Topic
Materials & Options
Material choice drives both upfront cost and total cost of ownership over the next 30 years. We walk you through the trade-offs that matter for your specific water chemistry, traffic level, and exposure — not the trade-offs a catalog wants to highlight.
What's the best wall material for a waterfront property?+
For waterfront retaining walls specifically:
- Concrete block (SRW) — handles moisture well, predictable performance, mid-tier cost
- Natural stone — best aesthetic match to a waterfront yard, premium pricing
- Timber — avoid within 5 feet of standing water; rot accelerates fast
If the wall is within 5 feet of water, you're better off pairing it with a seawall or bulkhead toe rather than a stand-alone retaining wall. Full comparison here.
Can you add a boat lift to an existing dock?+
Yes — we install lifts on new and existing docks regularly. The site-visit question we answer is whether your existing dock's framing and pilings can take the added load.
On wood-framed docks 10+ years old, we often need to sister-up framing or add a piling on the slip side. On metal-framed or newer wood docks, retrofit is usually straightforward.
What's the difference between a fixed and floating dock?+
Fixed docks are anchored to pilings driven to the lake bottom. They stay at a constant elevation — great for lakes with stable water levels.
Floating docks ride on flotation pods anchored by spuds or cables. They rise and fall with the water — essential on lakes with significant level swings (Travis, drought-affected impoundments).
Can you match my outdoor kitchen to my home's style?+
Yes. We work with your existing architecture, color palette, and materials to create a seamless look. We can provide design guidance, work from your existing plans, or partner with an architect or landscape designer you've already engaged.
Do boat lifts work in saltwater?+
Yes, but saltwater environments require marine-grade aluminum or galvanized steel structural components, plus stainless or coated fasteners.
Stock galvanized hardware that's fine on a freshwater lake will start showing corrosion within 18 months in salt. We spec the right material grade for your water chemistry at quote time.
Can you build a ramp on a steep or eroded bank?+
Yes. Steep or eroded banks need bank stabilization alongside the ramp:
- Side walls (retaining wall or bulkhead sections) to hold the approach
- Riprap armoring on the bank face to break wave energy
- Re-graded soil behind the armor
We scope the full bank work as part of the ramp project so everything is built once, in one mobilization. More on bank stabilization here.
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