What is this document?
INDG411 "Need building work done?" is the HSE's short guide for anyone having construction, building, or maintenance work carried out. It explains your legal duties as a client under the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015 (CDM 2015).
Whether you're a homeowner having an extension built or a business refurbishing premises, this guide helps you understand what the law requires of you.
Who needs to read this?
- Homeowners having building work done
- Property owners commissioning construction or renovation
- Landlords arranging maintenance or refurbishment
- Property managers overseeing building projects
- Small business owners having work done on premises
- Facilities managers managing construction or maintenance
- Anyone commissioning building work of any size
Key points covered
Who is a client?
A client is anyone who has construction work carried out for them. This includes:
- Commercial organisations commissioning building work
- Homeowners and domestic clients
- Public sector bodies
- Anyone having maintenance, refurbishment, or new build work done
Domestic clients
If you're having work done on your own home, you're a "domestic client". Your legal duties automatically pass to:
- The contractor (for single contractor projects)
- The principal contractor (for projects with more than one contractor)
- The principal designer if appointed in writing
This doesn't mean you have no responsibilities - you should still choose competent contractors and cooperate with health and safety requirements.
Commercial client duties
If you're a commercial client, you must:
- Make suitable arrangements for managing the project
- Ensure adequate time and resources are allocated
- Appoint a principal designer and principal contractor for projects with more than one contractor
- Provide pre-construction information to designers and contractors
- Ensure a construction phase plan is in place before work starts
Choosing contractors
Whether domestic or commercial, you should:
- Check that contractors have the skills, knowledge, and experience for the work
- Ask about their health and safety record
- Ensure they have appropriate insurance
- Not choose solely on the basis of lowest price
How this applies to you
Before work starts
For domestic clients:
- Choose contractors carefully - check references and qualifications
- Make clear who is in charge when multiple contractors are involved
- Discuss health and safety with your contractor
- Allow reasonable time for the work to be done safely
For commercial clients:
- Appoint a principal designer and principal contractor if needed
- Provide information about your site (existing services, asbestos surveys, access restrictions)
- Ensure the construction phase plan is prepared before work begins
- Make suitable welfare facilities available or ensure contractors provide them
During the work
- Cooperate with your contractors on health and safety matters
- Allow access for safety inspections
- Don't put pressure on contractors to cut corners on safety
- Report any concerns about unsafe working practices
Notifying HSE
Projects lasting more than 30 working days with more than 20 workers at any one time, or exceeding 500 person-days of construction work, must be notified to HSE. Your principal designer or principal contractor can do this for you.
Related Safety Clarity content
- Construction Safety - General construction safety requirements
- CDM 2015 Overview - Approved Code of Practice for CDM
Source: This page summarises HSE guidance document INDG411. For the full official guidance, visit the HSE website.