Cost
Principal designer cost: what UK CDM firms publish in 2026
Updated
A principal designer costs from £750 plus VAT for an extension, loft conversion or refurbishment of one home, on the one UK fee schedule we found published in full, and rises with the type and value of the project. Most CDM consultancies do not print a fee at all and quote per project.
Published principal designer fees
| Firm | Project | Published fee | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| ClearCDM | Extension, loft conversion or refurbishment of a single dwelling | from £750 | ClearCDM: fees |
| ClearCDM | Large residential project: major refurbishment, extension or basement | from £1,000 | ClearCDM: fees |
| ClearCDM | New build dwelling: a single new house | from £1,200 | ClearCDM: fees |
| ClearCDM | Commercial fit-out or refurbishment: shops, offices, hospitality | from £1,200 | ClearCDM: fees |
| ClearCDM | Commercial development: new build commercial, or multiple houses | from £1,850 | ClearCDM: fees |
| HebHomes | Principal designer service with its planning and building control contract | £2,100 | HebHomes: principal designer and CDM support |
Source: ClearCDM: fees, read 28 October 2026
HebHomes sells the role bundled with its own planning and building control work, so its £2,100 plus VAT is not a standalone fee and is shown apart from the schedule above.
Source: HebHomes: principal designer and CDM support, read 28 October 2026
What moves the price
- The type of project. A single home costs least; a new house, a commercial fit-out and a commercial development each sit higher on the published schedule.
- The contract value. ClearCDM states its fee rises with contract value bands rather than as a percentage of the build, and above £2 million of contract value its instant quote stops and asks for the detail.
- How far the appointment runs. A fee to the start on site is not the same as one that runs through the build to the health and safety file. ClearCDM adds from £450 plus VAT for six months or less of the construction phase.
- Whether you also need the Building Regulations role. In England a project with more than one contractor needs a principal designer under the Building Regulations as well as under CDM 2015; ask whether a quote covers one or both.
Source: Principal Designer Fee Index: every row, with its source
Every figure on this page is a firm's own published price on the day it was read. It is what that firm advertises, not a quote for your project.
Source: Principal Designer Fee Index: every row, with its source
Getting quotes you can compare
- Say which appointment you need: CDM 2015, Building Regulations, or both.
- Give the project type, the rough build cost and how long it will be on site. Those three set the fee on the published schedules.
- Ask whether the fee runs to the start on site or through to the health and safety file. The second costs more and is the one the regulations expect someone to finish.
- Ask what is excluded: site visits, design risk reviews beyond a set number, and VAT.