Manhattan Masonry Contractor
Masonry Contractor in Manhattan, NY
Brick, limestone, brownstone and block repaired or rebuilt on townhouses, pre war apartment buildings and storefront buildings, with permits and approvals planned up front.
- Facades, parapets, lintels and areaway walls
- DOB and landmark rules explained
- Free visit and a written price
What Masonry Work Do Manhattan Buildings Need?
Manhattan buildings most often need parapets rebuilt, cracked or loose brick replaced, failed steel lintels swapped out, stone sills and coping repaired, and stoop and areaway walls rebuilt. Facade repair lists on taller buildings often bring several of these together in one project.
The borough is packed with old masonry. Brownstone and limestone townhouses, brick pre war apartment buildings and mixed use walk ups have all seen decades of rain, freezing and rusting hardware. Repairs are often planned around neighbors, sidewalks and building rules as much as the wall.
If only your joints are worn and the brick is sound, look at our Manhattan brick pointing service. Masonry repair handles the units, the steel and the structure behind them.
Brownstone and Limestone
How Are Brownstone and Limestone Fronts Repaired in Manhattan?
Brownstone is sandstone, and limestone is a different stone, so neither is repaired like brick. Flaking faces are patched or replaced piece by piece with material that suits the stone. A mason checks why the stone is failing, since water behind it is a common cause.
Townhouse stoops, cornices, lintels and window sills are the parts most often repaired. On landmarked buildings, changes to these features can need Landmarks Preservation Commission approval, so the work is planned with that in mind.
- Flaking or layering brownstone face
- Cracked limestone lintels and sills
- Loose stoop cheek walls
- Crumbling areaway walls
- Rust stains around window heads
- Cornice stones that have shifted
Why Do Steel Lintels Fail in Pre War Manhattan Buildings?
Steel lintels carry the brick over windows and doors, and in pre war buildings they were often built into the wall with little protection. Water reaches the steel, it rusts and expands, and the swelling pushes the brick and stone above it apart. The result is cracks and bulges at the window head.
Because lintels sit inside the wall, you often see the damage before you see the steel. Stair step cracks, rust stains and bowed brick over openings are the signs. The fix means supporting the wall, replacing the steel and relaying the masonry above it.
Similar failures happen at shelf angles on taller buildings. Those are engineer led repairs, and we work from the scope they provide.
What Permits Do Manhattan Masonry Jobs Need?
It depends on the work and the building. Structural repairs such as lintel replacement and facade work often need a Department of Buildings permit, and landmarked buildings need Landmarks Preservation Commission approval for exterior changes. Confirm current rules with the city for your address.
Manhattan has many historic districts, including Greenwich Village, the East Village, Chelsea, Tribeca, the Upper West Side and the Upper East Side, Harlem and Hamilton Heights. Most exterior masonry on those blocks is worth checking with the LPC before work starts.
Local Law 11 requires buildings taller than six stories to have their facades inspected every five years. We do the masonry repairs an inspection calls for, not the inspection or filing.
Step by Step
How Does a Manhattan Masonry Job Work?
A mason inspects the wall and you receive a written scope, with permits identified. Filings and sidewalk protection come next. Then the damaged brick, stone or steel is removed, new material is set and the wall is finished and cleaned.
Inspect and probe
A mason checks the wall, the openings and what sits behind the face.
Scope and permits
The price lists each repair, the material and any DOB or LPC needs.
Access and protection
Scaffold or a lift and sidewalk protection are arranged.
Remove and rebuild
Failed masonry and steel come out and new material is set true.
Finish
Joints, copings and cleanup are completed.
Pricing
What Affects Masonry Cost in Manhattan?
Cost depends on the size of the repair, building height, access and sidewalk protection, material matching, structural steel and approvals. A single stoop wall and a full elevation rebuild are far apart, so each Manhattan job is priced in writing after a free visit.
Size of the repair
A few units differ greatly from a full elevation.
Height and access
Scaffold, lift and sidewalk protection add planning.
Material matching
Brownstone, limestone and old brick take care to match.
Structural work
Lintels and bearing walls add labor and engineering.
Approvals
DOB, LPC and FISP related work shape the schedule.
Every Manhattan masonry job gets a written scope and price after a free visit.
Get a Free EstimateNeighborhoods
Manhattan Neighborhoods Where We Do Masonry
Pick your neighborhood for masonry notes on the buildings we see 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
Masonry Work Beyond Manhattan
See the citywide masonry page for the differences by borough, or the masonry contractor overview.
Repairs matched to the material
Brick, brownstone, limestone or block, each repair is planned around what your building is made of.
Licensed and insured
Construction, injury and workers compensation insurance on every job, including work at height.
25+ years in NYC
More than 25 years working on New York buildings of every age.
FAQ
Manhattan Masonry Questions
Yes. The brick above is supported, the steel is replaced and the masonry is relaid. Larger buildings may involve an engineer and a DOB permit, and we work from their scope.
Damaged pieces are patched or replaced with material that suits the stone. If your building is landmarked, LPC approval may be needed, so check your address first.
Yes. We price each item on the list and do the repairs. We do not do the inspection or the filing, which your engineer handles.
We try to match color, texture and size. Older material can be harder to match, so we show you options before work begins.
Work over the sidewalk often does. We plan protection into the scope. Check current city rules for sheds and barriers.
Yes. We serve the neighborhoods listed above. Call (718) 468-8803 or send the form for a free visit.
Free on site estimate
Get a Mason to Look at Your Building
Send your address and a photo of the damage. We will visit and put the scope in writing.
Contact
Request a Manhattan Masonry Quote
Tell us what you see on the facade, stoop or parapet. 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.