wall or chimney mount for the aerial?”

A good answer: The best option for your signal, with the reasons and the price of each.

“How many TV points, and is an amplifier needed?”

A good answer: A count of rooms and whether the signal needs boosting to reach them.

“Where will the aerial cable enter the house?”

A good answer: A neat, sealed entry point and clipped runs, agreed before drilling.

“Will you check every channel in every room?”

A good answer: Yes, with signal readings, before payment.

Getting the quote right

  • Aerial or dish type and mounting
  • Number of TV points and any amplifier
  • Cable runs and entry point
  • Access equipment for the roof
  • Who actually attends — the installer on the roof, employed or subcontracted — and the business's VAT number, with VAT at 20% shown as its own line

Walk away if

  • No signal test before recommending an expensive aerial
  • A long chimney job planned from a ladder
  • No insurance for roof work
  • Cable left loose on the wall
  • Won't check every room before leaving
LOW
£120
TYPICAL
£200
HIGH
£300

What a TV aerial installer costs: £120–£300 per install

Aerial and satellite work is priced per installation; the aerial type, the signal, the number of TV points and roof access decide it. TV Aerial & Satellite Installation price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

TV aerial installers near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Signal surveyThe installer measures signal at roof and loft level.
  2. AccessLadder, tower or platform set up for the job and its duration.
  3. Mount and alignAerial or dish fixed and aligned for the best signal.
  4. Cable and pointsCable run to each room, sockets and any amplifier fitted.
  5. TestEvery channel checked in every room, with readings.

Multiplex
A group of digital channels on one frequency.
High-gain aerial
An aerial for areas with weak signal.
Amplifier
Boosts the signal to feed several rooms.
Coaxial cable
The round cable that carries TV signal.
LNB
The receiver at the front of a satellite dish.
Work at height
Any work where a fall could cause injury, governed by the 2005 Regulations.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the readingsSignal readings per room and the aerial details, in case of a later fault.
Retune and checkEvery channel in every room, and the recording box too.
Check the outsideCables clipped, the entry sealed, the mount firm.
Write the reviewOnly booked jobs can be reviewed on Locufy, so yours carries weight; if the aerial installation falls short, use the make-it-right step first and the provider is asked to fix it before the review is published.

STEP 1Contact the installer in writingExplain clearly what has gone wrong with the aerial installation, what the quote or contract said, and when you need it put right. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 treats reasonable care and skill as part of the deal, and lets you claim a redo or a reduction when it is not met.
STEP 2Use Locufy's make-it-right stepRate the aerial installation under four stars and you are asked whether to send it to the provider first; we follow it through. Then the review goes up.
STEP 3Dangerous work at height or a trading disputeDangerous work at height can be reported to HSE. For a trading dispute over the aerial installation, Trading Standards is reached through the Citizens Advice consumer helpline on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, or Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4Money still in disputeIf the aerial installation is still not settled, you can claim without a solicitor: the small claims track takes claims up to £10,000 in England and Wales, simple procedure up to £5,000 in Scotland, and the small claims court up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland.

Hiring a TV aerial installer: questions people ask

No register or licence applies. The Work at Height Regulations 2005, and Northern Ireland's own 2005 Regulations, govern how roof work is done.

The Welsh Government lists extra-low voltage communication cabling as minor work that need not be notified; no certificate is required for it.

£120–£300 an installation, typically around £200. A standard aerial on an easy roof is cheapest; weak-signal aerials, extra points and difficult access cost more. How the figure is built up is in the TV Aerial & Satellite Installation price guide; search by postcode above to see what TV aerial installers near you quote.

Only where the signal is strong; the installer's signal test tells you.

HSE treats ladders as suitable for low-risk work of up to 30 minutes at a time; longer roof work needs other equipment.

Check with your council if the home is listed, in a conservation area or a flat; in a flat, check the lease too.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in electrical

How to hire: Data & Network CablingHow to hire: CCTV InstallationHow to hire: ElectricianHow to hire: Extra SocketsHow to hire: Socket & Switch InstallationHow to hire: Outdoor & Garden LightingHow to hire: Lighting InstallationHow to hire: Burglar Alarm InstallationAll 701 hiring guides →

TV aerial installers near you

TV aerial installers in LondonTV aerial installers in ManchesterTV aerial installers in BirminghamTV aerial installers in GlasgowTV aerial installers in BelfastAll tv aerial installers on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. gov.wales — building regulations: electrics
  2. HSE — work at height: the law
  3. HSE — work at height myths (ladders and the 30-minute guide)
  4. Work at Height Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2005
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  6. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 54 — what you can ask for when a service falls short
  7. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 30 — the 14-day cancellation period
  8. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 28 — contracts the cancellation right does not cover
  9. Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013, regulation 36 — services started within the cancellation period
  10. Civil Procedure Rules Part 26 — the small claims track limit (England and Wales)
  11. Scottish Courts and Tribunals — making a claim under simple procedure
  12. nidirect — the small claims process (Northern Ireland)
  13. Buildings and construction (VAT Notice 708) — 2.1 Construction services: work to an existing building is normally standard-rated
  14. GOV.UK — VAT rates
  15. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register