How this service works
Plain answers about who we are, who you will talk to, and how we get paid.
We are a referral service, not a contractor
Port Charlotte Seawall does not perform construction, inspections, or repairs, and does not hold a contractor license. We publish information for waterfront owners and connect them with an independent licensed marine contractor.
Where your request goes
When you send a request with the form, it comes to us first. We are a referral service, not a contractor. We ask if we may pass your request to one independent licensed marine contractor serving your area, and we tell you who that contractor is before we pass it on. That contractor gives you their own assessment, quote, and contract, under their own license.
How we get paid
Right now no contractor pays us. You pay us nothing either way, and you are never obligated to hire anyone.
How a seawall project works with the contractor we connect you with
Every seawall project is quoted, scheduled, and built by the contractor you hire, not by us. Here is the typical path from first call to a finished wall, including a few things worth asking about.
1. Onsite inspection
Typical: Often within a few days to two weeks
A marine contractor visits to check the cap, panels, joints, and weep holes, and the soil behind the wall, including the water side at low tide where possible. Many contractors in this market do not charge for the first visit; ask when you book.
Questions to ask
- Will I get the findings in writing?
- Will you check below the waterline and behind the wall, or only what is visible?
- Do you do the work yourselves, or subcontract parts of it?
2. Assessment: repair, replace, or reinforce
Typical: At or shortly after the visit
The contractor tells you whether the fix is a repair (tiebacks, a new cap, grouted joints, rip rap at the toe), a full replacement (new panels, vinyl, composite, or steel sheet piling), or reinforcement with rip rap over filter cloth.
Questions to ask
- Why repair rather than replace, or the reverse, for my wall?
- Which material do you recommend for my canal, and why that one?
- Will the new wall sit in the same place, or slightly in front of the old one?
3. Written proposal and contract
Typical: About 1 to 2 weeks
Get a written scope, price, payment schedule, and warranty before work starts. A manufacturer's product warranty and the contractor's workmanship warranty often run for very different lengths, so ask for both in writing.
Questions to ask
- What is the payment schedule, and what is due before permits are issued?
- What is your workmanship warranty, in years, and does it cover this material?
- What happens to my dock, lift, and landscaping during the job, and is restoring them in the price?
4. Engineering and permits
Typical: A few weeks for a typical canal repair; longer if state or federal review applies
Charlotte County requires a permit application with signed and sealed plans, a site plan, and a survey. A job over $5,000 also needs a recorded Notice of Commencement before the first inspection. The contractor usually files these on your behalf.
Questions to ask
- Who is the engineer, and who files the permits?
- Does my project need state (FDEP) or federal (Army Corps) review?
- How long are county permits taking right now?
5. Materials and site prep
Typical: 1 to 3 weeks, often overlapping with permits
Panels, sheet piling, tiebacks, and rock are ordered once the design is set. The crew plans land or barge access, protects the yard, and places turbidity barriers in the water.
Questions to ask
- Will equipment come by land or by water, and what access do you need from my yard?
- How will my lawn, irrigation, and dock be protected?
6. Construction
Typical: A few days to two weeks for repairs; a few weeks for a new wall
Timing depends on tides, weather, and material deliveries.
Questions to ask
- Who is my point of contact during the build, and how will I get updates?
- What could cause delays, and how will you tell me?
7. Inspections, final sign off, and cleanup
Typical: Days to two weeks after construction
County inspections happen at set stages. At the end, the contractor walks the work with you, the county does a final inspection, and the permit is closed out.
Questions to ask
- Will I get a copy of the final inspection and permit closeout?
- Is cleanup, regrading, and sod included?
8. Aftercare
Typical: Ongoing
Keep weep holes clear, avoid digging right against the cap, watch for new cracks or soil loss, and keep your warranty paperwork with the house records.
Questions to ask
- What maintenance do you recommend, and is there a follow up visit?
What many marine contractors leave out
- The difference between a manufacturer's product warranty and the contractor's workmanship warranty. They often run for very different lengths. Ask for both in writing.
- Florida's deposit rule: a deposit over 10 percent of the price requires the contractor to apply for permits within 30 days and start work within 90 days of the permit, unless the contract says otherwise.
- What Charlotte County actually requires: signed and sealed plans, a survey, and a recorded Notice of Commencement on jobs over $5,000.
Call recording
Calls to this site are recorded to confirm referrals and for quality. You will hear a notice at the start of the call before you are connected. If you do not want to be recorded, you can hang up and use the request form instead.
Verify any contractor
Before you sign, look up the contractor's license at MyFloridaLicense.com and make sure the license number is on your contract.