Contractor Design Portions (CDP) positively impact projects and are especially helpful the earlier they are brought in, according to a survey.
Topline findings include 91% agreed a CDP contractor positively impacts design and design quality.
Some 95% of respondents said early or very early appointment of the CDP contractor positively impacted on design and design quality.
However, 45% thought CDP was not clearly defined and understood.
The survey was carried out by the Construction Quality Improvement Collaborative (CQIC) and received 380 responses from across the sector.
Morgan Sindall Construction commercial director and co-chair of the CQIC, Iain Kent, said: “The use of CDP has grown over the years and it can have an impact on the quality of the design and construction.
“Whilst there is undoubtedly a need for CDP in specialist areas of construction, the level of response to this survey shows change is needed that will benefit the whole of the construction industry.”
Other findings include 78% who thought the scope of CDP design work should be agreed before RIBA Stage 3. Meanwhile, 90% thought it should be carried out by RIBA Stage 4.
The survey found the barriers to change in use of CDP are lowest price procurement, procurement routes, and design consultancy fees.
The CQIC is the quality working group within the Construction Leadership Forum’s Transformation Action Plan. It was set up last year to improve construction quality across Scotland.
Introduced too late
Increasing use has been made of CDP over the past 30 years in situations where a range of specialist subcontractors contribute towards the design and construction of major buildings. However, there has been criticism that it is used inappropriately or too late.
Scottish Futures Trust associate director Colin Campbell, who co-chairs and provides secretariat for the CQIC, said: “This has been a phenomenal response to the survey, showing just how passionately industry feels about the issue.
“We will now begin sifting through all the submissions with a focus to engage further with industry later this year, with the aim of producing best-practice guidance for the sector to follow.”
