Building envelope inspection in NYC for property managers
A building envelope inspection assesses the exterior systems that keep weather out — facade, roof, windows, terraces, parapets and below-grade walls — as one connected assembly rather than as separate trades. Infrared imaging reads large areas of envelope quickly and flags anomalies; moisture testing then establishes which of them are genuinely wet. In New York the recurring findings are deteriorated pointing, failed lintels, parapet details and terrace thresholds.
Certified Infrared ThermographerInfraspection Institute · FLIR E96 & T865
Building envelope leak detection
Building envelope leak detection is the diagnostic half of envelope work: establishing where water is entering and how far it has travelled inside the assembly before anything is opened.
Water moves along framing, down stud bays and across slabs, so the visible stain marks the exit rather than the entry. Infrared covers a broad area quickly, moisture metering confirms, and psychrometric readings separate intrusion from condensation.
- Facades, cladding and pointing
- Parapets and cornices
- Windows and curtain wall
- Terraces, balconies and thresholds
- Roof and mechanical penetrations
- Foundations and below-grade walls
Alongside cyclical facade work
Buildings undergoing required cyclical facade inspection and repair frequently carry moisture problems that a visual survey from a drop does not capture. Surveying thermally before the scaffold comes down means the repair scope reflects what is actually wet.
Our findings are written to be used alongside the report of the engineer or architect of record, not to replace it.
What the survey produces
The likely source, the extent of affected material, thermal and visual documentation, and moisture readings — enough for a contractor to scope a repair or for a carrier to evaluate a claim.
Because we perform no remediation and take no referral fees, the findings are treated as evidence rather than as a bid.
Built for property managers and boards
A managing agent rarely gets one leak. You get a stack of tenant complaints, a board that wants a cause and a cost, a contractor who wants to start, and sometimes a carrier who wants proof. An envelope survey turns that into one document: where water is entering, how far it has travelled, and what is actually wet.
We schedule multi-building portfolios together, coordinate unit access through the super, and write reports that a board can approve from and a contractor can price from — the same scope for every bidder.
- Tenant leak complaints triaged by source
- Board-ready reports with images and readings
- Defined repair scope for competitive bids
- Coordination with your FISP engineer or architect
- Documentation for insurance claims
- Portfolio scheduling across buildings
Common questions
Building envelope inspection, NYC — answered.
Does an infrared envelope survey replace a FISP (Local Law 11) inspection?
No. The Facade Inspection Safety Program requires a Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector — a New York State licensed architect or engineer — to inspect and file. An infrared envelope survey is a diagnostic that shows where water is moving through the exterior; it is written to be used alongside the QEWI's report, often to target repairs before the scaffold comes down.
Can you survey several buildings in our portfolio?
Yes. Portfolio work is scheduled together and reported in one consolidated document, with findings ranked across all properties.
What does a building envelope inspection cost in NYC?
It is quoted flat, per building, after a short conversation about the building and the problem — not hourly.
Is an envelope inspection the same as a facade inspection?
No. A cyclical facade inspection is a required structural and safety review by a qualified engineer or architect. An envelope inspection is a diagnostic survey of where water and air are moving through the exterior assemblies. They complement each other.
Can the envelope be surveyed from the ground?
Much of it, particularly after sunset when temperature differences across the facade are largest. Where a specific area needs closer work, access is arranged through the building.
Water intrusion & leak detection
More in this service area
Hidden leaks inside slabs, walls and risers, and water entering through the building envelope from outside.
Why us and not a plumber
We write the report. We never bid the repair.
A plumber who finds your leak also sells you the repair. A roofer who inspects your roof also quotes the replacement. That isn't dishonesty — it's structure, and it quietly shapes every finding. We are an independent diagnostic company: we do not perform repairs, we do not sell materials, and we take no referral fee from any contractor. The report is the entire product, so there is nothing for us to gain by finding more than is there.
We can't profit from the work we recommend, because we don't do the work. If your roof is 8% wet, the report says 8% — not "replace the field."
We accept nothing from contractors for sending work their way. Take our findings to your own plumber, roofer, or electrician, or put them out to bid.
Boards, managing agents, and insurance carriers treat an independent finding differently than an estimate from the company that wants the job.
Sometimes the answer is condensation, or a warm duct, or a neighbor's roof. We're paid the same either way, so we say so.
Request an inspection in your building
Tell us what you're dealing with.
Send the details and we'll come back with a scope, a time window, and a price — including what the survey covers and what it doesn't.
Direct line
(516) 234-5012Request received.
We'll review the details and follow up within one business day.