When a St. Simons Island seawall is tilting but still whole, anchoring it with helical tiebacks can stop the movement at a fraction of the replacement cost.
866-398-9323Licensed seawall specialists — FL · GA · SC
Seawall Repairs by Solid Foundations provides seawall reinforcement in St. Simons Island, GA for waterfront homeowners, HOAs, and commercial owners. Typical projects include tiebacks on walls pushed out by Irma's record surge, new anchors behind aging bulkheads on the Frederica River, and walers on long marsh-front runs. Call 866-398-9323 or use the quote form to book a free on-site inspection.
Look for a wall that's intact but moving:
If the wall is broken through, anchors won't fix it. See bulkhead replacement on St. Simons Island.
Hurricane Matthew pushed water 6.2 feet above mean high tide at St. Simons Pier in 2016. Irma beat that the next year with 6.9 feet on September 11, 2017, and the actual peak may have been higher, since high tide hadn't crested yet. Glynn County's emergency director called Matthew mainly a wind event and Irma mainly a water event (GovTech). The Hurricane Center's report notes "major flooding" on St. Simons (NHC). Walls took high water two years running, and many have been creeping outward since.
When surge sits against a wall, the soil behind it fills with water. When the water falls away, that heavy, saturated soil pushes outward with nothing in front to balance it. It's the same force the daily tide applies on a smaller scale, and with a range of around 7.2 feet at St. Simons Light, that happens twice a day.
Old tie rods and buried deadmen corrode and creep in soft marsh soil. As they give, the wall follows.
Anchors with screw-shaped plates go in at an angle through the wall and into firmer soil behind it, then lock off at the face. We monitor torque on each one so we know it's holding. See helical tiebacks.
On open lots, a buried concrete block tied back to the wall is a dependable option.
A beam along the face spreads the anchor loads across the wall.
Anchors last longer when the soil behind the wall is solid and water can drain. We often add polyurethane injection and relief drains.
| Reinforce | Replace | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical 80-ft residential wall | $12,000–$35,000 | $40,000–$80,000 |
| Time on site | Usually 1–3 days | Usually 1–3 weeks |
| Disruption to your yard | Minimal | Significant |
| Approvals | Usually lighter | Full state and county permitting |
A comprehensive reinforcement program for an 80-foot residential wall on St. Simons Island typically runs $12,000–$35,000, versus $40,000–$80,000 to replace it.
A few things. Equipment and materials come over the Torras Causeway or by water, so we plan deliveries carefully. Tiebacks go in from the land side, which usually keeps work out of the marsh, but we still call the Coastal Resources Division first, as it asks for any work on existing structures. County permits come from Glynn County. We're licensed to perform marine construction in Georgia and South Carolina. If structures near the wall are settling too, see marine foundation repair on St. Simons Island.
Our St. Simons Island seawall repair page covers the rest of what we do here. We also reinforce walls in Brunswick.
If it hasn't broken through, usually yes. Anchors stop further movement. The sooner you act, the better.
We track torque as each anchor goes in. If readings are low, we go longer until it reaches soil that holds.
Tiebacks are installed from the land side, so the marsh usually isn't touched. We check with CRD before starting.
No, it stabilizes the wall at its current height. If your cap is too low, we can talk through replacement options.
Licensed, insured, NCFI-certified. Serving Florida, Georgia & South Carolina since 1996.
866-398-9323