Find Trusted Tradesmen in Medway

Medway is made up of several towns along the River Medway: Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester, Strood and Rainham, with villages on the Hoo Peninsula and around the edges. They share one council, Medway Council, but their homes are quite different. Rochester has a historic high street, a cathedral and a castle. Chatham and Gillingham grew around the Royal Dockyard, with streets of Victorian terraces climbing the hills above the river. Later estates spread out to places such as Walderslade, Lordswood and Rainham, and newer homes have been built on the old dockyard land at Chatham Maritime and St Mary's Island.

That mix shapes the work Medway homes need. Victorian terraces often need roof, chimney, damp and rewiring work, and many have been extended or converted. Post-war and later estates are more often having their heating, kitchens and bathrooms updated, or lofts and garages converted. In the newest homes, faults in the first couple of years may still be covered by the developer's warranty.

A few local points are worth knowing before you hire:

• Hard water. Southern Water supplies most of Medway, and the water is hard. Limescale shortens the life of taps, showers and the hot water side of combi boilers, so ask your plumber or heating engineer about scale protection.
• Conservation areas. Medway Council has more than 20 conservation areas, including Historic Rochester, Brompton, and New Road and Maidstone Road in Chatham. Some have extra controls, called Article 4 directions, that mean changes such as new windows, doors or roofs at the front of a house need planning permission. Check with the council before you start.
• Converting a house to shared housing. Medway Council has brought in controls in seven wards, covering parts of Chatham, Gillingham and Strood, so that converting a family home into a small house in multiple occupation needs planning permission. Check with the council before you convert or extend a home to let to sharers.
• One council. Planning and building control for Chatham, Gillingham, Rochester, Strood and Rainham all go to Medway Council. Some nearby places with ME postcodes, such as Aylesford, Ditton and Larkfield, are in Tonbridge and Malling instead, so check the council for your address.

To find a good tradesperson in Medway, get more than one quote, ask for it in writing, and check the right registration for the job: the Gas Safe Register for gas work, and a registered electrician for electrical work. Reviews on Trade Pilot are tied to real, invoiced jobs, so you can see what a trade has actually done for other homeowners.