Sky engineer couldn't fit dish

BYTEr · 30 Apr 2017 at 13:25

Hi all,

We organised for Sky to come out yesterday to get a dish installed, however as there's a tree in the front garden, apparently he couldn't install it and didn't discuss any other solutions so that was a bit disappointing.

Anyway, I believe a dish could be installed on the roof/chimney which I then don't think the tree would be an issue, we've got some independent companies coming out to take a look and quote.

My question is though what's the best way to then get Sky? We tried ringing Sky to ask but the girl on the other end didn't seem to have a clue, then put us on hold for 35 minutes then we were cut off. Can we just organise for a Sky engineer to come back out and it shouldn't now be a problem? Will they do this despite the last failure to get it installed?

Thanks in advance.

Jason1973 · 30 Apr 2017 at 16:30

Hi byter,
I used to work as a subcontractor installing sky.
If it needs to go on the chimney sky can send a team out to do it. When I was working for the subcontractors it need a 2 man team for health and safety. I don't how much they would charge as it's been a few years. It is possible so good luck.

neil_g · 30 Apr 2017 at 21:17

they used to have a "special heights team" for jobs requiring dishes above gutter height.

filter2000 · 30 Apr 2017 at 21:48

I work for sky as a specialist engineer, we do the heights/special access work which includes chimney work. As long as the roof and tiles are in good condition it will be fine. Just rebook the job for an SE team and your property will get flagged for 2 man team. We dont just use ladders we also do rope access so we are quite flexible.

nicknack35 · 1 May 2017 at 07:54

SKY will want your money so i can't see them not installing the dish LOL

phil-k · 1 May 2017 at 08:56

can't say I have ever seen a dish fitted to a chimney

andicole0 · 1 May 2017 at 09:08

phil-k said:
can't say I have ever seen a dish fitted to a chimney

My in laws had one, done by Sky but had to wait for a second engineer. Same issue as OP, tall trees in the way. It was not a great signal though.
Andi.

BYTEr · 1 May 2017 at 10:27

filter2000 said:
I work for sky as a specialist engineer, we do the heights/special access work which includes chimney work. As long as the roof and tiles are in good condition it will be fine. Just rebook the job for an SE team and your property will get flagged for 2 man team. We dont just use ladders we also do rope access so we are quite flexible.

Thanks, we rang Sky back and a 2 man team has now been arranged for Wednesday afternoon.

nicknack35 said:
SKY will want your money so i can't see them not installing the dish LOL

Well that's exactly what happened, engineer turned up, seemingly in a big rush and annoyed he couldn't park right outside the house, said it couldn't be done and was gone within 5 minutes, he didn't mention anything about a special heights team or anything, so if I hadn't of queried it and rang Sky back they wouldn't be installing a dish.

V F · 1 May 2017 at 13:06

andicole0 said:
My in laws had one, done by Sky but had to wait for a second engineer. Same issue as OP, tall trees in the way. It was not a great signal though.
Andi.

That must have been irritating especially if your recordings break up.

varkanoid · 1 May 2017 at 13:47

phil-k said:
can't say I have ever seen a dish fitted to a chimney

Never seen the rooftops in London ??

In the Hilton Metropole recently on 13th floor and never seen so many dishes in all manner of places in my life before.

V F · 1 May 2017 at 19:19

varkanoid said:
Never seen the rooftops in London ??

Eurofighter · 1 May 2017 at 20:02

My dish is apparently on my Chimney, never seen it.

Psycho Sonny · 1 May 2017 at 21:41

can you not just chop the tree down or get it trimmed?

BYTEr · 1 May 2017 at 21:58

Psycho Sonny said:
can you not just chop the tree down or get it trimmed?

It's not actually in our front garden, but right next to it, I actually don't think its in the way, and if it is there's a large gap between the tree, but the first Sky engineer just immediately said no and didn't even try and get a signal, like I said, he was off within 5 minutes.

Psycho Sonny · 2 May 2017 at 09:53

BYTEr said:
It's not actually in our front garden, but right next to it, I actually don't think its in the way, and if it is there's a large gap between the tree, but the first Sky engineer just immediately said no and didn't even try and get a signal, like I said, he was off within 5 minutes.

some people get them fitted on poles away from their house. albeit this would IMO look very garish. it's not something i would consider unless it was in the corner of say a back garden. however neighbors would likely disapprove of it.

varkanoid · 2 May 2017 at 10:28

Fit it to the tree

iamtheoneneo · 2 May 2017 at 11:38

Psycho Sonny said:
can you not just chop the tree down or get it trimmed?

Chop a tree down to get tv. I think this sums up the modern world pretty well.

FYI I hope you didnt sign the PDA, Sky will think the work has been completed, I had that once by some shady ass installer.

Psycho Sonny · 2 May 2017 at 13:56

iamtheoneneo said:
Chop a tree down to get tv. I think this sums up the modern world pretty well.

FYI I hope you didnt sign the PDA, Sky will think the work has been completed, I had that once by some shady ass installer.

as if him chopping 1 tree down makes any difference when you have huge corporations out there chopping thousands on a daily basis. hell i chopped 2 down yesterday and plan on doing at least 3 more if not 5.

humanlaptop · 2 May 2017 at 16:02

Years ago we cut a tree down in order to get better TV reception.

Long story short, the tree had a nesting bird in there, with chicks just born....

Anyway the upside was, the tree came down, the birds fed my cat.... karma kicked in, the cat became ill and had died.

On the plus side, the TV worked a treat, a local takeaway bought our dead cat and I used the tree logs to start a fire to burn all my old car tires I had hanging around the local lake.

The circle of life.

Jason1973 · 2 May 2017 at 16:45

humanlaptop said:
Years ago we cut a tree down in order to get better TV reception.

Long story short, the tree had a nesting bird in there, with chicks just born....

Anyway the upside was, the tree came down, the birds fed my cat.... karma kicked in, the cat became ill and had died.

On the plus side, the TV worked a treat, a local takeaway bought our dead cat and I used the tree logs to start a fire to burn all my old car tires I had hanging around the local lake.

The circle of life.

That's a beautiful story. * wipes a tear away* lol