Building Inspector | NYC inspection

Maintaining Compliance with NYC’s Parapet Inspection Laws Year-Round

The majestic New York skyline is a remarkable example of architectural brilliance and human ingenuity. However, it takes a lot for these towering buildings to sustain their beauty and strength. The local bodies require them to adhere to regulatory safety standards for their integrity. To fulfill this, the building owners must get them regularly inspected and repaired or upgraded to ensure that the structural components of their properties are intact. Think of parapets or parapet walls, for instance. These aesthetic roofline barriers of the properties should be well-maintained per the NYC DOB and local law 126 mandates to avoid emergencies or penalties. Zicklin Contracting knows everything about parapet construction requirements and can offer a strategic plan and ongoing maintenance support to keep them safe.

The importance of parapet inspection

NYC apartment inspection law demands property owners to inspect the parapets of their commercial and residential buildings annually, especially those facing publicly accessible pathways, such as sidewalks and streets. Timely inspections help protect these structures from deterioration caused by weather or temperature changes and other unwanted situations by providing insight into their stability, material strength, etc. If you call our team for this, you will not have to worry about emergencies or rule violations. Our experts will thoroughly check the parapets for alignment issues. As per the guidelines, parapets must be straight and upright. If there is a tilt, it cannot be more than 1/8th of the thickness of the parapet. Due to our experience and technical expertise in parapet inspection, we can accurately analyze even minute structural anomalies and report them for everyone’s security and peace.

Furthermore, our licensed professionals will check the signs of physical damage to the parapet, including missing or loose stones or bricks, cracked mortar or masonry joints, flaking materials, and mold or staining issues hinting at weak weatherproofing. All the minor and major red flags are documented, along with suggestions for remediation processes, allowing you to avoid legal hassle and create safe building conditions.

The ways to handle unsafe parapet conditions

Our NYC Zicklin team can promptly address structural concerns in Brooklyn, adhering to local guidance. We notify the DOB of the issue and recommend temporary measures (fencing and netting) to protect the public from accidents caused by structural failure or falling debris during ongoing repairs. Once repairs are done, additional inspection is done to establish the parapet’s safety. At the same time, we recommend prevention techniques so that you don’t have to worry about facing unwanted situations, such as non-compliance issues or failing structures, leading to absolute chaos and confusion.

FAQs

  1. What are the regulations around increasing a parapet’s fall protection?
    For fall protection, the local code requires that parapets meet the minimum height criterion and be made of strong materials that help them withstand weather or wind impact. Plus, regular inspections are necessary to ensure their integrity and safety.
  2. What does parapet fronting mean?
    In NYC, this implies that parapets on the edges of the buildings are either closer to or face public right-of-way spaces, such as sidewalks, streets, etc. Since their construction and structural condition significantly affect public safety, especially in heavily populated areas of the city, building owners must take all the precautions regarding their maintenance and repairs.
  3. Are a parapet and a balcony the same thing?
    No. Parapet can be a part of the balcony design.
  4. Does the parapet wall need to be inspected in NYC?
    Yes. Under local law 126, this part of the façade must be inspected annually to protect the building and the public.

Need help?

Zicklin Contracting has a well-trained parapet inspection team that can assist building owners in Bronx, Queens, Manhattan and other areas of New York with detecting potential non-compliance or damage risks with parapets. Feel free to call us at 718-550-2779 / 347-495-4959 any time you want.