Docks take a beating from sun, water, storms, and time. Jordan Marine Construction repairs and restores docks and piers across Greater Houston, Lake Conroe, Lake Livingston, Clear Lake, and the Texas Gulf Coast — from a few rotten deck boards to failing pilings and storm-damaged structures.
Because we build docks from the pilings up, we can diagnose and fix any part of the structure: replacing pilings, re-framing, re-decking, repairing or upgrading boat lifts, and restoring hardware. We assess the whole structure for safety, then fix what needs fixing and tell you honestly what does not.
Request Your Free EstimateOur Dock Repair Process
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Structural Inspection
We inspect pilings, framing, decking, hardware, and any lift for rot, corrosion, movement, and storm damage, then prioritize what affects safety.
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Repair Scope
You receive a clear scope separating must-fix structural items from cosmetic ones, with honest repair-vs-replace guidance.
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Repair & Replacement
We replace pilings, re-frame, re-deck, and restore hardware using marine-grade, environment-treated materials.
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Finish & Walkthrough
We finish the surface, test moving parts, and walk the completed dock with you.
How We Repair Docks
Repairs use marine-grade pilings and structural timber treated for the environment (2.5 CCA saltwater, .60 freshwater), radius-edge decking, and hot-dip galvanized or stainless hardware. We match the repair to the original structure or upgrade it where it makes sense for longevity.
A Builder's Eye on Repair: Why Who Repairs Your Dock Matters
Dock repair done well starts from understanding how the structure carries load — which is why a repair contractor who also builds docks from the pilings up sees things a handyman doesn't. A soft deck board is obvious; the corroded joist hanger beneath it, the split stringer it was hiding, and the piling that's hollow at the waterline are not. Our inspections cover the full load path: pilings above and below the waterline, framing and connections, decking, hardware, and any lift the structure carries.
That whole-structure view protects you in both directions. It catches the safety-critical problems that a surface-level patch would paper over — and it also stops you from over-spending, because we separate must-fix structural items from purely cosmetic ones and tell you plainly which is which. Docks with sound pilings almost always justify repair; docks with failing foundations need that conversation honestly, before money goes into decking that sits on a dying structure.
Every repair uses the same materials we build with: environment-treated timber (2.5 CCA saltwater, .60 freshwater), radius-edge decking, and hot-dip galvanized or stainless hardware. Matching treatment retention to the water is the detail that determines whether the repair lasts twenty years or five.
The Repairs We Do Every Week
Piling work anchors the list: replacing rotted, borer-eaten, or storm-broken pilings under existing structures — with barge-mounted equipment where land access doesn't exist — and reconnecting framing to the restored foundation. Framing repairs follow: sistering or replacing stringers and joists, renewing corroded connections, and re-leveling structures that have settled or racked.
Deck-level work is the most visible: replacing worn boards, full re-decking in treated timber or MoistureShield composite, and renewing the fasteners whose corrosion streaks and back-out plague older docks. We also repair and align boat lifts, restore handrails and ladders, and fix the electrical, lighting, and accessory hardware that waterfront structures accumulate.
Sun, water, and time are the slow killers of Texas docks, but storm seasons are the fast one. After every major weather event we run heavy repair schedules across Lake Conroe, Lake Livingston, and the bay communities — and docks we've repaired to full marine standard consistently come through the next storm better than they went into the last one.
Floating Dock Repair: A Different Structure, Different Failures
Floating docks fail in ways fixed-pile docks never do, and repairing one well means understanding the difference. A floating dock is a buoyant platform held in position by piles, spuds, or anchor chain, and almost every problem traces to one of three things: the flotation, the connection hardware, or the guidance system that keeps it tracking as water levels move.
Waterlogged or damaged floats are the most common issue. Foam-filled billets that have taken on water, cracked polyethylene shells, and drums that have gone soft all show up the same way — a dock that sits low, lists to one side, or dips underfoot at one corner. We replace failed flotation with correctly sized marine billets and rebalance the platform so the load distributes the way the frame was designed for. Sistering more float onto a sagging corner without addressing why it sagged is a temporary fix.
The second failure zone is the connection hardware. Hinges, pivot plates, gangway attachments, and the guide rollers or collars that ride the piles all take constant working motion, and on brackish water around Clear Lake, Kemah, and Galveston Bay they corrode faster than owners expect. We rebuild those connections with corrosion-rated hardware sized for the movement. The third is the piles or anchors themselves — a floating dock that has begun to wander or bind is usually telling you a guide pile has moved, and our barge-mounted equipment can reset or replace it without dismantling the platform.
Boat Dock Repair, Piling Replacement, and Knowing Which You Need
Most boat dock repair calls start with something cosmetic — soft boards, a wobbly rail, a section that bounces — and the real question is always what is underneath it. The pilings decide whether you are looking at a repair or a rebuild, and they are the one component an owner cannot easily assess, because the part that fails is at and below the waterline where nobody looks.
Timber pilings fail from rot at the splash zone and, in brackish and salt water, from marine borers that hollow a pile from the inside while the surface still looks sound. Steel fails from section loss concentrated in the same waterline band. Either way, a pile that has lost enough section will still hold a static load and let go under a dynamic one — which is why a dock can feel fine right up until a section drops. We probe and sound the pilings as part of every repair assessment rather than quoting off what is visible from the deck.
When pilings check out, repair is dramatically cheaper than replacement and delivers essentially all of a new dock. We re-frame, re-deck with radius-edge or composite boards, replace corroded hardware with hot-dip galvanized or stainless, and bring dock electrical up to NEC Article 555 with GFCI protection and proper bonding. When pilings are failing, we say so plainly — money spent on framing and decking above a compromised foundation is money thrown away, and we do both kinds of work, so we have no incentive to steer you either direction.
Dock Maintenance: What Actually Extends a Dock's Life
The docks that reach thirty years are not the ones that were built most expensively — they are the ones that got small attention regularly. Dock maintenance in this climate is mostly about managing water, corrosion, and UV before any of them compound.
Annually: walk the structure and check for new movement or bounce, look for rust streaking at connections because that is corrosion announcing itself before it is visible, check fasteners at the framing for backing out, inspect the splash zone on pilings, and clear debris from between deck boards where it traps moisture against the framing. Every few years, re-seal or re-stain timber decking — UV degradation on unprotected wood is relentless in Texas, and sealing is far cheaper than re-decking. On lifts, inspect cables for fraying and corrosion, grease per the manufacturer schedule, and cycle the lift in the off-season so it does not seize.
After every major storm, inspect before you use the dock. Storm damage frequently hides — a pile shifted an inch, a connection worked loose, a section of framing cracked where you cannot see it — and using a compromised dock is how a repair becomes a rebuild plus an injury. We handle scheduled dock maintenance for residential owners and inspection agreements for HOA, marina, and commercial structures where documented condition tracking matters for budgeting and liability.
Repairing to Code: The Standards We Restore Your Dock To
A repair isn't just cosmetic. On Lake Houston, building, altering, or making major repairs to a pier or bulkhead requires a City permit, and the finished structure has to meet the same engineered standards as new construction under the City of Houston Building Code (Chapter 62). We repair to those numbers — not to whatever gets the boards level for a season. On Lake Conroe the SJRA governs; coastal repairs add the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Galveston District.
City of Houston — Lake Houston (Building Code, Chapter 62)
It is unlawful to build, alter, or make major repairs to a pier or bulkhead on Lake Houston without a City permit, and structures must be designed by and bear the seal of a Texas-licensed professional engineer (§6201.1). A yearly license is also required (Code of Ordinances, Chapter 23, Article IV, Division 2). Restored components must meet these minimums:
- §6202.2.1 Replacement pier piles: minimum 4 in. diameter, embedded at least 30 in. into firm soil — we re-drive to refusal under the existing structure.
- §6202.2.4 Stringers renewed or sistered to at least 2×8 nominal, spaced no more than 3 ft on center.
- §6202.2.5 Re-decking: minimum 2×6 No. 2 boards with ¼–1 in. gaps, two 16d galvanized nails per bearing, kept at least 2 ft above spillway elevation (44½ ft).
- §6204.2.4 Bulkhead tie-back / deadman restoration: anchors minimum 8 in. × 4 ft, embedded 30 in. into firm soil, tied with ½ in. galvanized cable or rod.
Electrical Repairs — NEC Article 555
Any repair that touches dock power — outlets, lighting, lift wiring, shore power — is brought up to NEC Article 555: GFCI protection, proper bonding and grounding, and corrosion-rated fittings, which is what prevents electric shock drowning (ESD) around the structure. Ungrounded outlets and lifts wired without GFCI protection are the most common hazards we find on older docks.
Sources & Official References
Specifications above are summarized from the referenced codes as of July 2026 and are provided for planning. Every repair is engineered and permitted to the current requirements of the authority having jurisdiction.
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Where We Build Dock Repair
We build dock repair for waterfront communities across Greater Houston, Lake Conroe, Lake Livingston, and the Texas Gulf Coast. A few of the areas we serve:
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Dock Repair FAQs
Is it cheaper to repair or replace my dock?
Often repair is far more cost-effective, especially if the pilings are sound. If the foundation is failing, replacement may be the better long-term value. We assess and advise honestly.
Can you replace just the decking?
Yes. Re-decking is one of our most common repairs — we can refresh the surface with new radius-edge or composite decking over sound framing.
Do you repair storm-damaged docks?
Yes. We handle storm and flood damage, including emergency situations — see our emergency dock repair service.
How much does dock repair cost?
It tracks the scope: a day of board and hardware replacement is a modest job, piling replacement is mid-range, and structural rebuilds price closer to new construction. Our free assessment gives you an itemized scope separating safety-critical repairs from cosmetic ones, so you control what gets spent.
How do I know if my dock is safe to use?
Warning signs: visible leaning or racking, movement or bounce underfoot that's new, soft or spongy boards, pilings that look thin or damaged at the waterline, and rust streaks at connections. Any of those warrants keeping load off the structure until it's inspected — which we do as part of a free repair assessment.
Can you repair a dock that's partially underwater or collapsed?
Yes. Our barge-mounted equipment reaches structures that can't be accessed from land, and we handle make-safe stabilization, salvage assessment, and rebuild. For active failures see our emergency dock repair service — those get priority scheduling.
Should I repair my old dock or just rebuild it?
The pilings decide. If the foundation is sound, repair delivers most of a new dock's function at a fraction of the cost. If pilings are failing, money spent above them is wasted. Our inspection answers the question with evidence, and we'll tell you honestly which side your dock is on — we do both kinds of work, so we have no thumb on the scale.
Do you repair docks on all the Houston-area lakes?
Yes — Lake Conroe, Lake Livingston, Lake Houston, Clear Lake, and the Galveston Bay communities, plus private lakes and ponds across greater Houston. Materials are matched to the water: 2.5 CCA-treated timber for salt and brackish exposure, .60 for freshwater.
Do I need a permit to repair my dock?
For minor board-and-hardware work, usually not — but on Lake Houston it is unlawful to build, alter, or make major repairs to a pier or bulkhead without a City of Houston permit, and major repairs must meet current Building Code standards. On Lake Conroe the SJRA governs structures, and coastal repairs can involve the USACE Galveston District. We'll tell you when a permit applies and handle it if it does.
My dock's outlets and lift wiring look old — is that dangerous?
Potentially, yes. Ungrounded receptacles and boat lifts wired without GFCI protection can energize the water and cause electric shock drowning (ESD). We bring dock electrical up to NEC Article 555 — GFCI protection, bonding, grounding, and corrosion-rated fittings — as part of a repair. It's one of the most important and most overlooked safety fixes on an older dock.
Do you repair floating docks?
Yes. Floating docks fail differently than fixed-pile docks — waterlogged or cracked flotation, corroded hinges and pivot hardware, worn guide rollers and collars, and guide piles that have shifted. We replace failed billets with correctly sized marine flotation, rebuild connections with corrosion-rated hardware, and reset or replace guide piles using barge-mounted equipment without dismantling the platform.
How do I find a dock repair service near me?
Look for a marine contractor that builds docks as well as repairing them, drives its own piling, and has barge access for structures that cannot be reached from land — that combination is what lets a contractor assess the foundation honestly rather than quoting only the visible work. We provide dock repair services across Greater Houston, Lake Conroe, Lake Livingston, Lake Houston, Clear Lake, and the Galveston Bay communities, with free itemized assessments.
How often should a dock be inspected or maintained?
Walk it annually and after every major storm. Check for new movement or bounce, rust streaking at connections, fasteners backing out, splash-zone condition on pilings, and debris trapped between deck boards. Re-seal or re-stain timber decking every few years — UV in Texas is relentless and sealing costs a fraction of re-decking. Lift cables should be inspected for fraying and greased on the manufacturer schedule.
My floating dock is sitting low on one side — what causes that?
Almost always failed flotation: foam billets that have taken on water, a cracked polyethylene shell, or a drum that has gone soft. The fix is replacing the failed floats with correctly sized marine flotation and rebalancing the platform so load distributes as the frame was designed for. Adding float to the low corner without finding out why it sank is a temporary patch.
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Tell us about your project and we'll provide a detailed, no-obligation estimate. Serving Greater Houston, Lake Conroe, Lake Livingston, and the Texas Gulf Coast.