Listed Building in Old Town - Satellite Installation

Grade II listed property in Southampton's Old Town. Sky refused the installation citing conservation restrictions. The homeowner was told they'd have to stick with Freeview. I worked with the conservation officer to find an acceptable solution - a discrete installation that preserved the building's character while delivering full Sky Q service.

The Challenge

When the homeowner called me, they'd already been turned down by Sky and two other installers. Their beautiful Grade II listed home in Southampton's historic Old Town meant any external installation needed conservation approval. Sky's standard installation would have meant a dish on the front elevation - absolutely not happening on a listed building.

The homeowner wanted Sky Q for the sports packages but was being told it was impossible. They'd resigned themselves to missing out until a neighbor recommended me - 'Steve finds solutions where others don't even look.'

Grade II listed building with strict conservation rules
No installations permitted on visible elevations
Previous installers said it couldn't be done
Trees blocking potential rear installation points
Customer needed full Sky Q service, not just Freesat
Conservation officer needed to approve any solution

My Solution

I spent an hour surveying the property, checking sight lines from every possible angle. The solution? A specially painted dish color-matched to the slate roof, mounted on a custom bracket that tucked it behind the rear chimney stack. Completely invisible from street level, clear sight to the satellite, and the conservation officer was actually impressed.

The installation required longer cable runs and some creative routing through the 300-year-old building, but that's what experience is for. I ran the cables internally through existing service routes, ensuring no damage to the historic fabric and no visible external cables.

Custom-painted dish to match slate grey roofing
Discrete mounting behind chimney - invisible from ground
Internal cable routing preserving building integrity
Full Sky Q installation with all features working
Conservation officer approval obtained before installation
Photo documentation provided for building records

The Result

The homeowner now has full Sky Q service in their listed building - something three other companies said was impossible. The conservation officer was so pleased with the thoughtful approach that they've recommended me for other listed properties in the area.

This is exactly the kind of job I specialize in. Where the big companies see regulations and restrictions, I see opportunities to find creative solutions. Living in Southampton, I understand our heritage buildings and work with them, not against them. One more happy customer with 'impossible' Sky installation completed.