Property Manager Bulkhead and Seawall Help, Mobile Bay
Property manager bulkhead work on Mobile Bay means many permit offices. One list keeps each wall in order.
How do you keep walls organized across cities?
Build a register with one row per wall. Give each row an address, owner, length, material, last repair and permit office.
On Dauphin Island, mark each property as Gulf side, Sound side or bay side. The rules differ for each. The next section lists the offices to call.
What should you send when a wall needs work?
- Photos, the address and the wall length.
- The date damage was first noticed.
- The owner's approval and any engineer report.
- Which sections touch neighbors, since shared end walls change the plan.
Keep every contractor contract and license number in the same folder as the wall photos. The maintenance plan sets a check schedule, and the cost guide helps owners judge bids.
Why do storms hit your properties differently?
Water levels vary a lot by gauge. A property near Bayou La Batre sees a different storm than one on the State Docks shore.
Track the nearest NOAA gauge for each property. NOAA runs several around the bay. NOAA gauge list
After each storm, add the peak level and a note on each wall to the register. That record helps with owner updates and bids. The storm guide has more.
Keep the next check on the calendar.
Look at a maintenance plan to keep records current and set a workable schedule for future checks.
Common questions
How many permit offices might a manager deal with?
Around Mobile Bay, several. Mobile, Mobile County, Dauphin Island, Baldwin County and each Eastern Shore city can all be involved, depending on where a property sits.
Who approves wall work on an owner's property?
Get written approval from the owner or board first. Then check the permit office, since many need the owner or contractor on the application.
What records belong in a wall file?
Permits, plans, contractor names and license numbers, photos and receipts. Add a dated note after each storm.
Does flood insurance cover a wall?
Not under the standard federal flood form for houses, which leaves out seawalls and bulkheads. Say so in owner letters.
Can one request cover several properties?
You can describe all of them in one request. Each lot still needs its own review and permit.
What belongs in a jurisdiction register?
List the permit office, phone number and flood status for each property.
- City of Mobile: Build Mobile, (251) 208-5895. Build Mobile website
- Unincorporated Mobile County: Inspection Services, (251) 574-3507. Mobile County Inspection Services
- Dauphin Island: Town Hall, (251) 861-5525. Dauphin Island Town Hall
- Spanish Fort: Building Department, (251) 626-4993. Its Building Official runs coastal permits inside city limits. Spanish Fort Building Department Spanish Fort zoning ordinance
- Baldwin County: the Building Department covers land outside any city, plus three small towns: Perdido Beach, Elberta and Magnolia Springs. A property inside any other city is permitted by that city. Baldwin permit jurisdiction
Add the date you last confirmed each office.
How do storms compare across properties?
Sally and Zeta hit different shores. In Sally, water rose 3.1 feet above the usual high tide at Dauphin Island but only 1.6 feet at the State Docks. The north side of the island lost docks to a 3 to 4 foot surge. NWS Mobile Sally report
In Zeta, the Bayou La Batre gauge peaked at 6.9 feet. NHC Zeta report The Dauphin Island gauge peaked at about 2.4 feet. NWS Mobile gauge table
Keep one storm table per property so owners see why walls differ.
How do you check contractor licenses?
Ask for the license number on every proposal. Alabama requires it on general contractor contracts, bids and proposals. Alabama Code 34-8-6
Residential builders must also show their license on written contracts. Alabama Code 34-14A-7
Look up each license on the state board site. See verify a contractor.
How often should each wall be reviewed?
- Once a year for every wall, with photos on the same dates.
- After every named storm that crosses the bay.
- Before any lease renewal or sale that depends on dock access.
Show sourcesHide sources
- Permitting | Build MobileSource reviewed 2026-11-04
- Inspection ServicesSource reviewed 2026-11-04
- Building Department | Town of Dauphin IslandSource reviewed 2026-11-04
- Building DepartmentSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- Zoning Ordinance, City of Spanish Fort, Alabama (Ordinance No. 51-96, as amended)Source reviewed 2026-11-04
- Permitting FAQs | Baldwin County Building DepartmentSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- NWS Mobile: Hurricane SallySource reviewed 2026-11-04
- National Hurricane Center Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Zeta (AL282020)Source reviewed 2026-11-04
- NWS Mobile Hurricane Zeta and Hurricane Sally event pages (maximum observed water level tables)Source reviewed 2026-11-04
- Code of Alabama 1975 Sec. 34-8-6, Prohibited Acts; PenaltiesSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- Code of Alabama 1975 Sec. 34-14A-7, Applications for Issuance or Renewal of LicenseSource reviewed 2026-10-31
Discuss a waterfront portfolio
Write down the shoreline affected and the decision you face. Bring these notes to the professional when you discuss scope.