Downtown Brooklyn Masonry
Masonry in Downtown Brooklyn
Brick, block and stone repair for older commercial buildings, converted office buildings and row houses near Borough Hall, Jay Street and Adams Street.
- Facades, parapets, lintels and entrance walls
- Repairs matched to the existing masonry
- Written price after a free visit
What Masonry Problems Show Up in Downtown Brooklyn?
On the older commercial buildings, the main problems are failing facade brick, loose or cracked stone trim, rusted steel lintels above windows and deteriorated parapets. On the few row house blocks, chimneys, cheek walls and areaway walls lead the list. All of them let water into the structure.
Downtown Brooklyn is dominated by towers, but a good number of older buildings remain, including office buildings converted into apartments. Their masonry is now a century old, and it was built to shed water in ways modern walls do not.
- Rusting lintels pushing brick outward
- Parapets leaning or losing coping
- Cracked or spalled stone trim
- Bulging sections of brick facade
- Chimneys with crumbling top courses
- Areaway walls with open joints
Lintels are a hidden one. When the steel above a window rusts, it swells and pushes the brick above it, cracking the wall from inside. The sign is a stair step crack running up from the window corner.
Cracks or Loose Brick on Your Downtown Building?
Describe what you see and how high it is. We will plan a visit and tell you what it needs.
How We Fix It
How Do You Repair Masonry on an Older Downtown Building?
We find the cause first, usually water. Then we remove failed material, replace rusted steel where needed, rebuild the brick or stone and finish with mortar matched to the wall. The repair should hold the building together and look like part of it.
Height and street access shape every job here. Work above the sidewalk needs pedestrian protection, and tall walls need scaffold or a swing stage. We plan the equipment, the sidewalk shed and the permits before we give the price.
Structural masonry, such as a rebuilt parapet or a lintel replacement, may need engineer involvement. When it does, we work from the engineer's scope.
What Approvals Apply to Masonry Work in Downtown Brooklyn?
Several can. Buildings taller than six stories fall under Local Law 11, the facade inspection program. Structural masonry work generally needs a Department of Buildings permit. Landmarked buildings and the Borough Hall Skyscraper Historic District can require Landmarks Preservation Commission approval. Confirm current rules with the city.
Local Law 11 inspections happen every five years for these taller buildings. A report can list conditions that must be repaired, and masonry contractors carry out that work. We keep records of what was done.
Sidewalk sheds and any work that occupies the public sidewalk have their own DOT and DOB rules. We handle DOT sidewalk permits for the jobs we do, and DOB permits when needed.
Should I Repair or Rebuild a Section of Wall?
Repair when the damage is local and the wall behind is sound. Rebuild when brick is loose across a large area, the wall is bulging, or the steel behind it has failed. A partial repair on a wall that keeps moving will fail again next to the patch.
The visit is where we decide. We look at how the wall bonds to the structure behind it, how much moisture it holds and how the brick sounds when tapped. Then we recommend the smallest repair that will last.
Every scope is written down, including what is not included. That makes it easy for a managing agent or an owner to compare against any other bid.
What Should You Check Before a Facade or Parapet Job Starts?
Check who is responsible, what permits and inspections apply, how pedestrians will be protected and what the scope includes. Facade and parapet jobs affect the sidewalk below, so the plan needs to cover safety, access and paperwork before any brick is touched.
Start with the record. Ask for any prior inspection report, past repair invoices and drawings. They show what was done and what has been flagged, and they save time at the visit.
Then ask about protection. Falling debris is the biggest risk on any elevated brick job, so netting, sheds and barricades should be part of the plan. Where the work overhangs the public sidewalk, city permits and rules apply.
Finally, ask about coordination with tenants. Noise, dust and scaffold at windows affect people inside. A written schedule that names the work areas and dates lets a managing agent give tenants fair notice. Owners of older buildings also do well to keep one folder with permits, reports and photos from every job.
How Do You Choose Between Brick, Stone and Block for a Repair?
You match what is already there. Brick is repaired with brick of the right size, color and hardness. Stone trim is repaired with the same stone type or a close match. Block is common in rear and side walls. A mismatched material looks wrong and often wears unevenly.
Old brick varies in hardness. Soft, low fired brick needs a softer mortar, and hard modern brick needs a stronger one. Getting this wrong makes the wall fail faster, so we test before we order material.
Stone repair can be a patch, a replacement piece or a rebuilt section. Patches suit small chips. Cracked through pieces are better replaced. We show you options and their trade offs.
Sourcing takes time. Matching brick may mean salvage yards or special orders, so tell us early if you have a deadline, such as a sale or an inspection date.
Why Us
Why Downtown Brooklyn Owners Call Us
25+ years on New York City sites
Old brick and stone are work we have done for a long time.
Licensed and insured
Construction, injury and workers compensation coverage are in place.
Permits and records handled
We file the permits our jobs need and keep the records for you.
Nearby
Masonry Contractor Near Downtown Brooklyn
We do masonry in the neighborhoods around Downtown Brooklyn too.
FAQ
Downtown Brooklyn Masonry Questions
Pointing replaces mortar in the joints. Masonry repair covers replacing or rebuilding brick, stone and structural parts such as lintels and parapets. Many jobs include both.
Yes. The brick above is supported, the old steel is removed, and new steel or another support is set. Some of these jobs need an engineer and a DOB permit.
Buildings taller than six stories generally do. Your managing agent or a facade inspector can confirm. Check current requirements with the city.
We match color, size and texture as closely as we can and show samples before the work goes up.
Small repairs take days, larger rebuilds take longer. When a DOT permit is part of the job, plan for about one to two weeks.
Yes. Call (718) 468-8803 to book a visit. The estimate is written and free.
Free on site estimate
Repair Your Downtown Brooklyn Masonry
A free visit, a written scope and a crew that handles the permits.
Contact
Describe Your Downtown Brooklyn Masonry Job
Give us the address, the height and the damage you see. Photos of the wall help us plan the 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.