CDM REGULATIONS

WHAT ARE THE CDM REGS?

CDM 2015

The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 are the set of rules all construction professionals must adhere to when planning, designing and building construction projects in the UK.

What is a “Construction Professional?”

One of the most misunderstood terms in UK legislation. A construction professional is any person falling into one of the categories of CDM 2015:

  • Client - The person or company who commissions the project. A landlord, or property investor. The ultimate accountability rests here.

  • Principal Designer - The person or company who provides pre-construction information to all parties.

  • Principal Contractor - If there is more than one contractor on site, there must be a principal contractor responsible for planning works, health and safety management on site.

  • Designer - A person or company who makes specifications, bills of quantity, materials for construction.

  • Contractor - A person or company who is responsible for building something on a project.

  • Worker - A person who is working for a construction company.

What is a Construction Project?

The second most misunderstood element of CDM regs is understanding what type of projects fall under the term “construction?”

  • Building an airport? Yes, this would apply.

  • Building a new block of apartments on a greenfield site? Yes, this would apply.

  • Commercial to residential refurbishment? Yes, this would apply.

  • Replacing a bathroom in a 2 bedroom terrace as a buy to let property? Yes, this applies!

  • Replacing doors in a HMO project? Yes, this applies!

Am I a Client under CDM Regs?

You are a “Client” if you are commissioning a project for commercial gain. This means:

  • Refurbishing a buy-to-let with things like bathrooms, kitchens, stud walls, windows and doors, upgraded electrical works.

  • Changing a standard residential property and converting to House with Multiple Occupants (HMO)

  • Splitting a house or apartments into more individual living spaces i.e. converting a large house to 4 apartments.

  • Rent to Serviced Accommodation if you are altering the internal layout of the property, or replacing material components of the building i.e. new skirting boards, architraves and fire doors.