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We’ve compiled a list of the questions we’re asked most often so you can get the answers to all those little queries right now, when you want them.

 

PRICING AND OUR CHARGES

WHAT AND HOW DO WE CHARGE?

We charge by the hour or at a day rate on longer, complex projects and we provide a price for the job based on how many hours it will take. Rather than give a set price for a particular service, we prefer to assess each project so you get a fair and accurate quote, not a one size fits all guesstimate that may end up costing more than it should.

 

CAN WE GIVE A FIXED PRICE FOR A JOB?

Whilst a job may have the same name, the actual requirement might be very different. One client’s TV installation could cost as little as £100 but others will take 2 or 3 times that amount of time, we don’t think charging a flat £200 to both would be fair. We will always confirm the cost prior to the work starting so there are no worries of “hidden extras” or mounting bills to deal with at the end.

 

WHAT IS OUR PRICE FOR AN AERIAL OR SATELLITE DISH INSTALLATION?

We always need to asses and quote aerial and satellite work as many things will affect the price of the installation. The cost depends on the number of rooms and what area you are in, as well as if existing parts are usable, if new cables are needed and the distance involved between the position of the aerial and the TV. Many properties in London are non-standard installs so a visit will fill in the blanks for us so we can quote accurately Giving you an accurate quote protects you from the unforeseen “extras” charged by some fixed price companies and enables us to devote our full attention to delivering a top quality result for you.

 

We make sure we reduce the prominence of dishes as much as possible and tidy away cables so you get a very neat result as well as great reception throughout your home. All our quotes are split clearly into labour and parts so you can see very easily what is involved.

 

CAN WE BEAT A PRICE GIVEN BY ANOTHER COMPANY?

We can certainly try, however we always need to make sure it’s on a like for like, apples for apples basis; many companies are very vague on the specification of equipment and labour split and they often miss important things out that they add on later so send us the details and we will assess on a job by job basis.

 

UNDERSTANDING COSTING FOR AV:

There are 4 phases that need to be costed into every job:

 

The physical placement (wall or cabinet)

The connecting and setting up

The neatness and cable tidy side (loose, managed and tidy, chased in and invisible)

The client instruction and guidance to using the kit

The things that will make the biggest difference to the cost of the job are:

1. The cables

2. The room

3. The client’s requirements

 

We want to make sure that the equipment not only works but looks a good as possible and that you are very clear on how things work. On basic installations it can very often take a lot longer to make it look nice and explain things to the client than actually installing the equipment! A lot of products connect to the internet these days and will also need their software updating so it is key to have a local connection and one with reasonable speed.

TIME & SPEED OF OUR SERVICE

HOW QUICKLY CAN WE INSTALL?

This depends on the size and complexity of the job. If we quote over the phone and no building work is involved we’ll usually be done inside a week. We like to try to meet the clients’ requirements and logistics are our thing, so get in contact and we will do our best to meet your deadline!

 

HOW LONG IS OUR QUOTING PROCESS?

For simple jobs we can usually quote over the phone but if a site visit is required we’ll normally visit within a week and then depending on size of job 7-10 days for quote (sometimes they are done within a few days). After this you’re looking at a further week to arrange the work once you have agreed the final details. We always try to provide a solution ASAP so give us a try and we will do our best to accommodate your requirements!

 

HOW SOON SHOULD YOU CONTACT US REGARDING A BUILDING OR
REFERBISHMENT PROJECT?

We will require floor plans and equipment type wish list and as much info as you can provide to us ASAP and will want to do a site visit as early as possible (before first fix). If in doubt call us, it’s always better to be early than late in this situation.

 

WHO DOES WHAT

WHY YOU SHOULD USE AN AV INSTALLATION COMPANY
RATHER THAN YOUR BUILDER?

Would you call a plumber to do your electrics? A good tradesman usually sticks to his area; of course you occasionally find exceptions to the rule, however we find the phrase “jack of all trades and master of none” applies more often than not.

 

This isn’t just us being precious about a job well done; if the system is designed incorrectly it’s very limiting in terms of performance (poor sound quality, poor reception etc.) and often does not work well or at all.

 

We find a lot of building companies and electricians are trying to pick up AV work, claiming “it will always be better to have things under the same contract”. This is just a way for them to add things onto their job. So unless you have met the people actually doing the work and you are comfortable they have the expert knowledge to do the installation then treat with a certain amount of caution. The good companies will get in an experienced company to meet the client and to ensure the end result will meet your expectations.

 

We would always suggest you get us in to at least assess the situation and use your builders to do some the building bits and the AV company to plan and do the fiddly technical bits. We can always work with your on-site tradesmen as they are often happy to do the work as long as someone else (us!) is making sure it’s all going to plan and we look after the technical stuff to meet your requirements.

 

We can offer a service where we charge you for our time to come to site asses and verbally instruct your builder as to what needs to happen, but of course the responsibility lies with you and them and we can pop back and check what has been done just to be sure all our instructions have been followed.

 

CAN WE WORK WITH YOUR CONTRACTORS AND JUST DO THE TECHNICAL
PARTS OF YOUR INSTALLATION?

Yes, this is no problem as long as we are confident of their skills and happy the correct result will be achieved!

PARTIALLY COMPLETE PROJECTS

CAN WE FIX AN INSTALLATION DONE BY ANOTHER COMPANY?

We often get calls from people saying they were disappointed with their system installation or it is not quite working as they want.

 

Very often builders have copied things from other jobs they have seen; the physical install side of things looks ok but that’s often the easy bit, it’s the planning of any system and cable design that bring it all together at the end so if this is incorrect then we will look for the best solution to get you to where you and the system need to be. We are always happy to asses these on a job by job basis, it is often the things that sound simple but can be quite complex which is why the other company could not fix them.

 

Please take into account that in order to get to the bottom of a problem the job will quite often have to be stripped back to understand what has happened and if cables are missing or poor quality parts are used then we can assess and quote for replacements.

 

YOUR HOUSE IS ALREADY WIRED CAN WE COME AND INSTALL?

Yes but we’ll just need to have a quick check of what’s been done first. It’s likely all will be fine, it’s mainly to understand what has been done and when so we can plan the system around the cabling

 

CAN WE ASSES AND OFFER ADVICE ON EQUIPMENT YOU HAVE AQUIRED
WITH YOUR NEW PROPERYT?

No problem! This is a very popular request and we are very experienced at providing solutions in this area no matter what your end goal or budget may be.

LEGAL DETAILS

WHAT WARRANTY DO WE SUPPLY ON OUR WORK AND EQUIPMENT?

We offer a 12 month warranty on our labour and any equipment purchased through us; if something isn’t working just give us a call. Don’t try and fix things yourself as you may invalidate your warranty. If there’s any fault with the installation work we will rectify this as soon as humanly possible!

 

If you’ve bought equipment elsewhere, have broadband or software update issues or your kids have gone nuts and unplugged everything, I’m afraid that isn’t covered by your warranty. On the bright side, you’re not alone, we’ll happily help you to find a solution or for a reasonable charge we’ll take it off your plate and get it fixed, even if it wasn’t our fault.

 

ARE WE INSURED?

Indeed we are! We have a comprehensive accidental damage policy. Many people are concerned about “what happens if it falls off the wall?” We tell them not to worry, it doesn’t happen often in the world at large and even less so with us because we only use the correct fixings and materials, relax, you’re safe in our hands.