Should I Install a Robotic Mower Myself or Get Professional Help?

 

In a world where convenience is king, robotic lawn mowers are quickly becoming the must-have garden gadget. Whether you’re a time-strapped homeowner or a grounds care professional looking to streamline your work, robot mowers promise a lush, neatly cut lawn without you lifting a finger. But before your new automower can get to work, there’s one crucial step: installation.

So, how easy is robot lawn mower installation? Can you do it yourself, or is it better left to the pros? Here, we explain the process of installing a robot mower on your own, step by step. We’ll then explain the benefits of enlisting professional help.

Setting Up a Wired Robot Mower Yourself: What to Expect

Installing a robotic lawn mower with boundary wires isn’t rocket science, but it does require patience, precision, and a bit of practical know-how. So, if you’re planning a Husqvarna mower installation or looking through your STIHL iMOW installation kit, let’s take a look at the general steps you’ll need to take, right now….

1. Assess Your Lawn and Gather Essentials

Start by taking a good look at your lawn. Note slopes, tight spots, flower beds, trees, and other features that could affect mowing. Most robot mowers can handle slopes, but tricky terrain might require adjustments to your layout.

Gather the essentials. These will probably include:

• Boundary wire and guide wire
• Lawn pegs or stakes
• Rubber mallet
• Wire cutters
• A spade or similar tool
• Anything else supplied by the manufacturer (for example, in the Husqvarna robot installation kit)

If you’re laying boundary cable under the surface of your lawn, mow it short first. This makes the robot lawn mower cable installation much smoother and helps prevent damage to the wire.

2. Position the Charging Station

This is the robot’s home base, so location matters. Choose a flat, central spot at the edge of your lawn and near a power outlet. Make sure there’s a couple of metres clearance in front of the station so the mower can dock easily.

Avoid placing the charging station on a slope or near water run-offs. If you don’t have a shaded area, consider buying a robot mower garage to shield it from the elements.

3. Lay the Boundary Wires

Next comes the perimeter setup, vital to ensuring your mower stays on track. This is a crucial part of robot lawn mower installation.

Start at the charging station and run the wire clockwise or anticlockwise around your lawn’s edge. For areas with beds, ponds or patios, loop the wire around these to create no-go zones. Plan your layout carefully as the wires should not at any point cross.

The wire can be laid:

• Above ground using pegs (quicker, easier to adjust later)
• Below ground using a spade (tidier and safer long-term)

Lay pegs/ stakes at the recommended distance apart, and keep corners rounded—not sharp angles—to help your mower glide smoothly.

Once the wire loop is complete, connect both ends back to the charging station. A light should indicate that the loop is closed. If not, check for breaks or incorrect connections.

4. Guide Wires

Some robot mowers also have guide wires that connect from the base into the garden to help the mower find its way back to the charging station. The process of installing a guide wire is the same as with boundary wire, but you’ll need to ensure that it runs straight ahead from the charging station for about a metre, so that the mower can easily park.

5. Programming and First Run

Now it’s time to bring your mower to life. Most manufacturers allow setting up robotic lawn mower functions through an app or onboard screen. So, if you’re setting up Husqvarna Automower, STIHL iMow, or another leading brand of robomow, you’ll be able to set the mowing times, cutting height, and other important options from the convenience of your mobile device.

Once programmed, let the mower run a few test laps. Watch how it reacts to the boundary—does it avoid flower beds and corners? If you spot any issues, adjust the wire positions.

6. Tips for Success

• If burying it under the lawn, always keep a record (or video) of your wire layout. It’ll help with troubleshooting or if you redesign your garden.
• If your robotic mower doesn’t have obstacle avoidance capabilities, don’t forget to clear kids toys and the like from the lawn before each mow.
• For large or complex lawns, installing robot framework can be more challenging, especially when it comes to integrating multiple mowing zones.

Installing a GPS Robot Mower: It’s Much Easier

GPS-enabled robot mowers that use virtual boundaries are much easier to install as they do not require boundary or guide wires. All you need to do is set up the charging station, potentially a GPS reference station, and then give the robot its mowing schedule via the manufacturer’s app. In some cases, you may need to use the app to remotely control the auto mower around your lawn’s boundary to introduce it to its working area. In other cases, just a few taps on your phone and you’re good to go.

The DIY Verdict: Rewarding, But Not Without Risks

DIY robot mower installation can be a satisfying weekend project—especially if you enjoy tech, tools, and a bit of outdoor work. It saves money, and with products like the iMOW installation kit or Husqvarna large install kit, you get everything you need in just one box.

However, certainly in the case of wired robot mowers, success depends on your garden’s complexity. Uneven terrain, irregular shapes, and multiple mowing zones increase the challenge. That’s when professional help becomes invaluable.

Why Choose Ron Smith for Your Robot Mower Installation?

While DIY is an option, our expert team is trained to take the stress out of the whole setup process.

Here’s why you might want to enlist our help:

Unrivalled Experience with Every Major Brand

Whether it’s a Husqvarna robotic lawn mower installation, a STIHL iMOW installation, or a GPS model from Segway, we’ve installed them all. Our team is fully trained in all of the major brands, so we can ensure your robot mower performs reliably from day one.

Site-Specific Recommendations

We don’t believe in one-size-fits-all. Before your robot mower installation, we assess your garden to determine the best mower for the job and the ideal base station location plus layout—often suggesting smarter alternatives to what you originally had in mind.

Full-Service Installation (and Then Some)

On installation day, we handle every detail:

• Unboxing and setup
• App configuration
• Boundary and guide wire layout using high-grade tools
• Obstacle mapping (like ponds, beds, and no-mow zones)
• Fine-tuning mower behaviour and cutting height

For wire installation, our carbide-tipped cable layer inserts guide wires cleanly and deeply—ideal for high-precision robot lawn mower cable installation that lasts.

Aftercare That Stays With You

Once installation is complete, our team gives you a full handover. We’ll show you how everything works and answer your questions. And if you ever run into an issue, our after-sales support is just a call away.

Best of all? If you ever relocate, redesign your garden, or upgrade your mower, we’re here to help you adapt to your new setup.

Ready to Mow Smarter? Choose Ron Smith

Installing a robotic lawn mower can transform your gardening routine—freeing up time, improving your lawn’s health, and delivering professional-looking results week in, week out. Whether you’re handling the robot mower installation yourself or bringing in the pros, the rewards are definitely worth it.

But for those who want the job done right at the first time of asking—with zero fuss and maximum performance—we offer an outstanding robotic mower installation service. It combines deep expertise with genuine customer care to deliver a smooth, stress-free experience from start to finish.

So, if you’re ready to enjoy hands-free mowing with the confidence that your setup is rock-solid, take a look through our superb range of robot mowers for sale today, and then get in touch with our expert team to discuss best next steps.