Choosing a seawall contractor

1. Check the licence

Marine work in Florida is done under a state licence (certified general, building, residential, or a specialty licence) or a county certificate. Search the business and the qualifier's name on the Florida DBPR licence search and check it says "Current, Active". If the contractor is licensed by the county, ask Broward County or Lee County Contractor Licensing. Florida contractors must show their licence number on contracts and advertising, so a missing number is a warning sign.

2. Check insurance

Ask for certificates of general liability and workers' compensation insurance, sent directly from the insurer or agent. Marine work involves heavy equipment next to your house and your neighbors'.

For work over navigable water, also ask about Longshore cover. The federal Longshore and Harbor Workers' Compensation Act can apply, and state workers' compensation doesn't satisfy it. Some cities, such as Lighthouse Point, ask for it with the permit.

3. The contractor pulls the permits

Permits should be in the contractor's name. If someone suggests you pull an owner-builder permit for work they're doing, you become legally responsible for it. Walk away. See Broward permits and Lee County permits.

4. Get the scope in writing

• Linear feet of wall, wall type, panel length and embedment
• Existing and finished cap elevation in NAVD88
• Tieback and anchor type and spacing
• Demolition, disposal, and what happens to docks, lifts, landscaping and pavers
• Who handles engineering, surveys, and county, state or federal approvals
• Start and finish dates, and what happens if permits are delayed

5. Deposits and payments

Florida law (section 489.126) says that if a contractor takes more than 10% of the contract price as the first payment for work on a home, they must apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days after the permits are issued, unless you agree otherwise in writing. Tie the remaining payments to inspections passed, not to calendar dates. In Cape Coral those are the slab, the cap and tieback, and the final.

For jobs over $2,500, Florida's lien law usually calls for a Notice of Commencement to be recorded before work starts. Ask for lien releases from the contractor and major suppliers as you pay, so you don't end up paying twice.

6. Red flags

• Door-to-door offers after a storm, especially with "today only" prices
• Cash only, or a large deposit before any permit application
• No licence number on the quote, contract or truck
• A quote with no linear footage, no elevation and no permit line
• Pressure to skip permits "to save time"

How we choose contractors

When you send us a request, we pass it to one contractor we've checked: a current state or county licence for marine work, insurance on file, and a solid record in public reviews. It's still your decision, and these checks still apply. More about how it works.

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