New Dock Construction in Jacksonville, FL
A new dock is planned around your boat, your water depth and the area allowed over the water. Here is what gets settled before the first piling goes in.
Around Arlington, the Southside and nearby
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Start with the boat and the water
Tell the builder what you will keep at the dock: a kayak, a pontoon, a center console or two boats. That sets the length of the walkway, the size of the platform and whether you need a lift.
Water depth at low tide matters as much as the boat. On a shallow shore the walkway has to run farther out to reach water the boat can float in.
The parts of a dock
- Walkway: the narrow path from the shore or the seawall out to the water.
- Platform: the wider area at the end, for tying up, loading and sitting.
- Boat slip or lift: where the boat is kept, in the water or raised out of it.
- Roof or canopy: optional cover over the boat or the platform.
- Extras: a fish-cleaning table, a ladder, lights, water and power.
Every square foot of walkway, platform and roof counts toward the area over the water. Keeping the total at 1,000 square feet or less is what lets many private docks use the state exemption.
Fixed or floating
A fixed dock sits on pilings at a set height. It suits places where the tide is small or where a long walkway crosses marsh.
A floating dock rises and falls with the water, so the deck stays at the same height above the boat. It helps where the tide range is large. It is usually reached by a hinged ramp from a fixed walkway. State law allows a private floating dock under the same exemption as a fixed one, as long as it involves no fill or dredging beyond the pilings that hold it in place.
Pilings, framing and decking
Pilings carry the whole dock, so their length, spacing and material are the first questions to ask. Treated wood is common, and some builders offer concrete or composite pilings for parts of the dock.
Decking can be treated wood or composite boards. Spacing between planks lets light reach the water and lets water drain off.
Near salt water, ask what the bolts, screws and brackets are made of. Hardware usually wears out before the wood does.
Permits
A new dock usually needs a state check (an exemption you can self-certify online if the dock fits the limits), the federal sign-off that often comes with it, and a building permit from the city or county. The permits page explains each step.
Questions to ask
- How long is the walkway, and how deep is the water at the end at low tide?
- What is the total area over the water, including any roof?
- Fixed or floating, and why for my shoreline?
- What are the pilings made of, and how deep do they go?
- Who handles each permit, and is the cost in the price?
New dock questions
How far out can a dock go?
It depends on the water, the channel and your neighbors. A dock may not get in the way of boat traffic or the flow of water, and the builder checks this when planning it.
Can two neighbors share a dock?
Sometimes. The state exemption allows one exempt dock per 65 feet of shoreline, or one per platted lot if the lot is shorter, so a shared dock is worth asking about on narrow lots.
How long does a dock take to build?
The permits often take longer than the build. The builder gives you a schedule once the plan is set.
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.