Specialist designer for construction projects
As buildings become increasingly complicated, it is more and more common for specialists to be required to design particular aspects.
Specialist designers may be:
- Contractors or suppliers appointed in the first instance to carry out design and subsequently to carry out the works on site or to supply goods or services.
- Appointed by the client to carry out design and then perhaps to monitor works on site.
- Sub-consultants to a member of the consultant team.
Where specialist designers are contractors or suppliers, they may be appointed through a two-stage tender process where the specialist design services are procured in the first stage along with agreed rates, overheads and profit for the the products or services to be supplied in the second stage. The specialist designer might then become a named sub-contractor or nominated sub-contractor, or a named supplier in the main contract. In some cases, this second stage appointment might be made direct by the client (for example for the supply of equipment outside of the scope of the main contract).
A design co-ordinator might be appointed within the consultant team to ensure proper integration and co-ordination of specialist designs into the overall design.
On publicly-funded projects, OJEU procurement rules may apply to the appointment of a specialist designers if the potential cost of either the first or second stage contract exceeds the relevant threshold.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
- Building Information Modelling.
- Collaborative practices.
- Consultant team start up meeting.
- Designers.
- Design liability.
- Design management.
- Design manager.
- Lead consultant.
- Lead designer.
- Nominated sub-contractor.
- Named sub-contractor.
- Named supplier.
- OJEU.
- Procurement routes.
- Specialist contractors.
- Specialist contractors start up meeting.
- Structural waterproofing consultant.
[edit] External references
Featured articles and news
Building Safety recap January, 2026
What we missed at the end of last year, and at the start of this...
National Apprenticeship Week 2026, 9-15 Feb
Shining a light on the positive impacts for businesses, their apprentices and the wider economy alike.
Applications and benefits of acoustic flooring
From commercial to retail.
From solid to sprung and ribbed to raised.
Strengthening industry collaboration in Hong Kong
Hong Kong Institute of Construction and The Chartered Institute of Building sign Memorandum of Understanding.
A detailed description fron the experts at Cornish Lime.
IHBC planning for growth with corporate plan development
Grow with the Institute by volunteering and CP25 consultation.
Connecting ambition and action for designers and specifiers.
Electrical skills gap deepens as apprenticeship starts fall despite surging demand says ECA.
Built environment bodies deepen joint action on EDI
B.E.Inclusive initiative agree next phase of joint equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) action plan.
Recognising culture as key to sustainable economic growth
Creative UK Provocation paper: Culture as Growth Infrastructure.
Futurebuild and UK Construction Week London Unite
Creating the UK’s Built Environment Super Event and over 25 other key partnerships.
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.
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.
























