How to choose a media wall installer: 12 questions to ask
Choosing a media wall company? Twelve questions to ask before paying a deposit: materials, electrics, the fire, what the price covers, timings and warranty.
Get three quotes for a media wall and you will often get three very different numbers, sometimes thousands of pounds apart, for what sounds like the same wall. Some of that is honest difference in materials. Some of it is that the quotes do not include the same things. And occasionally it is a company you would not want in your house.
These are the questions we would ask if we were the customer. A good installer will answer all of them without being asked twice, and will put the answers in writing.
About what you are buying
1. What is the wall made of? Timber studs and plasterboard, MDF, a metal frame or factory-built modules: each behaves differently over time. Painted board can crack at the joints; ask how they prevent it.
2. What is the finish? Paint, a vinyl wrap or a panel. A wrap can lift near heat and at the edges. A panel or stone face does not need repainting. Ask to see and touch a sample of the actual finish, not a photograph of it.
3. Which fire, and is it in the price? Ask for the make and model, its heat output, whether it vents forward, and the clearances its instructions demand. A fire is often a four-figure line that is left off a headline price.
4. Can I see one in person? A showroom, a display or a past customer's wall tells you more than any brochure. Ask whether the photographs on the website are real installations or computer renders.
About the price
5. What exactly does the quote include? Delivery, installation, the electrics, the TV bracket, the lighting, taking the packaging away and VAT. A price shown before VAT and one including it are 20% apart, so check which you are comparing.
6. How much deposit, and when are the other payments? Pay in stages that follow the work, never the whole sum up front. Our terms are £500 on signing, the rest of a 40% deposit within 8 days, 40% before delivery and installation, 20% on completion. If you pay by credit card, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act can protect purchases between £100 and £30,000.
7. Is the price fixed? Ask what could change it after you sign, a wall that turns out to be out of square, for instance, and get that in writing too.
About the work
8. Who does the electrics, and will I get a certificate? Sockets, the fused spur for the fire and lighting circuits must be done by a qualified electrician to BS 7671. The certificate matters to your insurer and when you sell.
9. How long is the lead time, and how long are you in my house? A site-built wall usually means four to seven days of building, plastering and painting. Ours are made in our workshop, with a lead time of 6 to 8 weeks from receipt of deposit, then installed in two to four hours.
10. Will you survey the wall first? Every quote should be based on measurements of your wall, checked on site or from your photographs and dimensions before anything is made.
About afterwards
11. What is the warranty, and who do I call? Ask what it covers, for how long, and whether the fire and the lighting are included. Ours is 24 months.
12. How do you reach the parts inside? LED drivers and cables occasionally fail. On a sealed, painted wall, a repair means cutting it open. Ask how components are reached without damaging the finish.
Red flags
Walk away from a price that drops sharply if you sign today, a discount for cash with no paperwork, a quote that is a single number with no breakdown, a company with no address you can visit, and anyone who wants the full amount before the work starts. You can check any limited company's name, address and filing history on Companies House in a couple of minutes.
How we answer them
Every price we give is itemised and shown before and after VAT, and you can build it yourself in the planner before speaking to anyone. Our media walls start at £1,375 ex VAT, delivery is £165 ex VAT, and installation starts at £233 ex VAT depending on how many modules the wall has.
You are welcome to see the walls and the finishes in person at our showroom before you decide. Request a visit and we will confirm a time with you.
Common questions
- Why do media wall quotes vary so much?
- Because they are often not quoting the same thing. One includes the fire, the electrics, delivery, fitting and VAT; another is the frame and paint only. Ask every company for an itemised quote that says what is and is not included.
- How much deposit should I pay for a media wall?
- Pay in stages tied to progress, never everything up front. Ours is £500 on signing, the rest of a 40% deposit within 8 days, 40% before delivery and installation, 20% on completion. Paying by credit card can also give you Section 75 protection on purchases between £100 and £30,000.
- How long does a media wall take to install?
- A media wall built on site usually takes four to seven days, including plastering and painting. A factory-built wall arrives finished and is installed in two to four hours.
- Should a media wall installer be an electrician?
- Not necessarily, but the electrical work must be done by a qualified electrician and certified. Ask who does it and whether you will get the certificate.
- How do I check a media wall company is genuine?
- Look the company up on Companies House, visit its showroom or a finished wall, ask for photographs of real installations rather than computer renders, and get the quote and payment terms in writing.
See our media walls: five fixed-price packages, installed in hours
Written for customers in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Scotland and across the UK.