Local Law 11 (FISP) facade inspections are a significant but predictable expense. Here is what drives the cost, what is included in Cycle 10, and how to avoid the penalties that cost far more than the inspection.
A FISP facade inspection under Local Law 11 is one of the larger recurring compliance costs for a NYC building over six stories, because it requires a licensed Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector (QEWI), physical access to the facade, a hands-on critical examination, and a report filed through DOB NOW: Safety. Unlike a parapet observation, it cannot be done from the sidewalk or a hatch, which is the main reason it costs what it does.
A compliant Cycle 10 inspection includes the QEWI's hands-on critical examination of the facade at least every sixty feet, a written technical report classifying the building as Safe, Safe With a Repair and Maintenance Program (SWARMP), or Unsafe, and the filing of that report through DOB NOW: Safety within your sub-cycle window. If conditions are found, it also includes the progress inspections required while repairs are underway.
The expensive part of FISP is almost never the inspection itself, it is missing it. Failing to file a required facade report carries civil penalties that accrue over time, plus additional penalties for an unsafe facade left uncorrected. On top of the fines, an owner who ignores FISP is exposed to serious liability if facade material falls. Budgeting for the inspection on schedule is dramatically cheaper than the alternative.
We confirm your sub-cycle from your tax block so you inspect in the right window, arrange the QEWI and the appropriate access, manage the DOB NOW: Safety filing, and coordinate any progress inspections, so the cost is planned rather than a surprise. Send us your building address for a scope and quote.
It varies widely by building height, facade area, and especially the access method (scaffold drop, suspended scaffold, or lift), which is often the largest cost. We scope your building and give you a clear quote, send us your address to start.
FISP requires a licensed QEWI, physical access to the full facade, a hands-on examination every sixty feet, and a filed DOB NOW: Safety report. A parapet observation is a visual check from the roof with no scaffolding and no filing, so it costs far less.
Failing to file a required facade report carries civil penalties that accrue over time, and an unsafe facade left uncorrected adds more, plus liability exposure. Filing on schedule is far cheaper than the penalties.
No. The inspection and filing are separate from any repairs an Unsafe or SWARMP finding requires. We do include the progress inspections that repairs require, and we coordinate the process.
Send us your address and we will confirm whether FISP applies, which sub-cycle you are in, and when your report is due - at no charge.
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