Construction design and management consultancy
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 place clear legal duties on everyone involved in a construction project, from the client commissioning the work to the designers, principal designer, principal contractor, and contractors delivering it. Getting CDM compliance right from the outset protects your project, your people, and your business.
BTG Eddisons provides CDM management services across all RIBA stages, acting as advisers for clients across the public and private sectors. Our team combines RICS-qualified surveyors with IOSH health and safety specialists, giving you professionally recognised expertise at every stage of the process.
Our team is ready to discuss your CDM requirements. Simply complete our contact form further down the page to get started.
What is CDM and when does it apply?
CDM stands for construction design and management. First introduced in 1994 and updated in 2015, the CDM Regulations set out the health and safety framework that must be followed during construction projects, with the aim of ensuring all project risks are identified, managed, and communicated from beginning to end.
The regulations apply to all building and construction work, including:
- New builds
- Refurbishments and fit-outs
- Extensions and alterations
- Demolitions
- Repair and maintenance works
There is no minimum project size threshold. CDM applies to all construction work, though the duties and appointments required vary depending on whether the project involves more than one contractor.
What are the CDM duty holder roles?
The CDM Regulations require specific duty holders to be appointed on qualifying projects. Each carries defined responsibilities under the regulations:
Client
As the organisation commissioning the work, the client must ensure the project is set up with adequate time and resources, that appropriate management arrangements are in place, and that competent duty holders are appointed before work begins.
Principal designer
Responsible for planning, managing, monitoring, and coordinating health and safety during the pre-construction phase. The principal designer must ensure that foreseeable risks are eliminated or controlled through the design process, and that relevant information is passed to the principal contractor.
Designer
Any individual or organisation involved in preparing or modifying designs, including architects, engineers, and surveyors. Designers must consider health and safety in their work and ensure their designs do not create unnecessary risks during construction or future maintenance.
Principal contractor
Responsible for managing health and safety during the construction phase on projects involving more than one contractor. The principal contractor plans, manages, monitors, and coordinates the work of all contractors on site.
Contractor
The company or individual carrying out the construction work. Contractors must comply with the directions of the principal contractor and ensure the work is carried out safely.
Failure to appoint the relevant duty holders makes the client liable for any issues that arise, and can expose the business to significant legal and financial risk.
How can BTG Eddisons help with CDM management?
We offer principal design services and health and safety advisory support spanning all RIBA stages. Our involvement can begin before your project has started, helping to identify and manage risks at the design stage, where they are most cost-effective to address.
Our CDM management services include:
- Acting as principal designer across all RIBA stages
- Pre-construction health and safety planning and risk management
- Design risk reviews and hazard identification
- Construction phase plan review and sign-off
- Health and safety file preparation and handover
- CDM advisory for clients, project managers, and principal contractors
- Compliance audits and duty holder competency reviews
Who are our CDM management services designed for?
Our CDM management services are used by a wide range of clients, including:
- Developers and housebuilders managing new build and mixed-use schemes
- Landlords and property companies undertaking refurbishment and improvement works
- Occupiers fitting out or altering commercial premises
- Public sector bodies including local authorities, NHS trusts, and education establishments
- Principal contractors seeking independent principal designer appointments
Why choose BTG Eddisons for CDM management support?
Our principal design services are delivered by a combination of RICS-qualified surveyors and IOSH health and safety specialists, giving you both property expertise and dedicated safety knowledge on every instruction.
With 35 offices across the UK and 550 professionals, we have CDM advisers available wherever your project is located. We work with clients from the pre-planning stage, ensuring CDM compliance is built into the project from the outset rather than managed retrospectively, which is both more effective and more cost-efficient.
Our team has sector experience across industrial, education, healthcare, and more, with a working understanding of the specific risks and requirements each environment presents. That sector depth, combined with a proven track record and positive reviews, makes us the ideal partner for your CDM needs.
Speak to our team today
Whether your project is at the early design stage or already under way, our CDM consultants can assess your current position and advise on the steps needed to achieve and maintain compliance. Complete the form below and a member of our team will be in touch.
