Home EV charger installation has become one of the most consistently requested electrical jobs across Gillingham and the surrounding Medway area. The shift to electric and hybrid vehicles has accelerated across the region over the past few years — and for homeowners who commute daily by car, the question of where and how to charge at home has moved from a future consideration to an immediate practical priority.
At Gillingham Electrical, we install home EV chargers across Gillingham and the wider Medway area — managing everything from the initial consumer unit assessment and cable route planning through to the charger installation, testing and certification. We are registered with a government-approved competent person scheme, which means every installation we carry out is fully certified and notified to building control on your behalf.
Gillingham’s housing stock is predominantly inter-war and post-war semi-detached and terraced — the streets of Twydall, Wigmore, Hempstead and the Gillingham town centre environs make up a large part of the residential area. Many of these properties have driveways or garages that make home charger installation practical and straightforward. The older terraced housing closer to Gillingham station and the town centre high street is more variable — some properties have off-street parking, others do not — and we will advise honestly on whether a home installation is feasible before any commitment is made. Get in touch to discuss what your property needs.
A 7kW wall-mounted smart charger is the standard home charging solution for the vast majority of Gillingham homeowners — and the right answer for most properties with off-street parking. At 7kW, a typical electric vehicle adds 25 to 30 miles of range per hour of charging, meaning most EVs can be fully charged overnight from a typical daily depletion level without any scheduling complexity. The installation requires a dedicated circuit from the consumer unit, a registered electrician to carry out and certify the work, and compliance with the Electric Vehicles (Smart Charge Points) Regulations 2021 — which require all new home chargers to be smart-capable and able to communicate with the home network and the grid. We handle the complete process as a managed package from assessment through to a certified, building-control-notified installation.
The home EV charger market has several well-established manufacturers with strong track records. The most commonly installed across the Gillingham and Medway area include Ohme, Hypervolt, Myenergi Zappi, Pod Point and Easee — each with different strengths depending on your vehicle, your electricity tariff and whether your property has solar panels. The Zappi is particularly well suited to properties with existing solar PV, as it can be configured to prioritise charging from generated power rather than drawing from the grid. For homeowners on an EV-specific overnight tariff, the Ohme integrates particularly well with Octopus Energy’s Intelligent Go tariff and schedules charging automatically during off-peak periods. We advise on the right unit for your specific situation rather than recommending a single brand regardless of circumstances.
Gillingham’s predominantly post-war housing stock has specific characteristics worth understanding before an EV charger installation begins. Many properties from the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s have consumer units that are now 40 to 60 years old — boards that may not have a suitable spare way for a new high-current circuit, or that warrant assessment before a new circuit is added. We carry out a consumer unit assessment as a standard part of every EV charger installation visit — confirming what the board can support and advising on whether an upgrade is needed before the charger circuit is installed.
Cable routing is the other key variable across Gillingham’s housing stock. For properties where the consumer unit is in a hallway and the driveway is immediately outside — common in the semi-detached stock of Twydall and Hempstead — the cable run is short and straightforward. For properties where the garage is detached and set back from the house, or where the consumer unit is at the opposite end of the building from the parking position, the cable route needs more careful planning. We assess the routing as part of the pre-installation visit so the quote reflects what the job actually involves.
A home EV charger requires off-street parking — a driveway, garage or dedicated space where the vehicle can be parked adjacent to the property within reach of the charging cable. Without this, a home installation is not currently practical. A proportion of Gillingham’s older terraced housing — particularly the streets closest to Gillingham station, the High Street and the town centre — does not have off-street parking, and for these properties the public charging network is the more relevant option. Medway Council has been expanding public charge point provision across the district. For properties with driveways or garages — the majority of Gillingham’s semi-detached and detached housing stock — a home charger is a practical, cost-effective and straightforward installation.
An EV charger installation is notifiable work under Part P of the Building Regulations — it must be carried out by a registered competent person and certified on completion. We are registered with a government-approved competent person scheme, which means we self-certify every installation and notify building control on your behalf. You receive an Electrical Installation Certificate on completion — a document you will need when you come to sell the property.
We carry out EV charger installations as a complete managed package — consumer unit assessment, cable routing, installation, testing and certification — with no hidden additions on the day and no separate process required from you.
Gillingham town and surrounds — Twydall, Hempstead, Wigmore, Rainham, Parkwood, Lordswood
Chatham and Rochester — Chatham, Rochester, Strood, Walderslade, Luton, Wayfield
Sittingbourne corridor — Sittingbourne, Newington, Rainham, Bredhurst, Hartlip, Lower Halstow
Maidstone fringe — Maidstone, Boxley, Detling, Bredhurst, Stockbury, Hollingbourne
All our electricians hold City & Guilds Level 3 qualifications and are registered with approved competent person schemes (NICEIC or NAPIT). This means we can self-certify work and issue certificates for building control compliance without delay.
emergency Electricians
We understand rewiring is disruptive. Our team works efficiently, protects your property, and coordinates with plasterers and decorators to minimize inconvenience. Most rewires allow you to remain at home throughout.
As Gillingham-based electricians, we understand local property types and common wiring issues. From Victorian terraces to modern homes, we’ve rewired properties throughout ME postcodes.
Planning a home EV charger installation? Get in touch for a free, no-obligation quote from a registered local electrician.