What We Build
Community & HOA Marine Services in Polk County
Shared docks, seawalls, shoreline restoration, and boat ramps — with board-ready proposals and the credentials to back them up.
HOA boards don't get to redo a bad hire. When a shared dock fails, when a seawall starts going, when a worker gets hurt on a community project and the contractor's insurance doesn't cover it — the association lives with that. The board lives with that.
We've worked with enough HOA boards to have genuine respect for how hard the job is. You're volunteers, mostly. You have neighbors with opinions, budgets with limits, and a board room where consensus isn't always easy to find. Getting five people to agree on a seawall contractor — or agree on anything — takes longer than anyone wants it to, and that's before the contractor shows up and creates new problems.
Horizon Marine — formerly Strawnix Marine — is a state-certified marine contractor based in Lakeland, license SCC131154313. We work with HOA boards, property managers, and community associations on shared docks, seawalls, shoreline restoration, and boat ramp work throughout Polk County. We provide formal written proposals designed for board review and handle permitting end to end.
Our Process
How we work with HOA boards
We've worked with enough community projects to understand that the hardest part usually isn't the construction — it's getting the board to one mind before anyone picks up a shovel. There are always differences of opinion. There are members who want the premium solution and members watching the reserves.
Unless your community has fully outsourced contract authority to a property management company, we don't consider a contract executed until we have signatures from three board members. Not one enthusiastic advocate. Not a phone call and a handshake. Three signatures. That protects the board, it protects the project, and frankly it protects us — because we've seen what happens when a contractor starts work on the strength of one board member's word and the rest of the board finds out later.
After that point, we work with one designated contact. One. We don't field calls from six different board members with six different questions. We serve the contract completely and communicate through the channel the board establishes. It keeps the project clean and it keeps the board out of the middle of daily construction decisions that aren't board-level decisions.
What We Build
HOA & community marine services
Community Dock Construction & Repair
Shared docks carry more traffic and more liability than private residential docks. We design and build for that reality — fixed docks, floating systems, T-docks, covered structures — with materials and specs appropriate for constant use on lakes like the Winter Haven Chain.
HOA Seawall Construction & Repair
A shared seawall protects common property and, in many cases, multiple adjacent parcels. When it starts failing, the board has to weigh engineering against budget against how long they can responsibly defer. We give associations a clear condition assessment and a practical recommendation — not just a replacement quote.
Shoreline Restoration for Communities
Common-area shoreline erosion covers more linear footage than most residential work and tends to get deferred longer. We assess the full run of shoreline, identify failure modes, and design a scope proportionate to what the site actually needs.
Boat Ramps & Access Improvements
Construction or repair of community boat ramps and launches, built for repeated use under real load. We engineer for durability, not just appearance.
Board-Ready Project Planning
Formal written proposals with scope of work, materials specification, construction timeline, credential documentation, and permit plan. Formatted for board packets. If the board needs a second meeting to approve, we provide whatever follow-up documentation the process requires.
Need a formal proposal for your board?
Free site assessment · License #SCC131154313
Due Diligence
What HOA boards need to verify before hiring
This isn't bureaucracy for its own sake. One uninsured worker injury or one permit not pulled on a community project can generate legal and financial exposure that dwarfs the original construction cost.
State Certified license — SCC prefix
County-registered contractors cannot legally work outside their home county and have not passed a statewide competency exam. Ask for the license number and verify it at the Florida DBPR website. Horizon Marine holds SCC131154313.
General liability insurance — HOA named as additional insured
A certificate that names only the contractor doesn't protect the association. The HOA needs to be listed as additional insured — not just acknowledged as the project owner.
Workers' compensation — class code 06006
Marine construction has its own WC classification. A contractor whose policy covers general construction but not marine work has a gap. If a worker is injured and that gap applies, the HOA can be held directly liable under Florida statute.
Three board member signatures before work begins
This is our requirement. Unless contract authority has been fully delegated to a property manager, we require three board member signatures before any work is scheduled.
Permit plan in writing
Who is pulling the permits — the prime contractor or a sub? The prime contractor of record should be managing all required permits and agency correspondence.
Horizon Marine provides all of the above in writing before any contract is executed. We welcome the verification.
How community projects work
- 1
Board consultation & site assessment
We meet with the board or property manager, walk the shared waterfront, and talk through community needs and budget parameters.
- 2
Formal written proposal
Detailed scope, materials, timeline, credential documentation, and permit plan. Formatted for board presentation and recordkeeping.
- 3
Three-signature execution
Once the board is ready to move forward, we collect three board member signatures. From that point, one designated contact manages communication on the board side.
- 4
Permitting management
Community projects almost always require more regulatory review than residential work. We handle Polk County, Florida DEP, and USACE when required.
- 5
Construction & communication
All progress updates go through the single designated contact. Residents notice construction. We make sure the answers are ready before the questions come.
- 6
Final inspection & handover
All permit sign-offs coordinated. Formal walkthrough with maintenance documentation the association can keep on file for the next board.
Need a formal proposal for your board?
Free site assessment · License #SCC131154313
Service Area
Areas we serve
Lakeland
Communities on Lake Hollingsworth · Lake Bonny · Lake Morton
Winter Haven / Chain of Lakes
Lake Eloise · Lake Shipp · Lake Howard · Lake Cannon · Lake Roy · Lake Lula
Auburndale
Lake Ariana · Lake Juliana · Lake Lena · Lake Van
And throughout: Polk City · Lake Alfred · Haines City · Eagle Lake · Lake Wales · Davenport
FAQ
Common questions
What should an HOA require from a marine contractor in Florida?+
State Certified license with SCC prefix — verified at the DBPR, not just stated. General liability insurance with the HOA named as additional insured. Workers' compensation confirming marine class code 06006. Signatures from three board members before work begins. A written permitting plan identifying who pulls all required permits. Horizon Marine provides all of this in writing before contract execution.
How long do community dock or seawall projects take?+
Repair projects may run a few weeks of active construction. New community dock construction requiring DEP permitting can take several months from assessment to completion. We provide realistic timelines in the written proposal — not the timeline that sounds best at signing.
Do community docks need DEP permits?+
Almost always. Shared docks serving multiple residential units, or any structure over 500 square feet, fall outside the exemptions that apply to single-family residential docks. A Florida DEP general or individual permit is typically required alongside Polk County local approval.
Can Horizon Marine provide a formal written proposal for board approval?+
Yes. Our proposals include scope of work, materials specification, construction timeline, credential documentation, and permit plan — formatted for board review and association recordkeeping.
Why do you require three board member signatures?+
Because one enthusiastic board member is not a board decision. We've seen projects derailed mid-construction because the full board wasn't aligned at signing. Three signatures protects the association, keeps the project on track, and ensures we're building what the community actually authorized.
Can you help a board compare repair versus replacement?+
Yes. We evaluate the existing structure and give the board a practical recommendation based on current condition, expected service life, and cost efficiency. We don't default to replacement because it's a larger job.
Do you coordinate with property management companies?+
Yes. We work regularly with property managers acting on behalf of HOA boards and are familiar with the documentation and communication requirements managed communities typically need.
Get a formal proposal for your community
If your community has a waterfront project coming up — or deferred maintenance that needs to be assessed before it becomes an emergency — call us. We understand the process. We'll work within it.
Our roots in Polk County go back generations. Vince's grandfather and father built custom homes here — structures still standing today that will outlast their grandchildren. A community dock or seawall isn't just infrastructure. It's what every resident who backs up to that water looks at every morning.
(863) 934-6218State Certified Marine Contractor · License #SCC131154313 · Fully insured · Polk County and surrounding communities