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
Combating burnout.
The 5 elements of seiri, seiton, seiso, seiketsu and shitsuke.
Shading for housing, a design guide
A look back at embedding a new culture of shading.
The Architectural Technology Awards
The AT Awards 2025 are open for entries!
ECA Blueprint for Electrification
The 'mosaic of interconnected challenges' and how to deliver the UK’s Transition to Clean Power.
Grenfell Tower Principal Contractor Award notice
Tower repair and maintenance contractor announced as demolition contractor.
Passivhaus social homes benefit from heat pump service
Sixteen new homes designed and built to achieve Passivhaus constructed in Dumfries & Galloway.
CABE Publishes Results of 2025 Building Control Survey
Concern over lack of understanding of how roles have changed since the introduction of the BSA 2022.
British Architectural Sculpture 1851-1951
A rich heritage of decorative and figurative sculpture. Book review.
A programme to tackle the lack of diversity.
Independent Building Control review panel
Five members of the newly established, Grenfell Tower Inquiry recommended, panel appointed.
Welsh Recharging Electrical Skills Charter progresses
ECA progressing on the ‘asks’ of the Recharging Electrical Skills Charter at the Senedd in Wales.
A brief history from 1890s to 2020s.
CIOB and CORBON combine forces
To elevate professional standards in Nigeria’s construction industry.
Amendment to the GB Energy Bill welcomed by ECA
Move prevents nationally-owned energy company from investing in solar panels produced by modern slavery.
Gregor Harvie argues that AI is state-sanctioned theft of IP.
Experimental AI housing target help for councils
Experimental AI could help councils meet housing targets by digitising records.