LEARN MORE + FIND HELP NEAR YOU
Learn everything you need to know about marina construction and find a contractor near you today.
Marina Construction Overview
What Is A Marina?
A marina is a specialized dock used for small boats like yachts and sailboats. It closely takes after harbors, where large ships can anchor to load or offload passengers and goods. However, marinas are smaller than harbors as they are specifically designed for smaller boats and pleasure yachts.
What Problems It Solves:
The primary idea behind marina construction is to allow the yachts and sails boats to dock. Once put up, the sailboats and the yachts can use the marina to perform a plethora of tasks, including:
- Transporting passengers from one side of the sea to another
- Ferrying cargo across cities surrounded by water
- Taking visitors around the cities’ ocean, lake, or river to explore the surroundings
Marinas can also make perfect spots for people to socialize and enjoy the beautiful water scenery while standing. However, this can only be possible if you request your contractor to create some room for that while designing the construction plan.
Constructing a marina can improve transportation efficiency as people living in areas surrounded by water would prefer using smaller vessels over large vessels for short voyages.
Besides the transportation convenience, operating the marina business can generate quick revenues, helping you quickly recover the investment cost.
Images Of Marina Construction
Advantages & Disadvantages Of Marina Construction
Advantages:
Marinas come with many positive attributes. For example,
- They provide an avenue for boaters to socialize
- Marina slips secure your boat from destructive elements such as saltwater and bad weather.
- They improve traveling efficiency since you can dock your boat and sort your most burning needs between voyages. For instance, you can dock your vessel along the way to get food supplies, browse the internet, go for a long call, etc.
Disadvantages:
Marinas are not entirely flawless. They have some shortfalls, including:
- High cost of construction and maintenance
- Complex planning and red tape
- Not eco-friendly as they release toxins into the water
Marina Construction Process
Process
Putting up a marina is not an easy job. You need the help of an experienced contractor to take you through. While a contractor can execute most construction processes, you need to plan for the project before seeking their help. Below are the steps you need to follow.
Step 1: Plan For The Project
After deciding to pursue your idea, you should come up with a detailed plan of:
- How you are going to fund the project
- The design of the marina you wish to put up
- How you are going to use your marina once complete
- The type of vessels that will be eligible to use your facility
- How you are going to generate returns from the investment and make it more profitable
- After planning your project, you need to:
Step 2: Find A Reliable Contractor
Building a marina goes far beyond the planning stage. You should find a reputable contractor among marina construction companies in your state to help you implement the project. The contractor will:
- Help you correct the mishaps in your marina design
- Assess the impact of the marina on the environment
- Offer you the necessary legislative advice to avoid conflicting with the law
- Help with onsite tracking of expenditure and the project
- Assist in acquiring the best materials for construction
- Help in selecting the best location for the project
- Offer free advice about the future of the project and its management
Step 3: Start The Construction
After analyzing the project, your contractor will construct the marina to its completion. After completion, the contractor can help with the maintenance of the marina for an agreed period.
Materials
When constructing a marina, you need to ensure that the materials you use in the project have minimal or zero impact on the environment. If you are not an expert in the field, your contractor should help you choose eco-friendly materials.
Typically, the commonly used and safe materials for the project are made from steel, aluminum, concrete, stones, sand, and fiber-reinforced plastic.
Permitting Process
Different states have different regulations regarding the construction of marinas. Before you embark on the project, it is good to obtain the necessary licenses and permits; otherwise, you will be convicted of violating the standing regulations in your state.
For some permits, you may be required to provide a sketch of a completed marina. Your contractor should break down the permitting requirements and necessary steps into an easy to manage process.
Common Problems
Challenges are inevitable when undertaking a construction project. However, it is good to familiarize yourself with the most common and serious ones to stay prepared. Below are various problems you are likely to face during the marina dock construction.
Financing Issues
Sometimes the cost of construction may surge unexpectedly due to changes in construction materials prices, legal requirements, and the cost of labor. You might end up halting the project if you had not planned for these unforeseen costs.
Environmental Changes
Changes in water levels, tides, and geographical features could interfere with the construction process or affect your already complete marina.
Permit Delays
The project may take longer than expected if the authorities delay in releasing the necessary licenses and permits.
Questions To Ask Contractors
Not all contractors are good at what they do. You need to secure the best from your checklist by asking each candidate the following questions:
- How long have you been in the marina construction industry?
- How long can you take to complete the construction project?
- What is the standard cost for constructing a marina?
- Should we expect any hiccups in the course of the project?
- What other features can we add to our marina design?
- Do you have any certifications from your previous construction projects?
As the contractors respond to the above questions, you can tell how experienced they are in the field.
Different Types Of Marina Construction
Marinas come in different types. Below are the most common kinds of marinas.
City Marinas: offer boat owners 24 rental slips for boats of length between 33 feet and 55 feet.
Boatyards: offer ample space for construction, storage, maintenance, and trading of boats.
Tiki Bar Marinas: they deal with foods and drinks. Attendants in this marina style can serve all kinds of people, including boat owners, travelers, and even visitors to the place.
Resort Atmosphere: are marinas with almost all facilities. You will get all your needs sorted, whether you need a swimming pool, quality cafes, full showers, workout rooms, lounges, and even open green spaces. You should, however, be prepared to pay for the services.
Alternative Solutions To Marina Construction
If you feel that building a marina is too costly for you, then you can invest in boat lifts instead. Below is a comparison between marinas and boat lifts.
| SERVICE VS SERVICE | ADVANTAGES | DISADVANTAGES |
|---|---|---|
| Marinas vs Boat Lifts | Marinas, compared to boat lifts:Protect your boat from extreme weatherAllow you to transport goods and people to different areas beside docks | Marinas, compared to boat lifts:Can be expensive to installCan’t be installed in some areas without a permit |
Costs Of Marina Construction
The cost of constructing a marina differs from one state to another, depending on how busy a given city is.
For instance, building a marina in New York cost can go up to $ 625,000, while it can take up to $ 8,000,000 to construct the same marina in Florida.
The cost can also depend on the quality of materials used in the construction. For example, using high-quality steel products in the project may cost more than poor-quality products.
Other factors that determine the cost of service include:
- The number of employees you have hired operate the marina
- The number of hours worked by each employee and the rate per hour
- The quality of equipment
Bid & Buying Solicitation
When asking for bids to construct a marina, you should:
Be precise in communicating your request.
Be keen in choosing your company. Do not rush for low-priced services to avoid compromising the quality.
Allow each bidder to analyze the offer and ask them important questions.
If you fail to get a reliable contractor through the bidding process, you can get in touch with Marine Matcher to help with identifying a reputable contractor.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Much Does It Cost To Build A Marina?
There is no standard cost for marina construction. However, it depends on your state and the cost of raw materials. For instance, the cost of constructing a marina in Alexandria ranges from $7,500,000 to $ 9,000,000.
How Long Can Marina Construction Take?
After assessing the project, your contractor can estimate the duration of the project and advise accordingly.
Comments0