What parapet Repair and Rebuilding covers
A parapet is the section of wall standing above roof level. Exposed on both faces and along the top, it weathers faster than the rest of the building and is one of the most common items on facade inspection reports. Leaning, bowing or open jointed parapets need rebuilding rather than patching.
A parapet is the section of wall standing above roof level. Exposed on both faces and along the top, it weathers faster than the rest of the building and is one of the most common items on facade inspection reports. Leaning, bowing or open jointed parapets need rebuilding rather than patching.
Rebuilding parapet walls that have moved, opened up or lost their coping, with a proper roof junction.
Waystar carries out this work on residential and commercial property in Brooklyn and across New York City. Every project starts with a look at the building, and the scope, the materials and the figures are written down before anything begins.
When might you need it?
These are the signs owners usually notice first.
- A parapet that leans visibly out of plumb
- Open joints running along the top of the wall
- Coping stones loose, cracked or missing
- Damp on the interior wall directly below roof level
- Vegetation rooted into the top of the parapet
What the work involves
- Assessment of plumb, joint condition and coping fixings
- Area of unsound wall identified and marked
- Sound brick salvaged for reuse where possible
- Wall rebuilt to line and plumb in matched brick and mortar
- Copings reset or replaced with overhang and drip detail
- Roof membrane dressed up and terminated correctly
How the process works
Check plumb and joints
A leaning parapet cannot be repaired in place, and knowing that early avoids wasted repair.
Take down to sound work
Removal goes back to a course that is genuinely stable.
Rebuild to line
Matched brick and mortar, built plumb, with the coping detail restored.
Tie the roof in
The membrane is dressed up the rebuilt wall and terminated properly.
What you get
- A wall rebuilt to line rather than patched while out of plumb
- A coping that throws water clear of the face
- The roof junction detailed as part of the same job
What affects the scope
- Parapet height and length to be rebuilt
- How far down the unsound work extends
- Whether copings can be salvaged or need replacing
- Access to both faces of the wall
This is a preliminary planning range, not a quote. A property visit is required before any price is confirmed.
Frequently asked questions
Can a leaning parapet be pushed back?
No. It has to be taken down to sound work and rebuilt. Anything else is holding an unstable wall together temporarily.
Why do parapets fail so often?
They are exposed on three surfaces and they take the full force of the weather with nothing above them for protection.
Is this a Local Law 11 item?
Parapets are one of the most commonly cited items on facade inspection reports. We carry out the repair; the inspection and sign off stay with your engineer.
Services often needed alongside this
This service is part of Masonry and Facade Restoration.
