Dock and pier repair at Lake Tahoe, Fallen Leaf Lake and Donner Lake

Worn decking, a loose railing, a ladder that no longer reaches the water, or stairs washed out below the cabin. We are a licensed boat dock contractor for the carpentry side of docks, piers and shoreline structures, with written line-item prices and a permit check before any wood is cut.

What we do

Dock decking replacement: Replacing worn, split or slippery decking boards on an existing dock or pier, in pressure-treated lumber, composite or grated decking, fastened to suit the framing underneath.

Framing and substructure repair: Stringers, joists, ledgers and cross-bracing above the waterline, repaired or rebuilt where your permit allows. Piles are a specialty-sub job (see below).

Railings and ladders: Safety railings, swim ladders, boarding steps and handholds, built to be solid in cold water and wet hands.

Boat lift repair carpentry and ramps: Platforms, catwalks, bumpers, mounting frames and approach decking around a lift or ramp. The lift unit itself comes from your lift dealer.

Floating dock sections: Decking, framing and hardware repair on floating dock sections, and connections between a floating section and a fixed pier or gangway.

Shoreline stairs and landings: Stairs, landings and paths down a steep lot to the water, built with the erosion and runoff controls Tahoe-area projects usually require.

Shoreline decks: Lakeside decks and viewing platforms above the high-water line, built under the same rules as any Tahoe deck. See our deck permit guide.

Boathouse and boat-shed repair: Carpentry repair on boathouses and boat sheds: framing, siding, roofing, doors and trim, where the structure is legally existing.

Need piles driven, dredging or a buoy set? That's specialty marine work. We bring in a licensed marine subcontractor for it and keep the carpentry on the same schedule, so you deal with one point of contact.

Why our dock pricing is fair

We are a carpentry crew: Decking, railing and stair jobs are priced as carpentry, not as full marine construction.

Line-item written prices: You get a written price with labor and materials separated, so you can see what you are paying for.

Published ranges: Our typical ranges are on this page. No surprise numbers.

Our own crew: We self-perform with our own crew. Specialty marine subcontractors come in only when the job truly needs piles or a barge.

Where the water is

Dock repair on the California side of Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe and Meyers: We are a dock builder serving South Lake Tahoe and Meyers. South Shore shoreline sits inside TRPA jurisdiction, with the City of South Lake Tahoe or El Dorado County handling building permits depending on the parcel. Meyers parcels are in El Dorado County.

Dock repair in the Tahoe Keys: The Keys have lagoon and channel docks, and Tahoe Keys dock repair is a regular job for us. Dock work there typically also needs approval from the Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association, and some work may need City or TRPA review. Ask the association first.

Pier repair on the West Shore (Homewood and Tahoma): We handle West Shore pier repair as well. Parcels there are in Placer County or El Dorado County depending on which side of the county line they sit, with TRPA shorezone rules on top.

Tahoe City area: North Shore parcels around Tahoe City are in Placer County, with TRPA shorezone rules and, for structures on sovereign land, a State Lands lease.

Dock repair at Fallen Leaf Lake: For Fallen Leaf Lake dock repair, note that the lake sits inside the TRPA shorezone program, in El Dorado County. In one 2019 TRPA staff report for a Fallen Leaf pier, the permit came from TRPA with a separate El Dorado County permit, and the State Lands Commission had not established a low water line on the lake, so that project needed no State Lands lease. Your parcel may differ, so we confirm with TRPA and the county before pricing.

Dock repair at Donner Lake (Truckee): Donner Lake dock repair is outside the TRPA boundary. Piers and docks there go through the Town of Truckee, which publishes an information sheet on recreational piers and docks. A State Lands Commission report on a Donner Lake pier lists approvals from Lahontan, the Army Corps of Engineers, the Town of Truckee and California Fish and Wildlife. Expect snow loads and winter ice on structures here.

Foothill ponds and lake cabins: Private ponds across El Dorado County can have docks, small piers and viewing platforms, usually under county rules only. Large public reservoirs such as Folsom Lake and Jenkinson Lake are run by public agencies, so ask the managing agency before planning any private structure. We do not build private docks on public reservoirs.

Who typically has a say in a dock or pier project

TRPA (Tahoe Regional Planning Agency): Governs the shorezone at Lake Tahoe and Fallen Leaf Lake. Under the 2018 Shoreline Plan, new private piers are released in limited rounds, and TRPA has run application windows for them. Repair and maintenance of a legally existing structure can often be handled as an exempt or qualified exempt activity with a declaration to TRPA, but adding size, coverage or new features is a different permit.

California State Lands Commission: The state owns the lakebed of Lake Tahoe up to the low water line, elevation 6,223 feet Lake Tahoe Datum. A pier or buoy on that land typically needs a State Lands lease. Whether your structure reaches state land depends on your parcel and how far the structure extends.

U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Lahontan Water Board: For new or modified piers, TRPA staff reports typically list the Army Corps, California Fish and Wildlife, State Lands and the Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board among the approving agencies. Which of them apply to a repair depends on the work.

El Dorado County, City of South Lake Tahoe, Placer County, Town of Truckee: The local building department covers decks, stairs, railings, boathouses and anything above the high-water line. TRPA often reviews the same project, so the two permits are usually coordinated.

Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association: Keys lagoon docks typically need association approval before work starts, in addition to any public permit.

We do not give legal or permit guarantees. The permit path depends on your parcel, your existing approvals and what you want to change. We help you gather what the agencies ask for, but agencies decide. For the upland side of a shoreline project, see our guide to deck permits at Lake Tahoe.

Seasons, lake level and what to build with

In-water and shorezone work windows: TRPA permit conditions for piers typically bar demolition or construction from May 1 to October 1 in fish spawning season unless the wildlife agencies approve otherwise. TRPA materials for qualified exempt work in spawning habitat describe an October 1 to April 30 window. Your permit sets the dates that apply to you.

Lake level: Lake level swings between wet and drought years. At low water a ladder can hang in the air and a ramp can end in sand. TRPA allows some low-water adaptations for moorings, but changes to a structure still go through your permit.

Snow, ice and waves: Winter snow loads, shifting ice at lakes that freeze, and storm waves are what finish off old decking and railings. We fasten, flash and brace for a mountain winter.

Wood or composite: Pressure-treated lumber is the lowest cost and the most common. Composite dock decking lasts longer and resists splinters, but costs more and can run hot in summer sun. Some shoreline permits specify decking style or open decking; we follow your permit conditions rather than guess.

What dock repair costs at Lake Tahoe

Small dock repair (loose or broken boards, hardware, ladder reset): From $450 per visit. Minimum visit. Bigger lists are priced by the job.

Decking replacement, pressure-treated, on sound framing: $18 to $30 per sq ft. The most common choice and the lowest cost.

Decking replacement, composite: $30 to $45 per sq ft. Composite dock decking costs more up front and typically lasts longer.

Decking replacement, grated or light-penetrating: $40 to $60 per sq ft. Where the permit calls for it.

Railing: $90 to $250 per linear foot. Wood or powder-coated metal. Cable and glass cost more.

Swim ladder or boarding steps: $400 to $2,500 each. Depends on length, material and how it mounts.

Boat lift carpentry: $1,500 to $8,000. Platform, catwalk, bumpers or mounting frames. The lift itself is separate.

Stairs and landings to the shore: $3,500 to $18,000. Depends on rise, length, landings and the erosion controls required.

Framing or boathouse repair: Priced after inspection. Scope depends on what is found once the decking is off.

Typical 2026 ranges for planning, not a quote. Access, location, permit conditions, work windows and specialty marine subcontractors change the price. Permit and agency fees are separate.

How it works

1. Describe it: Text photos, the lake, your town and whether the structure is yours or shared.

2. Permit check: We help work out whether the job is repair or something that needs a new permit, and who has to sign off.

3. Written scope: A price for what we can see and a set rate for hidden damage, in writing.

4. Build in your window: We schedule around the work window on your permit and the weather.

5. Photos and close-out: Before and after photos and a clean site, with any inspections signed off.

Docks and shoreline carpentry across our service area

Pollock Pines (3,939 ft): Home base. Lake-cabin owners and pond owners call us from here. Near Jenkinson Lake, but private docks there are up to the managing agency. Permits through El Dorado County.

Camino (3,138 ft): Private ponds and rural properties. Pond docks and small platforms are usually a county matter. Permits through El Dorado County.

Placerville (1,861 ft): Mostly ponds and creeks. We also serve Placerville owners with a cabin on a Tahoe-area lake. Permits through City of Placerville.

Diamond Springs (1,793 ft): Pond and creek-side decks and platforms. Lake docks are a trip up the hill. Permits through El Dorado County.

Georgetown (2,664 ft): Ponds on larger parcels, and owners with a second home at Tahoe. Permits through El Dorado County.

Shingle Springs (1,417 ft): Private ponds on rural lots. County rules, usually no shorezone agency. Permits through El Dorado County.

Cameron Park (1,200 ft): Private ponds and lake-cabin owners. Pond docks and platforms are usually a county matter. Permits through El Dorado County.

El Dorado Hills (769 ft): Backyard ponds and creekside decks. Folsom Lake is public land, so private docks there are not our scope. Permits through El Dorado County.

Folsom (220 ft): Backyard ponds and lakeside-home decks. Folsom Lake is public land, so private docks there are not our scope. Permits through City of Folsom.

Meyers (6,334 ft): Near Lake Tahoe, with TRPA rules on lakefront and creekside parcels. Stairs and decks above the shoreline are common jobs. Permits through El Dorado County + TRPA.

South Lake Tahoe (6,265 ft): Lakefront docks and piers, shoreline stairs and boat-lift carpentry, with TRPA review and possibly a State Lands lease. Permits through City of South Lake Tahoe + TRPA.

Tahoe Keys (6,232 ft): Lagoon and channel docks. Typically association approval first, then any City or TRPA review. Permits through City of South Lake Tahoe + TRPA + TKPOA.

Homewood (6,242 ft): West Shore piers, boathouses and stairs to the water on steep lots. Permits through Placer County + TRPA.

Tahoma (6,283 ft): West Shore lots with piers and stairs to the water. Permits go through El Dorado or Placer County depending on the side of the county line. Permits through El Dorado or Placer County + TRPA.

Truckee (5,817 ft): Donner Lake docks and piers are a short drive. Other work is lakeside decks and platforms. Permits through Town of Truckee.

Donner Lake (5,943 ft): Piers and docks through the Town of Truckee, outside TRPA. Snow load and ice matter for design. Permits through Town of Truckee.

Questions

How much does dock repair cost at Lake Tahoe? Small repairs start from $450 per visit. Decking replacement typically runs $18 to $30 per square foot in pressure-treated lumber, $30 to $45 in composite and $40 to $60 in grated or light-penetrating decking where a permit calls for it. Railing is about $90 to $250 per linear foot. These are planning ranges, not a quote. Hidden framing damage, access and permit conditions change the price.

What decking is allowed on Tahoe piers? It depends on your permit. Pressure-treated lumber and composite are common, and some shoreline permits specify decking style, including open or grated decking. We follow your permit conditions and TRPA design standards rather than guess, and we check what applies to your pier before we price it.

How long does a dock last at Lake Tahoe? It varies with sun, snow load, water exposure and upkeep. As a general guide, pressure-treated decking often lasts roughly 10 to 15 years in mountain conditions, and composite typically lasts longer. Framing, fasteners and winter storms matter as much as the boards.

Do you repair docks in the Tahoe Keys? Yes. We do carpentry repair on Keys lagoon and channel docks, including decking, railings and ladders. Dock work there typically also needs Tahoe Keys Property Owners Association approval, and some work may need City or TRPA review, so we check before we start. Pile work goes to a specialty marine sub.

Is it worth repairing an old pier or replacing it? Often repair in place makes sense. Existing piers are scarce and hard to replace under the Shoreline Plan. Tahoe Quarterly reports that roughly half of lakefront homes have piers and that few new private pier rights are granted each cycle. Replacing decking and repairing framing on a legally existing pier can keep that asset in service, but whether a repair counts as maintenance or a change depends on your parcel and permit.

Do you build new piers at Lake Tahoe? New private piers at Lake Tahoe are limited under the 2018 Shoreline Plan, and TRPA releases them in limited rounds. We focus on repair, decking replacement and the carpentry on existing structures. If you hold a new pier allocation, we can quote the carpentry and coordinate with a marine contractor for the piles.

Do I need a permit to replace dock decking? It depends on your parcel and the work. TRPA materials list replacement of decking on a legally existing structure as exempt maintenance when nothing changes in size or coverage, but a declaration to TRPA can still be required for some work. Changing the footprint or adding features typically needs a permit.

Who owns the lakebed under my pier? At Lake Tahoe, the State of California owns the lakebed up to the low water line at 6,223 feet Lake Tahoe Datum, and a pier or buoy on that land typically needs a State Lands lease. Whether your structure reaches state land depends on your parcel.

When can in-water work be done? TRPA pier conditions typically restrict demolition and construction from May 1 to October 1 for fish spawning unless approved otherwise. Your permit conditions control, and we schedule to them.

Can you drive piles or place a buoy? No. Pile driving, dredging and buoy placement are specialty marine work. We coordinate with specialty subcontractors and permit consultants and handle the decking, framing, railings and stairs.

What about Donner Lake? Donner Lake is outside the TRPA boundary. Piers and docks go through the Town of Truckee, and other agencies such as Lahontan, the Army Corps and California Fish and Wildlife can be involved. We help sort out which apply.

Can I put a dock on Folsom Lake or Jenkinson Lake? These are public reservoirs run by public agencies, so ask the managing agency before planning anything. We do not build private docks on them. We do serve owners of private ponds and lake cabins.

Do you guarantee permit approval? No. We do not give legal or permit guarantees. Agencies decide, and the path depends on your parcel. We help prepare what they ask for.

Sierra Ridge Deck and Siding, CSLB #1117955. Call (530) 903-7996 for a free dock estimate.