Punta Gorda Seawalls

[BandB]

Forgive me for hijacking this thread for a minute. We are heading down to PG this Sunday to look at condos, a villa and a stand alone house, to use as a snow bird escape from Connecticut.

Having lived in Oriental, NC where our house got water in it from Irene's 9' surge, I am a bit leery of grade level homes. We are concentrating on second level condos as a result.

I understand from our real estate agent, a long term PGI resident, that on average the homes along the canals are about 8' above the water level. That worries me as the same thing could happen in PG as in Oriental: a slow moving hurricane with the right path drives the water level in Charlotte Harbor up to the 9 and 10' level. I think that in some areas in SW Florida the water may have gotten that high during Irma, but because Irma went to the east of Charlotte Harbor the water was driven out, not in.

So what do you guys think: stay away from waterfront grade level homes, or What, me worry?

David

You can pull up a Flood Map for the address or the county. Just google the flood map you need. This will give you history for the location as well as the rating for insurance.

 

[Nimble1]

Also live on Pine Island in St.James City with over 30 year old sea wall. We were lucky and had no damage. But many did and as previously stated, not enough contractors to go around. Hoping mine last my lifetime..LOL

 

[HopCar]

Can someone post a picture of the type of seawall you are discussing? I know when they install seawalls out here they give them a lifetime. So they may install a 30 year seawall or a 25 year seawall, etc.. but its mostly rip rap from what I can tell.

Note the broken piling under the dock. The seawall is just a slab of concrete with a cap poured on top.

 

[seasalt007]

Note the broken piling under the dock. The seawall is just a slab of concrete with a cap poured on top.

Great picture.

Although the city of Punta Gorda will repair the seawall, if that flat slab between the pilings and the seawall fails or tilts because the concrete pilings under it need replacing, it is on the homeowner's tab.

 

[bayview]

In the past walls were prefab concrete panels with a concrete cap. The rebar inside would rust and weaken over years and eventually they would fail by pushing out near water line. not by sinking.
Many were reinforced with a concrete belt similar to the cap being added at the bottom. Today you can get corrugated steel or plastic panels also with a cap. The plastic will probably last forever.

Adding riprap,if allowed, makes them much stronger.

 

[diver dave]

Wood doesn't fly in SFL coastal. Historically, tall seawalls were cast walls, set into king piles with deadmen. My 8' tall wall lasted almost 60 years, and then one 20"/24hour rainstorm caved it in taking 1/3 of the backyard. Lucky for me, I had sold the house.
Newer, tall, salt water seawalls are done with batter piles, and better poured caps. Sometimes a footer with sheet pile and a pour at the low water line. Rip rap tends to be cheaper, but has advantage with direct intercoastal exposure for wave breakup.
Yes, a total rebuild from a collapse is trending at $1k/ft.

 

[HopCar]

Great picture.

Although the city of Punta Gorda will repair the seawall, if that flat slab between the pilings and the seawall fails or tilts because the concrete pilings under it need replacing, it is on the homeowner's tab.

Already asked for a quote from the seawall guys.

 

[seasalt007]

Adding riprap,if allowed, makes them much stronger.

In Punta Gorda Isles? Surely you jest! Rib rap (living or dead) not allowed. :lol:

 

[diver dave]

In Punta Gorda Isles? Surely you jest! Rib rap (living or dead) not allowed. :lol:

Environmentalists may favor them. But looks leakage and life may disfavor them

 

[Group9]

Not punta Gorda, but in my dad's neighborhood in fort Myers the homeowner is responsible. And repair is very expensive, quotes are $1,000 a linear foot. Insurance doesn't cover it.

I was talking with our old neighbor the other day and she said we sold at a good time. Everyone is having to replace their bulkheads ( all put in at the same time) to the tune of $30,000 to $40,000 each. Ouch!

 

[BandB]

From the City of Fort Lauderdale website:

What is the cost of seawall replacement or repair?
The City surveyed a number of seawall contractors in May-June 2016. Seawall contractors quoted $650-$2,000 per linear foot depending on the depth of the waterway and location of the seawall. In addition, engineering and permitting services were quoted as $2,000-$5,000 per job. Repair of broken/spalled concrete areas in the cap was quoted at $60 per cubic foot of epoxy mortar. To add a 12” cap to an existing seawall was estimated at $75 - $125 per linear foot. Cost will vary be the type and condition of the seawall in question.​

 

[BandB]

We have our seawalls inspected by professionals annually and maintenance done if needed. There are also (and I don't know if they work) filtering systems that are Weep Hole Pressure Release Systems and are supposed to relieve the pressure caused by rainwater and tidal surges. I would strongly encourage regular inspections. As to the Jet Filters, I don't know, but here is a link.

https://jetfiltersystem.com/

 

[Bigsfish]

Interesting subject. I bought a house many years ago on the Miami River to tie the boat up in brackish water. After this past hurricane I have noticed some piling that should be replaced. After calling a bunch of companies I had one come out and take a look, talking to the guy he thought that $2000.00 per piling plus repair of the dock and permitting. He said he would give me an estimate, that was three weeks ago and nothing after phone a few phone calls. I can’t believe a person can be successful running a company like that.

 

[john61ct]

When they've already got more work than they can handle it's a seller's market, got to pester, beg even bribe just to get your job on the calendar at all.

Way it is...

 

[Bigsfish]

John61

That’s not me, I would rather wait than overpay to people taking advantage of the situation. I’ll eventually find a reputable company.

 

[DavidM]

We moved into our new condo in Punta Gorda Isles a few days ago. I noticed a section of caved in canal a few hundred feet opposite our unit when we moved in.

Today a big barge, crane and other equipment moved up to it and started work. They are now jack hammering out the old concrete wall and will presumably pour and backfill a deeper wall, maybe with tie backs to keep it from caving in again.

Just from the magnitude of the equipment and labor required I can see why it costs so much to repair. This 100' caved in section looks like it will take a week or so to fix

See the pic below.

David

 

[HopCar]

David, I bet you’re glad to be in Florida today.

 

[VJameslanza]

As a long time resident of Punta Gorda (OK, not that long, only 20 years), I can tell you that periodically, we've lost some seawalls, but never on the scale of Irma. The number changes, but 18 miles of seawall seems to be generally agreed upon. FEMA is scheduled to pay a large portion, with the state and city to split the uncovered portion 50/50. There are 415 seawalls that are due to be replaced from the storm, they say that they need over 13,00 pre-cast concrete panels, and they've only poured something less than 3,000, so even with multiple contractors, it's going to be a while before they're all done. We suffered a loss of about 65% of our seawall, and our dock is at an 'interesting' 25 degree angle, but due to the fact that our neighbors lost 100% of their seawall and their yard is slowly disappearing, we're among the first 10 jobs to be done in our area. Sounds great until you realize that they're not even started on job 2! I'm not complaining, with the addition of a small wooden dock to connect our solid ground to the dock, we can still use our boat, many others have not been so fortunate.

 

[DavidM]

David, I bet you’re glad to be in Florida today.

You got that right!!! 75 degree high today and 50 tonight. Today we had nachos, beer and margaritas for lunch at a waterfront tiki bar. Felt like Margaritaville and that cheeseburger in paradise joint all rolled together. Parrotheads rejoice!

Back home in Ct a nasty NEer just pushed through.

Summer will get ugly here though, but we will be back in the Ct hills by then.

David

 

[Capt Jack]

As a long time resident of Punta Gorda (OK, not that long, only 20 years), I can tell you that periodically, we've lost some seawalls, but never on the scale of Irma. The number changes, but 18 miles of seawall seems to be generally agreed upon. FEMA is scheduled to pay a large portion, with the state and city to split the uncovered portion 50/50. There are 415 seawalls that are due to be replaced from the storm, they say that they need over 13,00 pre-cast concrete panels, and they've only poured something less than 3,000, so even with multiple contractors, it's going to be a while before they're all done. We suffered a loss of about 65% of our seawall, and our dock is at an 'interesting' 25 degree angle, but due to the fact that our neighbors lost 100% of their seawall and their yard is slowly disappearing, we're among the first 10 jobs to be done in our area. Sounds great until you realize that they're not even started on job 2! I'm not complaining, with the addition of a small wooden dock to connect our solid ground to the dock, we can still use our boat, many others have not been so fortunate.

I talked with the contractor doing our condo complex wall and they said it is expected to take at least 2 years of multiple contractors working to do the repairs from Irma damage. I also agree this is the worst I have seen in the 27 years I have been in the area.

John

 

[BandB]

I talked with the contractor doing our condo complex wall and they said it is expected to take at least 2 years of multiple contractors working to do the repairs from Irma damage. I also agree this is the worst I have seen in the 27 years I have been in the area.

John

Well, Puerto Rico still only has 50% power restored.

 

[Capt Jack]

Well, Puerto Rico still only has 50% power restored.

Absolutely correct. Puts things in perspective. We are very blessed and spoiled in this country!

John

 

[BandB]

Absolutely correct. Puts things in perspective. We are very blessed and spoiled in this country!

John

Wifey B: They are in this country. We just don't treat them like it.

 

[danderer]

Wifey B: They are in this country. We just don't treat them like it.

+1

 

[john61ct]

As a class only a small section of our population is "lucky".

Most would be much better off being citizens of any number of other more civilized countries.

In the sense of being assured a secure dignified life at least, rather than some mythical lottery-level chance to get rich and not have to pay many taxes.

 

[sunchaser]

Wifey B: They are in this country. We just don't treat them like it.

Didn't they have a statehood vote a few years ago? Some locals bitched that vote was rigged to favor statehood because the "enhanced commonwealth" option was not on the ballot. This option was deemed unacceptable by Congress and the Supreme Court.

Then the Mayor of San Juan (effectively the leader of the country some think) went on a tirade about Russian collusion. Then the hurricane, refusal for offered electrical grid oversight and yada yada.

The smart ones seem to be fleeing with a threadbare group trying to restore order. The Mayor continues her belligerence towards the current US government. Not a good thing when you're incapable of solving local issues.

 

[MYTraveler]

I know insurance doesn't cover and they're not cheap, but the $1,000 per linear foot sounds like an opportunist trying to jump in. I just don't believe a 100' lot would cost $100,000 to repair or build a seawall.

That price sounds about right to me. A sea wall in Malibu costs many times that amount (not including the cost of getting Coastal Commission approval).

 

[sunchaser]

OK, why should the Government keep paying for sea walls and washed out dikes? Simple, it keeps the construction guys employed, equipment suppliers happy and developers tearing up bottom lands for more houses and buildings. That of course can get washed out again.

Who says there is not a perpetual motion machine?

 

[Bigsfish]

I feel sorry for the people of PR but not those that govern, having had a factory or two there it is corrupt.

John61. We are lucky to live in the US where you can improve your lot with a good work ethic, education, operating within the law and some luck. Why are so many people trying to come here and not Cuba or North Korea?

 

[bayview]

Wifey B: They are in this country. We just don't treat them like it.

Only sort of. They dont pay federal income taxes. An important difference when asking for federal money.