Dock Builders on Lake Martin, Alabama
Build a new pier, add a boathouse or fix a dock that's showing its age. Call or send the short form, and a Lake Martin dock builder calls back, usually the same business day.
Around Alexander City, Dadeville, Eclectic and the Kowaliga area
Calls are recorded for quality assurance.
How it works
- Call or send the formIt takes about a minute. Calls are recorded for quality assurance.
- Say what you needYour name, your number and the job. That's all it takes.
- A Lake Martin dock builder calls you backUsually the same business day, to ask a few questions and set a time to look.
- You get a price and decideThe price comes before any work starts. No pressure, and nothing to pay to call.
Start with the job you have in mind
Each page covers the choices, the Lake Martin rules that apply and what to ask the builder.
New docks and piers
Fixed piers, floating docks and gangways, sized to fit the lot and the lake's rules.
Dock repair
Sagging floats, loose walkways and worn decking, and when a repair needs a permit first.
Boat lifts and PWC lifts
Lifts for the boat and personal watercraft, and how many the rules allow.
Seawalls and riprap
Stopping a bank from washing away, and which method Alabama Power prefers.
Permits
Every pier, boathouse and seawall on the lake needs a written permit from Alabama Power.
What makes Lake Martin different
A dock here sits on a reservoir run for power generation, on land a utility owns. That shapes how a builder plans it.
Alabama Power owns the lakebed
Alabama Power owns the pool property of Lake Martin. Work on its land, including your dock, needs its written permit before anything is built.
The water drops each winter
Full pool is 491 feet above sea level. In the fall the lake is drawn down to 484 feet, about 7 feet lower, so a dock has to work at both levels.
Size and length limits
Residential structures are capped at 1,510 square feet in total, and a floating dock with its pier or gangway can reach out no more than 62 feet.
Setbacks from neighbors
Docks and boathouses are normally set at least 15 feet in from a line extending your property line into the lake.
Open sides
Roofed structures over the water stay open. Only part of one side may be walled, for an approved storage area.
Flotation rules
Floats must be encased or closed-cell foam made for marine use. Old beaded foam has to come out of the lake when it is replaced.
How a Lake Martin dock job usually goes
The steps are much the same for a new pier, a boathouse or a rebuild.
- Look at the shoreline. The builder checks water depth, the slope of the bank and where your property lines run into the lake.
- Sketch the plan. Alabama Power's permit request includes a sketch of what is there now and what will be built.
- Apply in your name. The permit is issued to the property owner, not the contractor. The builder's name and contact go on the request.
- Post the tag. Work starts only after the written permit is issued and the pending permit tag is posted where it can be seen.
- Build. Pilings or anchors, frame, floats, decking and any roof go in, often timed around the lake level.
When to start
Most people think about the dock in spring, when the lake fills and the boat comes out. The permit has to be in hand before any work, so a request sent in fall or winter has time to clear before the season.
Fall and winter also bring the lake down to about 484 feet. With more of the bank and lakebed showing, it's easier to see what's under an old dock and to reach pilings, floats and the shoreline. The lake levels page has the details.
What to ask before you hire
Line up the same answers from each builder, and the quotes are easier to compare.
- Who prepares the sketch and the permit request, and is the $400 Alabama Power construction fee in the price?
- How will the dock sit at winter pool as well as summer pool?
- What flotation is used, and is it encased or closed-cell foam made for marine use?
- Does the plan fit the 1,510 square foot and 62 foot limits and the setback from your neighbor?
- What hardware and decking are planned, and what upkeep do they need?
- Is removing an old dock or old foam listed as its own line?
Common questions
Do I need a permit for a dock on Lake Martin?
Yes, for work on Alabama Power's land, which includes the lakebed. The permits page covers what goes in the request and the fees.
Who applies, me or the builder?
The permit is issued to the property owner. Alabama Power does not issue permits to contractors, though a builder usually helps put the request together.
Can I build in winter?
Yes. Low winter water often makes shoreline work easier. See Lake Martin water levels.
Can my boathouse have walls?
Mostly no. Covered structures stay open, with part of one side allowed for an approved storage area. See boathouses.
How many lifts can I have?
Up to two personal watercraft floats or lifts, or one of each, are allowed within the rules. A third counts toward the 1,510 square foot limit. See boat lifts.
What does the call cost me?
Nothing. This site charges you nothing, and the dock builder who calls back prices the job after hearing what you want.
Ready to talk about your dock?
Call or send the form. A local dock builder calls back, usually the same business day, asks about your shoreline and prices the job.
Calls are recorded for quality assurance.