Blog
Practical guidance on driveways, patios, brickwork and gardens from a Kent team that builds them every week.
How much does a patio cost in Kent in 2026? Honest installed pricing for Indian sandstone, porcelain, limestone, concrete and granite — plus what every quote should include.
Read article· 15 min
Planning a home extension in Kent? Complete 2026 guide covering single-storey, two-storey, garage conversions and loft conversions — costs, planning permission and what to expect.
Read article· 16 min
Sittingbourne homeowners searching for reliable brickwork, driveway construction, patio installation, or landscaping services in the Swale area have one name consistently recommended above all others: Marshall Brickwork & Construction. With over 15 years of completed projects across Sittingbourne and the wider ME10 postcode, this Rochester-based family business brings genuine local knowledge — from the clay soil conditions that affect driveway sub-base specification, to the lime mortar requirements of the town's Victorian and Edwardian housing stock — alongside the full-service outdoor construction capability that no single competitor in the local market can match. This guide covers every service Marshall offers Sittingbourne homeowners, why their approach is different from the alternatives, and how to get started with any project from a single brick repair to a complete property transformation.
Read article· 18 min
When Kent homeowners and businesses search for construction help — whether that's a trusted name like MB Construction or Marshall Builders, a specific service like brick repair or driveway construction, or a location-specific need like bricklayers in Sittingbourne or commercial brickwork across Kent — they're looking for the same thing: a contractor who genuinely knows their trade, delivers what they promise, and stands behind their work. This comprehensive guide covers the full picture of what Marshall Brickwork & Construction offers across every major service discipline — from precise brick pointing and mortar specification on period properties, to engineered driveway groundworks, vertical tiling, bathroom tiling, and commercial construction across the county. It's a guide built on fifteen years of completed projects, craft knowledge that most competitors simply don't have, and a family-run business model that makes quality non-negotiable on every single job.
Read article· 29 min
Commercial brickwork in Kent demands more than a builder who can lay bricks straight. Business owners, developers, and property managers need contractors who understand programme management, compliance documentation, multi-trade coordination, and the specific technical requirements that commercial projects carry — from movement joint design and cavity wall tie specification to brick selection for frost resistance and heritage-sensitive approaches in Kent's many conservation areas. This guide covers everything the commercial client needs to know: the types of commercial brickwork projects across Kent, what genuinely capable contractors look like versus those who overstate their commercial experience, the specification details that determine long-term performance, the most common commercial brickwork mistakes and how to avoid them, and what working with Marshall Brickwork & Construction on a commercial project actually looks like.
Read article· 20 min
A patio is one of the most rewarding investments a Kent homeowner can make — but only when it's built on a correct specification. This definitive guide to patio construction in Kent covers every major surface material from Indian sandstone and large-format porcelain to limestone, granite, brick, and concrete paving, with honest assessments of what each requires to perform properly. You'll find the sub-base and bedding layer details that determine whether your patio lasts three years or thirty, realistic 2026 cost ranges, design principles that produce better outdoor spaces, the most common mistakes contractors make and how to avoid them, and a complete FAQ covering everything from planning permission to maintenance. If you're planning a new patio anywhere in Kent, this is the guide to read before you commission anything.
Read article· 19 min
A new driveway is one of the highest-return property investments a Kent homeowner can make — but only when it's built properly. This comprehensive guide to driveway construction services in Kent covers every surface type from block paving and resin-bound gravel to tarmac, porcelain, and natural stone, along with the sub-base specification details that determine whether your driveway lasts five years or thirty. You'll find realistic 2026 pricing, the planning permission rules Kent homeowners need to know, the questions that reveal whether a contractor really knows their trade, and an honest look at what separates quality driveway construction from the kind that looks fine on day one and starts failing within years.
Read article· 20 min
Brick repair in Kent is one of the most misunderstood and most frequently mishandled areas of residential construction. Whether you're dealing with crumbling mortar joints, spalling brick faces, efflorescence, structural cracks, or chimney deterioration, the difference between a repair that lasts decades and one that makes things worse comes down to two things: correct diagnosis and correct mortar specification. This comprehensive guide covers every type of brick damage common to Kent properties, explains exactly what quality repair work involves, breaks down realistic costs, and gives homeowners the knowledge to choose a contractor who genuinely knows their trade — and avoid the ones who don't.
Read article· 17 min
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