Repair first, on a working river
Wheeler is Alabama's second-largest lake — nearly seventy miles of impounded Tennessee River running from Guntersville Dam down past Decatur and Athens to Wheeler Dam at Town Creek — and it's a working reservoir: barge traffic in the channel, TVA managing levels for navigation and flood control, and thousands of private docks holding up the lake life of three counties. When one of those docks fails, the owner doesn't want a design consultation. They want someone who repairs docks to show up this week.
That's what this connects you to: dock repair and rebuilds, boat lift repair, piling repair and replacement, and storm damage response from Ditto Landing to Joe Wheeler country — with new docks and boathouses available when repair stops making sense.
Dock Repair & Rebuilds
Decking, stringers, walkways, hardware — from one soft board to a full deck rebuild on sound pilings.
Dock repair ›Boat Lift Repair
Cables, motors, bunks, and full replacements — a lift with a boat stuck on it goes to the front of the schedule.
Boat lift service ›Piling Repair & Replacement
Waterline rot found and fixed — and on Wheeler, the drawdown lets you see the problem with your own eyes.
Piling work ›Storm Damage Repair
Make-safe response, insurance documentation, permanent repair after North Alabama weather.
Storm response ›New Docks & Boathouses
TVA-compliant construction, sized to Section 26a limits — including Wheeler's 18-inch deck-height rule.
New construction ›The two guides every Wheeler dock owner needs
Two pieces of TVA reality govern every dock on this lake, and both are explained here in plain English. First, Section 26a permitting — what needs approval, what in-kind repair means, the footprint and reach limits, and the ownership-transfer rule that surprises nearly every lake home buyer. Second, the winter drawdown — the roughly six-foot drop that begins after Labor Day, why TVA rules make it the mandatory season for some work, and why smart owners book repairs for it on purpose.
Where the barge goes
All of it: Decatur and Point Mallard, Athens and Mooresville, the Huntsville shoreline around Ditto Landing, Rogersville, Elgin, and the Joe Wheeler end, and the Priceville and Flint Creek water. Work happens from barge-mounted equipment, so a dock at the back of a slough is as reachable as one on the channel.
Frequently asked questions
How much does dock repair cost on Wheeler Lake?
Typical ranges: decking and hardware $300–$1,500; structural framing or a few pilings $2,000–$6,000; full deck rebuilds on sound pilings $8,000–$15,000. Planning ranges, not quotes — every job is priced after an on-site look.
When is the best time to repair a dock on Wheeler?
Fall and winter, deliberately: the drawdown that starts after Labor Day drops the lake about six feet, exposing the piling waterline band for inspection and putting the whole repair calendar at its most open. TVA rules actually require some work, like channel excavation, to happen during drawdown.
Do I need a TVA permit to repair my dock?
Generally not for in-kind repairs that keep the dock exactly as permitted. Any change to size, footprint, or configuration needs Section 26a approval first — see the permit guide.
Do you cover the Huntsville end of the lake?
Yes — the Tennessee River shoreline around Ditto Landing and Hobbs Island is part of the standard route, along with everything down to Wheeler Dam.