Was this a reasonable charge

dnme

I'm writing this post just to get guidance and feedback so I don't want anyone to think I'm whinging.

I rent a house that has an existing Saorview aerial and satellite dish. The dish has a 4 port LNB and I currently use 2 cables off it into a VU+ Duo. Both Saorview and Satellite are cabled down to the living room where I use them. Upstairs there is a dormer bedroom. It has TV socket that I wished to be connected to the Saorview aerial.

Yesterday, while in my local town, I dropped into my local TV shop and asked if this job could be done at some stage whenever the guy would be in my area. He told me he would be in my area yesterday afternoon on another job and that he'd call to me after that. His shop is about 5 miles from my house.

He duly called around 4pm and I showed him the job. The upstairs socket to be connected is situated in a dormer bedroom. The room has walk in attic space at each side and a trap door in the ceiling leading to a very easily accessible saorview aerial. The satellite dish is on the outside wall of the attic space. Both the dish and aerial are literally 10 feet or less form the actual socket and access to everything is easy throughout.
I showed him the layout and asked him to run a single cable from the satellite dish to the socket as well as connecting the saorview aerial.

To me the job was a simple one. Connect an existing dish and existing aerial to an existing socket all within 10 feet and very easily accessible. I thought it'd cost about €70-80 quid. €100 tops and that would be expensive but tolerable.

He took an hour. He brought acable down from the saorview aerial, he drilled the wall and ran a new cable in from the dish. He then connected both these to a splitter and from this ran a single cable to the socket. He also told me that he used an amplifier to boost the saorview signal cos according to him it would now be weakened having it going to 2 different terminations in the house.

The bill was €150. As I say, all I wanted was a socket to be connected and a cable brought in from the dish. All kit pre-existing and all within 10 feet with easy access.

I am unsure if this was expensive or not as I have no reference for comparison thus this post. But I feel that it was very expensive. What do others think?

I once had an aerial installed with a cable going into my front room, that cost €150 but this was a few years ago.

It sounds expensive but the guy may have had a set call out fee plus materials used, I.E cable and fittings etc.

Not to be rude but if you think it was such an easy job why not do it yourself?

Id say the charge was correct, perhaps you could have got cheaper elsewhere but thats the nature of the game, shop around especially in this climate, but in future be sure to ask for a quote first before allowing any work to be carried out.

Even though you didnt have ana aeria linstallation this should be a good indicator of how prices can very.

The consumer interest group Which? carried out research which found that aerial installation costs from £55 to £215, but according to Digital UK, TV aerial installation costs vary from £60 to £180.

http://www.tvaerialinstallation.eu/how-much-does-it-cost-to-install-tv-aerials/#.UkMGg4akrnM

dnme

Thanks for the reply irishfreeview

I did not do the job myself because I am currently recovering from a major neck operation so I am not really mobile enough to get at ladders, attics etc. Also this is why I need a the socket livened in the bedroom.

Secondly, we live very rural, the guy has a shop in a village 5 miles form me. I asked him to do the job any day he would be in the area, and as it happened he was in the area doing another job yesterday. We're basically neighbours.

Deleted User wrote: »

I once had an aerial installed with a cable going into my front room, that cost €150 but this was a few years ago.

It sounds expensive but the guy may have had a set call out fee plus materials used, I.E cable and fittings etc.

Not to be rude but if you think it was such an easy job why not do it yourself?

Id say the charge was correct, perhaps you could have got cheaper elsewhere but thats the nature of the game, shop around especially in this climate, but in future be sure to ask for a quote first before allowing any work to be carried out.

Even though you didnt have ana aeria linstallation this should be a good indicator of how prices can very.



http://www.tvaerialinstallation.eu/how-much-does-it-cost-to-install-tv-aerials/#.UkMGg4akrnM

Tony

I'd imagine the amplifier would be a major chunk of the bill. What make/model of amplifier was fitted ?

dnme

Tony wrote: »

I'd imagine the amplifier would be a major chunk of the bill. What make/model of amplifier was fitted ?

I dunno Tony, I have no way of getting into the attic. His bill says "2 way DST amp".

I guess reading the replies, that the bill was a bit expensive but not outrageous. So fair enough, It's nice to get an opinion and many thanks.

Tony

Probably 2 way distribution amp , about 20 to 30 euro depending on the quality.

dnme wrote: »

I dunno Tony, I have no way of getting into the attic. His bill says "2 way DST amp".

I guess reading the replies, that the bill was a bit expensive but not outrageous. So fair enough, It's nice to get an opinion and many thanks.

watty

When you consider time, parts, depreciation of test gear, ladders, van, tools, cost of insurance and VAT can you expect much less than €100 as a minimum for anything?

It would want to be a good quality job though.

dnme

watty wrote: »

When you consider time, parts, depreciation of test gear, ladders, van, tools, cost of insurance and VAT can you expect much less than €100 as a minimum for anything?

It would want to be a good quality job though.

In fairness, I think it is, compression F Connectors, good cable etc.

kooga

dnme wrote: »

In fairness, I think it is, compression F Connectors, good cable etc.

always worth speccing it out and agreeing a price before the job is started!

out of curiosity did you get a receipt? if not i would be a bit aggrieved as to him thats a cash job.................and if its cash and no receipt well thats a different story

Rippy

By the sounds of it you had -


( example of how I would bill similar work)

Supply and install-
cable from dish to attic ,
2-way distribution amp , €25
Sat-UHF diplexer , €10
Diplexed outlet plate . €10
Cable and connectors €5
Call out and labour ( 1hour) €90

TOTAL €140
(Inc VAT @ 13.5% €16.55)

The signal level and quality from the aerial would be checked , ( to determine If amp necessary ) and the aerial aligned properly ( most attic aerials are not )

So not much in it . I do good quality work at reasonable rates and by the sound of things your man is the same .

dnme

kooga wrote: »

always worth speccing it out and agreeing a price before the job is started!

out of curiosity did you get a receipt? if not i would be a bit aggrieved as to him thats a cash job.................and if its cash and no receipt well thats a different story

I got a receipt off him yea.

kooga

dnme wrote: »

I got a receipt off him yea.

all well as rippy said above fair deal.