Apartment Install Questions: 'No Drill'?

[opfreak]

Ordered directtv to be installed this saturday, without asking the apartment people 1st. I figured it wouldn't be a problem since every other building has a dish drilled to it.

However the form I need to fill out says that the install must not drill into the building.

Will this pose a problem for the install? what should I do?

[fwlogue]

The dish will have to be either mounted on a pole in a bucket or on a tripod. The cabling will most likely have to be the flat coax that will go through a window or door.

[opfreak]

Is that something I have to provide? (bucket or tri-pod)?

i'm on a lower level, and have about a 3 foot bush infront of me... good for some privacy, but might cause problems with a small tripod.

i was caught off gaurd since I saw all the other dishes screwed to the buiding.

[fwlogue]

Call Directv and get the number for your installer call them let them know your situation so they can have everything with them or let you know if you need to have anything for them. The tripod or pole in a bucket will cost extra

[houskamp]

Is that something I have to provide? (bucket or tri-pod)?

i'm on a lower level, and have about a 3 foot bush infront of me... good for some privacy, but might cause problems with a small tripod.

i was caught off gaurd since I saw all the other dishes screwed to the buiding.
Lower level could be good.. might be able to do a pole mount in ground..

[opfreak]

Thanks will do that.

[opfreak]

Lower level could be good.. might be able to do a pole mount in ground..


I thought about that too, but dont know if that would be possible.

since patio area is a slab, and we have bushes infront of us, theres no grass,
Just dirt, It could be possible to dig a hole, and put a pole in with some cement to hold it in place. It would be semi permant, since when I move, I can dig the pole out. and replace the dirt.

But that might fall out of 'exclusive use'

i'll call both direct tv and my apt people.


If I can do the dirt pole install. I should be able to do that myself before the dtv guy comes.

[BattleZone]

If there are any flat portions of the roof, another option might be a non-penetrating roof mount, which is essentially a frame designed to accept cement blocks as ballast weights, and has a mounting area for the pole (or has the pole as part of the design).

This is considered a custom mount, so you should expect to pay for it (up to $100), but it can get a dish safely and securely mounted without any holes or damage to the building. Obviously, the apartment management needs to allow this, but many will if you explain things to them.

You might get lucky, but most places won't allow a dish to be outside your exclusive area (patio/balcony), as it is a liability.

In my county, where apartments tend to be very strict with regards to "tripod on balcony/patio only", we lose about 60% of apartment installs to "no line of site/no landlord permission".

[opfreak]

If there are any flat portions of the roof, another option might be a non-penetrating roof mount, which is essentially a frame designed to accept cement blocks as ballast weights, and has a mounting area for the pole (or has the pole as part of the design).

This is considered a custom mount, so you should expect to pay for it (up to $100), but it can get a dish safely and securely mounted without any holes or damage to the building. Obviously, the apartment management needs to allow this, but many will if you explain things to them.

You might get lucky, but most places won't allow a dish to be outside your exclusive area (patio/balcony), as it is a liability.

In my county, where apartments tend to be very strict with regards to "tripod on balcony/patio only", we lose about 60% of apartment installs to "no line of site/no landlord permission".


no flat roof. I'll try to get a picture later today.

hmm geuss I need some speical power to post pics here.

[lander215]

Call your apartment manager and confirm if the no-drill is for the mount or do they mean no drilling through the building to run the cable.

My apartment has a no-drill policy...but it's for the cable, not for mounting the dish to the balcony (in my case).

[opfreak]

No I talked to them again. No drill means no drill. They said they changed there policy and that it needs to be a pole or clamp install.

Clamp would almost work, if the beam was straight, but its an L-shapped beam.

I called directv and was shocked that I didn't have to wait on hold for cosumter service (amazing, time warner always has a wait).

They gave me the installers number (permier communications i belive). So I called them, and the lady on the phone wasn't as helpfull, she said the installers would be fimilar with the area, and would have a pole.

I was trying to be helpfull, and pro-active, but she didn't seem to care one bit.

Pictures below are what the area I have looks like (google streetview).
The circled one is in the location I have, the others are more for clarity.


http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/3927/lookae3.jpg

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/1125/look1tm2.jpg

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5599/30235032lk5.jpg

[Grydlok]

No I talked to them again. No drill means no drill. They said they changed there policy and that it needs to be a pole or clamp install.

Clamp would almost work, if the beam was straight, but its an L-shapped beam.

I called directv and was shocked that I didn't have to wait on hold for cosumter service (amazing, time warner always has a wait).

They gave me the installers number (permier communications i belive). So I called them, and the lady on the phone wasn't as helpfull, she said the installers would be fimilar with the area, and would have a pole.

I was trying to be helpfull, and pro-active, but she didn't seem to care one bit.

Pictures below are what the area I have looks like (google streetview).
The circled one is in the location I have, the others are more for clarity.


http://img294.imageshack.us/img294/3927/lookae3.jp

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/1125/look1tm2.jp

http://img99.imageshack.us/img99/5599/30235032lk5.jp

Man that is a big bush

[opfreak]

^lol.

i've actually spotted a pole install at the apartment. it was a bit futher off the patio then I tought would be allowed (about a foot or two).

Is there something I should be getting to make the install easier?

I've been reading abotu SWM, I'm geussing that the installer is going to use that, and is going to run 4 cables from the dish to the apt.

also been reading about 'flat coax'. And that most installers wont have those? where could I pick some up? Just in case.

[lander215]

My installer had the flat coax to get into the apartment through the patio door (he also left me with a couple extra since he said they'll break eventually). I have permission to install the coax connector plates on the inside/outside of my patio...but it was a wink and a nod, so I don't think I'm gonna do it.

That is a big bush...I'd recommend a bit of Round Up to take care of that problem. ;-) I have a tree preventing me from getting HD that may mysteriously pass away...

[joe diamond]

My installer had the flat coax to get into the apartment through the patio door (he also left me with a couple extra since he said they'll break eventually). I have permission to install the coax connector plates on the inside/outside of my patio...but it was a wink and a nod, so I don't think I'm gonna do it.

That is a big bush...I'd recommend a bit of Round Up to take care of that problem. ;-) I have a tree preventing me from getting HD that may mysteriously pass away...

Roundup will not do much for woody plants. If the target plant is on the list of controlled plants it will go down. Others will just smile at you. Consider "girdling" where a small cut is done around the trunk just deep enough to cut through the bark layer; Indian concept. There is also "pruning" and won't kill the plant or hurt it.
Joe