Marine Construction Services

It comes down to tide swing and water depth. Coastal NC tide swing is 2.5–4 ft, which is the sweet spot for floating docks — they rise and fall with the water so your boat stays the same height above the deck. Fixed piers are better for deep water at low tide (4+ ft), for supporting roofed structures or boat lifts, and when you want zero motion. See our floating-vs-fixed comparison for a side-by-side breakdown.

Yes. New construction (floating docks, fixed piers, boat lifts, bulkheads, gazebos, custom docks) and full repair/replacement work (dock repairs, piling replacement, hardware swaps, decking replacement, storm damage). We run a same-week response window on storm-damage repairs for repeat clients.

Almost every project does. A typical Intracoastal Installs build includes pilings (driven to refusal), framing and decking, hardware, and either a floating-dock platform or a fixed pier — often with a boat lift or covered gazebo on top. Combining services on one mobilization saves you money and shortens timeline.

Primarily residential — single-family waterfront homes, private community piers, and HOA dock systems. We have done small commercial work (marinas under 10 slips, restaurant docks). Anything larger needs a CAMA major permit and a commercial marine contractor; we will refer you out if your project falls outside our wheelhouse.

Marine-grade pressure-treated framing (0.60 lb/cu ft retention), 316 stainless fasteners on every saltwater-side connection, hot-dipped galvanized framing hardware, USA-made HDPE float drums, and pressure-treated southern yellow pine or IPE Brazilian hardwood for decking. We can spec composite decking on request but it is not our default — pressure-treated lasts longer in our salt environment.

Both. On saltwater and brackish water we spec 316 stainless on every wet-side connection — anything less corrodes here. On a freshwater lake, hot-dipped galvanized is acceptable inboard and we can lighten the hardware bill without sacrificing the build. Floating docks, fixed piers, boat lifts, gazebos, and custom builds all translate to lake projects — and lake jobs usually skip CAMA permitting entirely, which moves the timeline forward by several weeks.

Every estimate starts with a free site visit, not a price list — length, water depth, decking and hardware spec, and site access move the number far more than the service type does. You get a written, itemized estimate within one business day with every board, fastener, and piling listed. See what drives dock cost for the full breakdown.