Trace Basements & Trace Remedial Building Services

04/09/2026

Great project to be involved with ✅

26/04/2026

BS8102 advises that a Waterproofing Designer should be appointed. Is getting free advice from a supplier who takes no design liability a contractual appointment?

We have great relationships with many suppliers but you get what you pay for and without liability, attention will be limited in my experience (25 years of basement troubleshooting).

Where suppliers take design responsibility, now you have spilt liabilities with the installer, and that in my experience is bad for the client when issues occur. I have seen this even where the supplier has recommended the installer!

We are seeing independent waterproofing designers now recognising that they can take the design to a point (RIBA stage 4) but that specialist designer contractors (like Trace) complete the detailed design and implement.

This is because we have the direct feedback of doing it, of making it work on site, of seeing what works. Suppliers may have concerns that a company like Trace may break their specifications, most suppliers have their own versions of the same materials and with appropriate design you can mostly make it work, but we’re not going to accept risk for us (client and design team by extension) for the sake of a few £ of materials.

I often say/think that we run two businesses at Trace Basements, one is a design house, the other is contracting. We take design responsibility on our PI insurance and avoid split liabilities by also installing.

Happy to either be appointed and act as your Waterproofing Designer as per BS8102, or to vet any designs you may receive.

15/04/2026

More staff successfully qualified in structural waterproofing to NVQ level ✅

Another reason to work with Trace.

01/02/2026

Had some fun getting involved with this, give it a watch and let us know what you think!

After everything was ruined by the floods, this is my last chance to rescue my garden and hopefully build what I’ve wanted my entire life.The future of the p...

22/01/2026

Pleased to say that we are appointed as Waterproofing Designers to deliver stage 4 design on Wigan Councils, grade 2* listed Haigh Hall refurbishment project.

This continues Trace Basements specialism in sympathetic design for protection within buildings of historic significance.

12/11/2025

On this insurance project we’re dealing with water damage resulting from introduction of substantial water to put the fire out, profiling the extent of water damage and making recommendations for remediation.