Dock Repair in Jacksonville, FL
A wobbly walkway or a cracked piling does not always mean a new dock. Take a few photos at low tide and a local dock builder can tell you what it needs.
Around Orange Park, Mandarin and nearby
Calls are recorded for quality assurance.
Signs your dock needs work
- Pilings that lean, move when you push on them or are worn thin near the waterline.
- Planks that bend, split or feel soft underfoot.
- Bolts and brackets with heavy rust, or gaps where they used to be tight.
- A walkway or platform that sags between pilings.
- Damage after a storm: missing boards, a shifted platform or a lift that no longer sits level.
Photos at low tide help most, because they show the pilings where the water usually hides them.
Repair or rebuild
Replacing planks, railings and some hardware is a repair. Pilings are the deciding part. If many are rotted or loose, the frame on top of them will not stay level for long, and a rebuild may cost less over time.
The builder checks the pilings, the frame under the deck and the connections at the shore before giving you a price.
What the state allows for a repair
Florida law exempts the repair or replacement of an existing dock from a state environmental permit when the new dock is within 5 feet of the same location, no larger than the old one, uses no fill, and causes no new lasting harm to the water and its plants. Different materials are allowed, and so are small changes to meet current building standards.
That means you can often swap a tired wood deck for composite, or replace old pilings, without the review a new dock needs. A larger dock or a new layout is treated as new work.
A city or county building permit may still apply. In Jacksonville, starting permitted work without a permit can bring a $250 fine, so ask the builder which permits your repair needs.
Questions to ask
- Which pilings are sound, and which need replacing?
- Will the repaired dock stay the same size and in the same spot?
- What hardware is used, and is it made for salt or brackish water?
- Which permits does this repair need, and who applies?
- Is removal of the old material part of the price?
Repair questions
Is it safe to use a damaged dock?
Stay off a dock with loose pilings, a sagging platform or missing boards until a builder has looked at it.
Can I make my dock bigger while I repair it?
Not under the repair exemption, which requires the dock to be no larger. A bigger dock is planned as new work and checked against the new dock limits.
Can I add a lift during the repair?
Often, and it is a common time to do it. See boat lifts.
Ready when you are
Call now, or send the form. A local pro calls you back, usually the same business day.
Calls are recorded for quality assurance.