Separate pointing from rebuilding before anyone starts
L&I’s building-permit page lists pointing masonry among work that often needs no Building Permit on non-historic properties (Get a Building Permit). The City’s June 2026 Start Right homeowner guide keeps ordinary repairs off the permit list only when they do not include cutting away any wall, partition, or structural member, and it lists pointing of masonry as an example of ordinary repair (Start Right guide (June 2026 PDF)).
Ask for a written scope that separates mortar-joint pointing from removing brick, rebuilding the parapet, changing height, or other structural work. If the line is unclear, have the contractor confirm with L&I before mobilization—do not treat a pointing quote as cover for rebuilding.
Record what you see without testing the wall
From the ground or an interior window, photograph missing mortar, displaced brick, an apparent lean, loose wall-top pieces, or fresh debris below. Do not climb onto the roof, lean a ladder against questionable masonry, or push on the wall to “check” it. Photos help explain the concern; they do not prove the wall is safe.
For limited joint wear, ask an experienced masonry contractor what is pointing versus rebuild. For movement, separation, or instability, ask a Pennsylvania-licensed structural engineer. If water shows at the roof edge, ask whether a roofer should also look at the roof-to-wall connection. Stay clear of falling-material zones. Non-emergency building conditions can be reported through 311; call 911 for emergencies (Report a problem with a building, lot, or street).
The facade-inspection ordinance is a different rule
Philadelphia’s periodic facade inspection program covers buildings six or more stories tall, or buildings with an appurtenance more than 60 feet high. Owners need an initial inspection within 10 years after construction and every five years afterward; a licensed structural engineer—or a registered architect with facade experience—must do the inspection (Property maintenance certifications).
A typical two- or three-story rowhome without a tall appurtenance usually sits outside that recurring program. That does not exempt a structural parapet repair from a Building Permit. Keep the questions separate: does this building need a recurring facade report, and does this job need a Building Permit?
Check Atlas and historic status early
Use Atlas to review permits, inspections, violations, and licenses on the property (Construction next door FAQs). An unrelated roof permit is not approval to rebuild masonry. Our permit-history lookup guide walks through reading those records.
Separately confirm whether the property is on the Philadelphia Register of Historic Places. For registered properties, Historical Commission review covers masonry pointing, repair, replacement, and removal, as well as roofing and flashing—L&I will refuse a building-permit application without that approval (Approval for work to a historic property). Contact commission staff (preservation@phila.gov / (215) 686-7660) during planning; reviews can run electronically through eCLIPSE with the building-permit filing.
What to ask L&I before you sign a contract
Bring the written scope and photos to L&I (online through eCLIPSE or at the Permit and License Center in the Municipal Services Building). Ask whether plans or sealed design-professional documents are required. Ask whether changing parapet height triggers a Zoning Permit—Start Right treats a change in height as zoning territory (Start Right guide (June 2026 PDF)). Our zoning-plus-building permit guide covers when both apply.
For one- or two-family dwellings the building-permit filing fee is $25 (applied toward the final permit fee); other fees depend on scope (Get a Building Permit). Before hiring, verify the contractor’s active Philadelphia license and insurance on file with L&I. Put permit filing and inspection scheduling in the contract, and require the application to describe the masonry work—not a vague “roof repair” label. Related exterior permit lines: rowhome front steps and rowhome roof replacement.
Protect the sidewalk and the neighbor’s roof
Ask how the crew will protect pedestrians and adjoining roofs before work starts. L&I expects site protection matched to the work—fencing, shelter platforms, barricades, or sidewalk closures as needed—and a street-closure permit posted when work or materials encroach on a public sidewalk or street (Construction site requirements).
If the parapet work touches a party wall or another shared building component, ask whether neighboring-owner notification and protection documentation apply (Construction next door FAQs). Keep the approved scope, permit, professional reports, and inspection records together, and do not make final payment until required inspections are done. Confirm current L&I and Historical Commission rules before you lock a schedule (pages and Start Right PDF checked November 5, 2026).