Most people have never had a professional TV mounted before. They don't know what to expect, what to prepare, or what the process actually looks like from start to finish. This guide is a complete walkthrough of a standard TV mounting appointment — no surprises, no upsells mid-job, just a clear picture of what you're getting.
Before the Appointment
What to Have Ready
You don't need to do much, but a few things help the appointment go smoothly:
The TV box (if available). We need the VESA measurements from the TV to make sure we have the right size bracket. Most mount brackets cover a range of VESA sizes, but it's good to confirm before we start. If you've already removed the TV from the box, that's fine — we can measure the mounting holes directly.
Know your wall type if you can. Is it drywall, plaster, or concrete? In NYC, this usually comes down to the building age. Pre-war building (before 1940)? Likely plaster. Post-war high-rise? Likely concrete. New construction? Likely drywall on metal studs. If you're not sure, we'll assess on arrival — it's part of every job.
Have the room accessible. Clear the wall of art or furniture that's in the mounting area. We'll need 2 to 3 feet of clear space in front of the wall to work comfortably.
Decide on height before we arrive. The most time-consuming part of the pre-work conversation is height. The standard recommendation is TV center at eye level while seated — roughly 42 to 48 inches from the floor for most seating. But if you have preferences, know them before we arrive. We'll confirm the measurement together, but having a starting point saves time.
Building Requirements
If your building requires a Certificate of Insurance (COI) from contractors — common in co-ops and some condos — send your building management's COI request to us when you book. We carry $2 million in general liability coverage and send COIs regularly. Allow 24 to 48 hours for us to get it back to your building.
If your building requires freight elevator reservation, the elevator lobby protection fee, or a deposit for contractor work, coordinate that with your building management before the appointment. We handle our end (proper insurance, professional conduct, clean workspaces) — building logistics are on the resident.
The Appointment: Step by Step
Arrival
We arrive with a professional-grade tool kit: cordless drill, hammer drill (for concrete and masonry), level, stud finder, laser level, VESA adapter kit, cable management hardware, and hardware for every wall type we might encounter. We don't make hardware store runs mid-job.
We'll look at the wall first and confirm the wall type and stud situation before doing anything else. In NYC, this step is where DIY installs most often go wrong — a stud finder that gives false positives on plaster, or metal studs that look the same as wood studs to an electronic sensor. We use multiple methods (electronic finder, knock test, small pilot holes when needed) to confirm.
Height and Positioning
We'll hold the mount bracket (or a cardboard template the same size as the TV) against the wall at your target height so you can see exactly where the TV will sit before anything is drilled. If you want to adjust, we adjust before drilling — not after.
This is also when we confirm the cable plan. Where is the outlet? Where will your components live? Do you want a raceway or in-wall routing? If you're not sure, we can show you what both options look like from where you'll be sitting.
The Drill
Once height and cable plan are confirmed, we mark the stud locations, confirm level with the laser level, and drill. A standard drywall-to-wood-stud install takes about 5 minutes to drill and 10 minutes to install the bracket hardware.
Concrete installs take slightly longer — a hammer drill on concrete is louder than a standard drill and the hole clearing process takes more care. But the total drill time is still under 15 minutes for most installations.
TV Up
Once the bracket is secured to the wall, we hang the TV. This is the moment most customers want to watch — we always invite you to be in the room for this part.
After the TV is up, we step back with you and check the level, the height, and the overall position. This is the last moment to adjust if something isn't quite right. It's much easier to shift the TV now than after cable management is done.
Cable Management
Cable management is the step that separates a professional install from a DIY one. We route all cables — power, HDMI, any optical audio — through the raceway or into the wall, securing them with the right hardware so nothing hangs loose.
If you have a cable box, Apple TV, gaming console, or other components, we'll confirm where they're living and route cables accordingly. If the components are going in a cabinet or media console below the TV, we leave the HDMI and power cables accessible inside the console so you can plug in and unplug devices without reaching behind the TV.
Testing
Before we leave, we turn the TV on and confirm the picture looks correct — no odd angles, no reflections from the mounting position, screen not too bright or washed out from ambient light. If you have a soundbar to connect, we test that audio is routing correctly.
We also do a final pull test on the mount — hands on the TV, firm pull downward and outward. A properly installed mount doesn't move at all. If it does, we fix it before we leave.
Cleanup
We collect all packaging, packaging tape, hardware wrappers, and masonry dust. We wipe down the wall around the mount and remove any pencil marks. The room should look exactly as it did when we arrived, minus a beautiful mounted TV.
Total time from arrival to complete cleanup: 45 to 75 minutes for a standard single-TV mount with cable raceway. In-wall cable routing and soundbar mounting add 20 to 30 minutes each.
What We Don't Do
We don't mount TVs without studs or proper masonry anchors. If your wall doesn't have studs where you need them for the right height, we'll solve it (backing board, different height, toggle bolt system for lighter TVs) — but we won't use inadequate fasteners to save time.
We don't hide your TV remote's signal. Routing cables through the wall is great — until the IR receiver is blocked and your remote stops working. We always check remote line-of-sight before finishing and adjust cable routing if needed.
We don't leave a mess. Masonry dust on the floor, screw packaging on the counter, cut cable ties on the carpet — these are all cleaned up before we leave.
After the Appointment
Your mounted TV is permanent. A properly installed mount anchored into studs doesn't loosen over time, doesn't need re-tightening, and doesn't need any maintenance. The only reason to touch it again is if you want to change the TV or move it to a different position on the wall.
If anything ever looks wrong — an unexpected gap between TV and wall, a cable that's come loose, anything — send us a message. We stand behind every installation.
Ready to Book?
We do TV mounting appointments throughout NYC (all five boroughs) and northern New Jersey, Monday through Saturday. Same-week appointments are usually available. Book online in about 2 minutes — choose your service, pick your date, and you'll get a confirmation with everything you need.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to be home the whole time?
Yes, we need you present for height confirmation before we drill, and for the final walkthrough at the end. You don't need to watch the whole installation (though many customers do), but we need you there at the start and end.
What if I need to move the TV to a different wall later?
Moving a mounted TV to a new wall is a two-step job: dismount from the current wall (which leaves holes that need patching), and remount on the new wall. We offer TV dismounting as a separate service, and mounting on the new wall as a new installation. If you're remounting on the same wall in a new position, it's essentially a new installation.
Can you mount a TV that I haven't unboxed yet?
Yes. We can help you unbox and inspect the TV as part of the appointment. Just have it in the room where it's going to be mounted.
What if I don't like where you put it after you're done?
This is why we hold the bracket at height and confirm before drilling. But if after the TV is up you realize you want it higher, lower, or in a different position — we can re-mount on the same wall within the same visit if time allows, or schedule a follow-up. The goal is for you to be happy with the result, not for us to be done as fast as possible.