TV Mounting Hub Yorba Linda: Project example: a 65-inch TV on a swing arm beside a view window in a hillside great room — what it looks like and what it costs

The scenario

The great room sits on a slope, with a wall of glass facing a long valley view, exposed wood beams overhead and a stone fireplace on the end wall. The side wall is smooth drywall beside the window, and the main sofa faces the window, a little off-axis to the side wall.

The request is a 65-inch TV that does not block the window when it is not in use and can be turned toward the sofa when the room is watched. A swing arm on the side wall serves both: folded flat against the drywall it disappears, extended it swings into the viewing line.

What the job involves

1. From the sofa and from the far end of the room, the installer notes how the side wall sits against each seat and how far an arm would have to travel.
2. The framing behind the side wall is mapped, and the plate goes where it can span two studs and still let the arm reach the sofa line.
3. Where the sun lands through the glass is noted, so the screen can turn away from any reflection at viewing hours.
4. Lag bolts go into both studs, the arm is attached and its travel is tried with the last bolt still loose.
5. With the TV on and locked, the arm is folded and extended again to check clearance from the window frame and the overhead beams.
6. Clips hold the cable along the arm with slack at each joint, a paintable raceway carries it to the outlet and the picture is checked from the sofa.

Hardware and materials

• Full-motion mount rated for 50–65 inch panels at full extension
• Lag bolts for two studs, laser level and stud finder
• Paintable raceway and cable clips for the arm
• Painter's tape for marking the folded and extended positions
• Vacuum and a drop cloth for the floor

Add-ons often paired with this job

• Mount a soundbar as well — +$55–$85. A bar on a console under the window avoids anything extra on the arm.
• Hide the wires inside the wall — +$95–$165. The side wall is drywall, so hidden wiring is possible with an in-wall kit.
• I need the mount supplied — +$45–$135. A swing arm sized to the TV can be supplied when none has been bought.

Why it is done this way

A view and a TV compete for the same wall. A swing arm on the side wall resolves it, because the screen can leave the view alone and then step into the room. The plate on two studs and the arm tested at full reach are what keep it safe.

The sun check matters because a bright valley view and a dark screen make a mirror at some hours. Turning the arm a few degrees fixes it for free. The arm's price is the add on top of the base range for the 50–65 inch band.

What would change the price

• A stud does not land where the plate needs it and a backer board is used.
• An 86-inch set calls for a heavier arm and a backer across three studs.
• The arm needs a longer reach than a standard model offers.
• The side wall is stone instead of drywall, which changes the anchors.
• A new outlet behind the arm's folded position is an electrician's job.