Myth: Pre-Construction Information Is Optional
- Paul Scanlon
- Jul 30
- 1 min read
Pre-construction information is not a nice-to-have. It is a legal duty.
Many clients treat pre-construction information as paperwork the contractor sorts out.
The regulations say the opposite.
Regulation 4 requires the client to provide pre-construction information to every designer and contractor on the project.
That means the known risks before anyone sets foot on site: the asbestos register, ground conditions, services, structural constraints, and how the building is used.
Withholding it — or assuming the contractor will "find out on site" — is one of the most common client failures we see.
It is also one of the biggest causes of delay, variation, and dispute once work starts.
A contractor who prices blind will either carry risk they cannot see, or claim against you when it surfaces.
Adequate pre-construction information is not a courtesy to the contractor. It is a Regulation 4 duty, and the client owns it.
When did you last check what information your contractors were actually given before they priced the work?
Get your free Client Guide to CDM 2015 here: cdm2015.co.uk/resource-download
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