Straight, jargon-free answers about dock, boat lift and seawall repair in Sarasota County, Florida: what we actually do, what it typically costs, how the process works from the first call to the finished job, and the communities we serve. If your question is not here, ask us on the contact page and a real local person will get right back to you, usually the same day.
How much does dock or seawall repair cost?
It depends on the damage and the size of the structure, so we quote every job after seeing it. A few replacement boards and some hardware is a modest repair; new pilings, a full re-deck, or a seawall cap with tie-backs is a larger one. The on-site inspection and written quote are free, and the price we put in writing is the price.
Do you handle the permits?
Yes. Most dock and seawall work in Sarasota needs a permit through Sarasota County, and often the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers too - especially near seagrass or in a manatee zone. We pull the permits, set turbidity barriers when required, and schedule the inspections.
How long will the repair take?
Small repairs are often a day or two once we are scheduled. Larger rebuilds and seawall projects run longer and can wait on permits, which are outside our control. We give you a realistic timeline at the quote and keep you posted if anything shifts.
Should I use wood or composite decking?
Both work here, and we install either. Pressure-treated wood costs less up front; composite (Trex-style) decking costs more but shrugs off sun, salt, and splinters and needs almost no upkeep. We will walk you through the trade-off for your dock and budget.
Can you help after storm damage and with my insurance?
Yes. We document the damage with photos and a written scope, give you a clear estimate, and provide what your adjuster needs for the claim. We have put a lot of Sarasota waterfronts back together after Ian and Milton.
Do you service my brand of boat lift?
Almost certainly. We repair and maintain the common cradle, four-post elevator, PWC, and kayak lifts regardless of brand - cables, bunks, motors, gearboxes, switches, and remotes. If a lift is too far gone to repair safely, we will tell you and size a replacement.
How do I know what size lift I need?
It comes down to your boat's loaded weight (fuel, water, and gear add up) and your water depth at low tide. We measure both and recommend a lift with capacity to spare, so you are not running a motor at its limit every time you raise the boat.
Are you licensed and insured, and do you offer a warranty?
Yes on all three. We are a licensed, insured marine contractor, we do not lock you into a long-term contract, and our workmanship is warrantied. Ask us for details at the quote.
Do I need to replace my whole dock, or can it be repaired?
If the pilings and framing are sound, we usually repair - new decking, stringers, hardware, or a single section - and leave the rest alone. When the pilings themselves are failing or the structure is racking, a rebuild is often cheaper over time than chasing repairs. We tell you honestly which one you are looking at at the free
on-site inspection.
What are the warning signs my seawall is starting to fail?
Cracks in the cap, rust stains, panels that lean or bow toward the water, and soil or mulch vanishing near the wall are the common tells. A sinkhole or low spot in the yard behind the wall is a red flag - it usually means soil is washing out through a gap or a failed joint. Caught early, a seawall is far cheaper to save than to replace. On the older poured-cap walls common along Siesta Key and Nokomis canals, watch the tie-back area behind the wall as much as the face - weep holes that stop draining after rain are an early sign pressure is building. A look right after a heavy summer downpour tells us a lot about how a wall is holding.
How can I tell if my dock pilings are rotting?
Marine borers hollow a piling from the inside, so a post can look fine at the surface and still be 70-80% gone. Give it a firm push - real movement, a hollow sound when tapped, soft or crumbling wood at the waterline, and cracks or rust at the bolts all point to trouble. We check pilings above and below the waterline on every inspection. In the brackish water of Roberts Bay and the Intracoastal, borer activity is heaviest at the tidal splash zone, so a piling can be solid up top and thin as a pencil at the mudline. We probe below the surface on every inspection rather than judging by the part you can see.
How long do docks, lifts, and seawalls last in Sarasota saltwater?
With good materials and upkeep, a wood dock often runs 15-25 years, a seawall 30-50, and boat-lift cables only 3-7 in our salt air. Sun, tide, and storm cycles here are hard on everything, which is why a yearly once-over catches small problems before they turn into rebuilds.
Which boat lift is right for me - cradle or four-post?
A four-post elevator lift suits most private docks and mid-size boats and keeps the hull high and dry. A cradle or beam lift handles heavier or wider boats and deeper water. It comes down to your boat's loaded weight and your depth at low tide, and we size it with capacity to spare.
What boat lift hardware holds up best in salt water?
For fasteners and small parts, marine-grade stainless lasts longest, hot-dip galvanized is a solid mid-tier, and bare aluminum or cheap zinc hardware corrodes fast here. Cables are the usual failure point - we spec the right gauge and check them on every
service visit so one does not let go mid-lift.
Do you build new docks and seawalls, or only repairs?
Both. We repair, rebuild, and build new - docks, boat lifts, seawalls, and the pilings and caps beneath them. If you are planning a new dock or replacing a wall outright, we handle the design, the permits, and the build.
Get a free estimate and we will scope it with you.
Where do you work - the bay, the Intracoastal, canals?
All of it. We service open bay frontage, the Intracoastal, and the canal systems throughout coastal Sarasota -
Siesta Key,
Casey Key,
Nokomis,
Venice and the keys in between. Each has its own tide, fetch, and bottom, and we build for the water you actually have. Blackburn Point, Little Sarasota Bay, and the Venice canals each behave differently in a blow, and a lift sized for a sheltered canal is not the same build we would set on open bay frontage.
How should I get my dock and lift ready before a hurricane?
Raise the lift to its top position and lock it, pull canvas and loose gear, double up dock lines with chafe protection, and disconnect shore power. After the storm, photograph everything before you touch it - those photos plus your inspection records are exactly what an insurance adjuster wants. We keep a full pre-storm checklist and can walk you through it. Along our stretch of the Sarasota coast, surge pushes up the canals and the Intracoastal even when the wind stays offshore, so raising the lift and clearing the deck matters as much for canal-front docks as for open water. Keep the checklist somewhere you can reach it without power.
More about how we work
We built this page from the questions people ask us most, and we try to answer each one the way we would in person: plainly, honestly, and without a sales pitch. You do not need to read it top to bottom. Skim for the question closest to your situation, and if the exact case is not covered, that usually just means it is worth a short conversation rather than a canned answer. Every project is a little different, and the specifics that matter almost always come out once we understand your home, your timeline, and what you care about most.
The questions below tend to fall into a few groups: what we do and how it works, what things cost and why, what to expect at each step, and how we serve the different communities in Sarasota County, Florida. Wherever you are in the process, whether you are just starting to look into it, quietly comparing a few options, or ready to move forward, there is no wrong question and no pressure. Reaching out costs nothing and commits you to nothing, and we would genuinely rather answer a question now than have you guess.
A few things are worth saying up front, because they come up again and again. We are a real local business, not a call center or a lead broker, so when you reach out you get a person who actually does this work and knows the area, not a script. We will never pressure you, and we will tell you honestly when something is not the right fit or not worth the money, because a customer who understands their options makes a better decision, and that is good for everyone. Pricing depends on the specifics of your situation, so rather than quote a number that turns out to be wrong, we look at the actual job and give you a clear, written figure with no obligation. And if your question is time-sensitive, say so; we will do our best to move quickly and be straight with you about what is realistic. The answers below are a starting point, but the honest, specific version of any of them is a short conversation away.
Still have a question we did not cover? That is exactly what a short conversation is for. You can learn more about what we do, see the areas we serve in Sarasota County, Florida, or simply reach out on the contact page and a real local person will help, usually the same day, with no pressure and no obligation.
