What’s the average satellite installer salary?

Wherever you are in your career as a satellite installer, one question probably pops up more than others. What’s the pay like?

Whether you’re looking to start your own business, or take on an employee, having a guide to the average satellite installer salary provides the answers.

This article shows how salary levels go up with experience and qualifications. It also shows that business owners are likely to earn higher wages.

What does a satellite installer do?

Let’s start with a brief summary of what this trade profession involves. Services on offer that influence a satellite TV installer salary include:

• Installation
• Repairs and maintenance
• Retuning and moving position

A satellite TV and dish satellite installer salary often involves working on the following:

• Satellite dishes
• Satellite and TV cables
• TV aerials

A satellite installer salary is more likely to rise the more specialised you are. The same goes if you can provide a wide range of services to customers.

What qualifications do satellite installers need?

While there aren’t official qualifications for satellite installation, there’s plenty of essential skills training available. Apprenticeships are often a good way to start in a trade profession like satellite installation. In addition, on-the-job experience can count for a lot.

A lot of training is delivered by vocational courses, so you can study while working.

Training that can boost a satellite TV installer salary includes:

Confederation of Aerial Industries

The CAI is a trade association offering training courses.

British and Technology Education Council (BTEC)

BTECs are available in skills including the National Diploma in Electrical and Electronic Engineering.

City & Guilds

Various City & Guilds courses cover TV satellite installation. They go up to a fairly advanced level. They cover electrical and electronic engineering as well as communication cabling.

Safety training

Another essential area for skills training is safety. Again, having these qualifications on board can help to boost the average satellite TV installer salary.

They include:

• Working at heights
• Knowing how to work safely on rooftops
• Being competent when using ladders

If you install TV satellite dishes on construction sites, then you’ll probably need a CSCS card. The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) card demonstrates that you are competent to work safely on construction sites.

So, training is always important, especially when you’re starting a satellite installation trade business.

How much can a satellite installer earn?

We’ve run through the work of satellite installers. And we’ve looked at the skills training that can increase the average satellite installer salary.

Our comparison table shows how a satellite TV installer salary can rise with extra experience and qualifications. Running your own satellite installer business is the way to earn the potentially highest salary.

Starting out as an apprentice

Many trade businesses support taking on apprentices. It can be a great way to get into the trade.

A useful starting point could be asking around local businesses for opportunities. A major advantage of apprenticeships is your training costs are usually paid for you.

The average apprentice satellite TV installer salary is £13,258 per year.

What is a qualified satellite installer salary?

As you gain experience and qualifications, you can expect to earn more. A newly qualified dish satellite installer salary is £21,441 per year.

At this stage in your career, you’re likely to be working for someone else. The average satellite installer salary for a qualified employee is around £29,536 per year.

Average satellite installer salary for a business owner

Many tradespeople have a goal of owning their business. As you can see, it can pay more. But remember that as a business owner you’ll be taking on certain business risks as well.

• Sole trader

If you’re a sole trader, the average satellite TV installer salary is likely to be £51,626 per year.

However, you’ll probably have to make deductions from your earnings to pay business expenses. As a sole trader satellite installer, these could be £6,453 per year.

• Limited company
  

An alternative to being a sole trader is to set up a limited company. As a limited company owner, you can probably charge more for your services.

This is reflected in the higher average dish satellite installer salary if you own a limited company. This is likely to be £64,297 per year.

Like sole traders, a limited company owner also has to pay business costs. For a satellite installer who owns their business, average business costs are around £11,252 per year.

Average satellite installer salary for an employee

Some employers prefer to pay hourly or daily rates. It usually depends on the nature of the work and the types of jobs involved. You can see from our analysis below that the average rates rise with experience.

Satellite installer salary per hour

• Apprentice: £7.55 per hour
• Newly qualified: £12.21 per hour
• Employed: £14.20 per hour

Satellite installer salary per day

These daily rates are based on an eight-hour day:

• Apprentice: £60.40 per day
• Newly qualified: £97.68 per day
• Employed: £113.60 per day

What’s the average satellite installer salary for a business owner?

As you’d expect, your earning potential goes up if you work for yourself rather than being an employee. The rewards for owning a business are higher as you also take on some risks. A great way to keep in control of both income and expenditure is to have a workable business plan.

Business expenses

Your trade business will incur expenses. To keep your earnings as high as possible, keep a wary eye on your business outgoings.

However, many business expenses are tax deductible. That means you can use certain business costs to reduce your taxable profit. It’s one of the advantages of being self-employed.

Satellite installer salary earn as a sole trader

Being a self-employed sole trader means you should be able to earn more as a satellite installer. As your own boss, you can probably choose to work as much as you want.

• On average, a satellite TV installer salary for a sole trader is £51,626 per year
• The average annual business costs of a satellite installer sole trader are likely to be around £6,453 per year

Satellite installer salary if you own your company

Making your trade business a limited company is another option. You can expect the average dish satellite installer salary to be higher compared with being a sole trader.

• The average satellite installer salary if you own your company is £64,297 per year
• For a limited company, the average business costs are £11,252 per year

Maybe now is the time for you to examine the differences between a sole trader and a limited company.

Want to be your own boss?

You can see from our satellite TV installer salary guide that you could earn more by setting up in business. It’s a big challenge.

You’ll have to balance the risks with the rewards. But you needn’t take that step alone.

If you want to be your own boss, there’s lots of advice available. We’ve plenty of tips to help you become your own boss.

You can also find out how other tradespeople have set up in business.

Find more business leads with Checkatrade

Running your own satellite installer business will keep you on your toes – as well as up a ladder. It’s worth thinking about how you can juggle jobs with your sales admin.

A key area here is how to generate sales leads. You’ll need a steady flow of new business to profitably grow your trade business.

That’s where you can rely on us. Checkatrade members receive our help with new enquiries.

There are lots of other benefits of Checkatrade membership too. They include:

• Exclusive offers and discounts with suppliers like Tradepoint and Wickes
• Up to 75% off Quickbooks business software
• Up to 20% off Public Liability Insurance
• Reduced cost of workwear and branding
• Guaranteed work when booked through us (T&Cs apply)
• Dedicated trades apps for job management and quoting/invoicing

Key takeaways

• There aren’t official qualifications for being a satellite installer, but there’s plenty of safety and skills training that can improve a satellite installer salary
• With more experience and qualifications your satellite TV installer salary should rise
• The average dish satellite installer salary at the start of a career for an apprentice is £13,258 per year
• The average satellite installer salary if you’re newly qualified is £21,441 per year. With more experience as a company employee your average satellite TV installer salary could be £29,536 per year
• You can earn more as a business owner. The average satellite installer salary for a sole trader is £51,626 per year. The satellite TV installer salary for the owner of a limited company is £64,297 per year. But remember, business owners face higher risks to their income as well as incurring business costs