Knock down and rebuild in Gillingham

Covering Gillingham

Gillingham sits 9 miles north of Maidstone, with Chatham 1 miles to the south-west and Rochester 2 miles to the west.

Homes in the South East

Housing across the South East mixes inter-war semis, post-war estates and older cottages in villages and market towns, so rear and side extensions, hip-to-gable lofts and garage conversions all come up regularly.

What does a knock down and rebuild involve?

Knock down and rebuild means demolishing an existing house and building a new one in its place, often a bungalow or poorly built post-war house replaced by a larger, more efficient home. Because the new house counts as a new dwelling, the build is usually zero-rated for VAT.

Feasibility: rebuild versus extend and renovate
New foundations, structure and full fit-out
Reconnection of services and landscaping

What will a knock down and rebuild cost?

Use these ranges to budget for knock down and rebuild; the survey turns them into a fixed price for the agreed specification.

Knock down and rebuild	Guide price
Demolition and site clearance (total)	£15,000 to £35,000
Rebuild, standard specification (per m²)	£2,100 to £2,600 per m²
Rebuild, good specification (per m²)	£2,600 to £3,100 per m²
Rebuild, high specification (per m²)	£3,100 to £3,700 per m²

Do you need permission for a knock down and rebuild in Gillingham?

Projects in England go through two separate checks. Planning (or confirmation that the work is permitted development) comes from the district, borough or unitary council, and building regulations approval comes from the council’s building control team or a registered building control approver. Where work touches a shared wall or digs near a neighbour’s foundations, the Party Wall etc. Act 1996 applies.

This needs full planning permission from the council.

What should Gillingham homeowners check first?

A replacement dwelling is usually zero-rated for VAT where the old house is demolished completely to ground level.
You will need somewhere to live for most of a year.

How does the project run?

Start with a conversation. A short call or the online form is enough for us to understand what you want to build.
Site visit. We walk the plot or existing house, look at access, levels, services and boundaries, and talk through what could be built.
Design and fixed price. You get drawings and a written price for the agreed specification before anything is ordered.
We build it. Work follows an agreed programme, with inspections at each stage and a final sign-off.

Knock down and rebuild: common questions

Is VAT charged on a knock down and rebuild?

Usually not on the new house, if the old one is demolished completely and the new building is a qualifying dwelling.

How long does it take?

Around 36 to 60 weeks including demolition.

How do I get a price for knock down and rebuild in Gillingham?

Use the guide price tool for a ballpark figure, then book a visit for a fixed written price for the agreed specification.

Knock down and rebuild near Gillingham

Learn more about knock down and rebuild, or see every project we cover in Gillingham.