One inspection, the whole waterfront. Anderson Dock and Lift inspects seawalls, docks, pilings, retaining walls and boat lifts across Manatee and Sarasota counties as one visit, because on a waterfront property those are not separate structures. We are a Florida Certified Specialty Contractor, license SCC131152520, and if something needs work you get a straight answer and a written scope and price, not a sales pitch.
Why one inspection instead of three
The structures on your waterline share a load path. The seawall holds the soil, the soil holds the pilings, the pilings carry the dock, and the dock carries the lift and the boat on it.
Trouble in one shows up in another. Soil escaping through a failing seawall undermines pilings twenty feet away. A settling dock puts a lift out of level and starts wearing cables unevenly. A lift inspection that never looks at the wall behind it answers the wrong question.
So we look at the system, not the symptom you happened to notice.
The structures we inspect
The seawall. Cracks in the cap or panels, leaning sections, sinking ground near the wall, soil erosion behind it, exposed rebar, rust stains, bulging panels, and separations between segments. Water pooling or soil washing away behind a wall is the sign most owners miss, and it matters because the wall fails from the land side first. Not every problem means replacement, which is why seawall repairs and tieback work exist as their own services.
The dock and pilings. Structure, fasteners, decking condition, and the pilings at the waterline, which is where wood fails first. Rot caught early is a candidate for piling wraps. Rot caught late is a rebuild, and the difference between those two conversations is usually one season. Repair work runs through dock repair.
The boat lift. Cables, drive, motor and cradle, with the boat’s real loaded weight in mind. The signs worth acting on are rust bleeding from the cable strands, uneven or hesitant travel under load, and grinding from the drive. Any of those means stop using the lift until it has been looked at. Repairs run through boat lift service and repair, whether or not we installed the lift.
The retaining wall, where the property has one above the waterline. Same failure language as the seawall, different loading. Work runs through retaining walls.
When to book one
- Buying a waterfront property. The seawall and dock are often worth more than the roof, and
no general home inspector is underneath them. If the inspection leads to work you hire us for, the inspection cost is credited toward it
- After a named storm, even when nothing looks wrong from the lanai. Surge works on the land
side of the wall, where damage does not show from above
- A lift or dock that came with the house, installed by someone unknown, maintained on an
unknown schedule
- Before listing, so the buyer’s inspector does not set the price of the conversation
- Something looks different, a new crack, a low spot in the yard near the wall, a lift that
sounds wrong
The answer you get
We tell you plainly what is sound, what needs attention, and in what order. If something needs work, you get a written scope and price. We also tell you when repair beats replacement, and sometimes the honest answer is that nothing needs us this year.
And the inspection does not end up costing you extra when it finds real work: if you hire us for the work it uncovers, the inspection cost is credited toward the job.
Estimates come back within 24 business hours. If the property is commercial, a marina, a restaurant or an association shoreline, start at commercial marine construction instead, the loads and the stakes are different.
Next step
Tell us the property and what prompted the call, a purchase, a storm, or something that looks different than it did. We will look at the whole waterline and give you a straight answer.
Request an estimate or contact us. The service pages for anything we find start at seawalls, docks and piers and boat lifts.
Frequently asked questions
What does a waterfront inspection cover?
The seawall, the dock and its pilings, the boat lift, and any retaining wall above the waterline, as one visit. The structures share a load path, so we inspect them as a system.
What are the warning signs of seawall trouble?
Cracks in the cap or panels, leaning sections, sinking ground near the wall, soil erosion behind it, exposed rebar, rust stains, bulging panels, or separations between segments. Water pooling or soil washing away behind the wall is the sign most owners miss.
What are the warning signs on a boat lift?
Rust bleeding from the cable strands, uneven or hesitant travel under load, or grinding from the drive. Any of those, stop using the lift until it has been inspected.
Should I get an inspection before buying a waterfront home?
Yes. The seawall and dock are often the most expensive structures on the property after the house itself, and a general home inspection does not cover them.
Do you inspect docks and lifts you did not build?
Yes. Most of what we inspect was built or installed by someone else. If it came with the house, we will tell you plainly what you bought.
Does an inspection mean I need repairs?
No. We tell you when a structure is sound, and we tell you when repair beats replacement. The answer that nothing needs us this year is one we give more often than people expect.
How much does an inspection cost?
It depends on the property, so ask when you book. If the inspection finds work and you hire us to do it, the inspection cost is credited toward the job.
Are you licensed and insured?
Yes. We are a Florida Certified Specialty Contractor, license SCC131152520, and fully insured.
What areas do you cover?
Florida's Gulf Coast, centered on Bradenton and Sarasota, reaching from Pinellas and Hillsborough down through Manatee, Sarasota, Charlotte and Lee counties, plus the inland counties of DeSoto, Hardee, Highlands, Polk and Hendry.