TareaASSEMBLY & MOUNTING · INGLEWOOD
TV wall mounting in Inglewood
Mounting a TV sounds simple until you're staring at a wall in an older Inglewood home and can't tell if you're about to drill into plaster, lath, or a stud. Many houses here were built decades ago and later updated with new drywall over the original walls, which makes finding solid backing tricky. A pro brings the right hardware and stud-finding tools to get the mount level and secure the first time.
This job runs $135 to $205 in Inglewood, based on an $87 hourly rate for a typical 1 to 2 hour job. The lower end covers straightforward drywall installs with easy stud access, while the higher end reflects plaster walls, hidden wiring checks, or extra time needed for cable concealment.
Common causes
- Older Inglewood homes often have plaster-and-lath walls instead of drywall, which behave differently under a drill and can crack if you're not careful.
- Recently renovated rentals sometimes have a thin layer of new drywall installed over the original wall, hiding the actual stud spacing.
- Many homeowners don't own a stud finder rated for plaster or lath, so they can't locate solid backing on their own.
- TVs over 50 inches need anchors rated for the wall type and weight, which not every hardware store mount includes.
- Hidden electrical wiring or old knob-and-tube runs in pre-1960s Inglewood homes can sit exactly where a mount bracket needs to go.
What a pro does
- Checks the wall type (plaster, lath, or drywall) and identifies stud locations using a stud finder suited to that surface.
- Confirms the TV's weight and VESA pattern to select the correct mount hardware.
- Marks and levels the bracket position, then drills pilot holes and secures the mount into studs or rated anchors.
- Attaches the TV to the bracket, checks it's level and stable, and tests the tilt or swivel if the mount allows movement.
- Routes visible cables neatly along the wall or through a cord cover, and cleans up any drywall or plaster dust from drilling.
Do it yourself, or call a pro?
If you have a newer drywall wall with easy-to-find studs and a lightweight TV (under 40 inches), mounting it yourself with a basic kit is reasonable. In an older Inglewood home with plaster or unknown wall layers, or with a larger TV, it's worth hiring a pro since a missed stud or bad anchor can mean a TV crashing to the floor, and drilling blind near old wiring is a real risk.
Questions
Can you mount a TV on a plaster wall without cracking it?
Yes, but it takes slower, more careful drilling and often different anchors than drywall requires. A pro will check the wall type first and adjust the approach before drilling.
Do I need to buy the mount myself?
You can supply your own mount, or ask if the pro can bring one; either way, confirm the mount's weight rating matches your TV before the appointment.
What if there's no stud where I want the TV?
The installer can either shift the position slightly to hit a stud or use heavy-duty wall anchors rated for the TV's weight, depending on what the wall allows.
Prices are estimates for Inglewood and depend on what the job turns out to involve. Tarea sets the labor price before you hire, so you know it up front.