CDM Consulting Services

✓ CDM Principal Designer and Designer Advisor Services

Independent CDM Advisory services providing expert guidance to help deliver compliance with the CDM Regulations

Enquiring about: General enquiry | Client CDM Advisor | CDM Principal Designer / Principal Designer Advisor | CDM Duty Holder Compliance Audits and process support | CDM Site Health, Safety and Welfare Inspections | Construction Site Fire Risk Assessment | Principal Contractor and Contractor Support

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Fran
Watkins-White

Director of CDM

Bureau Veritas

CDM compliance isn't just about ticking boxes—it's about embedding a culture of safety across your construction project lifecycle, with an emphasis on safety through design, this protects workers, reduces project risk, and delivers better outcomes for clients.

Our team bring their expertise to ensure safety is a key consideration on construction projects, making that process clear, practical, and achievable for every duty holder involved.

OUR CDM CONSULTANCY SERVICES

CLIENT CDM ADVISOR

As your Client CDM Advisor, we guide you through your statutory obligations under Regulation 4 of the CDM Regulations. We help ensure that the correct Client Brief and management arrangements are in place for your project to be undertaken safely and that with our expert support, you make informed decisions about project governance, duty holder appointments, and pre-construction information.

CDM PRINCIPAL DESIGNER / CDM PRINCIPAL DESIGNER ADVISOR

We can deliver the role of CDM Principal Designer either as the appointed Principal Designer or as Principal Designer Advisor to the appointed Principal Designer. Helping to ensure that the principles of prevention are applied proactively on your project, working collaboratively with the project team to eliminate or reduce and communicate design-related construction risks.

CDM SITE HEALTH, SAFETY AND WELFARE AUDITS

Our independent site audits and inspections verify that construction health, safety, and welfare arrangements meet regulatory standards and align with the Construction Phase Plan. Our site inspection service will include a tour of inspection of your site followed by a review of supporting documentary evidence. They provide a ‘snapshot’ of site conditions at the time of the visit. Our site audit service will involve an intense review of your site management arrangements measured against applicable standards followed on by a tour of the site to confirm you are implementing those arrangements.

CONSTRUCTION SITE FIRE RISK ASSESSMENT

Construction sites present unique fire risks, changing rapidly as sites evolve i.e due to temporary structures, hot works, lack of final compartmentalisation. Our fire risk assessments support with identification of hazards and recommend controls to protect workers and the public.

CONTRACTOR SUPPORT

We provide contractors with practical guidance on meeting their CDM duties, including Principal Contractor obligations under Regulation 13 and 14.

CDM COMPLIANCE AUDITS AND DUTY HOLDER SUPPORT

We can provide a deep dive compliance audit service to support duty holders with ensuring regulatory requirements are met within their processes.

Whether you're a commercial property developer, facilities manager, or construction professional, navigating CDM requirements can be complex and resource intensive. Bureau Veritas acts as your CDM Principal Designer supporting safety in design across the project  or  independent CDM advisor, ensuring you discharge your duties correctly while maintaining project momentum and controlling risk.

With over 25 years of experience across all construction sectors we provide:

  • Expert guidance through Construction (Design and Management) Regulations
  • CDM Principal Designer and Designer Advisor Services
  • Duty Holder Compliance Audits
  • Site Inspections and Audit on behalf of Principal Contractor or CDM Client
  • Support to Principal Contractors, including assistance in development of Construction Phase Plans.

Our CDM consultancy provides:

  • Expert guidance to help clients, designers, and contractors meet these obligations throughout the project lifecycle.
  • Clients with constructive support and advice early on in their project helping to identify PCI and deliver the Client Brief
  • CDM Principal Designer Services, supporting cooperation, coordination and communication of safety across your project.
  • Expert advice and support with Pre-Construction Information and the Design Risk Management process.

Our CDM consultancy services can help you:

  • Understand your specific duties under the CDM Regulations 2015
  • Appoint competent duty holders and manage their performance
  • Integrate health and safety considerations from concept through to completion
  • Maintain compliant documentation, including the Health and Safety File
  • Demonstrate due diligence to regulators, insurers, and stakeholders

SECTORS WE SERVE

Bureau Veritas delivers construction consultancy services across all major UK sectors, including:

Social Infrastructure
Higher-Risk Buildings
Infrastructure
Commercial & Industrial
Clean Energy

Education

Health

Custodial

Defense

Residential

Build-to-Rent and Student Accommodation

Super Prime and Non-HRB developments

Senior and Assisted Living

Rail

Airports

Roads and Highways

Ports and Maritime

Logistics and Manufacturing

Life Sciences and Pharma

Data Centres

Office and Commercial

Renewable Energy

Retrofit and Decarbonisation

BENEFITS OF CDM CONSULTANCY WITH BUREAU VERITAS

  • Ensure Regulatory Compliance

    Our experts will support you with the implementation of the CDM Regulations 2015 

    • Helping to ensure that safety is a fundamental part of the design and construction of your project.  Protecting your people and your organisation from enforcement action and reputational damage.
    • Providing Clients with constructive support and advice early on in their project helping to identify PCI and deliver the Client Brief.

  • Reduce Project Risk

    Our expert advice will support designers to identify and mitigate health and safety risks early in the design and planning stages, keeping people safe and reducing the likelihood of accidents, delays, and costly overruns.

  • Access Specialist Expertise

    Benefit from over 25 years of CDM experience across diverse construction sectors, from small refurbishment and refit through to large commercial developments and complex infrastructure projects.

  • Maintain Cost and Programme Certainty

    Proactive CDM management helps avoid costly design changes, site stoppages, and regulatory interventions that can derail project timelines.

  • Integrate with wider Compliance

    Leverage Bureau Veritas' broader testing, inspection, and certification capabilities to address fire safety, structural integrity, and building control requirements in parallel.

WHY CHOOSE BUREAU VERITAS FOR CDM CONSULTANCY?

Over 25 Years of CDM Expertise

Since the inception of the CDM Regulations, Bureau Veritas has been helping clients, designers, and contractors navigate their duties with confidence.

Independent, Impartial Advice

As a third-party consultant with no commercial interest in design or construction delivery, we provide objective guidance focused solely on safety and compliance.

Sector-Specific Knowledge

Our team has experience across commercial, residential, industrial, and infrastructure projects, with links to our wider team of Bureau Veritas sector experts giving us a strong understanding of and ability to support the unique challenges of each sector.

Integrated Service Offering

Combine CDM consultancy with our fire safety engineering, structural inspections, building control, BREAM and environmental services for a comprehensive project solution.

Nationwide Coverage

Our network of CDM specialists operates across the UK, supported by a centralised planning systems and process ensure consistent delivery across your portfolio of projects.

Auditable Processes

Our CDM consultancy services are delivered through processes certified to ISO 9001 and aligned with ISO 45001 providing traceable, quality-assured outcomes.

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Steve Highwood
Steve
Highwood

Director (UK Building & Infrastructure CAPEX)

Bureau Veritas

Our CDM consultancy experts can support you in safely delivering your project—we help clients achieve cost and risk certainty while delivering the service excellence you would expect from a true global leader. With over 190 years of testing, inspection, and certification expertise, we bring a holistic perspective to construction safety that few consultancies can match.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Who needs a CDM advisor?

    Any organisation acting as a Client under the CDM Regulations 2015 must ensure they have the skills, knowledge, and experience to discharge their duties in relation to planning for and undertaking construction works—or appoint a competent advisor to assist them. This applies to commercial clients, public sector bodies, and private developers undertaking alle construction projects. Our expertise can support you in ensuring you are meeting your duties.

  • What do you define as Construction?

    The CDM Regulations define construction as the carrying out of any building, civil engineering or engineering construction work, this includes alterations to existing buildings and structures, sire site preparation, and work to services and systems within a structure. If you are unsure if the regulations apply to your project, please ask us for advice.

  • What is a notifiable project?

    A construction project is notifiable to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) if it lasts longer than 30 working days and involves more than 20 workers simultaneously or exceeds 500 person-days of work.

  • Can Bureau Veritas act as CDM Principal Designer?

    Yes. Bureau Veritas can fulfil the Principal Designer role, coordinating health and safety aspects of the design process and working with the design team and Principal Contractor with regards to with the principles of prevention. We work alongside your design team to integrate safety into every stage of development.

  • How does CDM consultancy integrate with other Bureau Veritas services?

    Our CDM consultancy sits within a broader portfolio of construction and building safety services, including fire safety engineering, structural inspections, building control, and RAAC surveys. This integrated approach allows us to address multiple compliance requirements through a single, coordinated service provider.

  • What is the Health and Safety File?

    The Health and Safety File is a record of information from your project that focuses on health and safety. It should be maintained for the lifetime of the building and structure and contains information to alerts alert those who are responsible for the structure and equipment in it to significant health and safety risks that will need to be managed during subsequent use, construction work, maintenance, repair, or demolition. The Principal Designer is responsible for preparing the file, and the client must ensure it is kept available for inspection.