Cornice, bay wall or balcony
The projecting and ornamental parts of your building have been cited. On a greystone or a classic two-flat these are precisely the features that carry the value.
- Do I need a permit?
- This may need a permit, depending on scope. We will tell you which.
- Who actually does it?
- Our own crews. This is work we self-perform, so the schedule is ours to keep.
- Am I unusual?
- Not at all. This is one of the items we are called out for most, and it is rarely the only thing on the notice.
What the inspector was looking at
Cornices rotted or pulling away. Bay walls separating. Balcony structure deteriorated. Material at risk of coming down.
What happens if you leave it
Once these go far enough, restoration stops being an option and removal is the only route left. That is a permanent hit to what your building is worth.
How we get it closed
- 1Anything that could fall made safe immediately
- 2The element restored where it can be saved, matching the original profile and detail
- 3Rebuilt where restoration is genuinely no longer realistic
- 4Top surfaces flashed and sealed, which is what let the water in to begin with
Before you start worrying about the cost
We would rather save the detail than strip it. Owners are usually surprised how much of an original cornice can be kept.
This is almost never the only item
Chicago inspectors write up everything they can see in one visit. Fixing this and leaving the rest means the case stays open and you go to the hearing anyway. We price and clear the whole notice: our own crews on nearly all of it, licensed partners on the plumbing, heating and electrical items, and nothing left dangling for you to chase.
See how the whole thing worksUsually on the same notice
If you see any of these on yours too, that is the normal pattern rather than bad luck. They tend to share a cause.
The joints get ground out and repointed to match, so the wall stops shedding mortar and the inspector stops writing it up.
The wall above your roof line made solid again, so nothing is loose over the sidewalk and water stops entering the top of the building.
The engineer report the City is demanding, filed, plus the repairs it calls for. Until this lands, nothing else on your notice can close.
Cited for cornice & bay? Let us take it from here.
A quick call, then we come out and price every item on the notice in person. Free, and you are under no obligation to use us.
Licensed and insured. A person answers, Monday to Saturday.