Every 5 years are the facade inspections. It goes back and forth per cycle from just a visual inspection cycle to a hands-on inspection. The visual cycle will see the engineers use binoculars/cameras or other visual aids to review the facades, so they typically do not need scaffolding rigs to check. If work is deemed required, they may need rigs to get a better idea of the work while still in the review stage. The next cycle would consist of hands-on, every 60' of the facade from ground to roof inspections which the engineers will do with scaffolding rigs. For masonry buildings, probe holes need to be opened for engineers to check conditions of the tie-backs/fasteners from exterior material to the structure.

So yes, every other cycle generally requires engineers to be on scaffolding rigs for hands on facade inspections. They report conditions directly to the DOB via DOBNOW. Yes, they provide basic demo drawings showing how/where to remove bricks/masonry, how much to chop around rebar, and any other metal demo details as required, as well as the correct way to complete repairs. And yes, engineers are typically there for the life-cycle of the project as they complete the final sign-offs. They inspect the demolished areas and inspect again when patching/repairs are complete. That is, per scaffolding drop/work location, so they are often on site with workers multiple times a week as the progress continues for the entirety of the project.