About Trace

Our company was founded in 1974. as North West Damp Proof Services Ltd. initially specialising in damp proofing and timber treatments, however today we trade as Trace Basement Systems and Trace Remedial Building Services, working on a wider variety of specialist preservation and basement waterproofing activities, in a wider area than Manchester & North West England.

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Our Timeline

1974

Trace began life in 1974, established by George and Julia Hockey as ‘North West Damp Proof Services’. Today, the company is still registered under the same name in Companies House, providing uninterrupted, innovative, high quality basement waterproofing services throughout five decades.

1980

Having expanded and now trading as ‘Trace Remedial Building Services’, our founder, George Hockey, was Instrumental in setting up GPT (now GPI) protecting homeowners against contractors issuing long term guarantees then going out of business: ‘A landmark in consumer protection’ as stated by The Director General of the Office of Fair Trading. Mr. Hockey served on the boards of GPT and GPI for 14 years as a renowned technical expert.

1990

Integral to bringing ground breaking innovations to the UK waterproofing market from overseas, no other company in the UK has successfully used drainage channels for as long as we have. We first achieved the BS EN ISO:9001 quality management system certification in 1991 and we genuinely believe that we were the first company in our sector to obtain this.

1998

In 1998 we linked up with Basement Systems, an American basement waterproofing manufacturer, pioneering the use of innovations such as the drainage channel system; which significantly changed the industry and was subsequently copied by every UK waterproofing material manufacturer.

2001

In 2001, after university and a stint working for Basement Systems in America, James Hockey (son of) joined the business; followed by David Hockey (son of) in 2009, after working in private practice as an MRICS Chartered Building Surveyor.

2005

In 2005 we began working with Structural Warranty provider ­NHBC insurance, dealing with failed waterproofing in new construction. With confidence we can state that we have greater experience of this specialised area of service than any other waterproofing firm in the UK.

2011

We were commissioned to re-write the basement waterproofing requirements within the Premier Guarantees & LABC Insurance technical manuals in 2011, stipulating standards builders have to meet to obtain insurance cover - a mortgage lenders’ requirement in new-build houses.

NHBC then followed suit, updating their literature as we were invited to re-write the CRL insurance manual. Post implementation, NHBC and Premier Guarantees reported reduced system failures and associated claims.

2021

Today, James & David run the business as George and Julia are retired. We are a proud, family-owned-and-run business (second generation) who constantly strive for excellence. We have undertaken over 50,000 surveys and completed 18,000+ projects to date. If we had completed one scheme every day it would have taken us approximately 49 years to achieve.

This year we are proud to serve on the 2021 update panel to revise British Standard 8102 Code of Practice for protection of below ground structures against water from the ground; the main design guide for UK structural waterproofing.

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