Dock Builders in Bradenton Beach, FL

Bradenton Beach took the hardest hit on Anna Maria Island in 2024. After Helene, the city was surveyed as 90 to 95 percent destroyed, and dock builders here are still working through rebuilds. The city sits between the Gulf and Anna Maria Sound, with Longboat Pass to the south and the Cortez Bridge linking it to the mainland.

Why rebuilds start with piling replacement

A surge that floods a whole city also moves the sand around every pile. Even a pile that looks straight may have lost much of its grip in the bottom. When we rebuild a dock here, we usually:

• Pull or cut the old piles
• Drive new ones to the depth the bottom calls for
• Set new caps, stringers and decking
• Through-bolt connections rather than relying on nails

If some piles are tight and sound, we can keep them, but we test before we trust them.

Mostly water, mostly seasonal

The city covers 1.19 square miles, and 0.67 of that is water. In 2020 it had 908 residents and 1,769 housing units, and about half of all units were held for seasonal or occasional use. Many owners are not on site, so we document damage with photos, send a written scope and start once you approve.

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Slow speed sound

The state rule for Manatee County lists Anna Maria Sound from SR 64 to Cortez Road as a year-round slow speed zone. Bay waters within 300 feet of Longboat Key's eastern shore, just across Longboat Pass, are slow speed as well.

Storms are part of the record here

The first wooden bridge to the mainland was 80 percent destroyed by the October 1921 hurricane before it was finished in 1922. A bridge to Longboat Key was damaged in 1926 and swept away in 1932. Building for that history means durable materials and sensible deck heights.

Seawalls before docks

Where a dock connects to a seawall, the wall has to be sound before a new dock goes on. After the 2024 storms, many walls on the island have open joints, cracked caps and lost fill. We check the wall during the same visit and include any repair in the scope, so you are not rebuilding a dock on a failing foundation.

Planning material deliveries

Bradenton Beach is reached by the Cortez Bridge and from Holmes Beach to the north. We plan deliveries of pilings and lumber around traffic and any limits on the island, and we keep you informed of the schedule.

Pilings worth keeping

Not every old pile has to go. When a pile is straight, firm in the bottom and still has most of its section at the tide line, it can carry a new frame. We mark each pile as keep, wrap or replace and show you why. That keeps the rebuild honest and avoids paying to replace something that still works.

Lift reinstallation

Lifts that rode out the surge can sometimes be reinstalled after the motor, switch and cables are replaced.

Lifts and floats

We also reinstall or replace boat lifts and add floating docks for kayaks. Call (941) 213-5801 to talk through your rebuild.