Make-Safe Permits in PhiladelphiaStrucTech Structural Engineers

A detached facade, a partial collapse, a bulging wall, a sidewalk closed by the city. When L&I posts an unsafe or imminently dangerous notice, the clock starts and the building is not yours to work on until the hazard is addressed. Owners call us at that point, usually the same day the notice goes up, sometimes with a demolition order already threatened.

First step is a site visit and an honest assessment of what is actually failing. We identify the hazard, determine whether the condition is stable, and define the immediate protection required, whether that is shoring, bracing, netting, a sidewalk canopy, or selective removal of the unstable material. That scope gets written so a contractor can price and build it without guessing.

Then comes the paperwork the city needs. We prepare a signed and sealed engineer's letter describing the condition, the cause where it can be determined, the work performed or proposed to make the structure safe, and the recommended permanent repair. Documentation includes dated photographs of the condition and the completed protection. Where a permit application requires supporting drawings or calculations, we provide them under the same seal.

The last piece is getting the notice cleared. We coordinate with the district office and the assigned inspector, answer follow-up questions directly, and return for re-inspection once the protective work is complete so the file can be closed. If the permanent repair is being deferred, we document the interim condition and the monitoring required in the meantime.

If you have a violation posted right now, do not wait on it. Call (267) 310-1172 for a same-day visit, or send the notice through the contact form and we will tell you what it will take to clear it.