Standard, custom, and composite built for Florida waterfronts.
How a floating dock gets built decides how long it lasts. A dock cut and welded on a clean shop floor outperforms a dock thrown together on a windy shoreline every time. At J&M Marine Construction, we fabricate and pre-assemble every floating dock in our Naples shop before it ever touches the water.
We are a licensed dock builder with our own in-house metal fabrication shop at 2496 Kirkwood Ave in Naples. The welding, cutting, and assembly crew all work under one roof. Nothing gets outsourced to a third-party fab shop, and nothing leaves the bay until it passes our quality check.
Shop-built docks beat field-assembled docks on fit, finish, and lifespan. The frame goes together tighter, the welds cool cleaner, and the hardware lines up the first time. Call J&M Marine Construction today to book a fabrication consultation. All coastal dock projects must also comply with the Florida Department of Environmental Protection's submerged lands and shoreline rules, which govern setbacks, seagrass protection, and overall environmental impact along Florida's waterways.
Our metal shop sits right in Naples at 2496 Kirkwood Ave. The same crew that takes your call also cuts your aluminum, welds your frame, and bolts down your decking. That keeps quality high and timelines tight.
What we run in the shop:
* Aluminum cutting on dedicated saws and shears
* MIG and TIG welding stations with marine-grade filler
* Drill presses for precise bolt patterns
* Assembly bays sized for full dock sections
* Float testing tanks before shipping
Every dock uses stainless and hot-dip galvanized hardware on every piece. The fastener choice matters as much as the frame itself in Naples saltwater.
No outsourced welding. No third-party fab shop. The crew that builds your dock is the crew you can call if anything ever needs attention. Shop fab also beats field welding in this climate. Humidity and salt air contaminate hot welds and create weak joints. Inside the shop, weld quality stays high and joints hold for decades.
You end up with a frame built to spec, in clean conditions, by the same team start to finish.
Every Naples floating dock we fabricate follows the same proven sequence. The order matters — skipping or rushing a step shows up later as a bent frame, a stuck bolt, or a leaking weld.
Our shop fabrication steps:
1. Cut aluminum stock to spec from the approved drawings
2. Drill bolt holes and notch beams for connections
3. Tack-weld frame sections square and plumb on the jig
4. Run final welds with marine-grade filler at the right amperage
5. Inspect every joint before the frame moves to assembly bay
Tight tolerances at the cut and weld stage mean fewer field adjustments on install day. A frame that goes together square in the shop drops onto the floats and pilings on your shoreline without forcing or shimming.
Owners in Aqualane Shores often pick shop-built docks for the cleaner finish over a kit or field-welded build. The weld beads look uniform, the frame lines stay straight, and the deck sits flat. You see the difference the day the dock arrives.
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Once the frame passes inspection, we mount the floats and lay the decking right in the shop. Doing this work indoors gives us level ground, clean fasteners, and no weather to fight.
What gets attached in the shop:
* Foam-filled poly floats mounted to the frame
* Composite, aluminum, or hardwood decking installed and trimmed
* Stainless fasteners driven to spec — no field guesswork
* Bumpers and rub rails fitted along high-traffic edges
* Cleats, ladders, and rails mounted ready to use
Every screw and bolt gets driven to the right torque on a flat, stable surface. That kind of precision is hard to match while standing on a half-built dock at high tide.
When a section leaves the shop, it leaves as a finished piece of dock. The deck is down, the bumpers are on, and the floats are bolted tight. Pre-assembled sections drop straight into place on install day, which cuts shoreline work in your Naples backyard by days. Less time on site means less mess, less noise, and a finished dock you can use sooner.
A dock that fails on your shoreline costs everyone time and money. A dock that fails in our shop is a quick fix at the bench. We catch issues here, not there.
Our shop QC covers:
* Float test on water in the shop bay before shipping
* Frame squareness measured at every corner
* Deck level checked across the full span
* Fastener torque verified on every bolt
* Hardware count matched against the build sheet
* Finish trim signed off in writing
The float test is the big one. We drop the assembled dock into water in our shop bay, watch how it sits, and make any adjustments before the truck or barge gets loaded. A dock that floats level in the shop floats level on your shoreline.
A failed check on a Naples shoreline at high tide can mean a half-day delay or a full trip back to the shop. A failed check in our bay takes minutes to fix. Port Royal and Royal Harbor deliveries pass the same QC as smaller canal jobs — no shortcuts based on dock size or customer location.
You see the QC sign-off as part of your project paperwork.
Pre-assembly is where shop work pays off on your Naples shoreline. The more we build in the shop, the less we build in your backyard.
Most floating docks leave our shop in two to four large pre-built sections. That sizing lets us truck or barge them to your site and connect them with minimal field work.
Field install drops to a short list of tasks:
* Connect dock sections with through-bolts
* Set anchors, piles, or stiff-arms to the bottom
* Run final electrical and water hookups
* Mount any owner-requested last-minute trim
* Float test and final walk-through
Compare that to a field-built dock, where every cut, weld, and screw happens on site. A shop-built dock can save four to ten days of shoreline work on a typical Naples build.
Less shoreline time means less mess across your lawn, less noise during the day, and less foot traffic past the house. Old Naples canal jobs benefit most from short install windows because the lots are tight and the neighbors are close. Pre-assembly keeps the project respectful of the whole street.
Stock dock kits work for simple lots and small boats. Once your project gets bigger, more custom, or more specific to your shoreline, kits run out of options. Custom shop fabrication picks up where kits stop.
What we build that stock kits cannot:
* Oversized sections for larger boats and longer runs
* Cutouts for boat lifts, swim ladders, and kayak launches
* Slip openings sized to your exact hull
* Finger piers and platforms welded into the main frame
* Curved or angled sections to match irregular shorelines
We also weld and bolt in extras during shop fabrication so they sit clean and tight:
* Heavy-duty cleats sized to your lines
* Post wraps and trim caps
* Dock box mounts
* Lighting frames and wiring chases
* Logos, name plates, and decorative trim
Most Naples shoreline and boat combinations rarely fit a stock plan. Lot widths vary, water depths shift across the lot, and boat sizes keep growing. Custom fabrication shapes the dock to your reality instead of asking your reality to match a kit. The result is a dock that fits like it was meant for the spot — because it was.
Floating docks in Naples are built through a tight shop process that runs from raw aluminum to finished, float-tested sections. The work happens indoors on flat ground with marine-grade materials, then the finished sections ship to your shoreline for final connection. Here is the step-by-step path we follow on every project:
1. Review the approved design and cut aluminum stock to spec
2. Drill bolt holes, notch beams, and prep frame components
3. Weld frame sections square and plumb on the jig
4. Mount foam-filled floats and anchor brackets to the frame
5. Install decking, cleats, ladders, and trim hardware
6. Float test and run quality checks in the shop bay
7. Ship pre-assembled sections to the shoreline for final install
Whether you are planning a new floating dock or upgrading from an aging kit, our crew is ready to help. We serve waterfront owners across Naples, Marco Island, and all of Collier County.
What you get when you call J&M Marine Construction:
* Free on-site shoreline visitIn-house metal fabrication shop
* Full assembly and quality check before ship
* Barge and install crew under one roof
* One team from cut to final walk-through
Call (239) 353-7326 to schedule your fabrication consultation. You can also stop by our shop at 2496 Kirkwood Ave, Naples, FL 34112 to see the fabrication floor in person.
We cut aluminum stock, weld the frame, mount foam-filled floats, install decking, run quality checks, and ship pre-assembled sections to your shoreline. The full build happens indoors on flat ground with marine-grade materials. Field work is limited to connecting sections, setting anchors, and final hookups.
Marine-grade aluminum holds up best for floating dock framing in Naples saltwater. The metal does not rot, rust, or feed marine borers, and it handles Gulf wind and chop without flexing. Pressure-treated wood is an option for budget builds but does not match aluminum's lifespan.
Floating dock kits cap out on size, finish, and saltwater performance. A custom shop-fabricated dock outlasts most kits by decades because of better welds, marine hardware, and proper float math. Kits work for small freshwater builds but struggle with Naples Gulf conditions.
Full fabrication and assembly happen inside our Naples shop at 2496 Kirkwood Ave. Only final connection, anchor setting, and hookups happen on your shoreline. Shop welding beats field welding because humidity and salt air can weaken hot welds outdoors.
Most Naples floating dock builds finish in two to four weeks of shop time after design approval. Larger or more custom docks can run longer based on size, decking choice, and add-ons. Permit timing runs separately and often overlaps with fabrication.
Yes — we welcome Naples owners to stop by 2496 Kirkwood Ave during the build. Seeing the dock on the shop floor before float test and shipping gives you a chance to review finish details. Most owners visit at least once during fabrication.