Licensed & insured marine contractor · Coastal Sarasota Search (941) 265-1777
Sarasota Dock Repair logo Sarasota Dock Repair
How it works

A clear plan, from the first inspection to the final walkthrough.

You should know exactly what your dock, lift, or seawall needs before anyone starts the work. Here is how a job goes with us - a free on-site inspection, one written estimate, the permits pulled for you, and a crew that leaves your waterfront solid, tested, and safe to use.

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A freshly rebuilt boat dock and lift over calm water in coastal Sarasota
Licensed & insuredWe pull the permitsServing coastal SarasotaWorkmanship warranty
Step by step

Six steps, and we handle all of them.

  1. A free, on-site inspection

    We start at the water. One of us comes out to your waterfront - Siesta Key, Longboat Key, Bird Key, Osprey, Nokomis, Venice, wherever your dock is - and looks at the whole structure: the pilings, the decking and stringers, the hardware, the boat lift's cables and motor, the seawall cap and its tie-backs. We tell you honestly what needs to be fixed now, what can wait a season, and what is still fine. There is no cost and no obligation to any of it. You come away knowing exactly what shape your waterfront is in.

  2. One clear written estimate

    We turn the inspection into a single written estimate: the exact scope, the materials - pressure-treated or composite decking, the piling type, the lift parts - the price, and a realistic timeline. You see the number up front, and the price we put in writing is the price. If the job needs a permit, we tell you that here, not halfway through. And if storm damage and an insurance claim are involved, we build the estimate and the photo documentation so your adjuster has exactly what they need.

  3. Permits and approvals

    Most dock, lift, and seawall work in Sarasota needs a permit through Sarasota County, and often the Florida Department of Environmental Protection 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 the county requires them, and schedule the inspections. This is the part that stalls out-of-town contractors and do-it-yourselfers, and it is exactly the part we handle for you.

  4. Scheduling around the water

    A waterfront job runs on tides, weather, and access, not just the calendar. Once the permit is in hand we schedule the crew and any equipment - a barge or a piling driver if the job calls for one - around the conditions that let us work safely and do it right. We give you the window at the estimate and keep you posted if a storm or a low tide pushes it, so you are never left wondering when the crew is coming back.

  5. The repair or rebuild, done right

    On the day, our insured marine crew does the work: swapping snapped or rotten pilings, re-decking in wood or composite, resetting stringers and hardware, rebuilding a seawall cap and its tie-backs, or servicing the lift's cables, bunks, motor, and gearbox. We build for salt air, sun, and Sarasota Bay tides, using marine-grade fasteners and materials that hold up out here - because a dock put back together with the wrong hardware fails again in a single season.

  6. A final walkthrough and warranty

    When the work is finished we walk the structure with you and test everything: we run the lift up and down under load, check the decking is solid underfoot, and confirm the seawall drains and holds. We haul off the old pilings, lumber, and debris and leave the site clean. Our workmanship is warrantied, and because we are local, if anything ever needs a second look you get a short drive from a real crew, not a phone tree in another state.

What to expect

No surprises, no pressure, no vanishing crew.

We know that hiring a contractor to work on the most exposed, most expensive structure on your property is an act of trust, and we treat it that way. The inspection is genuinely free and genuinely no-obligation. The written scope and price come before any work begins, so you always know what you are paying for. And you deal with the same local people throughout - not a salesman who hands you off to a crew you have never met.

How long the whole thing takes depends on the damage and whether a permit is involved, and we are honest about that from the start. A few boards and some fresh hardware can be a day; a full re-deck, new pilings, or a seawall project runs longer and can wait on the county. Whatever the pace, our job is to keep you informed and get your waterfront usable again. If you want the full list of what we handle, see our services page, and browse the FAQ for the questions boat owners ask most.

How long it takes

An honest answer about timing.

The most common question we get is how long the work takes, and the honest answer is that it depends on the structure and whether a permit is in play. A handful of replacement boards and some new hardware can be done in a day or two once we are scheduled. New pilings, a full re-deck, or a seawall cap with tie-backs runs longer, and permits - which depend on Sarasota County, the FDEP, and sometimes the Army Corps - are outside our control and can add weeks to a larger job. We tell you the realistic timeline at the estimate, we start the permit clock early, and we hold to the window we give you.

Who does the work

The same local crew, start to finish.

You are not handed off from a salesperson to a stranger with a truck. The people who inspect your dock are the people who plan the job and stand behind the work, and our marine crew is licensed and insured. That continuity matters on the water: one accountable point of contact, a crew that already knows your structure, and nothing lost in the gaps between vendors. When we say we do the whole job, we mean the same team is with you from the first inspection to the final walkthrough.

Permits and approvals

We know the Sarasota permitting playbook.

Dock, lift, and seawall work along the coast comes with its own rulebook - Sarasota County marine-construction standards, FDEP and Army Corps review near seagrass and in manatee zones, turbidity-barrier requirements, and HOA or waterfront-association approvals in communities like Bird Key and Bay Isles. We handle all of it. We know which agency each job needs, we file the paperwork, and we schedule the inspections so the permitting is our problem and not yours. You can see the coastal Sarasota areas we serve, and everything we handle on the services page.

Your part is small

What we ask of you.

Almost nothing, by design. We need access to the dock and a few decisions only you can make - wood or composite, repair or replace a tired lift, how far to take a seawall that is starting to lean - and we handle everything around those decisions. You do not chase permits, coordinate a barge, or manage a crew. If your job is a storm-insurance claim, we hand you the documentation your adjuster needs. When you are ready, the first step is a free on-site estimate, and you can always reach us with a question first.

The moment it comes together

The first time you use it again.

There is a moment at the end of every job that owners remember. The crew is gone, the turbidity barrier is out of the water, and you step onto a dock that an hour ago you did not quite trust - and it is solid underfoot, the lift lowers your boat down to the water smooth and quiet, and the seawall behind you is holding the yard the way it should. For a waterfront that has been sagging, corroding, or storm-battered for a season or two, that first easy use is not a small thing; it is the difference between a structure you avoid and one you actually enjoy.

Our work does not end when the last board is set, either. We haul off the old pilings, decking, and debris and leave the site as clean as we found it, so you are not left with a pile of salt-soaked lumber to deal with. And because everything we build is meant for salt air, relentless sun, and Sarasota Bay tides, the repair is built to last out here - not to look good for a photo and give way in the next storm season.

If this is the kind of thorough, local, start-to-finish work you want on your waterfront, the first step is a free, no-obligation on-site estimate. You can also read about who we are, see everything we handle on the services page, or find your community among the areas we serve across coastal Sarasota.

Common questions

Questions about how it works

What factors affect the cost of dock repair in Sarasota?
The main cost drivers are the extent of structural damage, the materials involved, and how accessible your dock is from the water. We look at how many pilings need replacement or sistering, the condition of the decking, and whether any framing or hardware has corroded past the point of repair. Saltwater exposure in Sarasota accelerates deterioration, so a dock that looks fine on the surface sometimes has hidden rot underneath. We give you a detailed, itemized estimate after an in-person inspection so there are no surprises.
How do I know if my dock needs repair or full replacement?
We can usually save a dock with targeted repairs when the main structural frame is still sound and fewer than half the pilings are compromised. If the frame itself is rotted through, connections are failing at multiple points, or the deck is heaving and unstable, full replacement often costs less in the long run than stacking repairs on a failing structure. We walk through both options with you after our inspection and give you an honest recommendation, not just the more expensive path.
What is the dock repair process from first call to finished job?
We start with a free on-site inspection where we probe, tap, and visually assess every component. From there we give you a written estimate. Once you approve it, we handle any required Sarasota County permitting, schedule your job, and show up with the crew and materials to complete the work. We clean up the site at the end of each day and do a final walk-through with you before we consider the job closed. Most straightforward repairs move from approval to completion within a few weeks.
Do I need a permit to repair or replace my dock in Sarasota County?
Permits are required for most structural dock work in Sarasota County, including piling replacement and full deck rebuilds. Minor repairs like replacing a few deck boards typically fall below the permit threshold, but we confirm that before we start. We manage the permitting process for you, including submitting the application and coordinating any required inspections. Working without a required permit can create problems when you sell your property, so we never skip that step.
How long does a typical dock repair take to complete?
A focused repair, such as replacing several pilings or re-decking a section, usually takes one to three days of active work once we are on site. Larger projects or full replacements can run a week or more. The timeline we give you at the estimate stage accounts for material lead times and any permit processing. We keep you informed if anything changes and we do not leave a job half-finished while we move to another site.
What is the best time of year to schedule dock repair in Sarasota?
We work year-round in Sarasota, and there is no bad season for getting dock work done. That said, our schedule fills up fastest after summer storm season, when many homeowners discover damage at once. If you are planning maintenance or non-urgent repairs, booking in late winter or early spring gives you the most scheduling flexibility. Hurricane season runs June through November, so getting your dock assessed and repaired before June is a smart move.
How does Sarasota's saltwater environment affect my dock?
Saltwater accelerates corrosion on metal hardware and breaks down untreated or under-treated wood far faster than freshwater does. In our coastal environment, we also deal with marine borers, organisms that tunnel into submerged wood pilings and hollow them out from the inside. A piling can look intact above the waterline while being severely compromised below. This is exactly why we do a thorough below-waterline assessment, not just a surface look, every time we inspect a dock here in Sarasota.
What materials do you use for dock repair and replacement?
We use pressure-treated lumber rated for ground and marine contact, composite decking products designed for saltwater exposure, and hot-dipped galvanized or stainless steel hardware throughout. For pilings, we typically work with pressure-treated timber, though we also install concrete and fiberglass composite pilings where conditions or owner preference call for them. We match materials to your specific site conditions and budget rather than using a one-size-fits-all approach.
How do I prepare my property before the repair crew arrives?
Clear the dock of furniture, planters, grills, and any personal items before our crew arrives. If you have a boat tied to the dock, we will tell you in advance whether it needs to be moved and for how long. Make sure our crew has clear access from the street to the water, including any gate codes or combination locks. That is really all we ask of you. We handle the material staging, equipment, and cleanup ourselves.
What boat lift repairs do you handle?
We service and repair cable-style and cantilever boat lifts, including worn or broken cables, failed motors, damaged bunks and bunk boards, corroded cradle hardware, and bent or misaligned frames. We also re-level lifts that have shifted because a supporting piling has moved. If a lift is beyond economical repair, we can replace it and handle the installation. Getting your lift serviced regularly is far less expensive than waiting for a cable failure that drops your boat.
How often should I have my dock and boat lift inspected?
We recommend a professional inspection once a year, ideally before hurricane season begins in June. An annual check lets us catch small problems, a cracked piling wrap, a corroding bolt, a fraying cable, before they become large and expensive ones. If your dock took any kind of storm impact or boat strike, schedule an inspection right away rather than waiting for the annual cycle. Early detection consistently saves our customers money and extends the life of their structures.
What routine maintenance can I do myself to extend the life of my dock?
Rinse your dock with fresh water after storms to remove salt and debris. Keep the deck clear of standing water by not letting drains or scuppers clog. Inspect visible hardware every few months and flag any rust streaks or white calcium deposits around bolts for us to look at. Keep boat fenders in good shape so your hull is not grinding against dock framing. Beyond those steps, leave the structural assessment and any repairs to us so small issues do not get worse from a well-meaning fix.
What is a seawall and how do I know if mine needs repair?
A seawall is the vertical barrier, typically concrete or vinyl sheet pile, that holds your land back from the water and prevents erosion. Warning signs that yours needs attention include cracks running along the cap or face, chunks of concrete breaking away, soil or sand washing out behind the wall, and any visible leaning or bowing. In Sarasota, tidal fluctuation and boat wake put constant pressure on seawalls, so these signs should not be ignored. We inspect the full length of the wall, including the cap and any tiebacks.
What seawall repair services do you provide?
We repair and replace concrete seawall caps, fill voids and sinkholes behind the wall using pressure grouting, seal cracks to stop water infiltration, and install or replace tiebacks and deadmen anchors that hold the wall against soil pressure. We also install vinyl sheet pile seawalls and do full seawall replacements when repair is no longer viable. If your wall is leaning or if you are losing ground behind it, contact us promptly because the problem accelerates once erosion begins.
How does hurricane season in Southwest Florida affect my dock and seawall?
Storm surge, high winds, and wave action can shift pilings, snap cables, crack seawall caps, and wash out backfill behind seawalls in a single event. Even a near-miss storm that does not make direct landfall sends significant wave energy through Sarasota Bay and the intracoastal. We strongly recommend inspecting your dock, lift, and seawall before June and then again after any named storm passes through the region. Catching storm damage early prevents what is a repair from becoming a replacement.
Do you work in the water, or only on structures above the waterline?
We work above and below the waterline. Piling installation and assessment, void filling behind seawalls, and hardware replacement all require working at or below the water surface. We have the equipment and experience to do that work safely in Sarasota's coastal conditions. You do not need to arrange separate diving or marine contractors for the underwater portions of a job. We handle the complete scope from one crew, which keeps scheduling and accountability simple for you.
What information should I have ready when I call to request an inspection?
It helps to know roughly how long your dock, seawall, or lift has been in place and when it was last repaired or serviced, if you know. Photos you have taken of any damage or concerns are genuinely useful, so send them along if you have them. Let us know if there is a navigational or safety issue that makes the job urgent. Beyond that, we just need your address and a good time to reach you. We do the detailed investigation ourselves during the inspection.
What areas of Coastal Sarasota County do you serve?
We serve the coastal communities throughout Sarasota County, including Sarasota, Siesta Key, Casey Key, Nokomis, Osprey, Venice, Englewood, and the barrier islands along the Gulf. If your property has waterfront access in coastal Sarasota County, we can get to you. When you call, give us your address and we will confirm coverage right away. We are a local company and we know these waterways, the tidal patterns, the soil conditions, and the specific challenges that come with building and maintaining structures in this part of Southwest Florida.

Ready to fix your waterfront?

Book a free, no-obligation on-site inspection. We will look at your dock, lift, or seawall, tell you honestly what it needs, and put one clear price in writing.

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