Local Law 11 Contractors in NYC: How to Hire a QEWI (2026 Guide)

"Hiring a Local Law 11 contractor" is a slight misnomer. The actual hire most owners make is a QEWI — Qualified Exterior Wall Inspector. The QEWI is the licensed professional who physically inspects your façade, classifies it Safe / SWARMP / Unsafe, and signs off on the FISP report. Then, if repairs are needed, you hire a separate façade contractor to do the repair work. Two different categories of professional, two different vendor lists, two different price ranges.

This is the practical guide to hiring both.

01 · WHAT A QEWI ACTUALLY ISThe credential, not the title

QEWI is a credential issued by the NYC Department of Buildings. To hold it, the professional must be a licensed Professional Engineer (PE) or Registered Architect (RA) in New York State, with at least seven years of relevant building exterior experience, and they must be specifically registered with DOB as a QEWI. There are roughly 1,200–1,400 active QEWIs in NYC, which sounds like a lot until you remember they handle ~14,000 inspections per cycle.

You can verify a QEWI's status on the DOB website's professional registration search. Don't skip this step — uncertified inspections aren't valid FISP reports, and you'll find out when DOB rejects the filing.

02 · WHEN TO STARTThe 9-month rule

Most owners think FISP is a "I'll deal with it 30 days before the deadline" problem. It isn't. The realistic timeline:

• Month 9 before deadline — start sourcing QEWI. Top firms book up 4–8 weeks out, especially January/February.
• Month 7 before deadline — sign QEWI engagement.
• Month 5–6 — schedule scaffolding/swing stage if needed.
• Month 3–4 — actual inspection happens.
• Month 2 — QEWI prepares the FISP report.
• Month 1 — file via DOB NOW.

If you start at month 3, you're scrambling. If you start at month 1, you're paying late penalties.

03 · WHAT TO ASK A QEWIThe five questions that actually matter

1. How many FISP cycles have you completed? Less than two cycles = relatively new at this. Two-plus cycles = battle-tested. Five-plus cycles = senior practitioner.
2. What's your hands-on access plan for my building? Tell them the height. They should walk you through whether they'll use scaffolding, a swing stage, or a drop scaffold, and roughly what that adds.
3. How do you handle SWARMP findings? Some QEWIs are conservative (rate-as-SWARMP-when-in-doubt); others are more measured. The financial difference between SWARMP and Safe is significant. Ask how they decide.
4. Will you file the FISP report yourself, or do I file? Most QEWIs prepare the report; the owner files. Some QEWIs offer filing-included service. Get this in writing.
5. What's included vs. extra? Hands-on access (scaffolding) is usually a separate line item. Repair specifications post-inspection may be extra. Re-inspection after repair is often extra. Scope creep is real.

04 · WHAT IT COSTSThe honest range

QEWI fees vary widely by building size, complexity, and access requirements:

• Standard mid-rise (8–15 stories, simple façade): $3,500–6,500 for inspection + report.
• Larger or older building (15–30 stories, complex masonry): $6,500–12,000.
• Tall or landmark: $12,000–25,000+.

Hands-on access (scaffolding/swing stage) is on top:

• Single-side swing stage rental + setup: $8,000–15,000 for a 1–2-week inspection window.
• Full perimeter scaffolding: $20,000–60,000+ for taller buildings.

The total inspection cost for a typical 15-story Manhattan rental is usually $15,000–30,000, all-in. That's the FISP cost. Repairs, if any, are separate.

05 · THE SECOND HIREFaçade contractors for repairs

If your QEWI rates the building SWARMP or Unsafe, you'll hire a separate façade restoration contractor. This is where the real money is. Façade work in NYC runs:

• Spot repairs (re-pointing a few areas, replacing a handful of bricks): $20,000–80,000.
• Significant restoration (broad re-pointing, parapet work, lintel replacement): $150,000–800,000.
• Full façade restoration (extensive masonry, terracotta replacement, water management): $1M–5M+.

Two things to know about façade contractors:

• Ask for FISP-experienced firms. Generic masonry contractors can do the work, but FISP-aware contractors will understand the inspection re-certification path and how to document repairs for DOB.
• Sidewalk shed is a big line item. If your building was rated Unsafe, the shed must go up immediately. The shed rental clock keeps running while the contractor is being sourced and the work is scoped. This is where 6–18 months of "shed time" eat budgets.

06 · COMMON QEWI REFERRAL PATHSHow to find one

Most NYC owners find their QEWI through one of three paths:

• Property manager referral — if you have a building managed by a major NYC firm, they have a QEWI relationship. Ask. The downside: they may have a kickback arrangement that doesn't optimize for your costs.
• Your previous cycle's QEWI — if your building had a prior FISP, the QEWI on that report is a default option. They know your façade.
• Cold sourcing — DOB's QEWI registration list is public. RFP three to five firms.

For new owners, RFP three firms with the same scope and compare. Price spread on a standard mid-rise can be 2–3× between the cheapest and most expensive QEWI. Pick the middle one with the best track record on similar buildings — not the cheapest.

07 · BOTTOM LINEThe hiring playbook

Hire a QEWI 9 months before your sub-cycle's Feb 21 deadline. Verify their DOB credentials. Get hands-on access plans in writing. Expect $15K–30K all-in for inspection + access on a typical mid-rise. If you get rated SWARMP or Unsafe, hire a façade contractor immediately and budget for sidewalk shed time. The biggest hiring mistake is starting late — at month 3, you're choosing from whoever still has availability, not from the best fit.

Related

• What is Local Law 11? — plain-English overview
• LL11 FISP Cycle 10 owner's guide
• Local Law Tracker — fires reminders 60/30/7 days before your FISP deadline ($59.99/yr)