Bulkhead Inspection Notes for Home Inspectors, Mobile
Home inspectors around Mobile Bay often meet a bulkhead on the yard walk. Note what you see. Then hand the wall to an engineer or marine contractor.
How far does a bulkhead inspection go from the yard?
You can see the cap, the face above the water, and the ground behind the wall. You cannot see tie rods, footings or anything under water.
Write down what you saw and what you could not reach. A short scope note protects you. It also shows the client where the gap is.
On the west shore, a 2024 to 2025 plan visit covered more than 30 properties. Almost every lot had a wall. Several walls were failing or had failed. Mobile County Shoreline Management Plan
Which warning signs belong in the report?
- Leaning or bulging panels, or soil pulling away from the cap.
- Sinkholes, dips or voids in the yard behind the wall.
- Loose, missing or rusted hardware on the cap.
- Rock or rubble at the toe, which may mean scour before.
- Bare toes after low water. Sally's north winds drained Dog River to a level 5.6 feet under normal high tide. NOAA Dog River gauge
On Fowl River, boat wakes are likely the most harmful waves. Vertical walls reflect them and scour their own toes. Fowl River watershed plan
Who should look at it next?
A licensed engineer can judge design and loads. Leave permit advice to the permit office. The permit guide lists who to call in each city.
Keep notes plain: what you saw, what you could not see, and what to do next. Skip repair prices.
Check your inspection standard.
The ASHI Standard of Practice leaves seawalls, breakwaters and docks out of its basic exterior scope. Added services can be agreed. Follow the standard and the scope of your own agreement.
What a wall condition report should include
Before booking, learn which kind of inspection you are paying for, what its written report will contain and when it will arrive. Look for dated photos, plain findings, repair advice and a note on any area the inspector had no way to see.
Check whether the inspector will examine panels, cap, joints, tiebacks and the soil behind the wall. Anchors underground and parts below the waterline usually take more effort. Say up front if you also want repair costs or a life estimate.
Request report pricing. Confirm scope, price and available dates directly with the professional before you rely on any visit or delivery date.
The InterNACHI waterfront inspection standard describes what a visual inspection may include.
Pick the correct wall measurement.
Thinking about raising or rebuilding the wall? The height guide explains which survey number matters and where to confirm local rules.
Common questions
Does a normal home inspection cover the bulkhead?
Usually it is outside the basic scope. Say so in your agreement. If you note it, record what you saw and what you could not check.
What should you write when you cannot see the wall below water?
Say the underwater and buried parts were not inspected. Suggest an engineer or a marine contractor for that part.
Which signs show a wall may be failing?
Look for leaning, voids behind the cap, cracked cap pieces and sinkholes in the yard. Bare toes after low water are a warning too.
Should you tell a client what repair to use?
No. Describe the condition. Point to a qualified marine contractor or engineer. The design choice is theirs and the owner's.
Can you say a wall looks bad?
Stay within your inspection agreement and your own license rules. For design or load questions, point the client to an engineer.
How do you hand off a concern with owner consent?
Get the client to agree first. Then share photos and notes. The request form on this page sends them to a local marine contractor.
Which gauge fits the property you are visiting?
Use the gauge nearest the property, and know its limits. Dog River Bridge suits Dog River. West Fowl River Bridge suits Fowl River. NOAA gauge network
NOAA removed its Weeks Bay gauge on April 7, 2022, and no other Eastern Shore gauge is on its list for the bay. Use Dog River, the Coast Guard Sector or Dauphin Island as a loose guide. NOAA gauge network
During Zeta, Dog River Bridge peaked at 4.4 feet above MHHW, the average higher high tide. NOAA Dog River Bridge data A gauge shows still water at one point, not waves on a wall.
Who do you send the client to?
Send the client to an engineer for design and a licensed contractor for repair. Check each license on the state boards.
- Home Builders Licensure Board. Home Builders Licensure Board
- General Contractors Board, which lists marine construction as a specialty class. General Contractors Board General Contractors Board rule
Read the contractor check guide and the erosion guide to explain what you saw.
What kinds of walls will you meet?
On the Eastern Shore, bulkhead dominates the shore. On Fly Creek, a 2009 count found 11,336 feet of bulkhead against 8,762 feet of natural shore. MBNEP Eastern Shore plan
South of Point Clear, about 91 percent of one reach was bulkhead in 2009. MBNEP Eastern Shore plan
Note the wall type, the cap material and any rock at the toe.
Show sourcesHide sources
- CO-OPS Metadata API, station records for Mobile Bay gaugesSource reviewed 2026-11-04
- CO-OPS Data API, water_level, Dog River Bridge 8735391 (queried for Zeta, Nate and Francine windows)Source reviewed 2026-11-04
- Contact Us (Alabama Home Builders Licensure Board)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
- Contact (Alabama State Licensing Board for General Contractors)Source reviewed 2026-10-31
- Ala. Admin. Code Chapter 230-X-1 (State Licensing Board for General Contractors), r. 230-X-1-.27 Major ClassificationsSource reviewed 2026-10-31
- Eastern Shore Watershed Management Plan (final, Aug. 16, 2023)Source reviewed 2026-11-04
Refer a seawall concern
Note what needs attention and your deadline. Agree on the inspection, price and date with whichever professional you choose.