CDM 2015 and Domestic Clients

A question we are often asked is ‘Do we really need a Principal Designer for a domestic project?’. Where CDM 2015 duties are passed to the Client to instruct a PD for commercial based projects, it is the responsibility of either the Contractor, Principal Contractor or Architect / Designer for domestic projects to undertake the Clients legal duties.

If the project involves only a single Contractor, then they are responsible for taking on the duties of the Client. In practice, the Contractor should have little more to do than the plan they have in place for managing health and safety risks on any project that they undertake.

Where more than one Contractor is involved in the project, then the appointed Principal Contractor will take on the role of PD and the duties of the Client.

If an Architect or Designer was instructed by the Client, then they can take on the role of PD if written consent is provided by the Client. But only if the designer has the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and (where an organisation), the organisational ability to fulfil the role. Should the Client not provide written consent the legal duties will once again fall to the Contractor.

We can act as Principal Designer on behalf of your Architect or Designer, drop us an email with your project details to hello@stonehousecdm.co.uk.