Antenna installation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering antenna installation

Antenna installation is a signal and placement job where the customer judges the channels they get and the look of the mount. Win it by checking the tower directions and testing the signal before you mount anything.

What customers ask

  • How many channels will I get?
  • Do I need an outdoor antenna?
  • Will the antenna be visible from the street?
  • Do you need to go on my roof?
  • Will it work with my new TV?
  • What do I do if a channel drops out?

How to win the job

  • On the call, ask for the home address, the TVs that need service, the current channel problem and the mount options the customer will accept.
  • Check the tower directions and distances on site, and test the signal before you choose the antenna.
  • Show the customer the antenna options, the mount locations and the channels each one is expected to bring in.
  • Quote the antenna, mast, cable, grounding and amplifier as separate lines, so the customer sees the scope.
  • Run a full channel scan and show the customer the stations and signal levels before you leave.
  • Leave a written note with the aim, the channel list and the steps for a rescan after weather or a new station.

What to put on your profile

  • Post photos of clean antenna mounts with the mast, grounding and cable routing visible
  • List the antenna types and mounts you install, indoor and outdoor
  • State the signal test equipment you use, and the local coverage you serve
  • Show a sample channel list with the signal levels and the details blurred

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a rescan visit after a major change in the local stations, since stations sometimes move
  • Suggest a distribution upgrade when the customer adds a second or third TV
  • Recommend a cable check when the picture breaks up in wet weather

Licenses and permits

Antenna installation usually does not need a contractor license for indoor work, but roof work and grounding an outdoor mast to the electrical system may need a licensed trade or a permit. Confirm your requirements with your state or local licensing agency and your local building office before you climb.

Questions

Do I need a license to mount outdoor antennas?

Requirements depend on the area and on whether the work includes roof access or grounding to the electrical system. Check with your state or local licensing agency and your local building office before you take the job.

How do I handle a customer who wants all channels, but the signal cannot reach them?

Show the signal test results, explain the stations that are out of reach, and offer the options in writing. Do not promise channels the signal does not support.

Who handles the grounding connection?

Grounding to the electrical system is electrical work, and it should go to a licensed electrician where required. Refer it out and note the referral in the quote.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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