Reliable Builders in Gillingham
A house extension is one of the most significant investments a Gillingham homeowner can make — and in a part of Kent where property values have risen consistently, it is an investment that consistently delivers a strong return. Adding usable floor area to a property without touching the garden footprint, without the disruption and cost of moving, and without leaving the area is the reason extensions have become the most frequently requested building project across the Medway towns.
At Gillingham Building Services, we manage house extensions of all types across Gillingham and the surrounding Medway area. We handle structural design, planning applications where required, building regulations, trade coordination and the full on-site programme — managing everything as a single project rather than leaving separate elements for you to organise independently.
Gillingham’s housing stock — the inter-war and post-war semi-detached and terraced properties of Twydall, Wigmore, Hempstead, Rainham and the town centre streets — provides a consistent and well-suited environment for single storey rear extensions. The typical rear garden depths, the consistent cavity wall construction and the ground floor layouts that benefit most from additional space all make Gillingham’s housing stock one of the most extension-friendly in Kent. Get in touch to discuss what you are planning.
A single storey rear extension is the most common extension type across Gillingham — and the one that delivers the most consistent transformation to how the ground floor of a property functions. For inter-war and post-war semis where the original kitchen and dining areas are separated and undersized, a rear extension combined with an open-plan reconfiguration creates a connected, light-filled living space that the original layout could never provide. We manage the complete scope — structural work, roof, glazing, services and internal fit-out — as a coordinated project from groundwork to handover. Bi-fold or sliding door systems are the most popular glazing choice across Gillingham’s housing stock, and we specify and install these as part of the extension package.
A double storey addition increases the cost and complexity of an extension project significantly — but also increases the floor area added by considerably more than a single storey of equivalent ground floor footprint. For Gillingham families who need both additional ground floor living space and an extra bedroom, a double storey extension delivers the best cost per square metre of any extension type. We manage the full double storey scope — structural frame, roof, external walls, glazing, upper floor bathroom plumbing, internal fit-out across both floors and all building regulations sign-off — as a single coordinated project. Party wall agreements are more commonly required on double storey extensions and we manage this process as a standard part of the pre-build phase.
A wrap-around extension combines a rear addition with a side return to create an L-shaped increase in the ground floor footprint — the most transformative single storey extension type available. For Gillingham’s semi-detached and terraced properties where the side passage is currently unused and the rear garden has reasonable depth, a wrap-around combined with an open-plan ground floor conversion creates a living space that feels nothing like the original property. The roof junction between the rear and side elements requires careful structural design and detailing — this is the element that separates a well-executed wrap-around from one that causes problems down the line.
Most single storey rear extensions in Gillingham fall within permitted development — no planning application is required provided the extension meets the size and siting criteria. For semi-detached and terraced houses the standard PD depth is 3 metres from the rear wall, extendable to 6 metres through the larger home extension scheme via a prior approval process with Medway Council. Double storey extensions and wrap-arounds more commonly require a full planning application. Conservation area designations in parts of the Medway district — including areas around historic Rochester and Chatham — affect what is acceptable under PD on some properties. We confirm the planning position for your specific property at the outset and manage any required application as part of the project.
We take full responsibility for every extension we build — structural, services, finishing and the coordination between all stages. We are fully insured, manage planning and building regulations as standard, and work with a consistent team of trusted trades.
Gillingham town and surrounds — Twydall, Hempstead, Wigmore, Rainham, Parkwood, Lordswood
Chatham and Rochester — Chatham, Rochester, Strood, Walderslade, Luton, Wayfield
Sittingbourne corridor — Sittingbourne, Newington, Bredhurst, Hartlip, Lower Halstow
Maidstone fringe — Maidstone, Boxley, Detling, Stockbury, Hollingbourne
Convert the unused space above your head into a master bedroom, private office, or additional bathroom without extending your footprint or losing garden. We carry out Velux, rear dormer, and hip-to-gable conversions across Gillingham, managing structural steelwork, insulation, staircase installation, electrics, plumbing, and finishing. Most conversions proceed under permitted development without needing a planning application. A loft conversion adds a genuine extra floor to your home, delivering valuable living space and increasing property value. We manage everything from initial structural survey through to final decoration.
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Kitchens and bathrooms are the rooms that make the biggest difference to daily life, and getting them right matters. We carry out complete kitchen and bathroom renovations across Gillingham, handling strip-out, structural modifications, plumbing, electrics, tiling, flooring, and expert fitting. We install kitchens from any supplier and coordinate all trades in the correct sequence. Bathroom work covers suite replacements, full redesigns with layout changes, wet room conversions, and ensuite creations. Quality plumbing and proper waterproofing behind the tiles separate a result that lasts from one that causes problems.
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If you need additional space without the cost of an extension, a garage conversion or garden room could be the answer. We convert integral and attached garages into bedrooms, offices, playrooms, and annexes across Gillingham, handling structural work, insulation, electrics, and finishing. We also build bespoke insulated garden rooms designed for year-round use as home offices, studios, gyms, and retreats. Both options deliver usable living space at a lower cost than building new, and most proceed without planning permission. Two practical routes to gaining the room you need from the property you already have.
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Planning a house extension in Gillingham? Get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote from an experienced local building team.