DStv dish relocation is needed more often than people expect. Building work, a new roof, an extension or a neighbour's new double-storey can leave a dish in the wrong place, and moving house raises its own questions about what comes with you. OnspotElec relocates and reinstalls dishes for homes across Gauteng, re-routing the cable and realigning the dish so the new position works at least as well as the old one.
When a Dish Needs a New Position
- Renovations and extensions. A new room, carport or patio roof can cover the wall where the dish was mounted or cut off its view of the sky.
- Roof replacement or repairs. Roofers usually need the dish taken down before they start. Putting it back afterwards needs a proper realignment, not just re-bolting the bracket.
- Solar panels and other roof equipment. If panels are going onto the roof section where the dish sits, or will stand in its line of sight, the dish has to move first. We don't install solar; we move the dish so your solar installer has room to work.
- Trees and new buildings. The dish points roughly north-east and needs a clear view of that part of the sky. When a tree grows into the path or a new building goes up in that direction, trimming isn't always possible and moving the dish is the lasting fix.
- Painting and plastering. Wall work sometimes means the bracket must come off temporarily and go back afterwards.
If building work is coming up, arranging the move before the builders arrive is easier than repairing a dish that has been knocked about. Our article on what to consider before moving a dish has more planning tips.
Moving House With DStv
Your DStv account belongs to you, not to the property. What happens to the hardware depends on what you agree with the buyer, seller or landlord.
| Item | Usually moves with you? | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Decoder | Yes | It's your equipment and is linked to your DStv account. |
| Smartcard | Yes, where your decoder uses one | Keep it with the decoder it belongs to. |
| Remote and power supply | Yes | Easy to forget when packing up the lounge. |
| Dish and LNB | It depends | Often left as part of the property, but that's for the sale or lease agreement to settle. |
| Cabling and wall plates | Usually stays | It's built into the house and seldom worth removing. |
If your new home already has a dish, it may be usable once it has been tested. The LNB must suit your decoder (an Explora, for instance, needs a compatible LNB arrangement) and the dish must be in good condition and correctly aimed. If there's no dish, or the existing one isn't usable, you'll need a reinstallation, which follows the same process as a new DStv installation. Any change to your address or account details is done with DStv, not your installer.
Before work startsPermissions, Planning and the Move Itself
Before a dish moves, check who has to approve the new spot. It's much easier to sort this out first than to take a dish down a second time.
- Sectional title schemes and estates. Conduct rules or HOA rules often control where dishes may go and how visible cabling can be. Ask the body corporate, trustees, HOA or managing agent before work begins; our complex and estate page explains the common setups.
- Rented homes. Tenants need the landlord's permission, preferably in writing.
- Builders and roofers. Tell them where the dish is going so new work doesn't block it again.
Choose the new position
The technician checks the line of sight, the strength of the mounting surface and a sensible cable route before anything comes down.
Remove and remount
The dish and bracket are taken down carefully and fitted at the new position. The old mounting points are pointed out so you can have them filled or sealed.
Re-route the cable
A new position often means a longer or different run. Old or damaged cable is replaced rather than extended with joints, which are a weak spot for water; see cable repairs and replacement.
Realign and test
The dish is peaked on a meter in its new spot, which is the same careful process as a dish alignment, and every TV point is tested.
It's tempting to let the roofer take the dish down and bolt it back "exactly as it was", but even a small change in angle can cost a lot of signal. Call 083 489 1322 to have it moved and realigned properly.
We relocate dishes throughout Gauteng, including Fourways and Pretoria East. Pricing depends on how far the dish is moving, the mounting surface and how much cable is needed, so request a quote with a short description of the job.
Dish Relocation FAQs
We'd advise against it. Working at height is dangerous, and even if the dish goes up safely it still needs to be peaked on a signal meter to work reliably, especially in summer storms.
Sometimes. A low position needs a clear view to the north-east over walls, roofs and trees, which is harder to find at ground level. The pole also has to be solid and properly anchored so it doesn't sway.
Many apartment blocks have a shared dish system you can connect to, subject to the building's rules. If that isn't available, DStv Streama is DStv's internet streaming box and doesn't use a dish at all.
If your contact or address details change, update them with DStv through DStv's self-service channels. We can't make account changes on your behalf.
That depends on the distance, the new mounting surface and the cable route. Moving a dish a short way along the same wall is a much smaller job than moving it to another side of the house with a new cable run through the roof.
