In Surfside Beach, the oceanfront is protected with sand rather than seawalls, so our repair work focuses on bulkheads and retaining walls on the back side, where storm water and drainage do the damage.
866-398-9323Licensed seawall specialists — FL · GA · SC
Seawall Repairs by Solid Foundations provides seawall repair in Surfside Beach, SC for homeowners with bulkheads on tidal water, HOAs and condo associations, and commercial property owners. Typical projects include filling washouts behind back-side bulkheads, sealing leaking seams after storm flooding, and anchoring walls that shifted when surge drained. Call 866-398-9323 or use the quote form to book a free on-site inspection.
Surfside Beach rebuilt its pier in concrete. The old one was destroyed by Hurricane Matthew in 2016, and the new pier opened on March 15, 2024, the town's 60th anniversary year. That rebuild tells the story of this stretch of coast. The Hurricane Center says Matthew's surge damaged the old pier and forced the town to close every road from Dogwood Drive to the ocean. In August 2026, the Army Corps finished putting more than 600,000 cubic yards of sand along 7.7 miles of Surfside Beach and Garden City.
Surfside is on the south Grand Strand, and our Myrtle Beach seawall repair team schedules and permits work here. The beach renourished with Surfside runs into Garden City and the estuary at Murrells Inlet, where marsh-front bulkheads are the norm. Further south, Pawleys Island has creek-side walls behind its groin field.
No new one. South Carolina's Beachfront Management Act bars new seawalls, bulkheads, and revetments seaward of the state setback line. The legislature found that armoring the beach "has not proven effective" and can speed the loss of dry sand beach. A structure that predates the law may be maintained in its present condition, but not enlarged or strengthened. If more than 50% is destroyed above grade, it must be removed at the owner's expense. When erosion comes within 20 feet of a building, the state or the town can allow emergency sandbags.
Hugo (1989). The National Weather Service estimated surge at about 13 feet above sea level at Surfside Beach.
Matthew (2016). Flooding closed the roads between Dogwood Drive and the ocean, as noted above.
Ian (2022). The Springmaid Pier gauge just north of Surfside peaked 5.17 feet above normal high tide, and the Hurricane Center reported 4 to 6 feet of inundation in Horry and Georgetown counties. Garden City, right next door, was among the hardest-hit places.
When floodwater sits behind a wall and then drains out, it carries soil through every open joint. That's why hollow ground behind walls often shows up weeks after a storm.
Tide. NOAA's Garden City Pier station records a mean range of 5.01 feet. Tidal water moving against a wall's face pulls fine sand out through gaps.
Saturated sandy soil. After heavy rain or surge, water trapped behind a wall adds pressure and pushes the wall outward.
Age. Original joint seals and filter fabric wear out over time, which is when leaks start.
When a wall stands straight but the yard behind it is sinking, polyurethane injection fills the voids and seals seams through small holes in the cap. Broken caps and failing timber get bulkhead repair from our Charleston team. If a wall has started to lean, seawall reinforcement holds it with anchors.
For approvals, tidal waters and marsh are critical areas under the SCDES Bureau of Coastal Management, which took over DHEC's coastal program in July 2024. Normal maintenance and repair may not need a critical area permit. The Town of Surfside Beach handles local building approval. Request a free inspection and we'll confirm the approvals your wall needs.
Owners comparing nearby communities can also read about seawall repair in North Myrtle Beach, which covers the waterways and permit offices that apply there in Horry County.
Not if that would strengthen or enlarge a grandfathered structure. It can be maintained in its present condition, subject to SCDES.
No. The pier is a town structure. Private walls still need their own inspection and upkeep.
Water that soaked in behind the wall drained out slowly, taking sand with it. The hole forms underground first and surfaces later.
In an emergency, yes. Temporary sandbags can be allowed when erosion comes within 20 feet of a structure. ---
In addition to Surfside Beach, our licensed seawall repair team serves these nearby South Carolina communities:
Service Area: Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean
We serve all waterfront properties on Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean and surrounding canals, lakes, and waterways.
Seawall Repairs by Solid Foundations also serves these waterfront communities near Surfside Beach:
Licensed, insured, NCFI-certified. Serving Florida, Georgia & South Carolina since 1996.
866-398-9323