New floating docks on Lake Hartwell
A new Hartwell dock starts with a yes from the Corps and ends with a structure that rides a moving lake for decades.
On Lake Hartwell the dock you build is shaped as much by the Shoreline Management Plan as by your taste. The water in front of your lot has to be allocated as a Limited Development Area, your lot needs enough shared boundary with the public land, and the design has to meet the Corps' standards before a single float goes in the water.
What should I sort out before calling a builder?
- Find your allocation. Call the Hartwell Project Office with your lot number, subdivision or street address. If the shoreline isn't a Limited Development Area, a private dock isn't an option.
- Book a site meeting. The Corps says its shoreline staff are usually booked at least two weeks out, so call early.
- Pick a builder. A builder who works on Hartwell can draw a layout that fits your frontage and the plan's rules.
- Apply and wait for the permit before anything is built or delivered.
What goes into the design?
- Flotation: marine-grade floats warranted at least 8 years against sinking, as the Corps' permit conditions require.
- Frame: galvanized steel, aluminum or treated lumber, matched to the dock's size and how exposed your cove is to wind and wakes.
- Walkway: a hinged gangway long enough to stay usable when the lake drops below full pool.
- Anchoring: cables or stiff arms that keep the dock in place through level changes and storms.
- Roof and color: dark brown, green or black, unless the dock is all aluminum, and no roof over a second-story deck.
- Power: wiring certified by a South Carolina-licensed electrician, or DC solar, which the plan exempts from that certification.
Replacing an old dock?
The Corps' 2020 assessment says a new dock can't be installed until the previously permitted one is removed, so plan the demolition and the new build as one project with your builder.
What affects the price?
- Dock size, number of slips and whether it has a roof
- Float type, frame material and decking
- Walkway length, which depends on how far the water is from your bank
- Lifts, electrical or solar, and accessories
- Access to your lot for delivering materials
The builder prices the job once they've walked your lot and seen the water in front of it. We don't quote prices, and a figure given over the phone before a site visit is only a rough guess.
Where we connect you with help
Common questions
How long does a new dock take?
The permit usually sets the pace. Start with the Corps months before you want to use the dock, and remember the plan requires construction to be finished within a year of the permit date.
Can I build a covered two-story dock?
You can have an upper deck, but the 2019 plan prohibits roofs of any kind on a second-story deck and doesn't allow jump gates.
Related services
More background: Lake Hartwell dock permit guide.
Waterlogged floats, a tired lift or a dock you've outgrown?
Call and we'll put you in touch with a builder who works your part of the lake.