SERVICES
Dock Building & Marine Construction
in Myrtle Beach
Everything We Build, Install, and Protect on the Water
If you own waterfront property along the Grand Strand, you already know — nothing out here is simple. The water moves constantly. The salt air eats hardware. Storm season isn't a distant threat, it's a recurring reality. And the permitting process for anything touching tidal water can catch a first-timer completely off guard.
We've been handling all of it for years.
From custom dock builds on tidal creeks in Murrells Inlet to shoreline stabilization on eroding canal properties in North Myrtle Beach — this is the full scope of what we do. Every service we offer exists because waterfront property owners in this area need it. Nothing on this list is filler.
Below is a breakdown of our five main service areas. Each one links to a full page with more detail, project examples, and specific information about what's involved. If you already know what you need, skip to that section. If you're still figuring it out, start at the top and read through — it'll help.
Custom Dock Building & Marine Construction
This is our core work. We design and build custom docks for residential and commercial waterfront properties all along the Grand Strand — from Calabash down through Pawleys Island and into Georgetown County.
Most of our dock builds are tidal projects. That means the structure has to work at high tide, low tide, and every condition in between. We factor in your specific tidal range, the substrate at your property, your boat size, and how you plan to use the dock before we ever draw a plan.
What's included in this service area:
- Cantilevered dock construction
- Tidal dock engineering and builds
- Floating dock anchor system installation
- Aluminum gangway installation
- Hydraulic boat lift installation
- Cradle lift cable rigging
- Covered boat slip roofing
- Floating jet ski port assembly
- Heavy-duty fender and bumper installation
- Integrated marine lighting installation
One thing we hear a lot from new clients: "I didn't realize how many decisions went into building a dock." It's true. The lift type, the decking material, the railing system, the lighting — every piece connects to the others. We walk you through those decisions without rushing you, and we're straight with you when a certain option isn't worth the cost for your situation.
→ Learn more about our custom dock building services
Dock Decking Installation & Composite Surfacing
Decking is one of the most visible — and most debated — parts of any dock project. Homeowners have strong opinions about wood versus composite. We've built both, and we'll give you an honest take on what works where.
Composite Decking
What we recommend for most residential dock surfaces along the Grand Strand. It handles the UV exposure and salt spray better than pressure treated lumber, it doesn't splinter, and it holds its appearance for years without the maintenance schedule that wood demands.
Ipe
Hardwood
A different story. It's one of the densest, most durable woods on the planet, and a well-built Ipe dock looks like nothing else. If you want natural wood and you're committed to maintaining it, Ipe is the right call.
ThruFlow Grated Decking
For floating dock sections, kayak launches, and areas where drainage and light penetration matter. And for beach access, dune walkovers and marsh walkways are their own category of decking work — elevated structures over sensitive environments that require different materials, different framing approaches, and often a more involved permitting process.
What's included in this service area:
- Composite dock decking installation
- Ipe hardwood dock construction
- ThruFlow grated decking setup
- Marsh walkway construction
- Dune walkover construction
→ Learn more about dock decking and composite surfacing
Marine Engineering & Shoreline Stabilization
A lot of waterfront property owners don't think about shoreline stabilization until they're standing at the water's edge looking at how much yard they've lost. By then, the problem is usually bigger and more expensive than it needed to be.
We get calls every fall after storm season from homeowners who noticed something shifted. The bank dropped a few inches. The waterline crept closer to the seawall. The bulkhead is starting to bow. These aren't cosmetic issues — they're structural problems that get worse with every tidal cycle.
We handle shoreline stabilization two primary ways: vinyl bulkhead installation for calmer tidal environments, and riprap stone revetment for higher-energy shorelines where wave action is the bigger threat. Some properties call for both, used in different sections along the same waterfront.
We also do hurricane reinforcement retrofitting for existing docks and marine structures — adding cross-bracing, upgrading fasteners, and addressing weak points before storm season tests them. And for large-scale commercial builds and heavy-use residential projects, our marine timber framing work handles the structural backbone of complex dock and pier construction.
What's included in this service area:
- Vinyl bulkhead installation
- Riprap stone revetment installation
- Hurricane reinforcement retrofitting
- Marine timber framing
→ Learn more about marine engineering and shoreline stabilization
Marine Pile Driving & Foundation Piling Services
The pilings are what everything else sits on.
Get this part wrong and nothing above it matters for long.
We handle three distinct services in this area. Helical pile installation is a specialized method — the pile screws into the substrate rather than being driven, which makes it ideal for areas with soft or unstable soil conditions, or anywhere that vibration from conventional pile driving would be a problem.
Marine piling encapsulation is one of the most overlooked maintenance services we offer. Marine borers — organisms that eat wood from the inside out — are active in South Carolina coastal waters. If your existing dock pilings haven't been treated or encapsulated, they're being eaten right now. Encapsulation wraps the pilings in a protective fiberglass shell and adds significant life to the structure at a fraction of what piling replacement costs.
Piling caps — available in copper or UV-polymer — protect the exposed top of each piling from moisture, UV, and bird damage. Small detail. Real impact on how long those pilings last.
What's included in this service area:
- Helical pile installation
- Marine piling encapsulation
- Piling cap installation (copper and UV-polymer)
→ Learn more about marine pile driving and foundation piling
Marine Railing Installation & Safety Handrails
Dock Railings
Railing on a dock isn't just about aesthetics. It's a safety requirement, and on a commercial property or a structure with public access, it's also a code requirement. We install marine-grade railing systems built to handle what the waterfront actually throws at them — constant moisture, UV exposure, salt spray, and years of use.
Stainless Steel Cable Railing
Our most popular install for residential docks and walkovers. The horizontal cables give you an unobstructed view of the water, the hardware holds up against salt air significantly better than powder-coated alternatives, and it works on everything from modern dock builds to traditional pier styles.
Marine-Grade Handrails
The right call when you need a more traditional railing profile — available in stainless, aluminum, or composite depending on the application.
ADA Compliant Marine Ramps
We build to the specific slope, surface texture, and handrail requirements that accessibility standards demand. We've completed ADA ramp installations for marinas, public fishing piers, and commercial waterfront properties across Horry and Georgetown counties. We know what the inspector is looking for.
Custom Dock Building FAQs
Waterfront projects come with a lot of moving parts — permits, materials, tidal conditions, engineering requirements.
Most homeowners have never been through this process before, and that's completely normal.
I'm not sure which service I actually need. Where do I start?
Start with a site visit. Most waterfront projects involve more than one service area — a dock build might also require a bulkhead, a gangway, a boat lift, and railing all in the same project. We come out to your property, look at the water conditions, the shoreline, and what you're working with, and walk you through what makes sense. You don't need to know the right terminology or have a plan ready. That's our job.
Do you handle the permits, or is that something I have to do myself?
We handle permitting as part of how we work. In South Carolina, any structure touching tidal or navigable water requires OCRM approval at minimum — and depending on the scope, Army Corps of Engineers review may also apply. Marsh walkways, bulkheads, and dune walkovers each have their own additional requirements. Trying to navigate that process without experience adds time and risk to any project. We've been through it enough times to know what each agency needs and how to keep things moving.
Can you work on an existing dock, or do you only do new builds?
Both. A significant part of our work is repairs, upgrades, and retrofits on existing structures. That includes re-decking worn dock surfaces, encapsulating aging pilings, adding boat lifts to an existing dock footprint, upgrading railing systems, reinforcing structures ahead of storm season, and stabilizing eroding shorelines. If your dock is structurally sound but needs work, we'll tell you that honestly rather than push you toward a full replacement.
How long does a typical dock project take from start to finish?
The honest answer is that permitting drives the timeline more than construction does. OCRM permit approvals typically run 4 to 12 weeks depending on project type and time of year. Once permits are in hand, most residential dock builds take 1 to 3 weeks of active construction. Larger commercial projects or builds with complex engineering requirements take longer. We give every client a realistic project timeline upfront — and we don't pad it just to under-promise and over-deliver. You get the straight numbers from the start.
Do you work on commercial waterfront properties, or just residential?
Both. We work on residential dock builds, commercial marinas, waterfront restaurants, fishing piers, boat ramps, and public access facilities across Horry and Georgetown counties. Commercial projects typically involve heavier structural requirements, ADA compliance, higher load engineering, and tighter inspection schedules. We've handled all of it. If you're managing a commercial waterfront property and need a contractor who understands the difference between a backyard dock install and a commercial marine build, we're the right call.
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