Behind every tidy media wall is a mess of wires you’ll never see — if it’s planned right. Get the socket layout wrong and you’ll be stuck with trailing cables, not enough power points, or worse: having to rip it apart and start again.
This guide covers exactly how many sockets you need, where to place them, what heights to use, and how to wire everything so it works properly from day one.
The Short Version
- Decide everything before the frame is boarded. Once the plasterboard and skim are on, adding a socket means opening the wall back up.
- Six to seven sockets is the typical media wall. One behind the TV is never enough once you add a soundbar, a console and a streaming box.
- Put the TV socket 100–150mm below the bottom edge of the screen, not level with it — that’s what keeps the lead invisible.
- Run empty conduit for cables you don’t need yet. It costs almost nothing during the build and saves opening the wall later.
- Data matters as much as power. HDMI runs, ethernet and the aerial feed all need routing before boarding.
How Many Sockets Do You Actually Need?
It depends on your setup, but here’s the list we work from:
- 1 for the TV
- 1 for the electric fire
- 1–2 for LED lighting
- 1 for a soundbar or speaker system
- 1 for consoles or streaming boxes (Sky, Apple TV, etc.)
- Spare socket or USB outlet for charging devices
That’s 6–7 sockets minimum, ideally spread across the internal framework and hidden behind access panels or shelves.
If you want it by setup rather than by device:
- TV only, or TV and soundbar: one double socket directly behind the TV mounting point.
- TV, soundbar, streaming device and a console: two doubles — one behind the screen, one lower down in the shelf or cabinet area so equipment leads stay short.
- Full setup with fire, lighting and smart home kit: three or four doubles.
Our rule of thumb: fit one more double socket than you think you need. During the build the extra cost is small. Afterwards it means opening the wall.
Socket Heights and Placement
Height is the thing people get wrong most often, and it’s the thing that shows.
Behind the TV
Centre it on the stud wall and set it roughly 100–150mm below where the bottom of the screen will sit. That way the power lead runs a very short distance inside the cavity and plugs in out of sight. Put the socket level with the screen and you’ll see the lead.
If you’re using a tilting or full-motion bracket, allow extra cable slack so the TV can be pulled out and angled without dragging on the plug.
The equipment socket
For consoles, streaming boxes and AV kit, fit a double or twin-double inside the shelf or cabinet space, at whatever height the shelving lands at. We confirm this once shelf heights are agreed.
The fireplace socket
Low down, near the base of the wall. Check the fire’s own installation instructions — some units specify a dedicated supply, and where that means a genuinely new circuit it changes what has to be notified (see the Building Regulations section below).
General placement
- Keep the main sockets central behind the TV, but not directly behind the bracket plate
- Place fire and lighting sockets low down, where they stay hidden
- Add one or two sockets in any shelving or alcove units
- Use brush plates or cable chases where something may need feeding through later
We also recommend putting everything on a fused spur so the wall can be isolated without killing the whole lounge.
Media Plates and Socket Boxes
A media plate (sometimes called a media socket box or multimedia plate) is a single faceplate that brings power and data together in one recess behind the TV — typically a twin socket alongside HDMI, ethernet, aerial and satellite connections.
They’re worth using because they keep everything in one tidy opening rather than three separate holes in the plasterboard, and recessed versions sit flush enough that the TV can still hang close to the wall. If you’re using a slim bracket, a recessed plate is close to essential — a standard protruding socket can hold the screen 20–30mm off the wall.
Brushed or blanking plates do the same job where you just need cables to pass through without a fixed connector.
Signal and Data Points
Don’t forget the stuff that doesn’t need power but still needs wiring:
- TV aerial point
- Sky/Satellite feed
- Ethernet cable (for streaming without lag)
- HDMI or optical cable links from AV units to TV
We always chase these into the wall and label each one. If you’re using smart speakers or voice control, we’ll leave room for those too.
HDMI
If your sources sit in a cabinet below the screen, you need HDMI runs inside the wall from the cabinet up to the back of the TV. Two to three runs covers most setups. Use high-speed certified cable on runs over about two metres, and install them slightly long — surplus can be coiled in the cavity, whereas a cable that’s an inch short means opening the wall.
Ethernet
Wi-Fi is fine until it isn’t. A wired connection to the TV or streaming box is more reliable, and a Cat6 run is easy to include while the frame is open. One cable does the job; two gives you options.
Aerial and satellite
A coaxial run from the wall plate to the TV or set-top box. If you’re on satellite with a twin-tuner box such as Sky Q, you need two coaxial runs, not one — this is a common and annoying thing to discover after the wall is closed up.
Conduit: The Bit Worth Not Skipping
Conduit is the tube the cables run through inside the wall. It protects them, and more usefully it lets you pull new cables through later without touching the plaster.
We run at least one or two empty conduits on every build — normally one from behind the TV down to the cabinet space. 25mm internal diameter suits most cable types; go to 32mm if you’re pulling several HDMI cables through a single run.
It adds very little to the build. It’s the single cheapest bit of future-proofing available to you, and technology keeps moving.
Can You Use Existing Sockets?
Sometimes, yes. But not always in the right spot. If your current socket is low down and you want the TV up high, it’ll likely need repositioning or spurring up inside the stud frame.
We’ll usually run a spur through the new wall during construction, before the plasterboard goes on. Everything stays hidden, tidy and safe.
Lighting Control Options
Most people choose LED strips or puck lights, and you’ve got a few ways to power and control them:
- Plug-in transformer into a socket (basic but easy)
- Hardwired into the lighting circuit with a wall switch
- Remote or app-controlled dimmers and colour changers
Want your lights to fade in when the TV comes on? We can set that up too. Whichever route you pick, the lighting needs its own power sorted at planning stage — it’s easy to overlook until the wall is finished and there’s nowhere to plug anything in.
What the Building Regulations Actually Require
There’s a lot of loose talk about this, so to be precise about it. Electrical work in homes in England is covered by Approved Document P of the Building Regulations. What matters is the difference between work that must be notified and work that must simply comply.
Notifiable work is installing a new circuit, replacing the consumer unit, or altering a circuit in a “special location” — which means bathrooms, shower rooms, and rooms with a pool or sauna. Notifiable work must either be done by an electrician registered with a competent person scheme who self-certifies it, or be notified to building control.
Everything else is non-notifiable, including adding sockets to an existing circuit in a living room. A media wall in a lounge is not a special location.
That does not mean it’s unregulated. Non-notifiable work still has to comply with Part P and be installed and tested to BS 7671. And if your build includes a new dedicated circuit — which some electric fires call for — that part is notifiable.
In practice, on our builds an electrician handles the first fix before boarding and returns for the second fix once the wall is plastered, and certifies the work. It’s the right way round for safety, and it’s what your insurer will expect to see if anything ever goes wrong.
What Does Socket Installation Cost?
If you’re adding sockets to your media wall build, here’s what to expect:
- Single socket installation: £80–£120
- Double socket (twin gang): £100–£150
- Fused spur for lighting: £60–£100
- Full media wall wiring (6-7 sockets + data): £400–£700
Prices vary depending on whether you need new circuits run or can spur from existing sockets. We include all wiring and socket installation in our media wall packages.
Common Socket Planning Mistakes
1. Not enough sockets behind the TV. You need at least 2 behind the TV itself — one for the TV, one for a streaming device or soundbar. Don’t rely on extension leads.
2. Forgetting about future upgrades. Planning a soundbar later? Gaming console? Add an extra socket now. It’s cheaper than retrofitting.
3. Putting the socket at the wrong height. Level with the screen and the lead shows; down at skirting level and you’ve got a cable running up the wall. Below the bottom edge of the TV is the sweet spot.
4. Forgetting the fire. If an integrated fire isn’t planned into the wiring, adding it later means an electrician opening the wall.
5. No empty conduit. Skipping it to save a few pounds is a false economy.
What to Confirm Before the Build Starts
Run through this with your installer before anything gets framed:
- How many double sockets, and exactly where does each one go?
- What height will the TV be mounted at — and therefore where does the socket sit?
- How many HDMI runs are needed?
- Is ethernet going in? Where does it exit?
- Aerial or satellite — how many coaxial runs?
- Are empty conduit runs going in for future-proofing?
- Is the lighting on a socket, a spur, or a smart controller?
- Does the fire need a dedicated circuit, and is the electrician booked for first and second fix?
Frequently Asked Questions
How many sockets do I need behind a TV?
At least two, and a double socket behind the screen is the practical minimum. One for the TV and one for a soundbar or streaming device. Most full media walls end up with six or seven sockets across the whole unit.
What height should the socket be behind a wall-mounted TV?
Roughly 100–150mm below the bottom edge of the screen, centred on the mounting point. That keeps the lead short and completely hidden behind the TV.
Does the electrician need to be there during the build?
For the first fix — running cables inside the frame — yes, that has to happen before the wall is boarded. For the second fix, connecting sockets, switches and the fire, the electrician returns once the wall is plastered. We coordinate the timing.
Can I add a socket myself to save money?
Adding a socket to an existing circuit in a living room isn’t notifiable under the Building Regulations, but it still has to be installed and tested to standard, and a new circuit is notifiable. Unless you’re qualified, it isn’t worth the risk to your safety or your insurance.
How long does the wiring stage take?
First-fix wiring on a standard media wall is typically half a day to a day, depending on how many runs are needed. It happens before boarding, so it doesn’t stretch the overall build.
Can you advise on my socket layout before I commit?
Yes. Send us a photo of your wall, the TV size you’re planning and a list of what you want to connect. We’ll tell you what we’d recommend before any work starts, no charge for that.
Need Help Planning Yours?
We design and install fully wired, custom-built media walls across Sheffield, Doncaster, Pontefract, Wakefield and beyond. We’ll handle all the sockets, lighting, and hidden cabling — so all you need to do is switch it on.
Call Dan on 07477 405111
dan@mediawallmaster.co.uk