Project example: a 55-inch TV and soundbar on a family-room wall, the old TV taken down first — what it looks like and what it costs

The scenario

The family room is at the back of a single-story house, with a beige sectional, a low credenza and a wide slider to the patio. An older TV sits on the credenza, its cables running behind it to a power strip on the floor. The kitchen opens on the right.

The household wants the old set off the furniture and a new 55-inch TV on the wall, with a soundbar beneath it and the cords out of sight as far as practical. The slider faces west, and a bright afternoon sun comes in across the room.

The wall opposite the slider is the obvious choice, and it is plain drywall, so a fixed mount at seated height is the simplest plan. The old TV has to come down first and its four holes fixed before the new screen goes in its place.

What the job involves

1. The old TV is taken down and its mount reading is noted; the holes in the wall are filled and sanded.
2. The installer finds the studs on the wall opposite the slider and tapes out the new screen at the height of a seated viewer.
3. Pilot holes go into two studs, and the plate is fastened with lag bolts and leveled.
4. The new TV is hung and locked, and the soundbar bracket is fixed to a stud directly under it.
5. The bar is connected by one HDMI cable to the TV's ARC port and a short raceway dresses the cords down to the credenza.
6. The picture is checked from the sofa at the hour the afternoon sun is strongest, and the tilt is adjusted if needed.

Hardware and materials

• Fixed or slight-tilt mount rated for 55-inch panels
• Soundbar wall bracket and an HDMI cable with ARC
• Lag bolts, filler and sanding block for the old holes
• Short paintable raceway, stud finder and spirit level

Add-ons often paired with this job

• Hide the wires inside the wall — +$95–$160. In-wall concealment would hide the cords to the credenza, as a separate line.
• Full-motion (articulating) mount — +$30–$55. A swing arm would let the screen turn toward the kitchen.
• I need the mount supplied — +$40–$130. If the household has no new bracket, one rated for the size is supplied as a separate line.

Why it is done this way

A plain wall opposite a bright slider is the easiest window problem to solve, because the picture is not fighting the glare. A tilt of a few degrees is added only if the afternoon sun still washes the screen.

The old TV comes down first because its holes decide where the new plate can go. They are filled and sanded, and the paint touch-up is the household's.

The soundbar is a small job that goes with the install. It sits centered below the screen on its own bracket, clear of the vents and the remote sensor, and one HDMI cable usually carries both picture and sound.

The scenario sits near the lower end of the range for a 55-inch TV: standard drywall, the bracket supplied by the household and two modest add-ons.

What would change the price

• The old wall holds an odd stud pattern and a backer board is added.
• The household wants the cords inside the wall instead of in a raceway.
• A new mount has to be supplied, which adds a line.
• A swing arm replaces the fixed bracket so the screen can face the kitchen.
• A 65-inch set replaces the 55-inch and the base range moves up inside its tier.