Boathouse with enclosed rooms standing on pilings over the lake

Marine construction

Docks, Boathouses & Bulkheads on Lake Livingston

Docks and piers, boathouses, bulkheads and boat lift work for lakefront, canal and pond property, from a builder based right here on the lake.

Get a Free Estimate Call (806) 480-0328

Building on the water, from a company on the lake

Lake Livingston is why many people buy property around Onalaska. A solid dock, a pier you can walk without watching every board, and a bulkhead that holds the bank in place are what make that waterfront usable.

Marine work is a core part of what Onalaska Builders does. Our own crews build boathouses, docks, piers, bulkheads and boat ramps around the lake, on canal lots and at private ponds, and work on boat lifts. Because we also handle dirt work, decks and landscaping, the shoreline and the yard above it can be planned together.

Our marine construction services include:

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Our services

Marine construction services

For lakefront homes, canal lots and private ponds.

Recent work

The kind of marine work we do

A few examples from our own jobs, with photos in the gallery and write-ups on the projects page:

  • Boathouses. Wood boathouses on the lake with enclosed rooms, covered decks, windows, and kitchens with tile counters and sinks, reached by pier walkways lined with built-in benches.
  • Covered piers. Piers with a roof and built-in benches, for shade and a place to sit over the water.
  • A pier redeck. The worn decking came off a long boat pier and new boards went down from the bank to the end, and the old lumber was hauled away.
  • A canal bulkhead. A new wood bulkhead along a canal lot, set with the help of a mini excavator.
  • A pond dock and bulkhead. A timber bulkhead and a wood dock walkway at a private pond, along with the dirt work around them.
  • Boat lift work. Work on a lift and its motor inside a lakeside boathouse, and a watercraft lift at the end of a pier.

Whether you need something new or want to get more years out of what is already there, start by telling us what you have and what you want it to do.

Pier walkway with benches on both sides leading to a covered boathouse
Walkway to a boathouse

Existing docks

Repair, redeck or replace?

Sun, water and wet-dry cycles are hard on anything built at the shoreline. Common signs a dock or pier needs attention:

  • Soft, split, loose or missing deck boards
  • Nails and screws working their way up
  • A walkway that sags, sways or feels bouncy
  • Leaning or damaged pilings and loose framing
  • A bulkhead that is bowing, leaking soil or letting the bank wash out behind it

When the framing and pilings are still sound, redecking can give a pier a new surface for less than a full rebuild. When the structure underneath has gone bad, replacing it is usually the better use of your money. The only way to know is to look at it, so send us photos or ask us to take a look.

Boat ramps

Boat ramp construction

A private boat ramp lets you launch and pull out from your own shoreline instead of waiting at a public ramp. A good ramp has the right slope for your truck and trailer, reaches water deep enough for your boat as the lake level changes, has a surface that grips when wet, and has banks on either side that will hold.

Because a ramp cuts through the shoreline, it often goes hand in hand with bulkheads, grading and a driveway down to the water, all work our crews handle. Read more about boat ramp construction.

Placeholder image: a concrete boat ramp sloping into the lake

Before you build

Planning your waterfront

A few questions shape every waterfront project:

  • How will you use it? Fishing, swimming, launching and tying up a boat, a lift, or a place to sit in the evening each call for a different size and layout.
  • What is the water like? Depth, bottom conditions and how much wind and wave action reach your shoreline all matter, and water levels on the lake change over time.
  • What is the bank doing? If the shoreline is eroding, a bulkhead may need to come first, or be built together with the dock.
  • Can equipment and materials get there? Access to the shoreline affects how the work is done.
  • What should be built together? A bulkhead, a dock, a boathouse, a ramp and a lift all affect each other. Planning them as one project avoids tearing out work later.
  • What rules apply? Structures on Lake Livingston's shoreline fall under the Trinity River Authority, which runs a permit process for property owners. Subdivisions and property owners' associations can have their own rules as well. Check what applies to your lot before work starts.

Lake Livingston

Marine construction around Lake Livingston

Lake Livingston stretches through Polk, San Jacinto, Trinity and Walker counties, and its shoreline takes in open-water lots, coves, canal neighborhoods and everything in between. Many rural properties in the area also have private ponds that benefit from a dock or a bulkhead.

We are based in Onalaska and do marine work around the lake and within about 35 miles, including Livingston, Point Blank, Coldspring, Trinity and the lake communities in between. See our full service area.

Questions

Marine construction questions

Do you build docks on Lake Livingston?

Yes. Our own crews build boathouses, docks, piers, bulkheads and boat ramps around Lake Livingston, on canal lots and at private ponds, and work on boat lifts.

Do you build boathouses?

Yes. We have built wood boathouses on the lake with covered decks and enclosed rooms, some with a built-in kitchen.

Do you build boat ramps?

Yes. We build private boat ramps for lakefront and pond property, and can plan the bulkhead, grading and driveway around the ramp as part of the same job.

Can my old pier be redecked instead of replaced?

Often, yes, if the framing and pilings underneath are still sound. If the structure has deteriorated, replacing it is usually the better choice. We need to see the pier, or good photos of it, to say which.

Do I need a permit for a dock on Lake Livingston?

Structures on Lake Livingston's shoreline fall under the Trinity River Authority, which runs a permit process for property owners. Subdivisions and property owners' associations can have their own rules too. Check what applies to your lot before work starts.

Do you work on private ponds?

Yes. We have built a timber bulkhead and a dock walkway at a private pond, along with the dirt work around them.

How do I get an estimate for a dock or bulkhead?

Call (806) 480-0328 or send the estimate form with the town or ZIP code. Tell us whether it is new work or a repair, roughly how long the shoreline or pier is, and include photos if you can.

Get started

Ready to work on your waterfront?

Tell us about the dock, boathouse, bulkhead, ramp or lift and where the property is. Send the form or give us a call.

(806) 480-0328

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