Whether you’re opening your first dental practice, relocating or refurbishing an existing surgery, choosing the right builder is one of the most important decisions you’ll make.
A dental practice is unlike most commercial spaces. Behind the welcoming interiors lies a complex clinical environment requiring specialist equipment, plumbing, electrical services, ventilation and careful consideration of regulatory requirements.
At Hague Dental, we believe you should have the freedom to choose who builds your practice and how your project is delivered. Our role is to help you make informed decisions, understand your responsibilities and ensure the design, equipment and construction elements work together.
That’s why we offer a flexible approach, with three different ways to deliver your project.
Why choosing a dental-specialist builder matters
Building a dental practice involves considerably more than creating attractive treatment rooms.
Everything from dental chair positioning and cabinetry to suction systems, compressed air, plumbing and digital imaging equipment must be carefully coordinated.
Even small oversights can have significant consequences. Incorrectly positioned services, insufficient maintenance access or poorly planned decontamination facilities can lead to unexpected costs and delays.
An experienced dental-specialist builder understands these challenges and knows which questions to ask before construction begins.
They’ll also appreciate the demands of working within an operational practice, where minimising disruption to patients and staff is often essential.
This is why we’ve developed relationships with trusted construction partners who understand the particular requirements of a successful dental build.
Understanding your responsibilities: What is CDM?
Before appointing a builder, it’s important to understand your legal responsibilities.
The Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, known as CDM, apply to construction projects of all sizes, including dental practice refurbishments.
If you’re commissioning building work for your practice, you’re considered a commercial client under CDM, with responsibilities for ensuring the project is properly planned and managed.
For projects involving more than one contractor, two important appointments are required:
Principal Designer: Responsible for planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating health and safety during the pre-construction phase, including identifying and managing foreseeable design risks.
Principal Contractor: Responsible for planning, managing, monitoring and coordinating health and safety during construction, including site safety and the activities of contractors.
How Hague can help
As your design partner, Hague Dental can be formally appointed as Principal Designer, where appropriate, helping coordinate design-related health and safety requirements and the associated risk assessments.
We can also introduce experienced construction partners who can undertake the Principal Contractor role.
Although appointing these professionals doesn’t remove all your legal responsibilities, it helps ensure competent people are managing the relevant aspects of your project.
Read more in our guide to CDM regulations.
Why compliance starts with good design
Alongside construction safety, dental practices must meet a range of clinical and operational requirements, including those assessed by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) in England.
Surgery layouts, decontamination workflows, accessibility and equipment specifications all influence how safely and efficiently your practice operates.
Radiation Protection Advisers (RPA) advise on safety and legal compliance when working with ionising radiation (such as X-ray equipment).
Addressing these considerations after construction can be costly and disruptive.
At Hague, we encourage clients to involve specialist dental designers and equipment planners from the earliest stages, integrating compliance considerations into the design rather than trying to resolve problems later.
As highlighted in The Probe’s article, Why Getting CQC Ready Starts on Day One, early planning provides a stronger foundation for a successful practice.
Three ways to deliver your construction project
Every project is different. Some clients prefer a fully coordinated service, while others want greater control over their building contract.
At Hague, we support three approaches.
Option 1: A fully coordinated turnkey project through Hague Dental
Ideal for clients who want a joined-up service with fewer separate parties to manage.
Our turnkey approach brings design, dental equipment, technical planning and construction together under one coordinated dental build project.
Hague contracts with one of our preferred specialist builders, with project management included within the agreed scope.
The benefits include:
One coordinated approach: Design, equipment and construction teams work to an agreed programme.
Clearer accountability: Hague provides a central point of contact and manages the agreed project delivery.
Reduced coordination risks: Specialist services and equipment installations are planned together, helping avoid costly alterations.
Experienced builders: Our construction partners understand dental environments and their technical requirements.
Competitive costs: We can obtain and review appropriate quotations to help achieve value for money.
Flexible working: Where practical, construction can be scheduled outside normal practice hours to minimise disruption.
Option 2: Appoint one of our recommended dental-specialist builders directly
Ideal for clients who want a direct relationship with their builder while benefiting from Hague’s specialist network.
You may prefer to contract directly with a builder rather than have the construction work included within Hague’s contract.
We’re happy to support this approach.
We can introduce trusted, independent construction partners experienced in dental build projects, allowing you to review their proposals and choose the company that best suits your needs.
Because we already have established working relationships, communication and technical coordination can often be more straightforward.
Hague can continue providing design, equipment planning, technical coordination and installation services, with additional project coordination where agreed.
Your builder remains responsible for delivering their construction contract and fulfilling their applicable CDM duties.
This provides a balance between independence and professional support.
Option 3: Appoint your own independent builder
Ideal for clients who already have a trusted contractor and are comfortable taking greater responsibility for coordinating their project.
You may have a builder you’ve worked with previously, and we understand the appeal of using someone you know.
However, we’d encourage caution when appointing contractors without dental-specific experience.
Even an excellent general builder may be unfamiliar with specialist equipment requirements, clinical services and the sequencing of installations.
We would generally recommend appointing a dental-specialist builder, particularly for more complex dental build projects.
If you choose your own contractor, Hague can still provide design services, equipment specifications, technical information and coordination relating to the products and services we supply.
However, we would not manage your independently appointed builder or take responsibility for their construction activities.
You’ll need to ensure suitable construction management and CDM arrangements are in place, with clear responsibilities agreed before work begins.
Why doesn’t Hague employ its own builders?
The answer is simple: we believe our clients should have genuine choice.
Rather than employing a permanent workforce of construction trades, we’ve developed relationships with independent specialist contractors.
This allows us to recommend builders based on the location, scale, requirements and budget of each project, rather than directing work towards our own employees.
It also encourages a competitive approach, allowing us to consider different proposals and help clients achieve the right balance of quality, experience and cost.
Meanwhile, Hague can focus on our specialist expertise in dental practice design, equipment planning, technical coordination and installation.
Ultimately, we’re working on your behalf, not pushing you towards a particular builder.
Your project, your choice, our support
There’s no single construction approach that suits every dental practice.
The right decision depends on your project’s complexity, budget and how involved you’d like to be.
Whichever route you choose, we’d encourage you to look beyond the initial quotation. Experience, communication, attention to detail and clear responsibilities can make an enormous difference to the outcome.
For over 30 years, Hague Dental has helped dental professionals create beautifully designed, practical and efficient practices.
Whether you choose our turnkey service, appoint a recommended specialist builder directly or work with your own contractor, we’re here to help you make informed decisions.
Because successful dental build projects begin with the right planning, the right people and everyone understanding their responsibilities.
Talk to our team about your project.
