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Pre-construction information is the project information that designers and contractors need before industrial or commercial roof work is properly designed, priced and planned. Under CDM 2015, the commercial client has the main duty to provide this information. On projects involving more than one contractor, the principal designer helps the client bring it together and make it available to the project team.
For roof projects, this information can make a material difference to safety, tender quality, programme and cost. A contractor asked to price a warehouse roof without reliable information about access, fragile surfaces, asbestos, roof build-up, plant, previous repairs or occupancy restrictions is being asked to price assumptions as much as actual work. The result can be inconsistent tenders, provisional sums, later variations or a design that has to change once better information is found.
This guide explains what the client should assemble, how much detail is appropriate, what information gaps should trigger further investigation and how to issue the information in a usable way. It does not replace the principal designer’s role, a roof survey, asbestos survey, structural assessment or other specialist investigation where those are required.
This guide does not create a universal pre-construction information pack that suits every roof project. The correct information depends on the property, project scope, contractor structure and risks. A local gutter repair does not need the same level of information as a full roof replacement across an occupied manufacturing facility.
It also does not confirm whether existing documents are still accurate. Drawings, asbestos registers, access plans, health and safety files and historic surveys need to be checked against the work being proposed. Where the information is old, incomplete or outside the scope of the planned work, further investigation may be necessary.
Pause tendering or mobilisation where a missing piece of information could materially change the safety or design of the job. Examples include uncertainty over whether the roof is fragile, unclear asbestos information for areas that will be disturbed, unknown structural capacity, unverified access routes, unidentified rooftop services or a roof build-up that differs from the available drawings.
HSE guidance says roofs should be treated as fragile until a competent person confirms otherwise. If the project team is relying on people walking the roof to gather information, safe access and fragility need to be addressed before the survey itself is treated as routine. The HSE guidance on fragile surfaces sets out the relevant safety principles.
HSE’s CDM guidance defines pre-construction information as information about the project that is already in the client’s possession or is reasonably obtainable by or on behalf of the client. It must be relevant to the particular project, appropriately detailed and proportionate to the risks involved.
That definition is important because the client is not expected to know everything before the project starts. The requirement is to identify and provide relevant information that exists or can reasonably be obtained, while recognising where further investigation is needed.
Pre-construction information should also evolve. HSE states that it should be gathered and added to as design progresses and new information becomes available. An initial roof brief may therefore grow after a condition survey, opening-up work, asbestos investigation, access review or structural assessment.
The commercial client has the main duty to provide pre-construction information to designers and contractors who are being considered for appointment or are already appointed. On a single-contractor project, the client remains responsible for ensuring the required information is provided, while liaising with the contractor and any designers involved.
Where the project involves more than one contractor, the principal designer must help and advise the client in bringing together pre-construction information. HSE also requires the principal designer to provide designers and contractors with the information they need to carry out their duties.
This means the client should not treat the principal designer as a document recipient at the end of the process. The role can add most value when the principal designer is involved early enough to identify missing information, understand foreseeable design risks and influence what needs to be investigated before construction begins.
A useful pre-construction information pack should help another competent person understand the roof, the site, the project and the known risks without having to reconstruct the client’s knowledge from scattered emails and old files. The exact content will vary, but the following categories are a practical starting point.
State what the project is intended to achieve. This might be localised repair, roof refurbishment, replacement, insulation improvement, rooflight work, gutter renewal, preparation for solar PV or another defined outcome. Include known programme dates, operational deadlines and whether the building will remain occupied.
Separate the confirmed scope from assumptions. If the client knows that the roof leaks but has not yet established whether repair or wider refurbishment is justified, say so. A good brief should not pretend the technical solution has already been decided when the project still needs investigation.
Provide available drawings, roof plans, known build-up information, approximate age, previous specifications, warranties, previous overlays, repair records and maintenance history. Where several roof areas have different constructions, identify them separately rather than referring to the property as one roof.
If the build-up or current condition is uncertain, a site-specific roof condition assessment can provide better project evidence before the tender scope is fixed.
Include the location and history of reported leaks, recurring defects, damaged rooflights, ponding, corrosion, failed joints, previous temporary repairs or known drainage problems. Where possible, distinguish between confirmed defects and suspected causes.
Leak history is useful because it can direct survey effort, but it should not be presented as proof of the failure mechanism. Water may travel before appearing internally, and the visible symptom may not identify the actual defect.
Include available information about ladders, stairs, hatches, fixed access systems, edge protection, mansafe or fall-restraint systems, fragile roof areas, rooflights, internal access restrictions and any known load limitations.
The information should also identify what is not verified. For example, an old drawing showing a roof walkway does not prove the walkway is still serviceable. The commercial roof access strategy guide provides a separate framework for examining access before routine inspection, maintenance or construction activity.
HSE’s asbestos guidance states that clients on CDM projects must provide information held or reasonably obtained about the presence, type and condition of asbestos. For roofing work, this can be particularly important where fibre-cement sheeting, insulation products, coatings, soffits, gutters, service enclosures or other building materials may be disturbed.
Do not assume that an asbestos register is automatically sufficient for the work being planned. The information needs to be relevant to the areas and materials that may be affected. If existing records do not cover intrusive roof work, the client may need specialist advice or a more suitable survey before the scope is finalised.
Where asbestos roofing is already known to be part of the property, the site’s commercial asbestos roof repair service information can provide context for professional repair enquiries, but project-specific asbestos information still needs to be established before work is planned.
Provide information about rooftop HVAC units, ducts, vents, flues, cable routes, solar equipment, aerials, extraction systems, pipework, lightning protection and other services that could affect access, design or sequencing. Where systems require isolation or specialist attendance, identify who controls them.
Penetrations also matter because they can affect waterproofing details and leak diagnosis. A roof plan that shows plant locations and known service routes can reduce the risk of these features being discovered only after mobilisation.
Include available structural drawings, known deck type, previous structural assessments, loading restrictions and information about planned changes that could add weight or alter the roof. If new plant, solar PV, heavier coverings or significant build-up changes are proposed, the appropriate structural input may need to be obtained before a final system is selected.
Provide roof drainage layouts where available, including gutters, outlets, downpipes, internal drains, overflows and known problem areas. Historic blockage or overflow information can be useful, particularly where the refurbishment scope may alter insulation thickness, roof levels or outlet detailing.
Explain how the building is used and which activities cannot be interrupted. A live factory, food-production facility, school, healthcare building, warehouse or retail site can each impose different restrictions on access, noise, dust, odour, temporary openings, deliveries and working hours.
Also identify sensitive internal areas, critical equipment, public routes, fire exits, loading bays and any areas that must remain weatherproof throughout the project. These constraints can influence both the proposed roofing system and the construction sequence.
Provide available information about site access, vehicle routes, delivery restrictions, crane or lifting positions, parking, storage, security, emergency arrangements, welfare facilities and coordination with other contractors or building users.
The objective is not to write the contractor’s logistics plan. It is to give contractors enough site information to understand the constraints they need to plan around.
More information is not automatically better information. HSE states that pre-construction information should be clear, concise, understandable and presented in a convenient form. Sending hundreds of pages without identifying what is relevant can make critical information harder to find.
A stronger pack has a clear index, a short project brief and identifiable source documents. Each document should have a title, date and status where possible. If an old drawing is unverified, label it as such. If an asbestos record covers only certain areas, make the limitation visible. If a roof survey is superseded by a newer inspection, identify which record should be relied upon.
A practical index can group material under headings such as project brief, roof information, surveys, asbestos, access, structure, services, operations, logistics and existing health and safety file information.
HSE’s CDM guidance says designers and contractors seeking appointment should receive enough information at a time that allows them to prepare a bid with a clear understanding of the nature of the work. For commercial roof procurement, this is one of the strongest reasons to assemble PCI before prices are requested.
If one contractor receives a detailed roof survey and another prices from a short email, the quotations are not based on the same project information. Different bidders may then make different assumptions about access, asbestos, insulation, strip-out, hidden defects or working hours.
The existing industrial roofing tender pack checklist is the natural next step once the underlying project information has been assembled. PCI establishes the relevant project and risk information; the tender pack organises the commercial and technical request so bidders can respond against a common brief.
Missing information should not be hidden inside vague assumptions. Record the gap, explain why it matters and decide how it will be closed. Some gaps can be dealt with by asking the building owner or maintenance team for records. Others may require a competent survey, opening-up, asbestos investigation, structural advice or specialist testing.
A useful status system is simple:
Pause the procurement or mobilisation process when a missing item falls into the last category. A contractor can price some uncertainty through provisional sums, but uncertainty about safe access, asbestos, structural integrity or fundamental roof condition should not simply be converted into a commercial allowance without considering the safety and design implications.
Assuming old drawings are current. Historic drawings can be useful, but later repairs, overlays, plant installations and access changes may mean the existing roof no longer matches them.
Sending an asbestos register without checking relevance. The information must relate to the work being planned. A register that excludes inaccessible or intrusive areas may not answer the question the roofing project creates.
Leaving access planning entirely to the winning bidder. Access information can materially affect price, design and contractor structure. Known constraints should be disclosed before tender.
Using leak reports as a substitute for a condition assessment. Leak location does not always identify the roof defect or extent of deterioration.
Hiding unknowns to make the tender look complete. Clearly stated uncertainty is more useful than false certainty. The project team can then decide whether to investigate before tender or price the remaining uncertainty transparently.
Issuing PCI only after appointment. Contractors bidding for work need enough information to understand the nature of the project before they price it.
Pre-construction information is not finished the moment the tender is issued. Surveys, design development, opening-up and contractor queries can all produce new information. HSE expects the information to be gathered and added to as the project progresses towards construction.
The project team should therefore maintain a controlled set of current information rather than several competing versions. When a new survey supersedes an older assumption, update the pack or issue a clear revision. When a design change introduces a new penetration, access requirement or loading issue, make sure the relevant people receive that information.
This approach also improves project close-out. Information created and verified during the work can feed into the health and safety file, operation and maintenance records and future maintenance planning rather than being lost in email chains.
Start with a short project brief, then build a document index around the information that already exists. Review each item for relevance, date and limitations. Separate confirmed facts from assumptions and create an explicit information-gap list.
Where roof condition, access or construction is uncertain, arrange the appropriate survey or specialist input before asking contractors to make assumptions that could change the project materially. On a multi-contractor project, involve the principal designer early enough to help identify and coordinate the information designers and contractors need.
When the PCI pack is ready for tender, issue the same relevant information to bidders and keep a record of revisions or clarifications. A good tender response should then be able to identify its assumptions and explain any further investigation needed before the construction scope is finalised.
If you need the roof condition or likely scope clarified before assembling the tender information, you can send the project details to Industrial Roofing Services to discuss the appropriate survey or roofing service.
Pre-construction information gives designers and contractors the project knowledge they need before industrial roof work is designed, priced and planned. The client has the main duty to provide it, and the principal designer helps bring it together on projects involving more than one contractor.
For commercial roof projects, a useful PCI pack normally covers the project brief, existing roof construction, condition, access, fragile surfaces, asbestos, structure, plant and services, drainage, occupancy, logistics and relevant existing health and safety information. The pack should also make its own limitations visible.
The objective is not to produce the largest possible document. It is to provide relevant, proportionate and understandable information early enough to influence design, tendering and safe project planning. Where important information is missing, record the gap and resolve it before uncertainty becomes a site problem.
It is relevant project information already held by the client or reasonably obtainable by or on the client’s behalf. It should be appropriately detailed and proportionate to the project’s risks.
The client has the main duty to provide it. On projects involving more than one contractor, the principal designer must help and advise the client in bringing the information together.
It can continue to develop as the project progresses, but bidders should receive enough information to understand the nature of the work and prepare a meaningful bid. Important gaps should be identified rather than concealed.
Yes, where relevant. HSE guidance states that pre-construction information for CDM projects includes information held or reasonably obtained about the presence, type and condition of asbestos. The existing information should be checked against the work proposed.
Yes, where it is relevant to the work. Known access routes, fragile areas, rooflights, edge protection, internal restrictions and access-system limitations can materially affect how the project is designed, priced and carried out.
Record the information gap and assess whether it could affect safety, design, price or programme. If it could, arrange the appropriate investigation rather than allowing each bidder to make a different assumption.
No. They overlap, but they serve different functions. PCI provides relevant project and health and safety information. A tender pack can use that information alongside scope, commercial requirements and response instructions to obtain comparable bids.
