Domestic Client  

Domestic client is anyone who has construction work carried out for them that is not done in connection with a business – usually work done on their own home or the home of a family member.

Commercial Client 

A commercial client is who has construction work carried out for them that is done in connection with a business. Commercial clients include local authorities, housing associations or other landlords who own domestic properties.

Designers  

A designer is an organisation or individual whose business involves preparing or modifying designs for construction projects, or arranging for, or instructing, others to do this. Designs include drawings, design details, specifications, bills of quantity and design calculations. 

Designers can be architects, consulting engineers, quantity surveyors and interior designers, or anyone who specifies and alters designs as part of their work. They can also be principal contractors , specialist contractors, tradespeople or even commercial clients , if they get actively involved in design work for their project. 

Principal Designers  

A principal designer is a designer who is an organisation or individual (on smaller projects) appointed by the client  to take control of the pre-construction phase of any project involving more than one contractor.

Contractor

A contractor is anyone who directly employs or engages construction workers or manages construction work. Contractors include sub-contractors, any individual self-employed worker or business that carries out, manages or controls construction work.

A contractor is anyone (excluding domestic clients) who, in their business, performs, manages, or oversees building work.

Principal Contractor

A principal contractor is appointed by the client to control the construction phase of any project involving more than one contractor. 

Last updated: 17 March 2025