Principal Designer & Design Coordination
Following changes to UK construction legislation after the Grenfell tragedy and updates to the Health & Safety at Work Act, the Principal Designer role was introduced under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015) to strengthen accountability, improve coordination and reduce risk across construction projects.
Where required, I act as Principal Designer during the pre-construction stages, providing clear leadership and coordination across the design team.
As the project’s design lead, this places me in the best position to coordinate the wider consultant team, including structural engineers, services consultants, lighting and AV designers and landscape designers etc, ensuring that all disciplines work together efficiently and that the design develops as a coherent, well-resolved whole.
In practice, this includes
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Coordinating consultants so structure, services and architecture align from the outset
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Resolving technical interfaces early, before they reach site
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Managing information clearly so all parties work from the same, up-to-date design
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Shaping solutions that are buildable, efficient and well integrated
Alongside this, I take responsibility for managing design risk and discharging the statutory duties of the Principal Designer during the design and pre-construction stages. This role involves additional coordination, documentation and professional liability, and I hold appropriate Professional Indemnity Insurance to cover this responsibility.
Where I am appointed beyond planning and through the technical design stages, it is important that I maintain clear visibility of what is being built on site in order to properly manage risk. This typically involves agreed regular site visits and inspections, defined in advance as part of the appointment.
Where I am not appointed beyond the technical design stage, and do not have visibility of the works on site, the Principal Designer role may, by agreement, be formally transferred to the contractor or to the client in accordance with CDM 2015. In these circumstances, my appointment as Principal Designer concludes at the agreed point, and I am not responsible for changes, coordination or design risk arising thereafter.
Following planning approval, a detailed fee proposal is prepared for each subsequent stage, clearly defining scope, responsibilities, site involvement and statutory roles so expectations are clear for all parties.
For projects involving multiple consultants or higher levels of technical complexity, clients often find this role invaluable in creating a smoother design process, stronger coordination and a more predictable, well-managed build.