Handy people who are comfortable with tools and basic tech and want a low-cost, flexible side business they can run around a job
Relying entirely on a platform like TaskRabbit that takes a cut and controls your pricing, instead of building direct, repeat, and referral customers
Ranges reflect realistic outcomes across reported data — not best-case promises. See the full earnings breakdown below.
What this business actually is
A TV mounting and smart home installation business handles the jobs homeowners and renters do not want to do themselves: mounting flat-screen TVs on walls (including tricky drywall, brick, and stone), concealing cables, and installing smart home devices like video doorbells, security cameras, smart thermostats, soundbars, wireless speakers, and smart locks. The work is per-job and the tool cost is genuinely low, which is why it is one of the most accessible hands-on businesses to start. You can get leads through gig platforms like TaskRabbit, Thumbtack, and Amazon Home Services, or build a direct business through Google, referrals, and partnerships with local electronics and furniture stores. The skill ceiling is real — clean cable management, level mounts, and configuring devices on a customer's Wi-Fi — but the basics are learnable quickly.
What you actually do — the daily reality
A typical job runs 45 minutes to two hours: you confirm the mount location and stud or anchor placement, attach the bracket, hang and level the TV, route or conceal the cables, then test everything. Smart home installs add device pairing, app setup, and a quick walkthrough so the customer can actually use what you installed. Most operators run two to five jobs in a day they choose to work, scheduling around their own calendar. Around the work there is driving between homes, buying or carrying common parts (anchors, cable raceways, HDMI cables), messaging customers, and the occasional troubleshooting call when someone's app will not connect.
Real startup costs — itemized
Every realistic cost, with low and high ranges. You can start near $300 by skipping what is optional, but a comfortable starting budget is closer to $2,500.
| Item | Low | High | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cordless drill/driver and bit set | $80 | $250 | |
| Stud finder, levels, tape measure, fish tape | $50 | $200 | |
| Hand tools, sockets, ladder, drop cloths | $80 | $400 | |
| Starter stock: anchors, raceways, cable, HDMI | $40 | $200 | |
| General liability insurance | $350 | $900 | Annual |
| Business registration / LLC | $50 | $300 | |
| TaskRabbit / Thumbtack / platform setup | Free | $100 | Can skip at first |
| Google Business Profile + simple website | Free | $300 | Can skip at first |
| Realistic total to start | $300 | $2,500 | Minimum vs. comfortable budget |
Real earnings — an honest breakdown
Not best-case fantasies. Here is what beginners, experienced operators, and the top earners actually report — and what it took to get there.
Part-time beginners typically earn $800 to $2,500 per month, with single TV mounts commonly priced $80 to $200 and full setups with cable concealment and smart devices reaching $250 to $500. Platform fees and a thin early review base hold first-year numbers down.
Operators with strong reviews, mostly direct customers, and higher-value smart-home work often report $3,000 to $6,000 per month working part- to full-time. Bundling TV mounting with camera systems, thermostats, and whole-home audio raises the average ticket significantly.
The strongest solo and small operators clear $7,000 to $12,000+ per month by focusing on premium installs (in-wall wiring, multi-room audio, full camera systems) and building referral relationships with realtors, interior designers, and electronics stores. Going beyond that usually means hiring installers and moving toward a low-voltage or AV integration company.
Effective rate is often $60 to $150 per hour of actual install work for direct jobs; platform jobs after fees and travel are lower, frequently $35 to $80 per hour blended once you count unpaid driving and scheduling time.
Average ticket size and lead source matter most. Operators stuck doing $99 single-TV jobs through a platform that takes a cut earn far less than those bundling smart-home work and owning their direct/referral pipeline. Clean, professional results drive the reviews that drive everything else.
How to actually start — step by step
- Week 1
Buy a solid drill, stud finder, levels, and basic hand tools, and practice mounting a TV and installing a camera or thermostat at your own home until the result is clean and level. Get general liability insurance before any paid work.
- Week 2
Set up a TaskRabbit or Thumbtack profile to get first jobs fast, and create a Google Business Profile with photos of your practice installs. Price clearly: a base mount fee plus add-ons for cable concealment and smart-device setup.
- Month 1
Complete your first 10 jobs and ask every happy customer for a Google review and a referral the same day. Photograph every clean install. Start carrying common parts so you can finish jobs in one visit instead of running to the store.
- Months 2-3
Shift the mix toward direct and referral customers to escape platform fees. Reach out to local electronics stores, furniture retailers, realtors, and interior designers who regularly have clients needing mounting and smart-home help.
What skills you actually need
Skills you must have before starting
- Comfort using a drill and basic hand tools and working safely on a ladder
- Basic tech literacy — pairing devices to Wi-Fi and using smartphone apps
- Reliability and tidy, careful work in people's homes
Skills you can learn as you go
- Locating studs and choosing the right anchors for drywall, brick, and stone
- Clean cable concealment, including in-wall routing and raceways
- Configuring smart cameras, thermostats, doorbells, and multi-room audio
What separates average operators from high earners
- Professional cable management and level, flush mounts that make installs look built-in
- Bundling smart-home work to raise average ticket far above a single TV mount
- Building direct and referral channels (designers, realtors, retailers) instead of depending on platforms
What most people get wrong
The common mistakes, the reasons people quit, and the things nobody warns you about.
- Mounting into drywall without hitting studs or using proper anchors, risking a TV crashing down and a liability claim
- Competing only on the lowest single-TV price and never bundling higher-value smart-home work
- Staying dependent on TaskRabbit or Thumbtack, where fees and platform-controlled pricing cap earnings
- Skipping general liability insurance while drilling into walls and handling expensive electronics in clients' homes
- Sloppy cable management, which is exactly what customers judge and photograph in reviews
- Not carrying common parts, so simple jobs turn into multi-trip time sinks that wreck the hourly rate
Tools and equipment you need
What to buy cheap, where to invest, and what you can rent or borrow at first.
- Cordless drill/driver and bit set $80 – $250
The core tool. A reliable mid-range drill handles studs, brick, and concrete anchors.
- Stud finder and laser/torpedo levels $50 – $200
Accuracy here is the difference between a clean job and a crooked, unsafe one.
- Fish tape and cable-routing tools $30 – $150
For in-wall cable concealment, the upsell that raises your ticket.
- Folding ladder and drop cloths $60 – $300
Safety and protecting customers' floors and furniture.
- Consumable stock (anchors, raceways, HDMI, cable) $40 – $200
Carry common items so you finish in one trip; restock as you go.
- Vehicle to carry gear Free – $0
Any reliable car or SUV works to start; no special vehicle needed.
How to find customers
What actually works:
- Gig platforms (TaskRabbit, Thumbtack, Amazon Home Services) for fast first jobs and reviews
- A Google Business Profile with clean install photos and steady reviews to win direct local leads
- Referral partnerships with electronics stores, furniture retailers, realtors, and interior designers
- Nextdoor and local Facebook groups where people post for help mounting TVs and setting up cameras
- Asking every customer for a review and referral the day you finish a clean install
Where your customers are: Residential customers who just bought a new TV, moved into a home, or want a video doorbell or camera system, plus busy professionals who would rather pay than DIY. Higher-value clients come through designers, realtors staging or finishing homes, and AV-curious homeowners.
How long it takes to build a client base: First jobs usually come within one to two weeks through gig platforms. Building a steady direct and referral pipeline that no longer depends on platforms typically takes three to six months of consistent, well-photographed work.
What is usually a waste of time: Paid ads before you have reviews, and a polished brand website with no install photos. Early on, platform reviews and word of mouth convert far better than spending on marketing.
How this business scales
Can you grow it to full-time? Yes, realistically. Many operators reach full-time income by raising average ticket with smart-home bundles and moving off fee-heavy platforms to direct work. The solo ceiling is set by how many quality jobs you can do in the hours you choose to work.
Can you hire people and step back? Possible. You can hire and train installers to take overflow and run scheduling, but quality control matters because one bad install damages reviews. Stepping back fully means documented install standards and a trustworthy lead installer.
Can you sell it one day? A solo gig is essentially you and is hard to sell, but a business with a brand, a review base, referral relationships, and trained installers can sell for a modest multiple of profit, especially if it has moved toward recurring AV/smart-home accounts.
What scaling actually requires: Consistent install quality across people, a direct lead pipeline beyond platforms, standardized pricing and processes, and partnerships (builders, designers, property managers) that feed steady higher-value work.
Is this right for you? An honest checklist
A strong fit if…
- You are handy with a drill and comfortable on a ladder
- You can pair devices to Wi-Fi and walk a customer through an app without frustration
- You want a genuinely low-cost business you can run flexibly around a job
- You take pride in tidy, level work that photographs well
A poor fit if…
- You are uncomfortable drilling into walls or working in strangers' homes
- You get frustrated by app setup, Wi-Fi quirks, and tech troubleshooting
- You want a fully passive income rather than per-job hands-on work
- You are unwilling to carry insurance while handling expensive electronics
Before you start, ask yourself…
- Am I comfortable being responsible for mounting a heavy TV safely in someone's home?
- Will I push to bundle smart-home work and build direct customers, or settle for low-paid platform mounts?
- Is there enough local demand, and how saturated are the gig platforms in my area?
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a license to mount TVs and install smart home devices?
Mounting TVs and installing plug-in or battery smart devices generally does not require a trade license, but you will want a business registration and general liability insurance. Anything involving new line-voltage wiring (hardwiring some doorbells, in-wall power) can require an electrician or permit depending on your state and the job, so know where the line is and refer or partner out electrical work you are not licensed for.
How much should I charge for a TV mount?
Single TV mounts commonly run $80 to $200 depending on size, wall type, and whether you conceal cables, with full setups including a soundbar and smart devices reaching $250 to $500. Charge a base fee plus clearly listed add-ons. Bundling raises your average ticket far above competing on a bare-bones mount price.
Is TaskRabbit worth it for getting started?
It is a good way to get your first jobs and reviews quickly, but the platform takes a cut and influences your pricing, so treat it as a starting channel, not your whole business. The operators who earn well use platforms to build a reputation, then shift toward direct, referral, and partnership customers where they keep the full fee.
Do I need experience to start this?
No prior professional experience is required if you are genuinely handy and tech-comfortable, which is why this is a beginner-friendly business. You do need to practice until your mounts are level, secure, and clean, because that quality is what your reviews and referrals depend on. Learning proper anchoring for different wall types is essential before charging customers.
Can I really do this part-time around a job?
Yes. Jobs are short and you control your schedule through platforms or direct booking, so many operators run this in evenings and weekends. It is one of the more genuinely part-time-friendly hands-on businesses, though your earnings scale with the hours and the average ticket you can command.
What about mounting on brick, stone, or concrete?
Those walls require masonry bits and the right anchors, and they are exactly the jobs nervous DIYers pay to avoid, so being confident with them is a selling point. Practice on test surfaces first and carry the correct hardware. Charging a premium for non-drywall mounts is standard and fair given the added difficulty.
How do I avoid a TV falling off the wall?
Always anchor into studs or use rated heavy-duty anchors appropriate to the wall and the TV's weight, and verify the mount is level and fully tightened before leaving. A failed mount is both a safety hazard and a liability claim, which is why insurance and careful technique are non-negotiable. When in doubt, use a stronger mounting solution rather than a marginal one.
Data sources and research notes
Figures on this page reflect ranges reported across the sources below plus operator accounts. They are honest estimates, not guarantees — your results will vary.
- TaskRabbit and Thumbtack — published task and service pricing for TV mounting and smart-home installs
- Angi / HomeAdvisor — TV Mounting and Smart Home Installation Cost Guides
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — installation and repair occupations data
- Manufacturer install guidance (Ring, Nest, Sonos) for smart-home device setup
- Operator communities and gig-work forums for real-world pricing and earnings reports
Last reviewed: June 2026