What We Build
Our work covers the full scope of marine construction in Hilton Head's saltwater environment. Every structure we design accounts for the tidal range, salt exposure, and storm conditions specific to your waterfront.
New Docks
A new dock on Hilton Head starts with the water. We survey your shoreline at multiple tide stages to understand depth, current, and bottom composition. The pluff mud common along Broad Creek and the interior marshes requires different piling strategies than the sandy bottoms near the Intracoastal Waterway. Open exposure on the Calibogue Sound demands heavier framing and larger pilings than a protected creek lot in Palmetto Dunes.
We design for Beaufort County's wind load requirements and the 6-to-8-foot tidal swings that define this coastline. Dock height must allow boat access at mean low water while maintaining safe freeboard at king tides. Get this wrong by two feet and the dock is unusable half the day. Every connection uses hot-dip galvanized or 316 stainless hardware rated for continuous saltwater contact. Standard fasteners corrode visibly within three to five years in this environment.
Dock Repair and Restoration
Saltwater docks deteriorate continuously. The warm, brackish water accelerates corrosion and marine borer activity on unprotected timber. Common repair work includes decking replacement with updated drainage and flashing, piling restoration or full replacement with concrete-encapsulated alternatives, corroded hardware swap-outs, and structural reinforcement where original framing was undersized or new loads have been added.
We assess existing structures honestly. Sometimes a targeted repair extends dock life by a decade. Other times, the framing and pilings have deteriorated past the point where repairs make financial sense, and a rebuild is the better investment.
Boat Lifts
The lift choice shapes the dock design. A vertical four-post lift requires pile spacing and framing loads calculated for your boat's full weight plus dynamic forces from waves and operation. Elevator lifts mount to the side, need less water depth, and suit narrow creek frontage, but cost more and have more moving parts. Floating pneumatic systems skip pilings entirely and work well for smaller vessels in calm water.
We engineer the dock structure for whichever lift type fits your vessel and waterfront conditions. Adding a lift after the fact usually means reinforcing the existing structure, so planning ahead saves money.
Shoreline Stabilization
Some properties need more than a dock. Vinyl sheet piling seawalls provide cost-effective erosion control with thirty-year lifespans on low-energy shorelines. Steel bulkheads handle high-energy exposure from waves and boat wakes. Riprap and stone revetment work where hard structures aren't required or permitted.
Dock and Piling Comparison
| Type | Lifespan | Typical Cost | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stationary dock | 25-40 years | $35k-$100k+ | Most residential waterfront, boat lift installations |
| Floating dock | 20-30 years | $25k-$80k | Deep water, soft bottoms, consistent boarding height |
| Timber pilings (ACQ-treated) | 20-30 years | $200-$350 each | Protected creeks, budget-conscious projects |
| Concrete-encapsulated pilings | 50+ years | $450-$650 each | Open sound exposure, hurricane zones |
| Composite fiberglass pilings | 40+ years | $350-$500 each | Corrosion immunity, moderate structural loads |
How We Build It
Site Assessment
We visit your property and spend time on the water. Depth readings at low and high tide. Soil probes for piling embedment planning. Wind exposure evaluation. Documentation of your vessel dimensions, existing structures, and any HOA architectural standards that apply. Properties in Sea Pines, Wexford, and Shipyard each maintain different design guidelines. We know the requirements before we start drawing.
Engineering and Design
The design phase translates site conditions into structural specifications. We calculate lateral loads for your specific wind exposure classification, specify piling depth based on bottom composition, and size framing members for the combined loads of decking, equipment, people, and any boat lift. You receive a design proposal with material options, a construction timeline, and fixed pricing.
The Build Sequence
- Permitting: We file Beaufort County building permits and SC DHEC-OCRM critical area applications. For plantation communities, HOA architectural pre-approval runs in parallel. Permit review averages eight to twelve weeks.
- Material procurement: Pilings, framing, decking, and hardware are ordered to specification during the permit window. Most components are fabricated to order.
- Piling installation: Pilings are driven to engineered depth on a tide schedule that provides adequate water access for equipment. Pluff mud sites may require twenty-foot embedment to reach refusal.
- Framing and decking: Marine-grade aluminum or galvanized steel framing goes up, followed by composite or pressure-treated decking with proper drainage and flashing details.
- Lift and accessory installation: Boat lifts, electrical service, water lines, and lighting are integrated into the completed structure.
- Inspection and walkthrough: County inspection, final adjustments, and a maintenance walkthrough specific to your materials and exposure conditions.
Most Hilton Head dock projects take four to eight weeks of construction after permits clear. Start your dock project with a site assessment: call (843) 502-6361 and we'll schedule a visit.