Could get in literally over my head on this one

[8NTX]

I haven't yet figured out a way to get my tractor close enough to dig the holes, but do plan on dragging the big posts down to the lake with it for my BOATHOUSE project. I got this wild hair after my bids were coming in at around $12,000/w3tcompact/icons/shocked.gif and the materials will only cost me about $3,000. Has anybody here ever attempted to build one? I'm fairly handy at building small to med. sized projects such as decks, storage sheds, etc., and helped build a garage once. The water is over 7' deep at the end so in one way or another I could be getting in over my head. My biggest logistical problem is how to sink the post holes without the expense of hiring a pile driver or barge-mounted auger set-up. Was thinking of hydrodigging the holes using a water pressurized post hole digger. Am I nuts?

 

[Kodiak]

Just how long can you hold your breath. If there are other boat houses or docks on your lake, the there is probably a specialty contractor in the area, that has the right equipment. You didn't mention how far offshore these pilings have to be. There are some pretty neat gadgets for long reach excavator arms out there now. Some are hydraulic augers and vibratory Pile drivers, and others hydrojet a pile into place. Did you get estimates for just pile installation? You could also build spread footing forms and make cast in place concrete piles with sonatube and rebar.

 

[wroughtn_harv]

We're still pretty wet here in norte tejas. But if you wait until it's a little drier this fall you might consider cantilevering the puppy out there.

Let's say you want the dock to be out there thirty feet from the edge when the water's down. I'd set some big holes and posts at the water's edge. Then I'd get someone real smart to figure out the potential weights and sizes required for those weights for beams. And I'd build it out cantilevered back.

I've got a couple of fishing docks on ponds that I've done that were small that were cantilevered out fifteen twenty feet and I haven't had any callbacks or complaints on them.

I would go for rock if it's within fifteen feet and I would use steel for the frame.

Another option is to float the desired dock beyond thirty feet.

 

[theboman]

Can you build on top of the water, say on floats?

 

[Carl_NH]

A typical Boathouse is setup for raising the boat from the water during the off season, or is this just to keep the rain and stuff off when at the dock? What's the size of the boat? What is minimum point from shore to keep from grounding out at low water/low tide?

These answers will determine the type structure you build. As stated earlier there are several options pending the situation.

Carl

 

[bnixon]

I have seen a lot of boat houses that were built on floats. This gave them the ability to move with the water level through out the year. They work really well!

 

[8NTX]

Thanks for your responses. In answer to some of your questions: The lake is owned by the local water authority and they do not allow floating docks or boathouses. I am located on an 80' wide channel and the boathouse cannot extend beyond 1/3 of the width, so I will build about 26' out max. At this point the water depth is about 6 feet, and this is a constant level, spring-fed lake. Bottom is moss over soft sand. The boat is a 19' ski boat that will be traded for a similarly sized bass rig in a few years when we move in down there.

There are only about 3 dockbuilders who work on this small 1500 acre lake, and they want generally between $200 and $300 each for installing pilings, depending on the materials used. For the turn-key project based upon my estimates, the owner will take about 50% of the total price as profit for him. I have figured costs of about $3,000 for materials and $3,000 for labor assuming about 7-8 days of construction time for a 4-man crew with the owner supervising part time. Kinda pricey but I guess these guys own the market so they control the price.

I prefer steel pilings, but I think a good 6' treated round post would work almost as well and be quite a bit cheaper. I just sold my interest in a lakehouse (different lake) that had a 50 ft. pier with pilings built from used telephone poles. They discourage creosoted poles now though. That pier is still solid after 35 years of heavy waves. (Thank you Dad). My property now is on a well protected, quiet cove with no heavy waves. My biggest worry is about the pilings sinking over time, especially those furthest out since they will hold the most weight because of the motor. Have seen it happen too often. Haven't considered a cantilevered dock, and it might work for part of the dock, but I will be building an overhead mounted boat lift in the boathouse. Hey, maybe a TBN dock-building party is in order? /w3tcompact/icons/grin.gif

 

[wroughtn_harv]

Steve I think you need to talk to Mike and or Stanley up in Farmersville. They own Wylie Drilling. They have a Bayshore crawler than can pass through an eight by eight door and drill a fifty feet deep hole.

What the pier drillers do is drill a hole and case it as they go down to keep the water out. Then as the concrete is poured in they pull the casing.

I'd bet two big piers near the water's edge and a couple back up the bank would give you all the support you need to make a dock that'll work like nothing else on the water. You can run some heavy I beam over the piers and out above the water. A couple of pieces welded in between to tie them together and the rest of it would be all yours and history.

I'd use powder actuated fasteners to tie two bys to the steel and then everything would go together conventional lumber construction, something you can do just fine thank you.

If you hide the steel just right you can have some real fun with the know it alls.

 

[cj7]

Is that your estimate or his? You say 200 to 300 for pilings.

Why not find out if you can buy the material and have them set the pilings. You could probably build the rest.

This is what we did at my father-in-laws place in SC. Had the contractor set the pilings then we built the rest. Turned out real nice.

 

[Justaplain]

Look into washing down 6-8" HD PVC. Use air and water, 50-50 mixed in a wye and then into the PVC with lengths of 1" pipe. Put in the necessary fittings for elec etc or cross framing. as you near the top. When you reach firm footing fill with concrete. I have set pressure treated 6 bys this way, but that is a little trickier