A note from Alex — founder
Every TV we mount tells me something new about Atlanta’s housing. A 1920s Virginia-Highland bungalow with plaster-and-lath that needs 4-inch lag bolts long enough to punch through the lath AND bite deep into the stud. A Midtown high-rise where the structural wall is 6-inch concrete cinder block behind 5/8-inch gypsum and the building engineer wants a moisture test before we drill. A fireplace surround in Buckhead where the gas insert kicks the mantel surface up to 106°F at full burn — beyond any OLED panel’s rating — and we install a brass mantel deflector before a single anchor goes in.
I started Express Mounting in 2015 with one truck, a Franklin Sensor ProSensor 710 stud finder, and mostly Alpharetta referral work through word of mouth. Eleven years and 7,874+ installs later we run three trucks covering 37+ Metro Atlanta cities, but the job itself has not changed: the right hardware for YOUR wall, the right mount for YOUR viewing angle, and every cable hidden.
What we actually carry on every truck
We bring specific tools because Metro Atlanta housing stock spans a century. Here is the hardware every technician carries:
- Franklin Sensor ProSensor 710 — 13-sensor stud finder that shows full stud width in one pass. Works on plaster, drywall, and even behind painted tile up to about 1/2-inch.
- Neodymium magnet pass kit — for verifying nail/screw positions on old plaster-and-lath where electronic stud finders get unreliable.
- 3/8” x 3” Grade 5 lag bolts — standard for wood studs. Steel shear strength of 85,000 PSI.
- 4” lag bolts — for plaster-and-lath walls common in Historic Roswell, Inman Park, Morningside, and Virginia-Highland. Must punch through the lath AND seat into the stud behind.
- Snap-toggle and toggle anchors (150+ lb rated) — for steel-stud townhomes in Avalon and Parsons Alley, and condo metal framing in Perimeter Center and Buckhead high-rises.
- Tapcon masonry anchors + SDS hammer drill — for brick accent walls in East Decatur, downtown Buford, and West Midtown lofts.
- Diamond-tipped core drill bits — for drilling through mortar joints on stone fireplaces (Buckhead, Chastain Park, Lake Lanier lakefronts) without cracking the face stone.
- FLIR IR thermometer — to measure mantel surface temperature at full burn before any above-fireplace install. We compare against the TV manufacturer’s heat tolerance (typically 100°F).
- Digital inclinometer to ±0.1° — level verification before the TV goes on the bracket. Especially matters in older homes where floors and walls are out of true.
- Low-voltage in-wall cable kit — UL-listed power relocation kit meeting NEC Article 400.8 code for routing power behind drywall. Brush wall plates for HDMI pass-through.
- Fire-rated conduit — for fireplace installs where cables route through masonry chases.
- MantelMount MM540 / MM700 pull-down mounts — for fireplaces where the TV needs to drop to eye level for long viewing sessions.
How we actually work
A typical wall mount install runs 45–90 minutes. A fireplace install runs 90–120 minutes because of the thermal assessment. A full-motion install on a 75”+ TV runs 60–90 minutes because we add a 3/4-inch plywood backer plate behind the drywall to distribute cantilever torque across 3+ studs.
Every job follows the same order:
- Wall read. ProSensor 710 plus magnet pass to locate studs or steel framing. If we can’t find the studs electronically (common in Historic Roswell plaster-and-lath), we use a 1/8” pilot bit and probe by feel.
- Thermal read (fireplace jobs only). IR sweep at full burn. We take multiple temperature readings across the mantel and chimney breast, compare to the TV’s rated tolerance, and recommend a mantel deflector or a pull-down mount if temps exceed safe limits.
- Mount spec. We bring multiple bracket options to every job so we can match the right mount to the TV’s VESA pattern and your viewing angle. No surprise upsells.
- Drilling. Masking tape on the wall first to mark positions and seal drill dust (especially matters in homes with antique hardwood floors). Correct drill bit for the wall type. Pilot holes always.
- Anchor. Hardware specified to the wall + TV weight. Pull test: we hang the mount and apply 2x the TV’s weight before the TV goes on.
- Cable routing. In-wall wherever possible. For stone fireplaces and masonry walls without a cavity, we use a paintable raceway matched to the wall color.
- TV on, level, tilt set. Digital inclinometer to ±0.1°. Tilt locked at 5-15° for fireplace mounts.
- Clean up. Every scrap of packaging out. Photo of the mount spec for your records.
How we stand behind the work
Every Express Mounting install is backed by our 100% satisfaction guarantee. If anything isn’t right, we make it right. All hardware is professional-grade, weight-rated, and pull-tested at 2x the TV weight before we leave the job. Since 2015, with 7,874+ installs across Metro Atlanta and 750+ five-star reviews, the track record speaks for itself.
Why we publish our prices
Most local services in Metro Atlanta won’t quote over the phone. We do. Basic TV mount is $179 flat. Large TVs (55-69”) are $269. 70-79” are $359. 80+ inches are $419. Cable concealment is $179 per TV. Soundbar install is $119. Full-motion mount is +$100. Masonry surcharge for brick/stone is +$50. Travel outside 25 miles of Alpharetta is +$69.
Transparent pricing eliminates the 20-minute phone quoting dance that every other TV installer in Atlanta wants you to have. You know what it costs before you call. We confirm the spec on-site and match the price.
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