Renovations in Guildford
Kitchen, bathroom, whole-house and period property renovations in Guildford, from a team based a few miles north in St John’s, Woking.
Specialist renovation services
Transform your home with professional renovations in Guildford.
Your home deserves the best, and we are committed to turning your plans for it into reality.
From a single tired room to a complete overhaul, we bring the know-how and the care to do the job properly. Guildford’s homes run from the Victorian and Edwardian streets of Charlotteville to the 1920s garden suburb of Onslow Village and the modern estates on the edge of town, and each calls for a slightly different approach.
We start by listening: to your ideas, your budget and how you use your home. From there we put together a renovation plan tailored to you, and keep you informed throughout about progress, any changes or challenges, and the timeline for completion. Clear communication is what keeps a renovation in Guildford running smoothly.
Renovating a home in Guildford
The renovations we are asked about most in and around the town.
Kitchen renovations
Opening a dated kitchen into the dining room, or into a new rear extension, is how many owners of older Guildford semis and terraces bring them up to date.
Bathrooms and en-suites
From a cloakroom under the stairs to a family bathroom or a new en-suite, built with as much care for the pipework and waterproofing as for the tiles you see.
Period homes and conservation areas
In the town’s conservation areas, and especially where an Article 4 direction applies, new windows, doors or roofing on the front of a house can need planning permission. We check before anything is specified or ordered.
Whole-house renovations
Taking on a house that needs everything doing? We sequence the work properly, from strip-out and structural changes to the last coat of paint, and run it as a single project.
Planning and renovating in Guildford
Most internal renovations need no planning permission, but some of the town’s designations change that. These are the ones worth knowing about.
Get a QuoteWho decides planning applications
Guildford Borough Council decides applications until April 2027, when the new West Surrey Council takes its place. The national permitted development rules stay as they are.
Conservation areas
There are 40 across the borough. Those in and around the town include Charlotteville and Warren Road, Onslow Village, Stoke Fields, St Catherine’s, Abbotswood, Waterden Road, Bridge Street, Millmead and Portsmouth Road, and the Town Centre itself. Each trims the permitted development rights a householder would otherwise have. Maps are on the council’s conservation area pages.
Article 4 directions
Four of them (Abbotswood, Onslow Village, Waterden Road, and Charlotteville and Warren Road) carry Article 4 directions as well, taking away more rights. There, even new windows on the street-facing side of a house can need planning permission.
Green Belt and the Surrey Hills
The town is ringed by Green Belt, with the Surrey Hills National Landscape starting just to the south. Work inside an existing house is rarely affected, but a Green Belt extension is weighed against the original size of the house.
Flood risk along the River Wey
The River Wey flows through the heart of Guildford. Where a renovation includes an extension and the house sits in a flood zone, the planning application needs a flood risk assessment. Any address can be checked on the government’s flood map for planning.
What our customers say.
Genuine reviews from homeowners we have worked for.
Rated 5 out of 5
James and his team were great to work with and when we hit unforeseen problems, James always talked through and out lined the options available. Throughout the process communication was outstanding. I completely trusted James and the team (also with an escapee dog!) when we were not here. All the labourers which came on site were very friendly, polite and great keeping our neighbours in the loop. The team were very patient and flexible when I would changed my mind on a design point! I would not hesitate to use James again and I would highly recommend James and his crew.
Rated 5 out of 5
James and the team did a fantastic job of opening up a dated lower floor layout at my house combining three small rooms to create a modern functional open plan kitchen diner. The house threw up quite a few unforeseen complications all of which James was able to discuss, take on and come up with solutions with out any dramas. He was able to fit in the additional extra works around other commitment so that I was able to hit my kitchen install deadline. Would recommend and will use again.
Rated 5 out of 5
Excellent job thank you
From initial enquiry to the completion of the job Godman Construction have been a pleasure to deal with. Very professional and competively priced. We are extremely pleased with the doors, they look amazing and the fit is perfect.
Rated 5 out of 5
Communication was outstanding, the trader always doubled checked things with me and informed me from start to finish on a daily basis, All expectations were met and when leaving the site it was left securely and safely. The end product was everything I imagined. I would highly recommend them.
Rated 5 out of 5
There was two main things required as part of the work; the actual conversion of the garage and communication / liaising with local council to ensure the work is carried with council requirements. The work carried out by Godman Construction was swift, to a high standard and we are delighted with the results. In particular, two areas to highlight which made a big difference; (1) Excellent communication at all times. (2) Consultative process throughout - this meant the end results were exactly what we wanted. I would have no hesitation in recommending James and his team for work required.
Rated 5 out of 5
Great service and very reliable. Efficient on timescales and good workmanship.
Recent renovations
Renovating in Guildford: your questions answered.
Answers to the questions Guildford homeowners ask us most often.
Do I need planning permission to renovate my house in Guildford?
Usually not for internal work. You may need it if the house sits in a Guildford conservation area and the work changes the outside, particularly where an Article 4 direction applies, and a listed building needs listed building consent for alterations inside or out. Building Regulations apply to structural, drainage and most electrical work wherever you live.
Can I replace the windows on a house in a Guildford conservation area?
Often, but check first. In the four areas with an Article 4 direction (Onslow Village, Abbotswood, Charlotteville and Warren Road, and Waterden Road), replacing front windows can need planning permission. We’ll help you find out before anything is ordered.
Who decides planning applications in Guildford?
Guildford Borough Council, until April 2027. After that, the new West Surrey Council decides them.
Do you renovate period properties in Guildford?
Yes. We renovate older homes with care, keeping the original features that matter while bringing comfort and services up to date. Read more about our period property renovations.
How far are you from Guildford?
Not far: our office is on Hermitage Road in St John’s, Woking, about five miles north of the town centre.
How do I arrange a quote in Guildford?
Phone 01483 494 651 or tell us about your project online. We’ll arrange a convenient time to visit, then provide a free, detailed quotation.