Marine Construction in Bethany Beach, DE

Coastal and back-bay water: the Assawoman Canal, Little Assawoman Bay and Indian River Bay — about 34 miles southeast of the shop.

The Assawoman Canal runs behind Bethany and carries steady traffic through the season, so canal-side walls here are working structures rather than decorative ones. Lots are narrow and the water comes close to the property line, which leaves very little room to do anything other than build vertical.

Access. Canal access is straightforward by water; overland access varies street by street. We cover ZIP code 19930 and the surrounding Sussex County shoreline.

What that usually argues for. Bulkhead where the lot runs to the water and there is no room to slope, rip-rap revetment where there is. Anything built here has to assume the worst summer weekend, not the average day.

Shoreline work in Delaware is regulated, and almost anything built in or over the water needs approval from the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. We handle that in house — preparing the plans, completing the applications and coordinating with the agencies.

Budget three to twelve months for agency review depending on the complexity of the project. It is the part of the schedule most people underestimate, so it is worth starting the conversation well before the season you want to be using the water.