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Custom Docks Built for Tennessee Lakes

Fixed, floating, and everything in between — designed for the realities of TVA-managed lakes and built by our own crew on our own work barge. From the first lake-side walk-through to the last galvanized bolt, you talk to the people doing the work.

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Custom Dock Construction

Marine-grade builds, made in-house.

A Blue Horizon dock is engineered for the realities of Tennessee lakes — full-pool swells, fall drawdowns, freeze-thaw cycles, and decades of family use. We start with a site visit to assess your shoreline, water depth, and bottom conditions, then put a real plan and a real price on paper.

Every dock leaves our shop on driven posts or marine-grade aluminum frames, with hot-dipped galvanized hardware and a deck spec matched to how you actually use the water. Whether you're after a clean fishing dock, a two-story floating boathouse with a party deck, or a teardown-and-replace on an aging structure, the path is the same: in-house crew, marine materials, and a TVA permit submission you don't have to think about.

Fixed or Floating? Help Me Choose
Finished fixed dock with burgundy metal roof and cedar trim on an East Tennessee lake
Fixed or Floating?

Two Build Paths. One Decision.

The lake decides more than the owner does. Stable shorelines and modest drawdown favor fixed docks. Big seasonal swings on lakes like Watts Bar and Douglas favor floating. Here's the short version of each.

Fixed Docks

The gold standard for stable shorelines and lower-fluctuation lakes — private lakes, Chickamauga, Nickajack, and the upper reaches of bigger reservoirs. Pile-driven posts, pressure-treated framing, marine hardware, 25+ year structure.

  • Best on Chickamauga, Nickajack, Norris, Cherokee, Tellico (sheltered coves), private lakes.
  • Materials — pressure-treated lumber, composite decking, galvanized hardware.
  • Add-ons — standing-seam metal roofs, cupola venting, dock lighting, boat lifts.
  • Lifespan — 25+ years before structural rebuild.

Floating Docks

Built to ride the seasonal drawdown on Watts Bar, Douglas, Fort Loudoun, and the rest of the big-fluctuation lakes. Aluminum frames, composite decking, integrated Floatair lifts, and pile-guided anchoring rated for the full water-level range.

  • Best on Watts Bar, Douglas, Fort Loudoun, deeper-water properties on any lake.
  • Materials — marine-grade aluminum frames, sealed flotation, composite decking.
  • Add-ons — Floatair lift integration, gangway ramps, party deck tops, ADA configurations.
  • Lifespan — 20–30 years; flotation replaceable without full rebuild.

Not sure which? That's what the site visit is for. We'll walk your shoreline and recommend the right one.

Materials

Marine-Grade From the Posts Up

We spec every dock to the lake and to the family using it. These are the four material categories we build around — mixed and matched to fit your shoreline, your budget, and how long you want to forget the dock is there.

Pressure-Treated Lumber

Decades-rated southern yellow pine for fixed-dock posts, joists, and stringers. Resistant to rot, insects, and the wet-dry cycle of standing water.

Composite Decking

Splinter-free, color-stable, low-maintenance boards rated for waterfront UV exposure. Wear Deck and Trex composite options in multiple colors.

Aluminum Framing

The structural backbone of every floating dock we build — lightweight, corrosion-resistant, and zero-maintenance. Powder-coated finishes available.

Galvanized Hardware

Hot-dipped galvanized bolts, brackets, and connectors at every joint. Stainless steel available for the most exposed builds.

Signature Designs

Start From a Proven Layout — or Bring Your Own

Eight of our most-requested builds. Each is fully customizable — starting points, not catalog SKUs — and each comes in fixed or floating configurations depending on your lake.

Aerial view of a two-story dock with a rooftop party deck and railing
The Chattanoogan

Two-Story Party Deck

Covered lower slip with full-width rooftop entertaining deck, spiral stair, and metal-roof gables. Built fixed or floating depending on the lake.

Two-story floating dock with party deck on Tennessee lake
The Watts Bar

Two-Story Floating Boathouse

Heavy-duty floating boathouse with rooftop entertaining deck. Pile-guided travel for big seasonal drawdowns. The most-requested build on Watts Bar.

Fixed boathouse with burgundy metal roof and decorative cupola on a calm East Tennessee lake
The Tellico

Covered Slip with Cupola

Classic single-slip boathouse with a burgundy standing-seam roof and venting cupola. The neighborhood favorite on Tellico and Fort Loudoun.

Multi-slip fixed boathouse with green standing-seam metal roof on a Tennessee lake
The Norris

Multi-Slip Boathouse

Two- or three-slip layout under a single standing-seam roof, with a center walkway. Designed for deeper-water Norris and Cherokee builds.

Open-air wood pavilion fixed dock with low-pitch metal roof
The Cleveland

Open-Air Pavilion

Low-pitch metal roof over an open-deck pavilion, with through-running boards and bench seating. Built for evening swims and weekend cookouts.

Detail of a wood-frame fixed dock pavilion with bench seating and metal roof
The Fisherman

Compact Fishing Dock

Right-sized fixed dock with rail-bench seating, rod holders, and a clean casting platform. The most-built layout on private lakes.

ADA-friendly commercial floating dock with gangway on a Tennessee reservoir
The Commercial

ADA / Marina Floating

Commercial-spec floating dock with ADA-compliant gangway ramps, heavier flotation, and code-grade railings. For HOAs, marinas, and community waterfronts.

Single-section floating dock with covered slip on a calm Tennessee lake
The Starter

Single-Section Floating

Slip plus a short walk-out, smallest footprint, fastest install. The right start for one boat and one weekend at a time.

Want something not on this list? Bring us a sketch, a Pinterest board, or another builder's drawing — we'll build to your blueprint.

TVA 26a Permits — Handled for You.

Every dock on a TVA-managed lake needs a 26a permit. We file the paperwork, cover the $1,000 government fee, and manage the back-and-forth so you can wait for the water instead of the mailbox.

How Permits Work Start a Project
Process

From Lake-Side Walk to Tied-Up Boat

Same path on every dock — consult, design, permit, build. You stay in the loop on each step instead of buried in paperwork.

1. Site Visit

We walk your shoreline, take water depth and bottom readings, and talk through layout, slip count, and how you'll actually use the dock.

2. Design & Quote

You get a fixed or floating layout, material spec, lift sizing, and a real price. Nothing changes after sign-off without your say-so.

3. TVA 26a Permit

We file the application, cover the $1,000 fee, and manage every back-and-forth with TVA until the approval is in hand.

4. Build & Hand Over

Our crew rolls in on our own work barge, builds clean, and hands you a finished dock with lifts installed and tested.

Add-Ons & Upgrades

The details that make a dock yours.

Most of our builds include at least a few of these. Add them at design time so they're rolled into the permit and quote, or add them later when you've lived on the dock for a season.

  • Boat & PWC lifts — Tide Tamer (fixed), Floatair (floating), WaveArmor and American Muscle (jet skis).
  • Standing-seam metal roofs — Multiple color options, low-pitch or gable, with optional cupola venting.
  • Dock lighting — Low-voltage rail and step lighting, post caps, and underwater fishing lights.
  • Handrails & gates — Aluminum, cable, or composite rails for kids, dogs, and after-dark walks.
  • Storage benches & cabinets — Marine-grade lockers built into the deck for life jackets, lines, and tubes.
  • Power, water & spigots — GFCI outlets, hose bibs, and shore-side runs back to the house.
  • Demolition & replacement — Tear-out and haul-off of an aging dock, rolled into the same project as the new build.
Spiral staircase detail on a Blue Horizon two-story dock

Looking for something else?

Boat Lifts Blueprints TVA 26a Permits Lakes We Serve Contact
Frequently Asked

Dock Construction FAQ

Should I build a fixed dock or a floating dock?

It depends on the lake. Fixed docks are ideal where shorelines are stable and water levels don't swing much — private lakes, the upper reaches of TVA reservoirs, and most coves on Chickamauga, Nickajack, Tellico, Cherokee, and Norris.

Floating docks make more sense on Watts Bar, Fort Loudoun, Douglas, and other lakes with significant seasonal drawdowns. The floating deck stays at a consistent height above the water through every season. We'll walk your shoreline and tell you which makes sense.

How long does a dock build take?

From signed contract to tied-up boat, plan on 4–7 months. The biggest variable is the TVA 26a permit, which can run up to 150 days. Once permits are in hand and materials are on site, fixed dock builds finish in 3–5 weeks; floating dock builds in 2–4 weeks.

How long will a dock last?

Pressure-treated fixed docks with galvanized hardware and composite decking should give you 25+ years before any structural rebuild. Aluminum-framed floating docks run 20–30 years, with flotation replaceable without a full dock rebuild.

Do you handle the TVA 26a permit?

Yes — on every build we sign. We file the application, cover the $1,000 government fee, and manage every site visit and back-and-forth with TVA until the permit is approved. See the TVA 26a permits page for the full process.

Can you remove or replace an existing dock?

Absolutely. Tear-out, haul-off, and a permit-ready replacement is one of our most common jobs — we can handle a piece or the whole thing, including TVA 26a removal permits. Most demos finish in 2–3 days on site.

How is a floating dock anchored?

Three common methods, picked based on depth and bottom type: pile-guided (the dock rides up and down on a vertical pile), cable or chain anchor (anchored to weights on the lake bottom), and shore-and-pile (a hybrid for variable depths). We'll spec the right one during design.

Can I add a boat lift to my dock?

Yes — that's standard on most of our builds. Tide Tamer for fixed docks, Floatair platforms for floating docks, and WaveArmor / American Muscle for jet skis. See the boat lifts page for sizing and brand details.

Do you work on private (non-TVA) lakes?

Yes. Private lakes typically don't require a TVA 26a permit, which simplifies and speeds the build. We've worked on dozens of private lakes across East and Middle Tennessee.

Get a Quote

Ready to put a real plan on paper?

Tell us what lake you're on and what you're picturing. We'll come walk the shoreline and get you a layout, material spec, and price within the week.

Hours Monday – Friday · 8:00am – 5:00pm

Dock Inquiry

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