Aerial Work - Have I Just Been Conned?

[chuckalicious]

I have a new (fitted last year) aerial on my outside wall which feeds 2 TVs in the house. Signal perfect.

We decided that we were moving one of those TVs downstairs and so needed a new run of coax done from the aerial down to the new TV location.

Original aerial cost with the 2 runs of cable was £90.

Sadly I was unable to get hold of the company we originally used so called another local company and asked if they could come out and run the new cable. I was quoted £45+VAT per hour plus any materials. Quite happy with that, expecting only some cable to be required.

They arrived on the wrong day so only my wife was in but we thought hey they're here now, let's get it done.

They told my wife that it would be cheaper and better for the feed quality if they fitted a booster to one of the existing feeds in the house, run the cable back out the wall, down the outside and back in the room below. So a little ladder work and 2 holes to drill. The cable run is approx 6 m.

So I get the bill in today.

1 hours labour (they were there 50 minutes so that's fine) at £45
Booster at £25
Cable and clips £20

Totalling £108 after VAT.

I cannot see how this would be cheaper than running what was only another 3 meters of cable from the aerial. I also cannot see how their cable could be more than £3 per meter!

I have phoned and complained, don't think I'll get anywhere, but I would like your opinion as to whether or not I've been ripped off and misled.

Thanks

 

[mikej2005]

Unless you live in a particularly strong signal area, I'd be surprised if one aerial would feed three TV points effectively (you're lucky it feeds two in my experience), so adding a booster/splitter to one of your existing TV points sounds like a reasonable suggestion to me.

Even though you still only intended to use 2 TVs, it makes sense to ensure that all 3 TV points could be used at some stage in the future.

I can see why they wanted to do this to ensure a good signal quality, but I'm not sure why they thought it was going to be cheaper.

They've clearly added a healthy mark-up to their charge for the booster and cable/clips - I obviously don't know what booster they used, but you can buy a simple booster and 6m coax for less than £20.

 

[big-all]

heeellloo chuckalicious hows it going long time no see lol

as said you cant just add another aerial feed as you are sharing the signal and reducing its strength
i personally have a booster up stairs splitting to 2 tvs then down stairs through a freeveiw box 2 videos then another booster to all rooms in the house with a further booster in the kitchen for the shed some 7m away
http://s21.photobucket.com/albums/b270/bigall2005/?action=view&current=workshop005.jpg

 

[chuckalicious]

Hey Big-All! Long time no speak. Been a tad busy lately - now have a daughter. Wonderful but exhausting

So the advice that a booster was the best option was good then? If so, good. So minus the metal cabling costs it may be more reasonable than I initially thought.

 

[chuckalicious]

Just to close this one off...

Spoke to the manager of the firm and we agreed that the cost was too high. We measured out the cable and it was 10m, not the 20m they'd charged, plus they had charged for connectors that were never used.

He explained the need for the booster over running another feed so am happy with that.

So a reduced bill which has now been paid.

 

[gregers]

mmm wonder how many more customers there doing this too who do not question the bill and just pay.