Domestic client for building design and construction
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations (CDM regulations) define construction clients as '...organisations or individuals for whom a construction project is carried out.'
The regulations define 'domestic clients' as '... people who have construction work carried out on their own home, or the home of a family member that is not done as part of a business, whether for profit or not. '
Local authorities, housing associations, charities, management companies owned by the residents or homeowners, landlords and other businesses may own domestic property but they are not domestic clients. It is the status of the person procuring the work that determines whether they are a domestic client, not the nature of the premises. For example, if construction work is procured by a local authority, they are not a domestic client, even though the work is being done in domestic premises for the benefit a householder.
See CDM for self-builders and domestic clients for more information.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
Featured articles and news
Welsh and Scottish 2026 elections
Manifestos for the built environment for upcoming same May day elections.
Advancing BIM education with a competency framework
“We don’t need people who can just draw in 3D. We need people who can think in data.”
Guidance notes to prepare for April ERA changes
From the Electrical Contractors' Association Employee Relations team.
Significant changes to be seen from the new ERA in 2026 and 2027, starting on 6 April 2026.
First aid in the modern workplace with St John Ambulance.
Ireland's National Residential Retrofit Plan
Staged initiatives introduced step by step.
Solar panels, pitched roofs and risk of fire spread
60% increase in solar panel fires prompts tests and installation warnings.
Modernising heat networks with Heat interface unit
Why HIUs hold the key to efficiency upgrades.
Reflecting on the work of the CIOB Academy
Looking back on 2025 and where it's going next.
Procurement in construction: Knowledge hub
Brief, overview, key articles and over 1000 more covering procurement.
Sir John Betjeman’s love of Victorian church architecture.
Exchange for Change for UK deposit return scheme
The UK Deposit Management Organisation established to deliver Deposit Return Scheme unveils trading name.
A guide to integrating heat pumps
As the Future Homes Standard approaches Future Homes Hub publishes hints and tips for Architects and Architectural Technologists.
BSR as a standalone body; statements, key roles, context
Statements from key figures in key and changing roles.
Resident engagement as the key to successful retrofits
Retrofit is about people, not just buildings, from early starts to beyond handover.




















