Property owners in Florida are lucky when it comes to easily hiring and controlling licensed marine contractors contractors. The Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) really does a great job of making sure that “bad” contractors that damage the public are weeded out. They respond quickly to complaints they are given from consumers. Complaints from other legitimate marine contractors are addressed as well but perhaps a little slower and with less feed back from DBPR. Developing a one on one business relationship with a DBPR representative helps legitimate contractors in controlling the unlicensed activity in their area but DBPR is underfunded that the investigators are spread thin.
If a property owner hires a State licensed marine contractor, they do have an enormous amount of power over that contractor. If the property owner has a problem with a licensee, the property owner has the following options:
If the licensed marine contractor abandons the project and refuses to return the customer’s call, one remedy is for the customer to call the DBPR or send DBPR a complaint form. The DBPR will then contact the contractor to resolve the issue. Every licensed contractor who wishes to maintain their license will immediately work with the DBPR and get the issue resolved right away.
Even if the licensed marine contractor has gone out of business or is dodging the DBPR, the residential consumer can go for the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board’s Construction Industry Recovery Fund to recover all or a portion of their losses. The rules for the fund read: Payment may be available from the construction industries recovery fund if you lose money on a project performed under contract, where the loss results from specified violations of Florida Law by a state-licensed contractor. For information about the recovery fund and filling a claim, contract the Florida Construction Industry licensing Board at the following telephone number and address: Department Of Business and professional Regulation, Construction Industry Licensing Board, 7960 Arlington Expressway, Suite 300, Jacksonville, Florida 32211-7467. Telephone: (850) 727-3650.
All residential construction contracts are required to contain this clause. The fund provides residential property owners who contract with licensed contractors with the ability to recover up to $50,000.00 if they have been ripped off or otherwise damaged by that licensed contractor.
You may review the Florida Statutes by clicking on: www.myflorida.com/dbpr/pro/cilb/index.html and click on Statutes and Rules.
Call Rick Fender, the Vice President of Fender Marine Construction for additional information at 407-481-2750 and http://www.fendermarine.com/
Monday, December 6, 2010
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Belle Isle Florida Boat Dock Regulations
Call Fender Marine Construction for the best designs and prices! 407-481-2750 http://www.fendermarine.com/
Sec. 48-31. - Application process.
(a)Permit and review. Any person desiring to construct a boat dock, regardless of whether it is made of wood or another material, within the city shall first apply for a permit to construct the boat dock. Applications shall be made to the city. Upon receiving the application, a city administrative officer shall perform a site review of the proposed dock location. The city shall review the application and shall contact the applicant if the application fails to meet any of the requirements set forth in this section.
(1)City's administrative review fees. An administrative review fee of $165.00 shall be paid at the time the application is submitted. The administrative review fee does not include the Orange County building permit's processing fee.
(2)Application. The applicant shall submit a city boat dock application, a county boat dock application, a survey and three sets of plans showing the dock. These forms shall be available in the city hall office. The survey and plans shall provide accurate information as to all of the following items:
a.An arrow indicating the northerly direction and an indication of the scale to which the drawing was prepared;
b.The dimensions of the property, and the length and location of the proposed dock;
c.The exact distance between the existing shoreline, at the point where the dock is to be constructed, and a permanent object or construction (e.g., house, tree) to be used as a reference point;
d.The exact distance of setbacks from adjacent property lines, and an approximation of the distance from the closest dock on each side of the property;
e.The floor and roof elevation of the proposed dock, boathouse or other structure connected to the dock;
f.The depth of water at the end of the proposed dock; and
g.A survey, performed within the last three years, of the property indicating the normal high-water elevation of Lake Conway (86.9) as established by the county on October 25, 1982.
(3)Building permit. Following the approval by the city of a boat dock application, the applicant is also required to obtain a building permit from the county building department prior to commencing construction. In the event electricity is run to the boat dock, the proper electrical permit must also be obtained from the county building department.
(b)Commencement and completion of construction. All construction must be commenced, or completed, or both, within the guidelines established by the county building department. The applicant is responsible for all fees associated with the procurement of the necessary permits.
(Ord. No. 92-6, ch. V, art. A, § 1, 12-15-1992; Ord. No. 04-03, § 5, 3-12-2004)
Sec. 48-32. - Design criteria.
Boat dock applications shall be reviewed under the following rules and regulations:
(1)Setbacks. Boat docks shall have a minimum side setback of five feet from the projected property lines of all abutting shoreline properties.
(2)Length. Consideration will be given to the length of other docks within 300 feet on either side of the proposed dock and to any previous length restrictions that the city council may have established. For comparison, the length will be measured from the existing shoreline, with reference to a fixed object or structure on the lot. If there are no other adjoining docks in the vicinity, then the maximum length of the boat dock shall not exceed 40 feet measured from the 86.9 normal high water elevation contour line of Lake Conway, as marked by a registered surveyor, to the lakeward end of the dock.
(3)Total area. A boat slip, platform and any other portion of the dock, covered or uncovered, collectively may not exceed 500 square feet in total area.
(4)Height. Except for floating docks, the minimum height of boat dock decks shall place them one foot above the normal high water elevation of Lake Conway. The maximum height, which is to be measured from the top of the structure, shall be 13 feet above the normal high water elevation of Lake Conway. The minimum height of a floating dock deck shall be one foot above the water level.
(5)Walkway. That portion of the dock lying waterward of the 86.9 feet contour line of Lake Conway as established by the county on October 25, 1982 and extending to the juncture of the slip or platform, whichever is closest to the shore. A walkway shall be a minimum of four feet in width. The area for a walkway shall not be included as part of the total area for the structure unless the walkway exceeds four feet in width. In such cases, the excess square footage generated by the width in excess of four feet shall be included in the total area for the platform and/or slip.
(6)Number and location of boat docks.
a.No boat dock construction permit shall be issued on a lot or combination of lots that does not have a principal building first located thereon.
b.Only one boat dock per principal building that is located on a lot or combination of lots shall be allowed on any such lot or combination of lots.
c.Boat docks shall only be permitted on lots or combinations of lots zoned or used for residential purposes, and no boat docks shall be permitted on any lot or combination of lots used for agricultural, commercial, professional-office and/or industrial purposes.
d.Boat docks on public property and/or homeowners associations lots shall be exempted from provisions of subsections (6)a and b of this section. However, only one boat dock per parcel may be located on public property and/or homeowners association property. The term "parcel" shall mean all contiguous property owned by a homeowners association or by a public entity.
e.All boat docks shall be permanently affixed to the lake bottom, and shall be subject to the provisions of this article except where noted.
(7)Restrictions. All boat docks shall adhere to the following restrictions:
a.No work shall be within areas which constitute easements for ingress or egress, or for drainage.
b.No structures having flat roofs will be permitted. The pitch of the roof shall have a minimum slope of 2:12 and a maximum slope of 5:12.
c.No structure having enclosed sidewalls shall be permitted. This includes areas for fueling and/or storage facilities. The term "enclosed" shall be defined as, by way of example but not by limitation, screen enclosures, chainlink fencing, lattice fencing and any form of paneling.
d.Under no circumstances shall a permit for the construction of a boat dock to be utilized for residential purposes be issued.
e.No permit applications will be accepted unless there is a principal building established on the property, or a building permit has been issued to construct said building.
(Ord. No. 92-6, ch. V, art. A, § 2, 12-15-1992; Ord. No. 95-4, 4-18-1995; Ord. No. 98-2, 4-21-1998)
Sec. 48-33. - Variances.
In the event the applicant wishes to construct a boat dock in excess of any of the criteria mentioned in section 48-32, a variance must be applied for to the board. There shall be a $100.00 application fee for the first variance and a $50.00 fee for each additional variance requested at the same time. The board shall not approve an application for a variance unless and until each of the following criteria have been met:
(1)The boat dock shall not create conditions hazardous to navigation nor any safety hazards;
(2)The location and placement of the boat dock shall be compatible with other docks in the area, and the shoreline contour of the lake;
(3)The current level of the lake shall not be a factor in deciding whether to approve or deny a variance; and
(4)The requirements of section 42-64(1) except for subsection 42-64(1)d.
(Ord. No. 92-6, ch. V, art. A, § 3, 12-15-1992; Ord. No. 04-03, § 5, 3-12-2004)
Sec. 48-34. - Boat docks not on Lake Conway.
(a)Any person desiring to construct a boat dock in an industrially zoned district shall be subject to the provisions of this article except as follows:
(1)A boat dock constructed in an industrially zoned district shall not be required to comply with the provisions of section 48-32 except that all boat docks shall be permanently affixed to the water body bottom; and
(2)The survey required by subsection 48-31(a)(2)g. shall indicate the normal high water elevation (if any) of the applicable body of water.
(b)Zoning approval for construction of a boat dock on a waterway other than Lake Conway shall be subject to the following criteria:
(1)The boat dock shall not create conditions hazardous to navigation.
(2)The boat dock shall not create any safety hazards.
(3)The boat dock shall not interfere with the riparian rights of any adjacent property.
(4)The boat dock shall have a minimum setback of five feet from projected property lines of all abutting shoreline properties.
(Ord. No. 06-04, § 1, 4-4-2006)
Secs. 48-35—48-60. - Reserved.
Sec. 48-31. - Application process.
(a)Permit and review. Any person desiring to construct a boat dock, regardless of whether it is made of wood or another material, within the city shall first apply for a permit to construct the boat dock. Applications shall be made to the city. Upon receiving the application, a city administrative officer shall perform a site review of the proposed dock location. The city shall review the application and shall contact the applicant if the application fails to meet any of the requirements set forth in this section.
(1)City's administrative review fees. An administrative review fee of $165.00 shall be paid at the time the application is submitted. The administrative review fee does not include the Orange County building permit's processing fee.
(2)Application. The applicant shall submit a city boat dock application, a county boat dock application, a survey and three sets of plans showing the dock. These forms shall be available in the city hall office. The survey and plans shall provide accurate information as to all of the following items:
a.An arrow indicating the northerly direction and an indication of the scale to which the drawing was prepared;
b.The dimensions of the property, and the length and location of the proposed dock;
c.The exact distance between the existing shoreline, at the point where the dock is to be constructed, and a permanent object or construction (e.g., house, tree) to be used as a reference point;
d.The exact distance of setbacks from adjacent property lines, and an approximation of the distance from the closest dock on each side of the property;
e.The floor and roof elevation of the proposed dock, boathouse or other structure connected to the dock;
f.The depth of water at the end of the proposed dock; and
g.A survey, performed within the last three years, of the property indicating the normal high-water elevation of Lake Conway (86.9) as established by the county on October 25, 1982.
(3)Building permit. Following the approval by the city of a boat dock application, the applicant is also required to obtain a building permit from the county building department prior to commencing construction. In the event electricity is run to the boat dock, the proper electrical permit must also be obtained from the county building department.
(b)Commencement and completion of construction. All construction must be commenced, or completed, or both, within the guidelines established by the county building department. The applicant is responsible for all fees associated with the procurement of the necessary permits.
(Ord. No. 92-6, ch. V, art. A, § 1, 12-15-1992; Ord. No. 04-03, § 5, 3-12-2004)
Sec. 48-32. - Design criteria.
Boat dock applications shall be reviewed under the following rules and regulations:
(1)Setbacks. Boat docks shall have a minimum side setback of five feet from the projected property lines of all abutting shoreline properties.
(2)Length. Consideration will be given to the length of other docks within 300 feet on either side of the proposed dock and to any previous length restrictions that the city council may have established. For comparison, the length will be measured from the existing shoreline, with reference to a fixed object or structure on the lot. If there are no other adjoining docks in the vicinity, then the maximum length of the boat dock shall not exceed 40 feet measured from the 86.9 normal high water elevation contour line of Lake Conway, as marked by a registered surveyor, to the lakeward end of the dock.
(3)Total area. A boat slip, platform and any other portion of the dock, covered or uncovered, collectively may not exceed 500 square feet in total area.
(4)Height. Except for floating docks, the minimum height of boat dock decks shall place them one foot above the normal high water elevation of Lake Conway. The maximum height, which is to be measured from the top of the structure, shall be 13 feet above the normal high water elevation of Lake Conway. The minimum height of a floating dock deck shall be one foot above the water level.
(5)Walkway. That portion of the dock lying waterward of the 86.9 feet contour line of Lake Conway as established by the county on October 25, 1982 and extending to the juncture of the slip or platform, whichever is closest to the shore. A walkway shall be a minimum of four feet in width. The area for a walkway shall not be included as part of the total area for the structure unless the walkway exceeds four feet in width. In such cases, the excess square footage generated by the width in excess of four feet shall be included in the total area for the platform and/or slip.
(6)Number and location of boat docks.
a.No boat dock construction permit shall be issued on a lot or combination of lots that does not have a principal building first located thereon.
b.Only one boat dock per principal building that is located on a lot or combination of lots shall be allowed on any such lot or combination of lots.
c.Boat docks shall only be permitted on lots or combinations of lots zoned or used for residential purposes, and no boat docks shall be permitted on any lot or combination of lots used for agricultural, commercial, professional-office and/or industrial purposes.
d.Boat docks on public property and/or homeowners associations lots shall be exempted from provisions of subsections (6)a and b of this section. However, only one boat dock per parcel may be located on public property and/or homeowners association property. The term "parcel" shall mean all contiguous property owned by a homeowners association or by a public entity.
e.All boat docks shall be permanently affixed to the lake bottom, and shall be subject to the provisions of this article except where noted.
(7)Restrictions. All boat docks shall adhere to the following restrictions:
a.No work shall be within areas which constitute easements for ingress or egress, or for drainage.
b.No structures having flat roofs will be permitted. The pitch of the roof shall have a minimum slope of 2:12 and a maximum slope of 5:12.
c.No structure having enclosed sidewalls shall be permitted. This includes areas for fueling and/or storage facilities. The term "enclosed" shall be defined as, by way of example but not by limitation, screen enclosures, chainlink fencing, lattice fencing and any form of paneling.
d.Under no circumstances shall a permit for the construction of a boat dock to be utilized for residential purposes be issued.
e.No permit applications will be accepted unless there is a principal building established on the property, or a building permit has been issued to construct said building.
(Ord. No. 92-6, ch. V, art. A, § 2, 12-15-1992; Ord. No. 95-4, 4-18-1995; Ord. No. 98-2, 4-21-1998)
Sec. 48-33. - Variances.
In the event the applicant wishes to construct a boat dock in excess of any of the criteria mentioned in section 48-32, a variance must be applied for to the board. There shall be a $100.00 application fee for the first variance and a $50.00 fee for each additional variance requested at the same time. The board shall not approve an application for a variance unless and until each of the following criteria have been met:
(1)The boat dock shall not create conditions hazardous to navigation nor any safety hazards;
(2)The location and placement of the boat dock shall be compatible with other docks in the area, and the shoreline contour of the lake;
(3)The current level of the lake shall not be a factor in deciding whether to approve or deny a variance; and
(4)The requirements of section 42-64(1) except for subsection 42-64(1)d.
(Ord. No. 92-6, ch. V, art. A, § 3, 12-15-1992; Ord. No. 04-03, § 5, 3-12-2004)
Sec. 48-34. - Boat docks not on Lake Conway.
(a)Any person desiring to construct a boat dock in an industrially zoned district shall be subject to the provisions of this article except as follows:
(1)A boat dock constructed in an industrially zoned district shall not be required to comply with the provisions of section 48-32 except that all boat docks shall be permanently affixed to the water body bottom; and
(2)The survey required by subsection 48-31(a)(2)g. shall indicate the normal high water elevation (if any) of the applicable body of water.
(b)Zoning approval for construction of a boat dock on a waterway other than Lake Conway shall be subject to the following criteria:
(1)The boat dock shall not create conditions hazardous to navigation.
(2)The boat dock shall not create any safety hazards.
(3)The boat dock shall not interfere with the riparian rights of any adjacent property.
(4)The boat dock shall have a minimum setback of five feet from projected property lines of all abutting shoreline properties.
(Ord. No. 06-04, § 1, 4-4-2006)
Secs. 48-35—48-60. - Reserved.
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Aluminum Floating Dock for Haines City Park
Fender Marine Construction We have been working as a subcontractor for Welbro Constructors for a long time doing their marine construction. We designed and built this aluminum floating dock through Welbro for a Haines City park. It was ADA compliant and required State permitting as well as local. Here you can see the upper portion of the fixed dock, the gangway and the floating dock.
Boathouse Orlando with difficult soils but great results!
Fender Marine Construction Started a new boathouse in the Isle of Catalina Orlando on a canal that leads to Clear Lake. The soil was very hard and the piles could not be jetted into place. We used our auger to drill the pile holes to a 6' depth.
Here on the Isle of Catalina boathouse you can see the piles set into position and at the required depth. It took a long time to get the piling right, but "you have to build upon a good foundation"!
This is a photo of the Johnson boathouse almost finished. Here we are working on the installation of the aluminum boat cradle.
Just got this photo of the Johnson boathouse- Giant 30' long for the hugh 28' float boat. We upgraded the lift system to 6,000 lb capacity boat cradle, lift motor and gear assembly. Great marine construction project for really wonderful customers!
Saturday, August 14, 2010
Cloud 9 Services, Inc. forms dba Fender Marine Construction
Fender Marine Construction We appeared before the Florida Construction Industry Licensing Board 2 weeks ago to get the subsiiary of Cloud 9 Services, Inc., Fender Marine Construction approved as a Florida State Certified Marine Contractor. We were approved unanimously. See the new logo!
Monday, October 5, 2009
Florida Marine Contractor's Association Uninsured Enforcement Success
We are pleased to report that after months of discussion, break through changes were confirmed on a conference call this past Friday that will positively affect the Marine Industry. Below is a summary of the conference call for your review.
Until recently, uninsured marine contractors were able to build docks and seawalls on “non-navigable” waterways with no repercussions from the State of Florida’s Division of Workers Compensation if that contractor had no Workers Compensation coverage (code 6006F) in force. Past case law prohibited the State from pursuing violators and issuing “Stop Work Orders” because of a loop hole concerning enforcement jurisdiction of State Act coverage (regulated by the State of Florida’s Division of Workers Compensation) and United States Longshoreman and Harbor Worker's Act (USL&H) (regulated by the Department of Labor).
Bottom line, marine contractors who have been losing work due to the under priced estimates of uninsured contractors can now seek assistance from the State to issue “Stop Work Orders” at jobs that are on “non-navigable” waterways.
This is a huge step forward for the marine industry in getting the State to step up to assist on this matter, because up until now, they would only refer frustrated inquiries to the Department of Labor. As many of you know, due to funding and government cutbacks, the Department of Labor does not proactively enforce the need for USL&H coverage for “jobs in progress”.
At an upcoming FMCA Central Florida Chapter meeting being held on Wednesday, October 14th, we hope to address enforcement of USL&H with the Department of Labor of uninsured contractors working on “navigable” waterways.
In the meantime, violators can be reported via the web by going to: www.myfloridacfo.com/wc Go to the area located on the center right of the web page entitled: Report Suspected Workers’ Comp Non-Compliance. People can check their local phone listings to their local representatives. In Central Florida, Terence Phillips can be reached at 407-835-4467. In Tallahassee, William Dorney can be reached at 850-413-1825.
FMCA continues to work hard to benefit its members and looks forward to pressing forward on the challenges the marine industry faces.
Respectfully submitted,
Rick Dalrymple, CPIA, CMIPFMCA Chapter Director, Central Florida(407)998-4108 Fax: (407) 788-7933Email: Rick.Dalrymple@IOAUSA.comWeb: http://www.ioausa.com/
For the finest in Marine Construction in Florida, call Rick Fender @ Cloud 9 Services, Inc. 407-481-8383
Until recently, uninsured marine contractors were able to build docks and seawalls on “non-navigable” waterways with no repercussions from the State of Florida’s Division of Workers Compensation if that contractor had no Workers Compensation coverage (code 6006F) in force. Past case law prohibited the State from pursuing violators and issuing “Stop Work Orders” because of a loop hole concerning enforcement jurisdiction of State Act coverage (regulated by the State of Florida’s Division of Workers Compensation) and United States Longshoreman and Harbor Worker's Act (USL&H) (regulated by the Department of Labor).
Bottom line, marine contractors who have been losing work due to the under priced estimates of uninsured contractors can now seek assistance from the State to issue “Stop Work Orders” at jobs that are on “non-navigable” waterways.
This is a huge step forward for the marine industry in getting the State to step up to assist on this matter, because up until now, they would only refer frustrated inquiries to the Department of Labor. As many of you know, due to funding and government cutbacks, the Department of Labor does not proactively enforce the need for USL&H coverage for “jobs in progress”.
At an upcoming FMCA Central Florida Chapter meeting being held on Wednesday, October 14th, we hope to address enforcement of USL&H with the Department of Labor of uninsured contractors working on “navigable” waterways.
In the meantime, violators can be reported via the web by going to: www.myfloridacfo.com/wc Go to the area located on the center right of the web page entitled: Report Suspected Workers’ Comp Non-Compliance. People can check their local phone listings to their local representatives. In Central Florida, Terence Phillips can be reached at 407-835-4467. In Tallahassee, William Dorney can be reached at 850-413-1825.
FMCA continues to work hard to benefit its members and looks forward to pressing forward on the challenges the marine industry faces.
Respectfully submitted,
Rick Dalrymple, CPIA, CMIPFMCA Chapter Director, Central Florida(407)998-4108 Fax: (407) 788-7933Email: Rick.Dalrymple@IOAUSA.comWeb: http://www.ioausa.com/
For the finest in Marine Construction in Florida, call Rick Fender @ Cloud 9 Services, Inc. 407-481-8383
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Seawall and retaining Wall Repair Solutions
Seawall and retaining wall problems in Central Florida.
Following the hurricanes back in 2003 and 2005, there was a flurry of dock and seawall reconstruction in Central Florida. When there is so much opportunity for work, every guy with a pickup truck becomes a marine contractor. The problems with hiring an inexperienced licensed contractor to perform marine construction such as docks, seawalls, retaining walls, boardwalks, boathouses, channel markers, mooring piles and marinas. There are special skills and techniques as well as specialized equipment required for marine construction repair and new construction projects to be successful.
Today I met with a customer in Phillips Landing on Sand Lake. She had a non-marine contractor install a 5’ high and 250’ long aluminum seawall after the hurricanes. She called me because the wall was falling over into the lake. Not only is the damaged seawall dangerous to walk around but the beautifully landscaped yard is about to be destroyed. This wall needs to be repaired immediately.
It appears that the seawall or retaining wall failure was a result of a combination of mistakes made by the contractor. The wall did not have any ports in the face of the wall to allow water to flow from behind the wall. This causes the seawall to fail as a result of the hydrostatic pressure building behind the wall.
The homeowner did the right thing by requiring the contractor to be licensed and to procure a building permit. However, the contractor was fly-by-night and is now out of business. There is no company left to stand behind the wall construction. The customer did not require that the seawall contractor be a member of the Florida Marine Contractor's Association which requires its members to not only be appropriatley licensed but also carry the required United States Longshoreman's Insurance.
The solution we suggest is costly but effective. We would remove the soil from behind the wall where the wall has begun to lean and bow. We would then install new deadmen and tiebacks between the old tiebacks. We would then use a mini-excavator to pull the wall back into a vertical position. We would replace portions of the seawall cap where it cannot be reused. After the wall is straight, the original deadmen and tiebacks will be adjusted to pick up a portion of the load exerted on the wall by the soil. After the deadmen and tiebacks are right, we would carefully backfill against the wall. Once the wall is backfilled, the tiebacks are adjusted again and the yard is cleaned up and sodded.
We would install vents in the seawall face to allow water to pass from behind the wall into the lake through the wall. This will limit the hydrostatic pressure building up behind the wall during the wet season here in Florida.
There are other solutions available that do not require digging up the yard to install deadmen. We will go into that system in another entry to my marine construction blog.
If you need help with marine construction anywhere in Florida, feel free to contact Cloud 9 Services, Inc. We are State Certified Marine Contractors. 407-481-2750.
Following the hurricanes back in 2003 and 2005, there was a flurry of dock and seawall reconstruction in Central Florida. When there is so much opportunity for work, every guy with a pickup truck becomes a marine contractor. The problems with hiring an inexperienced licensed contractor to perform marine construction such as docks, seawalls, retaining walls, boardwalks, boathouses, channel markers, mooring piles and marinas. There are special skills and techniques as well as specialized equipment required for marine construction repair and new construction projects to be successful.
Today I met with a customer in Phillips Landing on Sand Lake. She had a non-marine contractor install a 5’ high and 250’ long aluminum seawall after the hurricanes. She called me because the wall was falling over into the lake. Not only is the damaged seawall dangerous to walk around but the beautifully landscaped yard is about to be destroyed. This wall needs to be repaired immediately.
It appears that the seawall or retaining wall failure was a result of a combination of mistakes made by the contractor. The wall did not have any ports in the face of the wall to allow water to flow from behind the wall. This causes the seawall to fail as a result of the hydrostatic pressure building behind the wall.
The homeowner did the right thing by requiring the contractor to be licensed and to procure a building permit. However, the contractor was fly-by-night and is now out of business. There is no company left to stand behind the wall construction. The customer did not require that the seawall contractor be a member of the Florida Marine Contractor's Association which requires its members to not only be appropriatley licensed but also carry the required United States Longshoreman's Insurance.
The solution we suggest is costly but effective. We would remove the soil from behind the wall where the wall has begun to lean and bow. We would then install new deadmen and tiebacks between the old tiebacks. We would then use a mini-excavator to pull the wall back into a vertical position. We would replace portions of the seawall cap where it cannot be reused. After the wall is straight, the original deadmen and tiebacks will be adjusted to pick up a portion of the load exerted on the wall by the soil. After the deadmen and tiebacks are right, we would carefully backfill against the wall. Once the wall is backfilled, the tiebacks are adjusted again and the yard is cleaned up and sodded.
We would install vents in the seawall face to allow water to pass from behind the wall into the lake through the wall. This will limit the hydrostatic pressure building up behind the wall during the wet season here in Florida.
There are other solutions available that do not require digging up the yard to install deadmen. We will go into that system in another entry to my marine construction blog.
If you need help with marine construction anywhere in Florida, feel free to contact Cloud 9 Services, Inc. We are State Certified Marine Contractors. 407-481-2750.
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