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Why is the Principal Designer Role Under CDM 2015 relevant to your project?

Posted Thursday 29 August, 2024 in Stories

Image taken from a 3D model of a bespoke house

When starting a construction project, whether it’s a new home, a renovation, or a commercial build, the last thing anyone wants is someone getting injured—either during the build or long after the project is complete. Unfortunately, construction sites come with inherent risks, and poor planning can lead to accidents both on-site and in the finished building. That’s why it’s essential to have a Principal Designer who understands the complexities of health and safety from the get-go.

At Johnson Design Partnership, we help reduce the chances of injuries and ensure your project runs smoothly by adhering to the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015). With a team trained through the RIBA Principal Designer course, we focus on making your construction site safer for everyone involved, and ensure the final building is designed with long-term safety in mind.

From the initial planning stages to the final touches, we take a proactive approach to risk management, helping to protect both the people on-site and those who will use the building for years to come.

What is the Role of the Principal Designer?

The Principal Designer, as defined in CDM 2015, is a key figure in the construction process, responsible for overseeing the planning, managing, and coordination of health and safety during the pre-construction phase. This role applies to both domestic and commercial projects, ensuring that all design work is carried out with a firm focus on mitigating risks.

Why Clients Need to Understand CDM 2015

As a client—whether undertaking a domestic or commercial project—you have important legal duties under CDM 2015. These include providing relevant building information and cooperating with designers and contractors to ensure the safe and efficient execution of your project.

If your project involves multiple contractors, you are required to appoint a Principal Designer and a Principal Contractor to manage the design and construction phases. By choosing Johnson Design Partnership, you can be assured that these critical roles will be expertly handled, taking the burden of compliance off your shoulders and ensuring the highest standards are met throughout.

Tailored Services for Domestic and Commercial Projects

Our experience spans both domestic and commercial projects, enabling us to provide tailored Principal Designer services for a variety of builds—from bespoke residential homes to complex commercial developments. By engaging Johnson Design Partnership, you are not only meeting your regulatory obligations but also benefiting from our commitment to creating safe, efficient, and well-managed projects.

For domestic clients, many of the responsibilities under CDM 2015 can be transferred to your appointed Principal Designer and Principal Contractor. This includes managing the planning, monitoring, and safety coordination, freeing you from having to oversee every aspect of your project.

For commercial clients, we offer a robust approach to managing the intricate health and safety requirements that come with larger, more complex projects. We work alongside your team to ensure every phase complies with both CDM 2015 and the Building Regulations.

Professional Expertise You Can Rely On

At Johnson Design Partnership, our recent completion of the RIBA Principal Designer course reflects our commitment to offering the highest level of professional service. We bring a wealth of experience to every project, ensuring that your build—whether in Birmingham, London, or beyond—meets all statutory requirements while staying on schedule and budget.

Our role as Principal Designer integrates seamlessly with our other architectural and project management services, ensuring that your project progresses smoothly from start to finish. We focus on proactive risk management, clear communication, and delivering designs that not only meet but exceed your expectations.

Why Appoint Johnson Design Partnership?

When you appoint Johnson Design Partnership you are engaging a dedicated team with the expertise to navigate complex regulations, anticipate potential risks, and ensure the successful delivery of your project.

Whether your project is a dream home in Birmingham or a commercial development in London, we are here to guide you every step of the way. Our comprehensive approach ensures full compliance with CDM 2015 and Building Regulations, reducing risk and safeguarding the success of your project.

To learn more about our Principal Designer services and how we can assist with your project, please contact us.

Let us ensure your project is safe, compliant, and delivered to the highest standards.

32 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Reviews
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I have been involved with Johnson Design Partnership for some time now and my project with them began in March. I have been so impressed, in particular, with architect Matt Spinks, with his/their attention to detail, their inspiring ideas, and their attitude that nothing is ever too much trouble. They deal with things both promptly and efficiently and both myself and my daughter whose property it will be, and also to reside in, are so excited about the finished result.Cannot recommend this amazing company enough. Creating a new build like this, originally stables, can be a stressful time but this most professional company have succeeded in making it less so, Matt is always on the end of the phone or in person when needed. Thank you Johnson Design Partnership!!

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Kim Osborne, Smestow Gate Cottage
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“We have just finished an extension to our kitchen and dealt with Matt at JDP from the beginning to the end of the project. He was very professional throughout and I would recommend anyone to use JDP for their build project.”

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Richard Hilton
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It’s a refreshing change to have such good service these days. I really have no idea how your prices compare to other practices, but on the face of they look absolutely fine and look perfectly fair & reasonable, and if I’m honest, pleasantly surprising.

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Steve Woods
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I have recently finished my third project with Johnson Design! Two at my work premises and one residential. Matt Spinks is great to work with and always has great ideas and attention to detail. Will come back for any future projects 🙂

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Lucy LC
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It had taken eighteen months for us to decide that we would re-locate to the ‘Strettons’. Moving house for us meant also moving an established ceramics and painting studio, we were concerned about finding a property within our budget that would also have the appropriate space.

It was obvious from our early property searches that finding the perfect ‘fit’ was very unlikely, so we took the opportunity to visit an open information weekend run by Johnson Design Partnership. We were immediately encouraged by what we saw and once we had purchased the property, we invited Johnson Design to visit and take a look.

Our original idea was to do a loft conversion as planning permission was already in place, but after a couple of exploratory meetings it became clear that this was unlikely to exploit the position of the property to its best advantage or indeed answer our need for comfortable bespoke studio space. These design conversations helped us focus on the true potential of the property, gradually the idea of a glass link between the original house and separate garage emerged as the way forward.

The final result is overwhelmingly better than we imagined it might be. ‘The Link ‘ has already become a creative centre, providing a light and airy space connecting inside and outside areas from both studio and house; not only is it a functional dining and living area but a truly peaceful and contemplative place to soak up the stunning changes in light of the sky and the landscape which surround us, but also a space to dream and imagine – a painting or ceramic form in the making?

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Mr and Mrs Farrell - Stretton Hills, Shropshire
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From start to finish these guys were fantastic. I highly recommend this outfit I had them plan my renovation & they did such a good job I’m having them back to do another 2 properties that need pretty much the same work. Always at the end of the phone willing to offer any advice Matt Spinks has been a dynamite Tip top company !

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Mr Daye
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We would recommend Johnson Design for those wanting to extend their home. They came up with an original concept and layout, moving the stairs was something we’d not even considered but it works really well. They then worked with us to accommodate our ideas, making the design collaborative. They talked us through the various stages of the process and explained everything, also because they handled everything it meant we didn’t need to get involved with the complexities of the planning process.

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Mr and Mrs Clary – Bridgnorth, Shropshire
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Our project was not the biggest in the whole grand scheme of things but Vic approached the design brief with enthusiasm and Matt guided us through the process, as project manager with patience and good advice. We were pleased that Johnsons Design Partnership are prepared to work on smaller projects as well as the bigger more flamboyant ones. We are really happy with the finished result.

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Diane Malyon