“The IPE dock is stunning. Three years in and it still looks like the day they installed it — no rot, no gray.”
CUSTOM DOCKS
Custom Docks Designed for Your Shoreline
One-off pier and dock designs for Figure Eight Island and the rest of coastal NC — IPE hardwood, copper trim, and hurricane-rated framing.
IPE HardwoodCopper Trim AvailableCustom Design
THE CHALLENGE
Why this matters on coastal NC
A stock dock kit cannot solve a curved shoreline, a 4-foot tide, and a 30-year material spec at the same time. Custom design can.
MATERIALS WE USE
IPE Brazilian hardwoodCumaru hardwood (alternative)Pressure-treated lumber316 stainless or copper-finish hardwareCustom-fabricated rail brackets
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Every custom docks build covers
- On-site design with measured drawings
- IPE, cumaru, cedar, or PT decking
- Copper- or stainless-finish hardware
- Custom railings, benches, and storage
- Optional gazebo, lift, or floating section
HOW WE BUILD CUSTOM DOCKS
Our 5-step process
01
Free Site Evaluation
We measure your shoreline, water depth, and view lines so the design fits the water and the house.
02
Design Sketch
You see a hand-drawn or CAD layout before we order one board.
03
Permit-Aware Refinement
We tune the design to fit your county’s CAMA general permit rules.
04
Build
IPE or PT decking, custom rails, and copper or stainless finish hardware.
05
Walkthrough
We walk every detail with you, leave the as-built sketch, and check in at one year.
PRICING & TIMELINE
Free Site Evaluation
Free site evaluation. Custom dock projects start around $35,000 and scale with footprint and material spec.
Request estimateWARRANTY
One-Year Workmanship
One-year workmanship warranty. IPE carries a 25-year material warranty.
Materials carry their respective manufacturer warranties.
WHAT HOMEOWNERS SAY
Real feedback on our custom docks
“Mark matched the dock trim to our 1920s house. No one else even offered to try.”
[Placeholder — authentic Google reviews will replace these once provided.]
OUR APPROACH
The Sight-Line Design Method
We design every custom dock around your view first — measuring sight lines from the house, the deck, and the dock itself so hardware never blocks a sunset and every angle frames the water.
— Mark Lipe, NC GC #100980
FROM MARK LIPE
Custom Docks done right is invisible — it just works through the next storm and the next ten tides. That's the standard.
FAQ
Questions about custom docks
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Why IPE instead of PT?
IPE is roughly twice the density of PT, takes salt and UV without rotting, and can outlast the pilings if maintained. It costs more up front and pays back over 25 years.
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Can you match a historic home?
Yes. We have built docks to match Wilmington historic-district trim profiles and Figure Eight Island brackets.
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Do you do CAD drawings?
For custom projects over $40,000 we provide CAD drawings as part of the design fee.
AVAILABLE IN
All eight coastal NC cities
RELATED SERVICES
Often built together
Gazebos
Metal-roofed and IPE-trimmed gazebos that anchor your pier and shade your view from Hampstead to Carolina Beach.
Explore gazebos
Waterfront Decks
Sound-side, ICW, and bulkhead-edge decks designed to frame your view, with cable rails and salt-spec hardware.
Explore waterfront decks
Floating Docks
Sound-side floating docks engineered for 3–4 ft tide swings, designed and installed from Hampstead to Sneads Ferry.
Explore floating docksTalk to us about custom docks
Free site evaluation. Written estimate within one business day. Every board, fastener, and piling listed.