What are my options for getting a TV mounted?
You have three options: hire a local installer, book a national install service, or do it yourself. All three can work. The wall, the wiring and how much setup you want usually decide it.
How do the three options compare?
Here is a plain comparison. Details for national services vary by provider and change over time, so check their current terms directly.
| Question | Local installer (Mounted and More) | National install service | Do it yourself |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who does the work? | The owner, Tim Peterson | Varies by provider | You |
| Are prices published? | Yes: from $150, $200 and $325 | Check the provider | Cost of tools and hardware |
| Log, stone and brick walls | Common local job | Check the provider | Needs the right anchors and drill bits |
| Covers your address? | Vallecito, Forest Lakes, Bayfield, Ignacio, Durango | Check the provider | Yes |
| New outlet behind the TV | A licensed electrician | A licensed electrician | A licensed electrician |
When does a local installer make sense?
A local installer makes the most sense for log, stone, brick and fireplace walls, for rural addresses, and for jobs that include wiring and setup. Mounted and More is based in Vallecito, about 13 miles from Bayfield and about 45 minutes from Durango, so lake and Pine River Valley addresses are close to home.
Tim also connects devices, programs remotes, sets up soundbars and builds Wi-Fi, so a TV, its sound and its network can be done in one visit. See TV mounting and device setup.
When does a national install service make sense?
A national service can make sense if you bought the TV from the same retailer and want to book everything in one place. Before you book, check three things: whether the service covers your address, what the current price includes, and whether it handles your wall type.
When does doing it yourself make sense?
DIY makes sense for a smaller TV on a drywall wall with wood studs, if you have the tools and a second person to help lift. You will need a stud finder, a level, a drill and the lag bolts that come with or fit your mount.
When DIY gets harder
Log walls, stone and brick, and anything over a fireplace are harder. On stone and brick, anchors go into the face of the brick or stone, never the mortar joints. On log walls, mounts go into solid log, placed to allow for seasonal movement and settling. Over a fireplace, heat and viewing height both matter.
The one rule for everyone
No matter who mounts the TV, power cords never go inside the wall. The National Electrical Code does not allow flexible cords to be concealed in walls. Low-voltage cables such as HDMI can run in-wall, and a new outlet behind the TV is a job for a licensed electrician. See wire hiding.
How do I get a price from Mounted and More?
Call (970) 426-8215 from 8 AM to 6 PM or use the quote form. Tell us your town, TV size, wall type and what you want connected. Starting prices and what changes them are on the pricing page.
Sources
- Mounted and More published starting prices and service details (see the pricing page).
- National Electrical Code (NFPA 70), Article 400: flexible cords are not permitted to be concealed inside walls.
- Vallecito to Bayfield distance (about 13 miles): Town of Bayfield.