Hiring a Gulf Shores seawall contractor
licenses, contracts and lien rules

Which license should a seawall contractor hold?

Alabama splits contractor licensing between two boards. A seawall job can land under either one, so check both before you sign.

Home Builders Licensure Board

This board licenses residential home builders for jobs over $10,000 on a home or structure up to three floors and four units. Code of Alabama 34-14A-2

The law is broad, but the Board's pages do not say whether a bulkhead or dock on a home lot counts. Call the Board to settle it: (800) 304-0853. Home Builders Licensure Board

The general contractors board

This board licenses general contractors for work costing $100,000 or more. It exempts repair and construction of a home or private dwelling. Code of Alabama 34-8-1 Code of Alabama 34-8-7

Where do you look up a contractor license?

Both boards run free online lookups. Check the name on the contract against the name on the license.

• Home Builders Licensure Board: online licensee search at alhobv7prod.glsuite.us, office at 445 Herron Street, Montgomery, phone (334) 242-2230. Home Builders Licensure Board
• General Contractors Board: use licensesearch.alabama.gov/genconbd, or call (334) 272-5030 in Montgomery. General Contractors Board
• The Builder Watch line for reporting unlicensed work is (800) 304-0853. Home Builders Licensure Board

Is there a marine contractor license?

The General Contractors Board lists marine construction, pile driving, retaining walls and dredging among its classifications. A licensee may hold a specialty such as Marine Construction or Retaining Walls. Board rule 230-X-1-.27

That classification matters most on condo, HOA and commercial bulkhead jobs. For a house, ask which license the contractor claims and what wall types they have built. Boards of condos and HOAs can start with the HOA seawall guide and the condo seawall guide.

Must the license number be on the contract?

Alabama law requires licensed home builders to use a written contract that shows the Board license number. Code of Alabama 34-14A-7

• General contractors must put their license number on every contract, bid and proposal. Code of Alabama 34-8-6
• State law makes it a Class B misdemeanor for an owner to take seriously a bid from an unlicensed general contractor. Code of Alabama 34-8-6
• An unlicensed residential builder cannot sue to enforce the contract. Code of Alabama 34-14A-14

What do Gulf Shores and Baldwin County require?

Local offices add checks of their own. In Gulf Shores, a building permit for work of $50,000 or more goes only to the owner or to a general contractor licensed under Alabama law. Gulf Shores Code Sec. 7-5

• Gulf Shores applicants must be contractors licensed to do business in the city, or owners acting as their own contractor. Gulf Shores portal
• Anyone doing business in the city or its police jurisdiction needs a city business license, from the Revenue Division at (251) 968-2426. Gulf Shores business license
• Baldwin County requires every contractor in its permit area to hold an active Alabama business license, and permit staff check the license against job value. Baldwin County contractor rule

Outside the city, read the Baldwin County permit guide. Job sites vary by water, so see Old Town canals, Little Lagoon and Bon Secour.

Can you act as your own contractor?

Owner-builders skip some protections. Baldwin County requires a permit even when the owner does the work. An owner claiming the home-builder exemption must file a sworn statement, may not sell within one year, and gives up the Homeowners' Recovery Fund. Baldwin County owner exemption

The state exemption covers a one- or two-family home on your own land for your own use. If you sell within a year, the law treats the work as done for sale. Code of Alabama 34-14A-6

When do you need an engineer and drawings?

Gulf Shores wants the seal of an Alabama engineer or architect on plans for work costing more than $50,000, plus inspection during construction. Gulf Shores Code Sec. 7-6

Even below that, an engineer's drawing helps. Permit agencies reject drawings that lack mean high tide lines, scale or dimensions. Sea Grant permit guide

See the Gulf Shores permit guide and the seawall assessment that can start the drawings.

How do you compare seawall bids?

Get three written bids and read them line by line. On a 2022 Baldwin County job, six bidders priced the same vinyl wall from $256 to $611 per foot. Lillian bid tabulation

• The same wall, material and height on every bid.
• Who pulls the permits, and who pays State Lands, ADEM and city fees.
• Removal of the old wall, tiebacks, cap and backfill listed separately.
• A start date, a payment schedule and a closeout inspection.

Compare with the bulkhead cost guide. If you want a new wall priced, see bulkhead replacement.

How do liens and waivers protect you?

A seawall job can leave a lien on your lot even if you paid the contractor. Alabama lets anyone who supplied work or materials claim a lien on the improvement and the land. Code of Alabama 35-11-210

Sources: Code of Alabama 35-11-215

• Time runs from the last work or material, and suit must follow within six months after the debt matures. Code of Alabama 35-11-215
• Subcontractors and suppliers are usually limited to what you still owe the main contractor. Code of Alabama 35-11-210
• Pay against invoices and get lien waivers before each payment.

What if the contractor does a bad job?

The Board's Homeowners' Recovery Fund covers up to $30,000 for one transaction. It pays only after you win a court judgment, and only against a licensed builder. Send the Board certified-mail notice within 10 days of suing. Homeowners' Recovery Fund

• Only an original homeowner may file a consumer complaint, within six years, and the process takes about 90 days. The Board cannot order a refund. Home Builders Licensure Board FAQ
• If your contractor was not a Board licensee for the job, the fund may not be available. Ask in writing before you sign.

How do you check permits and the paper trail?

A real contractor can name the permits for the job. Ask for the permit numbers before work starts, then look them up yourself.

• County permits issued since November 1, 2020 are searchable in the CitizenServe portal. Staff can be reached at (251) 972-6837. Baldwin County permit search
• ADEM's eFile lets you search state coastal records by county, but it is not a formal records request. ADEM eFile
• The Corps posts final and pending individual permits and approved jurisdictional determinations online. Corps public permit data

Gulf Shores will not issue a new bulkhead permit until the Corps and State Lands sign off. A bid that skips those steps is a warning. Gulf Shores handbook rule

What should you ask each bidder?

Ask every bidder these questions in writing, and compare the answers side by side.

1. Which license covers this job, and what is its number?
2. Who files each application, and who pays each agency fee?
3. Who is the engineer, and will drawings carry a seal?
4. What is the schedule, and what happens if soil or access surprises the crew?
5. Can I see photos or addresses of similar walls you built?

Not sure what you need? Read the repair or replace guide first. A leaning wall points to tiebacks and anchors. A sinkhole points to soil loss and drainage.

Which red flags mean walk away?

Walk away from a bid that does any of these.

• No license number on the proposal or contract.
• A request for cash or a large deposit before permits are issued.
• No plan for permits, or an offer to start before approvals.
• A single lump sum with no line items.
• No written scope for tiebacks, cap or backfill.

Work started before permits can draw a penalty equal to the permit fees in Baldwin County. Baldwin County fees Ask the contractor to name the permit office and hand you the permit number.