Plan maintenance around storms and permit windows, not tide charts, because the daily tide here is small.
Regular checks can catch changes in the top of the wall, joints, drainage and nearby ground. Keeping dated photos and reports helps a professional spot problems and plan repairs.
From safe ground, note new holes, movement or damage and keep earlier reports. Do not clear drains, excavate, drill or try structural repairs yourself. Ask a professional which tasks are appropriate for your wall.
Answer from what you already know. Stay on safe ground; do not go near the edge or into the water to check. You can choose “Not sure” for any question.
Skip this and go to the request form
An inspection can help answer the questions you were unsure about.
An on-site inspection is needed to assess the wall’s condition. These answers help you explain what you have noticed.
Prepare for a professional assessment · Discuss the next step
Tell us about the concern and we’ll help you work out the next step.
Continue to the request form. You can choose whether to include this check with your request.
The questions cover signs shown in the City of Holmes Beach seawall manual (pages 5–13): soil loss, wall movement, open joints and damaged concrete.
Choose the care you want to discuss. Use this guide to understand the options, what is included and the next steps.
Request plan details
Ask what is included, what it costs and when it can be arranged.
If the wall is moving or the ground is opening, keep people away and get prompt professional help. Those changes need attention sooner than a routine maintenance visit.
The City of Holmes Beach seawall manual gives general examples of wear, drainage and maintenance. The property’s local rules and approved design govern the work.
Tell us about your wall and the care you need. Discuss the options, schedule and price before you choose a plan.
The right schedule depends on the wall’s age, condition and exposure. Ask the person assessing it to recommend when it should be checked again.
Ask which maintenance tasks and repairs are included in the plan and which would cost extra.
Ask whether the plan includes a post-storm check. Repairs and insurance claims are separate, so check your agreement and insurance policy for the details.
Tell us if you need a written report. Ask for dated photos, the areas checked, any areas that could not be inspected and recommended next steps.
Yes. Tell us which properties need care and who owns them. Discuss the checks and access needed at each location.
Daily tides in the Orange Beach back bays are under a foot. NOAA lists a 0.88-foot range at Wolf Bay and 0.8 feet at Arnica Bay. NOAA Wolf Bay and Arnica Bay stations Storms and rain do the damage.
Sally dropped 30.0 inches of rain at Orange Beach, the highest total anywhere in that storm. NHC Sally report Walls with soil loss, sinkholes or blocked drains show it after rain like that.
Sea turtle nesting season runs May 1 to October 31 in Orange Beach. Construction lighting during nesting season is limited to 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. in the beach overlay. Orange Beach Ord. 2025-1498
Where seagrass may grow, the Corps general permits say a survey may be needed, with recommended survey dates of June 1 through September 30. Corps Alabama general permits
On beach mouse habitat, repairs within the original footprint of a home can often go ahead without an incidental take permit. USFWS Alabama field office
Often yes. ADEM treats normal maintenance and repair of bulkheads existing on August 14, 1979 as a permissible use. Anything newer, or any repair costing 50 percent or more of the structure's value, is reviewed. ADEM rule 335-8-1-.05 ADEM rule 335-8-1-.02(jjj)
The Corps maintenance permit covers repair of a serviceable, previously authorized wall, and storm damage if work starts within two years. Corps NWP 3
Keep the log, the permits and the invoices in one folder. It speeds the next permit and answers a buyer's questions. See cap and panel repair.
Tell us about your wall and how to reach you. Use this guide to plan the care it needs.
Tell us where your property is and what your seawall or dock needs.
Built on Baldwin County permit rules, Alabama coastal law, public records and storm data.
