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What changes the cost of installing a satellite dish?
A satellite dish installation quote depends on where the dish goes, how the installer reaches it safely, the length and route of the cable, how many rooms need a feed, and whether an old dish comes down. This guide prints no price, so compare what each quote includes.
Last reviewed:What does satellite dish installation involve?
A satellite dish installation usually covers:
- fixing a bracket to a wall, chimney or pole
- mounting and aligning the dish to the satellite
- fitting the LNB, the part at the front of the dish that picks up the signal
- running cable from the dish into the house, to the receiver or TV
- testing the signal at each point
Some jobs also include extra rooms, moving an existing dish, replacing a damaged one, or taking an old dish down.
This guide does not print a price or a call-out charge. It explains what changes an installer's quote and what to ask, so you can compare installers on the same terms. If your job is a TV aerial rather than a dish, TV aerial installation covers that, and loft aerials explains when an aerial can go inside the roof.
QuoteZila starts in Cheshire, with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach first, and anyone in the UK can post a satellite job.
Where can the dish go?
The dish needs a clear line of sight to the satellite in the sky, with no trees, buildings or hills in the way. That narrows down where it can go on your house, and the position changes the price.
Low wall mount. On a ground-floor wall or a garage. Quick to reach and safe to work on from a short ladder or steps.
High wall mount. Under the eaves on a two- or three-storey house. Needs longer ladders or other access equipment.
Chimney mount. Strapped to the chimney stack. Means work on or near the roof.
Pole or garden mount. On a post in the garden where the house itself has no clear view. Needs a firm base and a buried or clipped cable run.
Balcony or flat mount. Depends heavily on the building rules and the landlord.
A good installer will check the line of sight from your house before quoting a position.
What changes the price of fitting a dish?
| Factor | Why it matters | What to ask |
|---|---|---|
| Mount position | Higher and roof positions take longer and need more equipment | Where will it go, and why? |
| Access | Ladders, roof ladders or towers | How will you reach it safely? |
| Bracket and fixings | Wall type and height change what is needed | What bracket and fixings for my wall? |
| Dish and LNB | Size and type depend on what you watch | Who supplies the dish, and which one? |
| Cable route | Length, drilling through walls, clipping neatly | How will the cable get in and where will it run? |
| Extra rooms | Each extra point means more cable and possibly a splitter or multiswitch | How many TV points are included? |
| Old dish | Removal, filling holes, taking it away | Is that included? |
| Signal issues | Trees or buildings may force a pole mount | What if there's no clear line of sight? |
| VAT | Some installers add VAT, some aren't registered | Is VAT included? |
Ask whether the quote is for supplying and fitting everything, or fitting a dish you already have. If a TV provider supplies the dish, the work may be booked through them instead.
Do you need planning permission for a satellite dish?
Often not, as long as the dish meets national limits. The rules depend on the building's height and whether it is in a designated area.
Houses and buildings up to 15 metres high, outside designated areas. The Planning Portal says you don't need to apply for planning permission as long as there will be no more than two antennas on the property overall, a single antenna is no more than 100 centimetres in any linear dimension, each antenna is no more than 35 litres, an antenna on a chimney stack is no more than 60 centimetres, and a roof-mounted antenna only sticks out above the roof where there is a chimney stack, by no more than 60 centimetres [S1]. It says any work that does not meet all these requirements will need planning permission [S1].
In designated areas. The Planning Portal lists designated areas as conservation areas, National Parks, Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Norfolk or Suffolk Broads [S3]. In those areas it adds that an antenna must not be installed on a chimney, wall or roof slope which faces onto, and is visible from, a road or a Broads waterway [S2]. Citizens Advice also says that in a conservation area you might need planning permission for things you wouldn't normally, for example installing a television antenna [S5].
Flats. The Planning Portal says that if you live in a flat, these limits refer to the building as a whole, so once the maximum number of dishes is reached, further installations need planning permission [S3].
Listed buildings and landlords. The Planning Portal says that before you buy or rent an antenna, you should check whether you need planning permission, listed building consent, or permission from the landlord or owner, and that you are responsible for placing antennas in the appropriate position [S3].
Building regulations. The Planning Portal says building regulations do not generally apply, but you should take care that the installation is safe and the fixing point stable [S4].
Is there a safety side to the job?
Yes. Most dishes are fixed high on a wall or chimney. HSE says work at height means work in any place where, if there were no precautions in place, a person could fall a distance liable to cause personal injury, and that common cases include falls from ladders and through fragile surfaces [S6]. It says to avoid work at height where it is reasonably practicable to do so, and where it can't be avoided, to prevent falls by using the right type of equipment [S6]. HSE has more on working at height. HSE: work at height. QuoteZila is not affiliated with this organisation.
This guide gives no method for fixing a dish at height. Ask each installer how they will reach the position safely. A chimney mount, in particular, means work on or near the roof, which is a job for someone with the right access equipment.
How do you move, replace or remove a dish?
Moving a dish to a less visible spot, or after building work, is often priced like a new installation, because it means a new bracket, a new cable route and realigning the dish.
Replacing a damaged dish after a storm may only need a new dish and LNB on the existing bracket, if the bracket is sound.
Removing an old dish that is no longer used means taking down the dish and bracket, filling the fixing holes, and taking the waste away. GOV.UK's waste code says a tradesperson who carries out work on your property is responsible for the waste they produce, and that the cost of its disposal should be included in what they charge [S8].
How do you compare satellite dish quotes?
Tell every installer the same things: the type of house and how many storeys, where you would like the dish, any trees or buildings in the way, how many TVs need a feed, and whether there is an old dish to deal with. Photos of the walls where the dish could go, and the view from them, help.
Citizens Advice says a quote is a fixed price, while an estimate is just a rough guess, so you might end up paying more [S5]. It suggests getting written quotes from at least 3 different traders, and says some traders charge for quotes, so ask about this first [S5].
Check whether VAT is included. GOV.UK says a business must register for VAT if its taxable turnover for the last 12 months goes over £90,000 [S7].
Our aerial and satellite installers page covers the trade. If you also need a TV mounted on the wall, TV wall mounting covers that job.
Jobs you might post
These are examples, not taken from real job posts.
- "Two-storey semi. Want a satellite dish on the side wall with a feed to the living room and one bedroom."
- "Old dish on the front of the house is no longer used. Please quote to take it down, fill the holes and fit a new one on the back wall."
- "Storm damaged the dish on our chimney. Need it replaced and realigned."
Posting a satellite dish job
Photos of the walls where the dish could go, the number of storeys, and how many TVs need a feed are the most useful things to add. Your job goes to up to five matched local businesses [QZ2]. QuoteZila is free for customers and local businesses [QZ1].
Honest status: QuoteZila is new. We're starting in Cheshire, beginning with Crewe, Nantwich and Sandbach, and growing area by area. Anyone in the UK can still post a job or register a business. How fast you get quotes depends on how many local businesses have joined near you. Businesses can register and receive jobs straight away. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire.
Posting a job is not open yet
Questions about satellite dish installation
How much does it cost to install a satellite dish?
This guide does not print a figure. A dish on a ground-floor wall with a short cable to one TV is a quick job. A chimney mount on a three-storey house with cables to several rooms takes far longer. Ask each installer to price the dish, the bracket, the access, the cabling and each extra point separately.
Do I need planning permission for a satellite dish?
Often not, if the dish meets the size and position limits. For houses up to 15 metres high outside designated areas, the Planning Portal says a single antenna must be no more than 100 centimetres in any linear dimension and no more than 35 litres. Work that doesn't meet all the conditions needs permission.
Can a satellite dish face the street?
It depends where you live. In designated areas, such as conservation areas, the Planning Portal says a dish must not go on a chimney, wall or roof slope that faces onto, and is visible from, a road. Outside those areas, you are still responsible for placing the dish in an appropriate position.
Can I put a dish on a flat?
Check first. The Planning Portal says that for flats, the size and number limits apply to the building as a whole, so if the maximum is already reached, a new dish needs permission. You may also need the landlord's or freeholder's permission.
Does a satellite dish need building regulations approval?
The Planning Portal says building regulations do not generally apply, but you should take care that the installation is safe and the fixing point stable. Ask the installer what bracket and fixings they will use for your wall or chimney.
Will the installer take the old dish down?
Ask. Removing an old dish and bracket, filling the holes and taking it away are separate tasks. GOV.UK's waste code says a tradesperson is responsible for the waste they produce on your property, and the disposal cost should be in their price.
Does QuoteZila check aerial and satellite installers?
No. We don't check insurance, qualifications or registrations, so please check these yourself before you hire. You can report a quote or a business from your job page.
This page is general information, not professional or legal advice. QuoteZila does not check Gas Safe, WaterSafe, NFRC, NICEIC or other registrations against the register on your behalf: look them up yourself.
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- TV Aerial Installation Cost: What to Ask. A TV aerial in Cheshire is often a roof job. A quote should say where the aerial sits and how the fitter reaches it. Hire someone for the roof.
- Bathtub Installation Cost: What Changes the Price. What changes the cost of bathtub installation in Cheshire: the type and weight of bath, the floor, taps and waste, panels, tiling and taking out the old one.
Sources
- QZ1: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila home and FAQ copy.
- QZ2: QuoteZila product fact. QuoteZila FAQ How does getting quotes work.
- S1: Planning permission: houses and buildings up to 15 metres high, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/satellite-tv-and-radio-antenna/planning-permission-houses-and-buildings-up-to-15-metres-high/
- S2: Planning permission: houses and buildings up to 15m high in designated areas, Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/satellite-tv-and-radio-antenna/planning-permission-houses-and-buildings-up-to-15m-high-in-designated-areas
- S3: Planning permission: general information (satellite, TV and radio antenna), Planning Portal. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.planningportal.co.uk/permission/common-projects/satellite-tv-and-radio-antenna/planning-permission-general-information/
- S4: Satellite dishes, aerials and antennas, Planning Portal (Interactive House). Accessed 2026-11-02. https://interactive.planningportal.co.uk/smart-search-house-elements/satellite-dishes-aerials-and-antennas
- S5: Before you get building work done, Citizens Advice. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/getting-home-improvements-done/before-you-get-building-work-done/
- S6: Working at height: introduction, HSE. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.hse.gov.uk/work-at-height/introduction.htm
- S7: Register for VAT, GOV.UK. Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.gov.uk/register-for-vat
- S8: Waste duty of care: code of practice, GOV.UK (Defra). Accessed 2026-11-02. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice/waste-duty-of-care-code-of-practice