Manhattan Repointing Contractor
Brick Pointing in Manhattan, NY
Mortar joints cut out and refilled on townhouses, pre war apartment buildings, rear walls and parapets, with landmark rules and access planned before work starts.
- Townhouses, co ops and walk ups
- Landmark and facade rules explained
- Free visit with a written scope
What Makes Repointing in Manhattan Different?
Manhattan repointing is mostly about access and rules. Buildings are tall, lots are narrow, sidewalks are busy, and many blocks sit in historic districts. The mortar work itself is the same craft, but scaffold, sidewalk protection, landmark approval and building board schedules shape how a job is planned.
Most Manhattan facades are brick, stone or a mix of both. Many walls were laid in lime mortar long ago and patched with harder cement mixes since. Those patches can do damage to the older brick around them.
The work at street level also has to protect passersby. Sidewalk sheds and barriers are part of many jobs, and the city has rules for them, so check current requirements before work starts.
Townhouses
How Do You Repoint a Manhattan Townhouse?
A townhouse is repointed wall by wall, with the front, rear and any side walls scoped separately. Brownstone and limestone fronts are stone and get stone joint work. Brick sections get ordinary repointing. A mason checks each material first, since a wrong mortar can stain or damage the face.
Rows of townhouses run through the Upper West Side, Upper East Side, Greenwich Village, Harlem and Chelsea. Fronts in brownstone (sandstone) or limestone face the street. Rear and side walls are often brick and are exposed to weather with little shelter.
If the stone or brick itself is cracked or loose, that is a repair job for our Manhattan masonry service, sometimes done alongside the pointing.
Do Manhattan Historic Districts Require Approval for Repointing?
They can. Manhattan has many designated historic districts, and facade work, including changes to mortar color, joint width and material, can need Landmarks Preservation Commission approval. Interior work does not. Check with the LPC for your address before any facade job starts, because rules depend on the building and the work.
Historic districts include Greenwich Village, the East Village, Chelsea, Tribeca, SoHo, Harlem, Hamilton Heights, the Upper West Side, the Upper East Side, Murray Hill, Gramercy Park, Carnegie Hill and Morningside Heights, among others. Many blocks elsewhere are not landmarked.
Where approval applies, a small sample area and a written scope help the review. We can prepare that with you and plan the schedule around it.
Does Local Law 11 Apply to My Manhattan Building?
Local Law 11, the Facade Inspection and Safety Program, applies to buildings taller than six stories, which covers a large share of Manhattan apartment and commercial buildings. We do the repairs, not the inspection. Confirm your filing cycle and requirements with the Department of Buildings.
Repointing is often part of the repair scope after an inspection, along with parapet, lintel and loose brick work. A townhouse under six stories is generally outside the program, though its owner may still want the joints kept in shape.
Sidewalk sheds tied to facade work are a familiar sight. Good planning helps keep the time they stay up as short as the work allows.
Step by Step
How Does a Manhattan Repointing Job Work?
A mason inspects the facade and you get a written scope, with any approvals identified. Access and sidewalk protection go up, failing mortar is cut out, the joints are cleaned and new mortar is packed and tooled. The wall is protected while it cures.
Facade review
Front, rear, parapet and any courtyards are checked for open joints and loose brick.
Scope and approvals
You get a written scope, and we flag any DOB, LPC or board requirements.
Access
Scaffold, lift or swing stage and sidewalk protection are arranged.
Cut out
Old mortar comes out to a sound depth without chipping brick.
Repoint and protect
New mortar is packed in layers, tooled and shielded while it sets.
Pricing
What Affects Repointing Cost in Manhattan?
Cost depends on wall area, building height, access and sidewalk protection, mortar matching, brick condition and approvals. A townhouse rear wall and a full apartment building elevation are very different jobs. We price each one in writing after a free look.
Wall area and height
Taller facades need scaffold, lift or swing stage access.
Sidewalk protection
Busy sidewalks add shed or barrier work.
Mortar and material match
Old brick and stone take extra care and sample panels.
Approvals
LPC review, DOB permits and board rules add planning time.
Every Manhattan repointing job gets a written price after a free look at the facade.
Request Your QuoteNeighborhoods
Manhattan Neighborhoods We Repoint In
Find your neighborhood to see the kinds of buildings and walls we work on there.
- Alphabet City
- Battery Park City
- Carnegie Hill
- Chelsea
- Chinatown
- Civic Center
- East Harlem
- East Village
- Financial District
- Flatiron District
- Gramercy Park
- Greenwich Village
- Hamilton Heights
- Harlem
- Hudson Heights
- Hudson Square
- Inwood
- Kips Bay
- Koreatown
- Lenox Hill
- Lincoln Square
- Little Italy
- Lower East Side
- Manhattan Valley
- Marble Hill
- Meatpacking District
- Midtown
- Midtown East
- Midtown South
- Morningside Heights
- Murray Hill
- NoHo
- Nolita
- Roosevelt Island
- SoHo
- South Harlem
- Stuyvesant Town
- Sutton Place
- Theater District
- Tribeca
- Two Bridges
- Union Square
- Upper East Side
- Upper West Side
- Washington Heights
- West Harlem
- West Village
- Yorkville
No neighborhood matches that name. Call (718) 468-8803 and we will tell you if we cover your block.
Other Boroughs
Brick Pointing Outside Manhattan
Read the citywide brick pointing page for owners with several buildings, or the main brick pointing page.
Mortar chosen for the wall
Old lime laid brick and newer hard brick get different mixes.
Licensed and insured
Construction, injury and workers compensation insurance on every job, including work at height.
25+ years in NYC
More than 25 years of work on New York townhouses and apartment buildings.
FAQ
Manhattan Brick Pointing Questions
Only if it is landmarked or in a historic district, and even then it depends on the work. Changes to mortar color or joint style are the usual concern. Check with the LPC for your address.
Yes. Many owners start with the rear because it takes so much weather. Landmark rules can cover rear walls too, so check first. The scope is written by wall so you can choose.
No. A brownstone is sandstone, so joint work on it is done with materials that suit the stone. The brick sections of the house get regular repointing.
It depends on the height and how the work sits over the sidewalk. We plan protection into the scope. Check current city rules for sheds and barriers.
If your building is taller than six stories, repairs from a facade inspection may include repointing. We do the repair work, and your engineer handles the inspection and filing.
Yes. We serve the neighborhoods listed on this page. Call (718) 468-8803 or send the form for a free visit.
Free on site estimate
Get Your Manhattan Facade Reviewed
Send your address and where you see open joints or leaks. We will visit and put the scope in writing.
Contact
Request a Manhattan Repointing Estimate
Tell us the address, building type and what you see on the walls. We will call to set up a free visit.
- Call us(718) 468-8803
- HoursMon to Sat, 9:00 AM to 6:00 PM
- Free on site estimate with a written price
- Licensed and insured, 25+ years in business
- We handle DOT sidewalk permits
- Serving Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens and the Bronx
Get Your Free Estimate
Takes about a minute. No cost and no obligation.