What to look for
- Soft, split or cupped decking boards, and loose or rusting fasteners.
- Sagging or bouncing sections, a sign the stringers or framing underneath are failing.
- Pilings thinned at the waterline. Marine borers and rot work fastest between the tides.
- Corroded hardware: bolts, brackets and ladders.
- Storm damage: missing boards, shifted sections and broken pilings.
Common repairs
- Re-decking in pressure-treated wood or composite. Composite costs more but needs far less upkeep in salt air.
- Replacing stringers and framing while keeping sound pilings.
- Piling wraps to protect pilings that are still sound, and new pilings where they aren't.
- Rebuilding when most of the structure has failed. Often it's worth pairing with seawall work, because the dock usually comes off for a seawall job anyway.
Permits and plans
Repairs beyond the decking often need permits and drawings. Some examples:
- Lighthouse Point asks for signed and sealed plans when stringers or framing are replaced, plus an updated dock and seawall survey before the final inspection.
- Broward: repairs that add no fill on the water side can usually use the county's streamlined general licence, alongside your city permit (Broward permits).
- Pinellas: dock changes go through the county's Water and Navigation review (Pinellas permits).
- Cape Coral: docks need a city permit and inspection (Lee County permits).
Insurance to ask about
Work over navigable water can fall under the federal Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act, and state workers' compensation doesn't cover it. Lighthouse Point asks contractors for this "Longshore" insurance where it's required. Ask any dock contractor whether they carry it.
What it costs
Repairs vary too much for a single figure. For scale, HomeAdvisor puts new fixed docks on pilings at about $20–40 per sq ft nationally, and Florida coastal work with permits often runs higher. If a repair quote approaches the cost of a new dock, ask for both.
Local pages
This page summarizes published rules and prices for general information. It isn't engineering or legal advice, and codes change. Your contractor, engineer and building department have the final word for your property.
Common questions
Do I need a permit to repair my dock?
Often, yes, especially once the work goes beyond decking. Lighthouse Point, for example, asks for signed and sealed plans when stringers or framing are replaced. In Broward, any work in the water needs a county licence, though repairs that add no fill can usually use the streamlined general licence. In Pinellas, dock changes go through the county's Water and Navigation review.
Can rotten pilings be saved?
Sometimes. Pilings with surface damage can be protected with piling wraps, which keep out marine borers and slow decay. Pilings that are badly eaten away or no longer carry load need replacing. A marine contractor can tell the difference.