Facade Repair & Replacement

We help architects and engineers carry out facade inspections, then repair and replace what they find. Altius CM works on brick, stone, concrete, stucco and EIFS facades across New York City, from a single building’s pointing and lintels to multi-building restoration programs. Most of that work starts with a Local Law 11 / FISP report, and the job is to turn the inspector’s findings into a permitted, finished repair.

What triggers facade repair in NYC?

For buildings taller than six stories, the usual trigger is the Facade Inspection and Safety Program (FISP), created by Local Law 11 and governed by NYC Construction Code §28-302.1 and 1 RCNY §103-04. A Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI), a licensed architect or engineer, examines the exterior walls and classifies the facade Safe, SWARMP or Unsafe. Source: NYC DOB, Facade & Local Law.

• SWARMP means the wall is safe today but needs repair or maintenance before the next cycle. Left uncorrected, it has to be reported as Unsafe next time.
• Unsafe means public protection goes up immediately, and the condition must be corrected within 90 days of the report being filed. DOB can grant extensions, and the QEWI files an amended report once the repair is done.

Other triggers are leaks traced back to the wall, a failed parapet, or an owner who wants to get ahead of the next cycle. Our guide on how to read a FISP report explains each classification in detail.

What does Altius CM repair?

• Brick masonry: repointing, brick replacement, stitching and corner reconstruction
• Steel and stone lintels and shelf angles: refurbishment or replacement, with waterproofing
• Stone panel crack, joint and deterioration repair
• Window sill pinning, window sealant and full-building recaulking
• Slab edge restoration and balcony concrete repair
• Parapet and coping repair and reconstruction (see parapet repair)
• EIFS restoration and installation and stucco replacement

Who does what on a FISP job?

The QEWI inspects, classifies, signs and files the report. Altius CM is not the inspector of record. We help the architect or engineer carry out the inspection, with rope access, scaffolding and hands-on probes (see FISP inspection support). Then we price and perform the repairs the report calls for, and coordinate with the QEWI so the amended filing can go in once the work is complete.

How does a facade restoration job run?

1. Scope from the report. We work from the QEWI’s findings and drawings to price the repair, and flag where conditions behind the wall can’t be known until it’s opened up.
2. Public protection and access. Sidewalk sheds, suspended scaffolds or rope access, chosen for the building rather than out of habit. See scaffolding, sheds and rope access.
3. Permits and deadlines. Repair work is filed with DOB. For sheds first permitted on or after January 12, 2026, Local Law 51 adds milestone deadlines: complete construction documents within 5 months, a permit application within 8 months, and finished repairs within 2 years. See our Local Law 51 guide.
4. Repairs. Masonry, lintels, sealant and the rest, sequenced elevation by elevation.
5. Closeout. The QEWI re-inspects and files the amended report, and the shed can come down.

Our work in this area

• The Armory, 529 West 42nd Street: a $3M+ FISP 9 facade restoration covering parapet reconstruction, brick stitching, corner reconstruction, stone and steel lintels, shelf angle refurbishment and terrace cast stone coping.
• 1 Rector Park: FISP Cycle 10A facade repairs in Battery Park City, with a sidewalk shed and site safety plan.
• Kips Bay Complex: 8 structures, slab edge restoration, 80,000 LF of sealant replacement and 460 balconies repaired and waterproofed.
• Peter Cooper Village: 21 structures and 238,000 sq ft of pointing, with up to 168 suspended scaffolds running at once.

For how jobs like these are budgeted, see Budgeting a facade restoration in NYC. The full list of documented facade work is on our Local Law 11 page.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Altius CM perform the FISP inspection? No. A QEWI, a licensed architect or engineer, conducts the inspection and signs and files the report. We support the inspection with access and probes, then do the repairs.

What’s the difference between facade repair and facade replacement? Repair addresses specific damaged areas, such as spalled brick, failed sealant, or corroded lintels and shelf angles. Replacement removes and rebuilds larger sections of the wall. Most Local Law 11 work is repair-scale.

How long do I have to fix an Unsafe condition? Under 1 RCNY §103-04, the condition must be corrected within 90 days of the report being filed, with public protection in place immediately. DOB can grant extensions on application by the QEWI.