Venice, Sarasota County
Replacing a boat lift in Venice starts with a question about the dock beneath it: what can stay? Use this page to sort lift work from dock rebuilding and seawall work, then compare contractors by their permit activity. You can take a clearer project description to the site visit and read the resulting quotes together.
Venice records are not collected yet; the counts come from Cape Coral and Lee County, the nearest records tracked. This is an activity ranking. Check the license and compare quotes.
| 1 | Honc Docks & Lifts | 284 | 130 | 59 | 69 | 26 | 302 | $37,500 | 65% |
| 2 | WB Williamson Bros | 281 | 94 | 75 | 93 | 19 | 294 | $31,600 | 68% |
| 3 | Williamson and Sons Marine Construction | 234 | 0 | 8 | 226 | 0 | 234 | $16,000 | 71% |
| 4 | Stokes Marine | 121 | 47 | 43 | 5 | 26 | 143 | $40,000 | 66% |
| 5 | Rusnell Marine Construction | 91 | 40 | 32 | 1 | 18 | 95 | $29,400 | 71% |
| 6 | Crocker Marine Services | 86 | 22 | 32 | 27 | 5 | 95 | $42,800 | 34% |
| 7 | Hickcox Brothers Marine | 60 | 30 | 24 | 0 | 6 | 75 | $28,000 | 52% |
| 8 | Hawley Construction | 58 | 28 | 15 | 0 | 15 | 64 | $24,200 | 70% |
| 9 | Honc Marine Contracting | 58 | 0 | 1 | 57 | 0 | 58 | $33,500 | 66% |
| 10 | Aquamarine Construction | 42 | 26 | 10 | 3 | 3 | 46 | $31,000 | 80% |
| 11 | Hooker Marine Construction | 39 | 23 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 39 | $30,200 | 77% |
| 12 | Mauney Marine Construction | 36 | 19 | 9 | 3 | 5 | 38 | $25,000 | 61% |
Source: City of Cape Coral and Lee County permit records, the nearest marine permit records we track. Sarasota County permits are not in this ranking yet. Ranked by dock, boat lift and seawall permits issued or filed Nov 2025 - Oct 2026; all marine permits also counts lift covers and other marine work. Median job = the median value declared on the contractor's dock, lift and seawall permits here. Finaled = share of all its permits that passed final inspection or closed. How we rank.
284 dock, lift and seawall permits in Cape Coral + Lee County
Where it works most: Cape Coral (227), Lee County (57), Cypress Lake (8), North Fort Myers (7)
License CGC1535844 · Full profile
281 dock, lift and seawall permits in Cape Coral + Lee County
Where it works most: Cape Coral (213), Lee County (48), Cypress Lake (12), North Fort Myers (9)
License CGC1512211 · Full profile
234 dock, lift and seawall permits in Cape Coral + Lee County
Where it works most: Cape Coral (219), Lee County (8), Cypress Lake (3), Iona (2)
Price comparisons work only after the equipment and structure are defined. For a Venice lift project, settle the boat requirements first, then have the contractor inspect the dock supports. The permit value table gives context for different categories of work.
| Job | Median permit value | Middle half of jobs | Permits | Data from |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dock + boat lift | $45,000 | $29,600 - $64,800 | 618 | Cape Coral + Lee County |
| Dock | $24,000 | $12,500 - $40,000 | 493 | Cape Coral + Lee County |
| Seawall | $20,000 | $14,000 - $33,000 | 545 | Cape Coral + Lee County |
| Boat lift | $16,600 | $8,360 - $25,200 | 176 | Cape Coral + Lee County |
| Lift cover or canopy | $2,490 | $2,280 - $6,280 | 475 | Cape Coral + Lee County |
Values are what contractors declared on public permits (job value at filing). They are local averages for information, not a quote: only a contractor who sees your shoreline can price your job.
Seawalls in Cape Coral and Lee County: a median of $240 per linear foot on 417 permits that state a length (middle half $184-$375); the typical wall was 80 feet.
The boat lift category has a regional median declared permit value of $16,585. It describes lift permits, which differ from permits combining a dock and lift. Neither category is a price for your Venice home, and the declared value is not an invoice. Use the table to keep project types straight while you ask what your existing dock can support and what equipment the replacement includes.
For a dock rebuild, the deck material is only part of the scope. Pressure-treated wood and composite are common choices, but the proposal also needs to say what happens to the pilings and existing structure. Have the contractor identify the work needed beneath the walking surface. If one quote keeps the supports and another replaces them, resolve that difference before using the totals to choose between bidders.
A wall project needs its own description, even when the dock is being rebuilt alongside it. Specify the length under discussion, concrete or vinyl panel choices, cap work and removal. Ask how access from the property affects the proposed work and what happens to nearby lift equipment. A contractor must see those conditions to price the job. The median shown for seawall permits cannot decide a repair scope at your address.
City of Venice is the permit office named for Venice. Before the work begins, ask the contractor for the project permit number and a way to check its record. Plan to follow that same record through the final inspection.
Permit office: City of Venice
Your contractor pulls the permit; you can look it up afterwards by address in the office's public permit search.
Begin with the job's address when you ask the city about permit history. Venice and nearby South Venice have different named permit offices on these pages, so a familiar place name is not enough to carry an answer from one property to another. Get the new permit number before the contractor starts, and match its description to the project you agreed to have built or repaired.
Final inspection belongs on your list before you sign, rather than appearing as a question after the crew leaves. Ask how you will see that the final has been recorded. Keep the permit number with the contract so the last payment can follow that check. Physical completion is visible at the dock; the permit record is where you check the inspection step tied to closing out the job.
A larger Florida job also involves a Notice of Commencement recorded with the county before the work starts and posted at the property. Have the contractor explain its place in your paperwork. Contractors pull permits for their work. A homeowner using an owner-builder permit for their own home takes on contractor responsibilities, which is a substantial role beyond arranging appointments and choosing materials for a hired project.
Ask each company the same question: which part of my Venice project does your permit record match? Dock-and-lift volume, seawall volume and finaled share answer different things. Use those differences to narrow the list before requesting three written proposals.
Suppose the wall is your main concern. Williamson and Sons Marine Construction's record contains 226 seawall permits out of 234 tracked permits. A dock or lift search calls for a different reading of the columns. The point of the table is to show the work represented in the records, not to turn a large total into a recommendation about workmanship on your Venice property.
Hawley Construction has 15 boat lift permits among its tracked work, giving you another category to examine for a lift project. Then read the finaled share. Cape Coral records use passed final inspection, while Lee County records use closure with a certificate of completion. The share describes those statuses. It does not tell you how a proposed job at your house will turn out or replace a license check.
After narrowing the table, send each bidder a scope with the same equipment, material choice and removal work. Ask for differences to be written out, including work left out of the proposal. Pick up to 3 contractors on the form and they will contact you to look at the job. Your agreement on price and construction is with the contractor you hire, who also handles the contract and permit.
Venice is in Sarasota County, with Laurel and South Venice nearby. Keep that geography separate from the conditions at your dock. Describe the actual water, exposure and structures so a contractor can prepare for the shoreline visit at your address.
Make a short photo set that follows the structure from land to water. Show the route through the yard, the connection to the dock, the deck and the pilings. Where a lift is involved, include the equipment as well as the boat. A photo of the view from the house can miss the parts the contractor needs to inspect before deciding whether your project is repair, replacement or a larger rebuild.
Explain the water conditions you actually experience. Salt, sun, barnacles and wakes can wear marine structures, but the town name does not establish exposure at a particular dock. If the boat needs Gulf access, describe the route you use rather than assuming that access applies to every waterfront address. Let the contractor inspect the shoreline instead of asking the regional permit table to stand in for those conditions.
Storm damage can expose weaknesses in an older wall or dock and prompt other improvements at the same time. Keep your observations separate from the work you hope to add: a cracked cap, missing fill and a larger deck are different discussion items. When reading the nearby Laurel or South Venice pages, use them to gather questions. Bring the conversation back to the Venice property and the structure in front of you.
We count the marine permits each contractor pulled, from the city and county permit offices' public records.
The contractor named on the permit gets the credit. You can look up any permit by address yourself.
Contractors can't buy a higher rank. Network partners get a call button; the order stays the data's.
They describe different categories. The regional lift-only median is $16,585 in declared permit value, while a combined project includes dock work too. Neither figure prices a Venice property. Have the contractor inspect the supports and name the lift equipment before giving you a written proposal.
The contractor performing the project pulls the permit, with City of Venice as the office named here. Get the number before work begins. Ask the city how to retrieve the record for your property address so you can follow the permit through its final inspection.
Honc Docks & Lifts has the largest shown total, 302 tracked permits. That is a measure of activity in the ranking area. Review the types of work behind the total, verify the license through Florida DBPR and compare written scopes before deciding whom to hire.
A photograph of a crack cannot establish the entire replacement scope. Ask the contractor to inspect the cap, panels and signs of lost fill, then describe the proposed repair or replacement in writing. Make sure the quote states which parts of the existing wall will remain.
Use your permit number to check that the record shows its final. Discuss that payment step with the contractor when setting up the job. Keep the scope, permit information and completion paperwork together so you can identify the work and the record you are checking.
Yes. Choose up to 3 contractors and they will contact you to look at the job. Include your boat details, current lift and what you want changed. Request the same written scope from each so differences in support work or equipment are visible when comparing quotes.
Tell us about your waterfront and pick who you want to hear from. Our local marine contractors look at your dock, lift or seawall and price the job themselves. Free, no obligation.
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