Floating swim docks have long been a summertime necessity for those living near the water. Whether it is a lake or pond, the docks provide an area of solace away from the shoreline. There are movies with teens using them to hang out on, sometimes you notice them around resorts and sometimes you find them in a public lake either totally packed or completely empty. No matter where you see them, you typically find yourself wondering if you could actually use one of them near your lakeside retreat.
Cost of Swim Docks
While many people believe that floating swim docks are extremely expensive, that is not necessarily the case. If you shop today, you will find that buying a swim dock kit will only cost a couple of thousand dollars. In fact, Lunmar Boat Lifts actually has a few of them that are priced at an affordable rate. There are companies that sell them already assembled, but sometimes a three hour assembly time is worth the infinite amount of time that will be spent on the dock.
Materials Included in Kits
Most kits will have specific materials included with the shipment. For a basic swim dock that does not include a slide, ladder or any other extras, there are minimal materials required. Your package should include several foam filled drums. The drums are what cause the dock to stay buoyant. The framework of the dock will likely be aluminum. If this is the case, aluminum framework and the aluminum fasteners and hardware will be included as well. The last thing included will be the wood. All of the wood that you will need to complete the project should be included with a swim dock kit.
Cons of Buying Assembled
Buying an assembled dock may be the quickest route to take, but it is not always the best route. For starters, if the dock is pre-assembled, you will have no idea what the hardware looks like if you need to replace or repair it. Another issue is the cost. A pre-assembled swimming dock will cost about double what you pay for the kit. The last thing to keep in mind is the quality time spent with friends or family members while assembling the kit. That kind of quality time cannot be built.
When you are in the market to purchase a floating swim dock, it is important to know exactly what you are looking for. If you are interested in assembling it yourself, keep in mind that there are kits available that are more cost effective than purchasing a dock that has already been built.
I didn’t know much about swim docks so learned from this article.
A swimming dock is a very useful item on a lake and I never thought of purchasing my own. I would like to try to assemble it myself.
My husband likes to do his own assembly of items like this. He doesn’t want their cheap screws or craftsmanship. If your family and friends is going to be using it you want it done right and safe. He’d rather do it himself and know that he is trying hard to get everything right and sturdy. A great idea…costly but I bet lots of fun.