How Much Does a TV Antenna Installation Cost?

Outdoor Antenna Installation Cost

Installing an outdoor TV antenna, or TV aerial, costs $310 on average with most homeowners spending between $216 and $428 The install price covers one television, hooking up additional TVs runs $20 to $50 each. Purchasing just the unit will set you back anywhere from $30 to $300. An amplifier adds another $100 on average.

If you’re quitting cable but still want the local stations, get an HDTV antenna. As more and more Americans become cord-cutters, HDTV antennas grow in popularity. And it’s not like the days of fuzzy pictures and three channels. Today, with the switch to all digital over-the-air (OTA) stations, you can get anywhere from 10 to 50 channels.

TV Aerial Installation Cost

Total installation cost of a TV aerial runs $250 to $500 including labor and the unit. Labor runs $200 to $300. The units alone cost $50 to $200. Add-ons like additional TV runs, amplifiers, rotors, and DVR boxes increase the price.

Digital aerial installation costs also vary by region and provider. For example, Sling TV installs one for $100 to $150, with Dish Network's antenna coming free with a Dish subscription.

Choosing the Right TV Antenna

You will need to make three important choices to install the right antenna:

• Unidirectional vs. Multi-directional

• Indoor vs. Outdoor

• Amplified vs. Non-amplified

For most people, you’ll get the highest number of channels, best picture quality and ultimately the best experience, with an outdoor unidirectional antenna mounted on a motorized rotor.

Unidirectional Vs. Multi-Directional

What you choose has more to do with your location, since they both fall in the same cost range.

• A unidirectional, as the name implies, is one that receives signal best when aimed at the signal source. When set up correctly, they tend to pull in signals from farther away and get better reception than multi-directional types. Best when used with a motorized rotor.

• A multi-directional, on the other hand, can seek out signals from most directions surrounding the home. It is also more likely to pick up noise distortion or receive slightly poorer picture quality.

Indoor Vs. Outdoor

• Indoor: $10–$75. Typically, less than one foot in height, you can place them right on top of the television unit. They can't compete with the range or quality of the larger outdoor antennas.

• Outdoor: $30–$300. At 8 feet or more in height and length, these unobstructed units pick up signals from vastly farther distances and with better reception.

Amplified Vs. Non-Amplified

• Unamplified: $30–$200. These passive units require no power source and work well when you’re within 20 miles of a signal. More often, indoor units need amplification over outdoor units.

Amplified: Add $50–$150. These units help amplify the signal of incoming stations or if you have a long coaxial cable run, 25 feet or more. However, they’re not always the best choice as they can oversimplify strong signals that block out the weaker ones. You’ll also need electricity to run them. Hiring an electrician costs $150–$500.

Average Antenna Replacement Cost

Replacing a broken or underperforming digital aerials costs the same as installing a new one or $300 on average. Some installers might cut that price down if you already have the cables run and any electrical wires for amplified service already in place.

Antenna repairs cost $100 to $300, or about $100 less than a new installation or replacement.

Factors That Impact Aerial Installation Costs

Although most installs fall between $200 to $300, some aerial installation cost factors to consider include:

1. Size and quality

2. Indoor or outdoor install, including inside the attic

3. DIY or professional installation

4. Hidden wiring inside the home

5. Remote control rotor for easy use

Attic vs. Roof Antenna Installation Cost

Typically, you’ll pay the same for either attic or rooftop installs or anywhere from $100 to $550 in the extreme. They take about the same amount of time, but you’ll get better reception from a roof. However, high winds, HOAs, and other local policies might cancel out rooftops as a possibility. The second best spot is your attic.

Local Terrain and Home Location

The higher you place a TV antenna, the better the signal so long as it has a clear line of sight. While the size and quality of the unit helps, it also has to do with terrain. For example, a home surrounded by buildings or trees has a hard time with reception and might need an amplifier, regardless of how high it’s located.

TV Antenna Wiring

Your antenna needs coaxial cable wiring to get to your TV. Most installers include the first TV line and hook up in the project cost. In some installations, coax is already run through the home. In others, it will need to be run new. Additionally, sometimes the coax can't be run through walls without incurring much more cost, so coax is run outside the home (over or under siding). Expect to pay anywhere from $20 to $50 per additional TV hookup.

Amplified or motorized antennas also need somewhere to plug in for electricity. Electrical circuit or outlet installation costs $550 to $2,100 if you don’t have a readily available source.

Additional Features for a TV Antenna

Along with the TV antenna itself, additional items can help maximize the utility and reception in a home.

• Interference filter: $5–$25. Maximizes signal quality by removing interference from radio waves.

• Amplifier: $20–$350. Boosts the signal of incoming stations for better reception and quality.

• Motorized rotor & mount with remote: $100–$300. Allows you to point a unidirectional type directly at different sources when changing channels for the best reception.

• Pole or mast: $50–$200. Allows mounting anywhere on your property, not just the roof or attic. Expect another $100–$200 in labor to install it.

Reasons to Install a TV Antenna

Wondering why you should install a TV antenna? A few of the most popular reasons include:

1. Over the air (OTA) TV is free. You can save as much as $150+ a month on cable bills.

2. You’ll get the local stations. Cable companies might offer local stations, but you won’t usually see them with satellite providers.

3. It’s all on HDTV. You get nearly the same quality from an antenna that you do from cable.

Find out which channels are available in your area with the FCC’s DTV map tool.

DIY vs. Professional TV Antenna Installation

If you’re tempted to tackle this job yourself, consider that improper installation invites weather to damage your antenna or roof.

• High winds can rip it off improperly secured mounts.

• Water can get into your home. Water damage cleanup and repair costs $1,150 to $4,450.

• Poor reception from bad placement and alignment also happen frequently. You might miss out on some channels altogether.

Hiring a professional means minimizing that risk and relegating the job to someone with the tools and know-how to complete the installation quickly and securely. Professionals install it correctly the first time so that there are fewer complications. Hire an antenna installation professional near you today.