Difference between preliminaries and preambles
Preliminaries and preambles both appear in tender documents, but they are not to be confused.
Preliminaries provide a description of a project that allows a contractor to assess costs which, whilst they do not form a part of any package of works, are required by the method and circumstances of the works. They might, for example, describe things such as subcontracting, approvals, testing and completion procedures. Preliminaries and work sections together describe what is required to complete the works required by the contract.
For more information see: Preliminaries.
A preamble is an explanation of a document, commonly found in contracts, specifications and bills of quantities. It can help with the interpretation of the document. A preamble might include, a description of the parties to the contract, the background to the document, the objectives of the project, and so on.
For more information see: Preambles.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings
Featured articles and news
The roofscape of Hampstead Garden Suburb
Residents, architects and roofers need to understand detailing.
Homes, landlords. tenants and the new housing standards
What will it all mean?
The Architectural Technology podcast: Where it's AT
Catch-up on the latest episodes.
Edmundson Apprentice of the Year award 2026
Entries now open for this Electrical Contractors' Association award.
Traditional blue-grey slate from one of the oldest and largest UK slate quarries down in Cornwall.
There are plenty of sources with the potential to be redeveloped.
Change of use legislation breaths new life into buildings
A run down on Class MA of the General Permitted Development Order.
Solar generation in the historic environment
Success requires understanding each site in detail.
Level 6 Design, Construction and Management BSc
CIOB launches first-ever degree programme to develop the next generation of construction leaders.
Open for business as of April, with its 2026 prospectus and new pipeline of housing schemes.
The operational value of workforce health
Keeping projects moving. Incorporating unplanned absence and the importance of health, in operations.
A carbon case for indigenous slate
UK slate can offer clear embodied carbon advantages.
Costs and insolvencies mount for SMEs, despite growth
Construction sector under insolvency and wage bill pressure in part linked to National Insurance, says report.
The place for vitrified clay pipes in modern infrastructure
Why vitrified clay pipes are reclaiming their role in built projects.
Research by construction PR consultancy LMC published.
Roles and responsibilities of domestic clients
ACA Safety in Construction guide for domestic clients.























Comments
[edit] To make a comment about this article, or to suggest changes, click 'Add a comment' above. Separate your comments from any existing comments by inserting a horizontal line.