Local Law 11 (FISP) Facade Repairs & Compliance in NYC
From FISP report to filed compliance — repairs, scaffolding, permits and violation closure by one licensed team.
Free compliance consultation: (718) 772-8498 — tell us your building's status (report in hand, SWARMP, or unsafe notice) and we'll map the fastest path to compliance.
What Is Local Law 11 / FISP?
The Facade Inspection & Safety Program (FISP) — commonly called Local Law 11 — requires owners of NYC buildings higher than six stories to have street-facing and accessible facades inspected by a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI) every five years, and to file the result with the Department of Buildings.
Every filing classifies the building one of three ways:
- SAFE — no repairs required. See you next cycle.
- SWARMP (Safe With A Repair and Maintenance Program) — conditions that must be repaired before the next cycle's filing, or the building is automatically classified unsafe.
- UNSAFE — hazardous conditions requiring immediate public protection (sidewalk shed) and prompt repairs, with DOB deadlines and escalating penalties for delay.
Missing a filing window brings penalties of $1,000/month, plus $250/month for failing to correct unsafe conditions — and an unsafe facade that injures a pedestrian is a legal catastrophe. Compliance is always cheaper.
What We Do
Tekno Construction is the contracting arm of your FISP compliance — we work alongside your QEWI engineer, or introduce you to one we regularly work with.
Facade Repairs
- Brick repointing, replacement and rebuilding of deteriorated sections
- Spall repairs on concrete, terra cotta and cast stone
- Lintel and sill replacement — the most common SWARMP item in NYC
- Parapet repair and rebuilding (see the annual Local Law 126 requirement)
- Balcony and railing repairs and re-anchoring
- Facade waterproofing and sealants to stop deterioration between cycles
Compliance Logistics
- Sidewalk sheds and suspended scaffolding — installed, maintained, dismantled (scaffolding services)
- DOB permits for all repair work
- Violation removal — we close out FISP-related DOB violations and coordinate the engineer's sign-off and amended filing
- Phased repair programs for boards that need to spread cost across budgets
Our Process
- 1. Review your FISP report — free. We translate the engineer's findings into a scoped, priced repair plan.
- 2. Fixed written proposal — itemized against the report, so your board sees exactly what each condition costs to close.
- 3. Protection & access — shed/scaffold installation with permits.
- 4. Repairs — executed to spec, photo-documented for the engineer.
- 5. Sign-off & filing — your QEWI verifies the work; the amended filing closes the status. Shed comes down. Done until next cycle.
How Pricing Works
Facade work can't be priced from a phone call — it's priced from your FISP report and a site visit. Send us the report, we walk the building free of charge, and you receive a fixed proposal itemized line-by-line against the engineer's findings.
Multi-year SWARMP programs can be phased to match your reserve budget. We respond to every inquiry within 24 hours.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Local Law 11 apply to my building?
If it's higher than six stories, yes — all facades fronting streets or publicly accessible spaces must be inspected and filed every five years, even with no history of problems.
What does SWARMP actually mean for my budget?
SWARMP conditions must be fixed before your next filing. Left unfixed, the building automatically becomes UNSAFE — with a mandatory shed and penalties. Smart boards price repairs early, when they can be phased, instead of under deadline pressure.
We got an UNSAFE classification. What happens now?
Public protection (usually a sidewalk shed) must go up immediately, and repairs must begin within DOB deadlines. We respond within 24 hours and get a repair proposal to your engineer the same week.
Can you do the FISP inspection itself?
The inspection and filing must be performed by a QEWI (licensed engineer or architect). We're the repair contractor — we work with QEWIs across the city and can connect you with one, then handle everything after the report.
How much do Local Law 11 repairs cost?
It ranges widely depending on what the report found — from minor repointing to full facade restoration with shed and rigging. The honest answer comes from pricing your actual report after a free site walk-through, line by line.
How long does a sidewalk shed have to stay up?
Until the unsafe conditions are repaired and signed off. Sheds rent monthly — fast, properly-scoped repairs usually cost less overall than a cheap contractor who lets the shed sit for a year.
Is Local Law 126 the same thing?
No — LL126 added an annual parapet inspection for nearly all buildings (not just 6+ stories) starting 2024. Many owners handle both together — see our LL126 page.