Tuckpointing & repointing in the Bronx
Bronx apartment buildings have a lot of brick: decorative Art Deco fronts, long courtyard walls and parapets on every side. When the joints open up, the leaks follow.
Along the Grand Concourse and in the West Bronx, many pre-war and Art Deco buildings have patterned or multi-colored brick on the front and plainer common brick in courtyards and rear walls. Repointing patterned brick means matching the mortar and joint profile carefully; repointing courtyard walls is usually about volume and access.
In rental buildings, open joints are a common cause of the leaks HPD cites inside apartments. Repointing the exterior wall that’s letting water in is what keeps the interior repair from failing again. On buildings over six stories, repointing is often part of the FISP scope.
Buildings we work on in Bronx
- Art Deco and pre-war apartment buildings on the Grand Concourse
- Courtyard and rear walls of large apartment buildings
- Five- and six-story walk-ups in the South and West Bronx
- Two- and three-family brick homes in Throgs Neck, Morris Park and Williamsbridge
What Bronx owners should know
General information only, not legal advice. Confirm requirements with the issuing NYC agency.
Local Law 11 / FISP
Deteriorated mortar is one of the most common items in FISP reports. On buildings over six stories, repointing is often what your QEWI specifies to move a SWARMP condition back to Safe, or as part of an UNSAFE repair.
Annual parapet observations
Open or missing joints at the top courses and coping are typical parapet findings. Street-facing parapets generally need an observation every year, regardless of height (detached one- and two-family homes are exempt).
HPD violations
Leaks into rental apartments are cited by HPD; repointing the exterior source supports a lasting correction. We provide photos and invoices for your certification.
Landmarks
The Grand Concourse, Mott Haven and Longwood historic districts generally require LPC permits for visible repointing.
Tuckpointing services in Bronx
- What tuckpointing means in NYC
- Joint assessment
- Cutting out failed mortar
- Compatible mortar
- Repacking & tooling
- Parapets, chimneys & FISP scopes
Related:
Tuckpointing questions in Bronx
Can repointing fix our recurring HPD leak violations?
When the water comes through the wall, yes. We trace the leak first (it may also be the parapet or roof edge) and repoint the areas that are letting water in.
Our building is six stories. Does FISP apply?
FISP covers buildings taller than six stories. Six-story buildings generally aren’t covered, but street-facing parapets still need annual observations.
Can you work on occupied buildings?
Yes. We schedule around tenants and keep work areas protected.
Tuckpointing in other boroughs: Brooklyn · Queens · Manhattan · Staten Island
Other services in The Bronx: Masonry · Waterproofing · Concrete · Roofing
Tuckpointing guides
Plain-English answers to the questions NYC owners ask us most, with links to the official City sources.
Need tuckpointing work in The Bronx?
Tell us what’s going on and we’ll schedule a free estimate.