3 Best Painters & Decorators in Gillingham for 2026
🖌️ 3 businesses·📍 Gillingham
✓ Reviewed regularly·✓ Updated 23 September 2026
Written by Mark Reid,
Trades Editor ·Verified 23 September 2026
Gillingham's mix of housing keeps its decorators busy all year round. You've got the Victorian terraces around Watling Street and Balmoral Road with their high ceilings and original cornicing, the 1930s semis out towards Rainham, and newer estates near Twydall and Hempstead where developers used flat-fronted plasterboard that needs a different painting approach altogether. Coastal proximity plays its part too, damp and salt-laden air off the Medway estuary means exterior woodwork and render around Gillingham Green and Grange Road need repainting more often than you'd expect inland. A decorator who knows the area will already have a feel for which streets suffer from rising damp, which properties still have lime plaster that reacts badly to modern paints, and where pebbledash needs specialist masonry paint rather than a standard emulsion.
The businesses featured here are pulled from public business listings and ranked mainly by review rating and how many reviews they've built up, with a modest boost given to those showing a working website and phone number. We then check each business's homepage ourselves to confirm painters and decorators work is genuinely their main trade, which stops unrelated builders or handymen sneaking onto the page. Listings flagged as permanently closed get removed automatically as part of that process. Where you spot a Trust Verified badge, that business has gone further and passed our full verification, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history, and registered company information. Our How We Verify page sets out exactly what that involves. Businesses without the badge haven't been through that process with us, so it's worth doing your own checks before booking anyone.
Before you commit to a decorator, ask to see examples of recent work in Gillingham or nearby, ideally jobs similar in scale to yours, whether that's a full interior refresh or exterior render painting. Check they carry public liability insurance and ask for the certificate rather than just taking their word for it. Get a written quote that breaks down materials and labour separately, and confirm what paint brand and finish they're proposing, since the difference between trade emulsion and a premium brand like Little Greene or Farrow & Ball affects both cost and durability. Getting two or three quotes is worth the extra hour or two it takes, particularly for bigger jobs, since prices for the same work can vary by several hundred pounds between tradespeople.
How We Select & Rate The Best Painters & Decorators in Gillingham
Rankings are based on review rating and review count from public business listings, with a small lift given to businesses that show a working website and phone number. We check each business's homepage to confirm painters and decorators work is what they primarily offer, which keeps unrelated trades off this page. Listings flagged as permanently closed are removed automatically. Businesses marked Trust Verified have additionally passed our full verification, covering trade qualifications and accreditations, public liability insurance, trading history, customer review history, and registered company information; see our How We Verify page for the full detail. Other businesses listed haven't been independently verified by us, and their inclusion isn't an endorsement, so do your own checks before hiring.
Recommended and Featured listings are paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears. Every other listing is ranked on rating and review count from third-party business listings. How we rank & verify →
Quick Comparison: Painters & Decorators in Gillingham
Painting and decorating work in Gillingham covers interior and exterior jobs, from wallpapering to full repaints. Andrew Burke Decorators has built a record of 41 reviews averaging five stars, reflecting consistency across residential projects in the ME8 area.
Families across Gillingham call on Medway Decorating Ltd for interior and exterior painting work, from single rooms to full property refreshes. The firm has built a perfect five-star record across 25 reviews, reflecting consistent attention to preparation and finish. Local households often return for repeat jobs as properties are redecorated over time.
Residential and commercial properties across Gillingham are the focus for The Painting and Decorating Company, which covers interior and exterior work. The business holds a five-star Google rating across 22 reviews, suggesting consistent results on a range of job types. Enquiries can be directed through their website.
Transparency notice: Recommended and Featured listings are paid placements, so a business's fee affects whether and where it appears. All other listings are ranked by a combined score drawn from ratings and review counts published on third-party business listings, plus basic completeness signals such as a working website and phone. A Trust Verified badge means we have independently checked that business's documents; businesses without it have not been independently verified by us. How we verify →
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How much does a painters & decorators cost in Gillingham?
For a single room, expect somewhere between £250 and £450 depending on size and how much prep the walls need, while a full three-bed house repaint typically runs from £1,800 to £3,500. Exterior work costs more, a full house render and woodwork repaint can be £2,500 to £5,000 or more depending on scaffolding needs. Prices vary based on paint quality, whether ceilings need replastering first, and access, a terraced house on a narrow street may cost more due to parking and scaffolding logistics. Get two or three quotes before deciding, since it's normal for prices to differ significantly for the same job.
Do I need to move my furniture before a decorator arrives in Gillingham?
Most decorators expect rooms to be at least partly cleared, though many will help shift furniture to the centre of the room and cover it with dust sheets for an extra fee. Ask beforehand what's included, as some smaller outfits charge separately for moving heavy items like wardrobes or dismantling flat-pack furniture. Clearing small items, curtains, and wall art yourself before they arrive usually speeds up the job and can shave a bit off the final bill.
How long does it take to repaint a typical Gillingham terraced house?
A full interior repaint of a three-bed terrace usually takes four to six working days, depending on how many coats are needed and whether there's woodwork or ceilings to tackle as well. Older Victorian properties around Gillingham with higher ceilings and more intricate coving can add an extra day or two. Exterior work depends heavily on weather, since render and masonry paint need dry conditions to cure properly, so decorators often build in a few spare days for delays.
Should I choose a decorator who offers a guarantee on their work?
A written guarantee, even a simple one covering a year or two against flaking or peeling paint, gives you some recourse if the finish doesn't hold up. Ask what the guarantee actually covers, some only apply if you used their recommended paint brand rather than a cheaper alternative. It's also worth checking whether callouts to fix any issues are free or chargeable.
What's the difference between a painter and a full decorator for period properties?
A painter typically focuses on applying paint, while a decorator often handles wallpaper, plastering repairs, and finishing details like coving and skirting boards too. For Gillingham's older terraces, where original plasterwork and lime-based walls are common, it's worth asking specifically about experience with period properties, since modern paints can trap moisture in lime plaster and cause it to blister or crack over time.
How do I choose between painters & decorators listed here?
Start by reading recent reviews in full rather than just the star rating, looking for comments about tidiness, timekeeping, and whether the final finish matched what was agreed. Ask each business for proof of public liability insurance and, if the job is substantial, request references from recent local customers you can actually contact. Check whether they're VAT registered if the job is large enough that this affects your final cost. If a business carries our Trust Verified badge, you can see what's been checked on our How We Verify page, but for anyone without it, treat the checks as your own responsibility before signing anything.
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