New Dock Construction in Pompano Beach, FL

New dock construction in Pompano Beach usually means one of two things: a first dock on a lot that never had one, or a full tear-out of a tired dock that has reached the end of its life. Both start with the same questions. How wide is the canal at your lot? How deep is the water at low tide where the boat will sit? Is the seawall sound and high enough to build against? The answers drive the size, the piling layout and the price.

Choosing a layout

• Marginal dock: runs parallel to the seawall, the most common choice on narrow residential canals
• Finger pier or T-dock: reaches out from the wall to reach deeper water or to separate two boats
• Platform with a lift: a short walkway and a boat lift side by side, popular on lots where the boat lives out of the water
• Upper deck or seating area: extra square footage for fishing and sitting, which adds to the over-water area the agencies count

Size limits that shape the design

Over-water area is the number every reviewer looks at. Broward County's streamlined general license covers a new private dock of 500 square feet or less when no dredging or filling is needed beyond the pilings. Larger docks go through a regular license. State law has its own exemption for private docks of 1,000 square feet or less (500 in Outstanding Florida Waters) with conditions about navigation and water flow. The City of Pompano Beach then reviews setbacks and how far the dock reaches into the waterway. We confirm the limits for your lot before we draw anything.

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What goes into the structure

The pilings carry the whole dock, so they get the most attention. We use pressure-treated pilings rated for salt water, driven or jetted to the depth the engineer calls for, and spaced to suit the decking. Framing is set with stainless or hot-dip galvanized connectors. Deck height is chosen with the seawall cap, the boat's gunwale and storm tides in mind, so you are not stepping down into the boat at low tide or watching the deck float at a king tide.

Check the seawall first

In Pompano Beach the dock and the seawall are tied together by code. Section 151.05 says that if modifications or attached structures such as mooring structures cost more than 50 percent of the value of the seawall along your shoreline, a wall below 5 feet NAVD88 must be raised to 5 feet. A large new dock on a low, older wall can cross that line. We measure the wall's elevation at the first visit so a seawall requirement does not show up after you have signed for a dock.

Wood, composite or a mix

Most new docks here use treated pilings and framing with either treated wood or composite boards on top. Composite costs more up front and lasts longer with less upkeep; wood is cheaper and easier to repair board by board. Some owners split the difference, putting composite on the main walkway and wood on a lower fishing platform. Our composite dock decking page covers the tradeoffs in more detail.

Power, water and lights

Shore power, a hose bib, dock lights and a lift motor all need planning before the decking goes down. Electrical work requires its own permit, and conduit is far easier to run while the framing is open. Lighting that faces down and away from the water keeps glare off the canal and your neighbors' windows.