Choosing a bulkhead contractor in Alabama.
Check the license, then the paperwork.

Which license should a bulkhead contractor hold?

What the home builder law covers

The home builder law covers anyone who builds, repairs or improves a residence or structure for pay when the job tops $10,000. The Board has not said on its website whether that includes a home seawall or dock, so do not assume either way.

The General Contractors Board lists marine construction and pile driving under its Heavy/Railroad classification, or a specialty classification in place of it. Alabama rule 230-X-1-.27 That is the license to look for on condo, HOA and commercial bulkhead jobs. Its residence exemption covers work on a home. Alabama Code 34-8-7

Orange Beach and Baldwin County both repeat the same dollar lines for permit applicants. Orange Beach contractor requirements Baldwin County contractor requirements

How do I check a contractor's license?

Look up the company and the person who qualifies it. Check both boards if your job could fall under either.

• Home Builders Licensure Board. Online licensee search, office (334) 242-2230 or toll-free (800) 304-0853. Home Builders Licensure Board
• State Licensing Board for General Contractors. Online license search, phone (334) 272-5030. General Contractors Board

Both laws require the license number on contracts. Home builders must use a written contract showing it. Alabama Code 34-14A-7 General contractors must put it on all contracts, bids and proposals. Alabama Code 34-8-6 A bid with no number is a reason to ask why.

What local registration does a contractor need?

A state license is not enough. City and county offices add their own checks.

Gulf Shores requires its license inside the city and its police jurisdiction. In Baldwin County, also hold the license the job requires.

Orange Beach warns owners to question a contractor who asks the owner to pull the permit. Orange Beach contractor requirements Baldwin County lets owners pull permits, but under conditions. Baldwin County owner exemption

What do I give up by acting as my own contractor?

Alabama exempts an owner who acts as contractor on a one- or two-family residence for personal use. A sale within one year is treated as evidence the work was for sale. Alabama Code 34-14A-6 In Baldwin County an owner must file a sworn statement and gives up the Homeowner Recovery Fund. Baldwin County owner exemption

An unlicensed residential builder commits a Class A misdemeanor, may be fined up to $5,000 per violation and cannot sue to enforce the contract. Alabama Code 34-14A-14 If you hire an unlicensed firm, you lose those protections.

Orange Beach requires an owner who claims the exemption to file an exemption affidavit with the permit. Orange Beach contractor requirements Baldwin County permit technicians check that the contractor is registered in CitizenServe and holds the license the scope and value require. Baldwin County contractor requirements Ask the permit office the same question before you sign.

What are the limits of the recovery fund?

The Home Builders Homeowners' Recovery Fund pays up to $30,000 per transaction, and only after you win a court judgment against a licensed builder. You must notify the Board by certified mail within 10 days of filing suit. Home Builders Licensure Board If the marine contractor was not a licensee for that job, the fund is not available.

Only the original homeowner can file a consumer complaint with the Board, within six years of completion, on a notarized form. The process takes about 90 days. Home Builders Licensure Board FAQ

How do I check a contractor's track record?

A contractor who builds bulkheads leaves a permit trail. Orange Beach's permit portal covers everything issued after 2018, and its monthly permit lists print job descriptions and declared values. Orange Beach permit portal Baldwin County permits from November 1, 2020 forward are in CitizenServe. Baldwin County permit search

A good specification reads like the Safe Harbor Drive permit. It names 16-foot, 4.1-gauge vinyl sheets, double 2x8 whalers and 20-foot pilings. Orange Beach permit ST26-000035 Ask each bidder for two recent local jobs you can look up, and for the Corps and State Lands authorization numbers.

Corps public notices and permit data are also searchable. Corps public permit data

When should I hire an engineer first?

An engineer's sealed design helps when the wall is tall, the soil is soft or the shoreline faces open water. Gulf-front and some protective structures need a professional engineer's letter. On a Gulf-front lot, Orange Beach requires a PE letter certifying the wall is needed. Orange Beach Code 30-189(7)

Engineering plans for a permit cost about $2,000 to $3,000 nationally. ^[1] An independent engineer, one who does not also bid on the work, gives you a scope to hold bidders to and a second opinion on the contractor's design. Start with a seawall assessment.

What should I ask every bidder?

• What is your Alabama license number, and which board issued it?
• Which permits does your price include, and who files them?
• Can you show two recent local bulkhead permits I can look up?
• What sheet material, length and gauge will you use?
• Will you remove the old wall or build in front of it?
• How will you handle hidden conditions and price changes?
• What is the written warranty, and who stands behind it?

Red flags include no license number on the bid, a request to pay most of the price up front and pressure to skip the permit. Walk away from any of those.

Who files the permit paperwork?

Decide in writing who files each permit. The Corps does not forward your application to ADEM or State Lands, so someone must send the copies. 2026 Alabama General Permits Orange Beach wants the federal approval in hand before the city permit issues. Orange Beach permit, September 2024 Gulf Shores will not issue a permit for a new bulkhead until the Corps and State Lands approve. Gulf Shores handbook

The contractor usually files, but the permits attach to your property. Ask for copies of every approval and keep them. See the permit guide.

How should a condo or HOA board hire?

A board hiring a bulkhead contractor faces larger jobs. Non-residential work of $100,000 or more falls under the General Contractors Board. Alabama Code 34-8-1 It is a misdemeanor for a private awarding authority to consider a bid from an unlicensed contractor. Alabama Code 34-8-6

State Lands also wants proof that the applicant controls the upland, such as association documents. State Lands rule 220-4-.09 Collect bids on one scope, and review them at an open board meeting. See condo seawall repair and marina bulkhead repair.

Do permits expire?

Orange Beach permits state that they become void if work does not begin within six months. They also become void if work is suspended or abandoned for six months at a time. Orange Beach permit terms A contractor who cannot start within that window may need you to reapply and pay again.

Ask for a start date and a finish date in the contract. Tie the final payment to the final inspection and to delivery of the as-built drawing. Keep the permit card, approval letters and contractor warranty in one file. A future buyer may ask for them, and the Alabama court decision in Kidd v. Benson shows how costly a missing inspection can be. Kidd v. Benson

What contract and lien papers do I need?

Alabama lets subcontractors and suppliers lien your lot. Alabama Code 35-11-210 Deadlines run from the last work. A prime contractor has six months to file, others four months and laborers 30 days. Alabama Code 35-11-215

• Pay against invoices and the work done.
• Ask for lien waivers from the contractor and key suppliers at each payment.
• Keep any written notice from a lien claimant. Claimants other than the original contractor must give you written notice before filing. Alabama Code 35-11-218

Put the license number, scope, price, start date, change-order rules and who pays permit fees into the contract. Call the permit office to confirm the contractor is registered.

Should I pick the lowest bid?

Six bids for the same 295 feet of vinyl wall at Lillian ran from $256 to $611 per foot, with a middle near $445. Baldwin County bid WG23-03 A low number can leave out removal, backfill, tiebacks or cap. Orange Beach vinyl walls were declared at about $360 to $420 per foot in 2026, so a price far below that deserves questions. Orange Beach permit ST26-000145 Compare scopes line by line. The cost guide shows how.

After a big storm, expect higher prices and long waits. Gulf State Park Pier went from a $2.4 million renovation to a $13.6 million repair contract after Sally. ADCNR pier article, November 2023 Check licenses and permits the same way after a storm as before one.

Questions about hiring a bulkhead contractor

Do I need a licensed contractor to replace a bulkhead?

Residential work over $10,000 generally falls under the Home Builders Licensure Board, and larger non-residential work under the General Contractors Board. Alabama Code 34-14A-2 Ask which license the contractor claims and verify it.

What if the contractor asks me to pull the permit?

Orange Beach tells owners to question that. Orange Beach contractor requirements You may give up fund protection by acting as your own contractor. Baldwin County owner exemption

Where do I look up a license?

The Home Builders Licensure Board and the General Contractors Board each run an online search. Home Builders Licensure Board General Contractors Board

How long do I have to file a complaint?

Only the original homeowner may file, within six years of completion. Home Builders Licensure Board FAQ

Can a subcontractor lien my property if I paid the contractor?

Yes, in some cases. Claimants must give you written notice and, unless they gave advance notice, are limited to what you still owe the prime contractor. Alabama Code 35-11-218

Should I hire the lowest bidder?

Not on price alone. Compare written scopes, because bids on one wall ran from $256 to $611 per foot at Lillian. Baldwin County bid WG23-03