Two Bridges Masonry Contractor
Masonry in Two Bridges, Manhattan
Brick, block and stone repairs for tenements, courtyards and older buildings on the East River side of Lower Manhattan.
- Parapets, chimneys and walls rebuilt
- Loose brick reset and replaced
- Written estimate after a free visit
What Masonry Problems Show Up in Two Bridges?
Older buildings here show the same pattern: leaning parapets, loose coping, bulging walls, cracked chimneys and failed mortar. Water is the cause most of the time. Once it works behind brick, it pushes the wall apart as it freezes and thaws.
The mix of buildings is wide. Tenements, brick housing complexes such as Knickerbocker Village and low walls around courtyards each age differently. A tall wall faces wind and rain on its upper floors. A courtyard wall catches runoff and damp from the ground.
- Parapets leaning or cracked at the base
- Coping stones loose or missing
- Walls bulging outward between floors
- Chimney brick crumbling above the roof
- Courtyard walls pushed out by wet soil
- Stepped cracks running through the brick
A crack that keeps growing deserves attention quickly. Stepped cracks that follow mortar joints can mean the wall has moved, and movement often traces back to water or ground settlement.
Is a Wall Leaning or Bulging?
Do not wait for it to fall. Ask us to look at it and we will explain what we see.
How We Fix It
How Does a Masonry Repair Proceed?
First we find the cause. Then we take down and rebuild what has failed, reset what has loosened and repoint what is sound. A parapet might be rebuilt to its base. A courtyard wall might get new drainage behind it. Every choice goes into the written estimate.
Rebuilding means taking the damaged section apart course by course, cleaning the good brick and relaying it in fresh mortar. New brick is used where old brick has crumbled, matched to the wall as closely as the market allows.
Coping and flashing matter at the top. A new cap that sheds water keeps rain out of the wall for years. A skipped cap undoes a good rebuild quickly.
Retaining walls and courtyards add a drainage question. If water collects behind a wall, it will push on it again. We plan weep holes or a drain so the wall does not carry that load.
Which Rules Apply to Masonry Work in Two Bridges?
Department of Buildings permits can apply to structural masonry, retaining walls and facade work. Scaffold or protection over the public sidewalk generally needs a DOT permit. Above six stories, Local Law 11 inspections come into play. The city can confirm which current rules fit your property.
When a job needs a DOT sidewalk permit or a DOB filing, we prepare it. If a wall problem looks structural, we tell you, and a licensed engineer may need to review it. We make no promises about the results of structural repairs.
The area has no historic district that we can confirm. Landmarked individual buildings can have separate requirements, so check before changing materials.
Falling masonry that damages the sidewalk may lead to a notice. See our page on sidewalk violations for background. Owners are responsible for sidewalks next to their property under Admin Code 19-152.
What about the waterfront flood risk?
The blocks closest to the East River are low lying and flooded in Hurricane Sandy. Walls and footings there sit in damp ground more often, which is why drainage gets extra attention in our estimates.
Why Us
Why Two Bridges Owners Hire Us
Cause before cure
We trace the water or movement behind a problem and fix that first.
Permits filed
We handle DOT sidewalk permits and DOB filings when a job needs them.
Licensed and insured
Twenty five years of work across the city.
Nearby
Masonry Contractor Near Two Bridges
Our masonry crews also work in these neighborhoods.
FAQ
Two Bridges Masonry Questions
Often yes. Parapet work is done from the roof or a stage, and we coordinate flashing with the existing roofing.
Hairline cracks in a single joint are often cosmetic. Wide, growing or stepped cracks may be structural, and an engineer may need to review.
Yes. We look at drainage behind the wall as well as the wall itself.
Scaffold over a public sidewalk generally needs permits. We plan protection and pedestrian access with you.
We are. Call (718) 468-8803 for a free estimate.
Free on site estimate
Rebuild Your Two Bridges Walls Right
You get a visit at no charge, a candid diagnosis and a price on paper.
Contact
Request a Two Bridges Masonry Estimate
Describe the wall, parapet or chimney and what you see. Photos are useful.
- 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.