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TV Mounting

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Television mounting looks like one job and is really two, and the join between them is the wall. Getting the bracket onto structure, at the right height, dead level, is carpentry. Getting power and signal to the screen without a cable hanging down the wall is electrical and communications work, and in Australia that half belongs to licensed people. A handyman who is honest about the split will mount the screen and tell you what the electrician needs to do behind it.

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The hazard in between is the cable already inside the wall. The NSW Government's electrical safety advice puts it plainly: care is needed when working near wiring, for example when sawing, nailing or drilling into walls, and older types of wiring can become brittle. A bracket for a large screen takes long fixings into the middle of a wall at about the height wiring is run between a powerpoint and a light switch, which is why a mounter who scans the wall and looks at where the switches and points sit is not being theatrical.

There is also a product safety reason to get the mount right rather than nearly right. ACCC Product Safety lists unsecured televisions among the items that topple and injure Australians, so a screen that is properly fixed to structure is safer than the same screen sitting on an entertainment unit. The mount is the safety device; the wall is what makes it one.

Bracket types, and what each one demands of the wall

  • Fixed low-profile brackets hold the screen close to the wall and put the least leverage on the fixings, which suits masonry and lightly framed walls alike.
  • Tilting brackets allow a few degrees of downward angle, useful when the screen has to sit above a fireplace or a bench.
  • Full-motion arms swing the screen out from the wall, and the further it comes out the harder the fixings work, so these are the mounts that most often need solid structure.
  • Ceiling and corner mounts, which move the whole problem into the ceiling frame and need someone who knows what that frame is doing.
  • Outdoor and alfresco mounts, which need corrosion-resistant fittings anywhere near the coast and a screen actually rated for outdoor use.
  • Recessed in-wall boxes, which let the screen sit almost flush but require the wall cavity to be opened up, so they need to be planned rather than improvised.

The cable behind the wall, and the flex that must never go inside it

Two separate rules keep the electrical side out of a handyman's hands. The first is about what is already there: wiring runs through wall cavities, and sawing, nailing or drilling into a wall is exactly how it gets damaged. The NSW Government's guidance is that care is needed when working near wiring for that reason, and that by law any electrical installation work must be done by a licensed electrician — which includes putting right anything a drill bit has just found.

The second is about what you are tempted to add. A television's own power lead is a flexible cord made to sit in the open, and hiding it inside a wall so the screen looks tidy is not a cosmetic decision. The proper answer is a fixed outlet behind the screen, installed by a licensed electrician, so the lead never has to disappear into the cavity at all. Ask for that to be quoted before the bracket goes up, because the electrician needs the wall open while it is open.

Data, antenna and HDMI runs concealed in a wall are their own trade again. If your job includes a new television point or a data outlet rather than simply feeding an existing one, ask who is doing that work and what registration they hold, rather than assuming it comes with the mounting.

Reading the wall before the first hole

  • Timber stud walls: straightforward when the bracket can span two studs, awkward when the studs do not line up with where the screen has to go.
  • Steel stud walls, common in apartments, where the fixings must be rated for thin steel and a full-motion arm often needs a backing plate.
  • Brick veneer: the room-side wall is a framed and lined wall, so the brickwork outside it is no help to a bracket fixed from inside.
  • Double brick: excellent holding, but the hole is permanent and the dust gets everywhere, so mark twice.
  • Plasterboard battened or glued to masonry, where the fixing has to pass through the cavity and reach the masonry to mean anything.
  • Chimney breasts and feature walls in render or stone, which may be hollow, may be heritage fabric, and are worth investigating before committing.
  • Walls containing a bathroom or laundry on the other side, which is where plumbing as well as wiring may be running inside the cavity.

How a mounting visit should run

  • Viewing height agreed with someone sitting in the actual seat, not measured from the floor to a rule of thumb.
  • Wall construction identified, and the locations of powerpoints, switches and wet areas on both sides noted before anything is drilled.
  • The bracket set out and levelled, with fixings chosen for the wall type and the reach of the arm.
  • The screen hung and the tilt checked with the room's lighting on, because glare is decided by angle.
  • Cables dressed properly — through a surface duct, or into a fixed outlet the electrician has installed, never a flexible lead pushed into a cavity.
  • Everything tested before the mounter leaves: sound, sources, remote line of sight and the arm through its full travel.

What people get wrong with wall-mounted screens

  • Mounting too high, usually above a fireplace, which looks tidy and gives everyone in the room a sore neck.
  • Choosing a full-motion arm for a heavy screen on a lightly framed wall, so the fixings work far harder than they were ever meant to.
  • Fixing into the lining because the studs are not where the screen needs to be, instead of adding backing inside the wall.
  • Leaving the power lead draped down the wall because the fixed outlet was never quoted.
  • Forgetting that the source equipment needs somewhere to live, with ventilation and a path for its own cables.
  • Drilling into a wall shared with a bathroom, laundry or kitchen without thinking about what runs inside it.
  • Leaving the old entertainment unit under the screen with the television that used to sit on it now gone, and nothing anchored.

Who is allowed to do which half of this job

Fixing a bracket to a wall is ordinary unlicensed work in most states, provided the whole job stays under the value the state sets for building and trade work. Installing, altering or adding to the electrical installation is not, at any value: the NSW Government states that by law any electrical installation work must be done by a licensed electrician, and Victoria licenses electricians through Energy Safe Victoria rather than through the building registration system that covers other trades.

The practical consequence is a sequence rather than an argument. Book the electrician for the outlet behind the screen, have the mounter set the bracket out so the outlet lands where the screen will hide it, and keep the compliance paperwork the electrician issues with your house records. The paperwork costs nothing extra and is what an insurer asks for later.

Living with a mounted screen

  • Check the bracket fixings after the first few months, particularly on an articulated arm that gets moved regularly.
  • Keep the space behind and above the screen clear, because heat is what shortens the life of the electronics.
  • Clean the panel with a dry or barely damp microfibre cloth rather than a household spray.
  • Recheck the level after any wall or floor work nearby, since a lot of movement shows up first as a screen that has gone slightly out.
  • Re-dress cables if you change the source equipment, rather than letting a new lead hang from the corner.
  • If a replacement screen is heavier or wider than the old one, confirm the existing bracket and fixings are rated for it before hanging it.

TV Mounting: frequently asked questions

Can a handyman put a powerpoint behind my television?

No. The NSW Government states that by law any electrical installation work must be done by a licensed electrician, and there is no householder or handyman exemption anywhere in Australia. A handyman can mount the bracket and hang the screen; a licensed electrician installs the outlet behind it. In Victoria, electricians are licensed by Energy Safe Victoria rather than by the body that registers other building trades, so that is where a Victorian licence is checked.

Can the television's power lead be run inside the wall to hide it?

That is the wrong fix for the problem. A television's power lead is a flexible cord intended to be used in the open, and the tidy result people want is achieved instead by having a licensed electrician install a fixed outlet behind the screen. The other cables — antenna, data and HDMI — are communications work, so ask who is doing them and what registration they hold rather than assuming they come with the mount.

How do I know there is no wiring where the bracket is going?

You do not know for certain, which is why care is the standard. Wiring runs through wall cavities and NSW safety guidance specifically warns about sawing, nailing or drilling into walls, adding that older wiring can become brittle. A competent mounter scans the wall, notes where the powerpoints and switches on both sides sit, and treats the vertical and horizontal lines between them as suspect. If a drill does find a cable, stop and call a licensed electrician rather than inspecting it yourself.

Is a wall-mounted screen safer than one on a cabinet?

It can be, and that is part of the point. ACCC Product Safety lists unsecured televisions among the items that topple and injure people in Australian homes, with children under five most at risk. A screen properly fixed to structure removes that hazard — provided the fixing has actually reached structure, and provided the cabinet it used to stand on is itself anchored now that it is lighter.

What height should the screen be mounted at?

Lower than most people expect. Set it from the seat rather than from the floor: sit where you will actually watch from, and have the centre of the screen fall close to eye level. Mounting above a fireplace is the most common regret in Australian living rooms, because the viewing angle is wrong for every seat and the heat below it does the electronics no favours.

Sources

  1. NSW Government: Avoiding electrical accidents
  2. Consumer Affairs Victoria: Builders, tradespeople and other building practitioners
  3. ACCC Product Safety: Toppling furniture and televisions guide

Written by the LokalMatch editorial team. Last reviewed 22 September 2026. How we write and check our guides

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What affects the cost of TV mounting

Prices depend on the details of your project. We only publish price ranges when they’re backed by real LokalMatch quote data or reliable sources. Until then, here’s what usually changes the price:

  • Number and type of tasks
  • Time needed and any minimum visit charge
  • Materials and parts
  • Wall type and what's being mounted or hung
  • Height and access

How to compare TV installers before you hire

  • Describe all the small jobs up front so the handyman can bring the right tools and give you a realistic estimate.
  • Ask whether they charge by the hour, by the job or with a minimum visit fee.
  • For anything involving wiring, gas or new plumbing, use a licensed trade instead of a general handyman.
  • Check that they carry liability insurance, especially for work on ladders or on the exterior.
  • Ask whether they supply materials or whether you should buy them ahead of time.

Questions to ask TV installers before you hire

  • Do you charge by the hour or by the job, and is there a minimum?
  • Can you do all of the jobs on my list, or will some need a licensed trade?
  • Will you bring the materials, or should I buy them?
  • Are you insured if something is damaged while you're working?
  • How do you handle it if a job takes longer than expected?

TV mounting permits and local rules

Some TV mounting work needs a permit or has to meet local bylaws. Rules vary by municipality, so ask your pro whether a permit is needed and who will apply for it — and check with your city or town if you’re unsure.

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