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Dock Installed Inproperly

Vikingstaff

Vikingstaff

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The installers from our dock company that put in our dock this past week put the seawall bracket/extension on opposite of how it should have went on our seawall.  


What does that mean you might ask? Since our shoreline runs on an angle between the properties on either side of our cottage, it creates a big issue. Instead of our dock extending out parallel to our property line, it now angles into the property line. This in turn doesn't leave enough room for our boat lift, which gets put in this weekend - boat scheduled to follow Monday morning.  The dock company also did not install the solar light caps that are supposed to be on each of our support posts.  :(


Needless to say, I am fit to be tied this evening.  And of course I get up to our cottage 15 minutes after the dock company closes.  


Guess who will be waiting at the door when our dock company opens tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.?  Yup, a certain Mr. Smith - and he will not be pleasant to deal with. Ugh! :angry:  


Standng on Property Line Looking Out at Dock.


Standing on Dock Looking Back at Property Line
 
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Vikingstaff said:
Guess who will be waiting at the door when our dock company opens tomorrow morning at 9 a.m.?  Yup, a certain Mr. Smith - and he will not be pleasant to deal with. Ugh! :angry:  
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Really sorry to hear this vikingstaff. Hang in there and give them hell in the morning.
 
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Oh man.......Take a couple of deep breaths before you go in.


Oh the hell w/it........GIVE EM HELL!!! 
 
I feel for you.  I too am experiencing issues with my 3 year old boat house/lift. The trusses have a 3/4 to 1" gap at the cap and it appears to slowly be getting larger.  I have contacted the dock/seawall Company that did the work and of course they are slow to respond.  The owner actually came out and looked at it while I was gone.  He acknowledges the separation but has offered no course of action.  This was over a week ago.  There are other potential issues with the way the lift was installed 15 years ago by a different company, but that is another story.  I guess it's to much to ask to simply get what you pay for.  I could elaborate on this but don't want to hijack thread.  Feeling frustrated but loving the new boat, just went over 7.6 hrs.
 
My trip into the dock company did not go well this morning. It started out okay. I went in knowing sugar gets you further than vinegar.  After going over pictures and the issue, they said they would be working with their engineers Monday to see what went wrong, and easiest ways to correct the situation. I was feeling pretty good, until it turned...


Then they started talking about "depending on the solution, it will be another charge to move the dock. If I need a repalcement bracket angled differently that will be another charge, etc."


I literally told her, I provided diagrams, measurements, labeled pictures, etc... weeks ago.  This is on them. They had better be taking care of the "solution" themselves.  That I would not be paying more money because they screwed up.  When that didn't go far, I told them I was leaving before I lost it on them.  I then somewhat stormed out.


At this point, I don't see this going well, but I'm trying to stay positive.  And since its a proprietary dock and link system, I am somewhat locked into these boozo's for needed future dock pieces to go out further over the next few years (we bought the length we could afford, but it really only gets us 1/3 of the way out to our desired dock length).


I'm going to try to keep it cool and calm in the short run to try to work to get them to step up.  However, if they don't, I have no problem going BBB, MI dept of consumer affairs and complaints, or small claims.  Hopefully it doesn't come to any of that.  But if it does, it does.
 
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That's no good Mike. I hope they can come up with some worthwhile solutions for you on the separation you are getting between the trusses and caps.  It sure can be frustrating!  No worries on hijacking this thread.  It can become everyone's dock/dock house related venting thread...lol.
 
Vikingstaff said:
My trip into the dock company did not go well this morning. It started out okay. I went in knowing sugar gets you further than vinegar.  After going over pictures and the issue, they said they would be working with their engineers Monday to see what went wrong, and easiest ways to correct the situation. I was feeling pretty good, until it turned...


Then they started talking about "depending on the solution, it will be another charge to move the dock. If I need a repalcement bracket angled differently that will be another charge, etc."


I literally told her, I provided diagrams, measurements, labeled pictures, etc... weeks ago.  This is on them. They had better be taking care of the "solution" themselves.  That I would not be paying more money because they screwed up.  When that didn't go far, I told them I was leaving before I lost it on them.  I then somewhat stormed out.


At this point, I don't see this going well, but I'm trying to stay positive.  And since its a proprietary dock and link system, I am somewhat locked into these boozo's for needed future dock pieces to go out further over the next few years (we bought the length we could afford, but it really only gets us 1/3 of the way out to our desired dock length).


I'm going to try to keep it cool and calm in the short run to try to work to get them to step up.  However, if they don't, I have no problem going BBB, MI dept of consumer affairs and complaints, or small claims.  Hopefully it doesn't come to any of that.  But if it does, it does.
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Dont forget the Michigan Attorney General ,I have had some issues in the past . The email / letter always gets attention 
 
I am confident that it will all work out in the end for both of us.  It is just so frustrating that it means more time and possibly money in order to get  what we paid for once already.  
 
Sorry to hear of the aggravation,but I'm trying to understand the situation. Does your property extend in to the lake or stop at the shore line? And don't you need to apply for some type of permits to install the dock behind your house? If so,doesn't the permitting require some type of a proposed layout that shows how the dock is going to be installed? If the answer is yes,then you should contact the agency that issues the permit. Hopefully they can put the pressure on the contractor to install the dock per the drawing.


Last question, does the army corps overlook the lake? Hopefully things will cool down between you and the contractor on Monday and they will take care of the situation. Good luck!
 
No Army corp...all natural lakes in Michigan.  Property lines "extend" into lake for shore line rights/purposes such as docks, lifts, pads, etc...  You don't get permits either for putting in docks/lifts.  You simply must abid by the laws and regulations: chief among them staying within your property lines.


All of this makes it easier, with no bureaucratic red tape, to do what you want within reason.  However, it also means you are on your own in a situation like this.  In a case like this, it leaves it between me and the dock company to get it right.  


Worst case scenario, I have options like BBB and MI AG's consumer compliant division.  However, I am hopeful not to travel down that path and have to escalate anything.


I guess we will see how this plays out this upcoming week.  To clarify, the picture below illustrates the issue. It is taken on the property line.  As you can see, instead of the dock angle being adjusted to run parrallel to the property line, it is angling towards it.  As a result, there isn't enough room to install the lift on the left side of the dock where it was intended to go.


View from shore showing the dock encroaching on property line - not leaving room for lift/boat as intended.
 
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Vikingstaff said:
I think what we might do for this year is just put the lift at the end of the dock, perpendicular to the dock.  If you are standing at the shore line looking out, you will see the side of the boat as it will stretch across the "L" shaped platform at the end of the dock from left to right.


Maybe install it left to right across the "L" shared platform at the end of the dock...?
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I would think that would make entering the lift very difficult when the waves/wind are coming toward the shore. Could you work something out with the neighbor, for just this year, to encroach "just a bit?" Maybe in exchange for boat rides?
 
I know this sounds dumb, but can the lift be put on the opposite side of dock, or can it only be installed on "neighbors" side?
 
Looking at the pics. Does the dock get removed at the end of the season and reinstalled the following season? 


I'm not used to docks like yours,we drive mooring posts and build our docks out of wood or concrete. If you do,I"d do with Goldenrod on this one. Just get an agreement with the contractor to relocate properly next year.


Of coarse you'll hold a retainer or make an escrow account holding an amount till it's installed correctly! As one of those good contractors, did I really say that? LOL
 
goldnrod24 said:
Could you work something out with the neighbor, for just this year, to encroach "just a bit?" Maybe in exchange for boat rides?
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This is another option I've been considering.  Never met them.  They got up yesterday.  They bought the place next to us, wintered in Florida, so we've never met. This would be the best option, but not sure how they will be about it...particular being the first time we will have met.
 
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SEMPERFI8387 said:
I know this sounds dumb, but can the lift be put on the opposite side of dock, or can it only be installed on "neighbors" side?
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This is another option.  If I go this route, I just need to figure out how to take the 8x10 platform out at the end of the dock and store it for the year.  In part with it being a new dock, with it's own proprietary latch system, I have no idea how it goes together.  With the lift supposed to go in late today, boat tomorrow, I don't know if I can pull this one off last minute.  Timing is messing this up too...but its still a good idea.  In theory, it should be doable.
 
1Blderbob said:
Looking at the pics. Does the dock get removed at the end of the season and reinstalled the following season? 


If you do,I"d do with Goldenrod on this one. Just get an agreement with the contractor to relocate properly next year.


Of coarse you'll hold a retainer or make an escrow account holding an amount till it's installed correctly! As one of those good contractors, did I really say that? LOL
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Yup...we cannot have any kind of permanent docks, boat houses, etc...  It's all seasonal here.  I feel awkward because this will be the first time we meet that neighbor (they bought last fall, wintered in Florida, got up yesterday - haven't even crossed path's yet...sigh).


I think I will drop by around noon and see if they are receptive to giving us one season as is with a little encroachment. We are new owners too, and they are.  Maybe they will appreciate the error, and that it was not our intention for this to have happened this way.


Fingers crosssed.  Hopping it wont sour in any way our first meeting...  Wish me luck today.
 
Finally...Thanks everyone.  Thanks for listening to me complain...I so needed to vent.  Also, for the constructive feedback and ideas.  Greatest forum ever!!!
 
The issue here is riparian rights. This guides how water front owners can use the water adjacent to their property. We had issues with our neighbors years ago. We only have 48' of frontage to start with and at the end of their dock 40' out they were about 20 something feet over in front of our place. I hired an engineering firm who surveyed everything, located the center of our cove and provided the correct property lines in the water. Since his wife is an a hole I gave him a month to move his dock, lift etc. Our lot is pie shaped with the crust side not on the water. 


Good luck and tell the dock co they will be changing it. I know what docks cost and you spent a pretty penny.  
 
Vikingstaff said:
This is another option I've been considering.  Never met them.  They got up yesterday.  They bought the place next to us, wintered in Florida, so we've never met. This would be the best option, but not sure how they will be about it...particular being the first time we will have met.
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If they just bought the place, don't say a word about the issue. If they don't know where the dock should be anyway then play dumb until they ask. Might not turn into an issue with the neighbors. Good Luck!
 
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