Boat Lift FAQ

No. Boat Lift Repair SWFL is a referral service. We connect you with an independent, licensed local lift technician or marine contractor, who gives their own estimate, handles any permit and does the work.

A humming motor that won't turn usually points to a failed start capacitor, a seized gearbox, a bad switch or a motor that has burned out. A technician can test each one on the dock in a single visit.

Motors, switches, cables and pulleys are usually worth replacing on a sound lift. When the beams, cradle or pilings are badly corroded or bent, or the lift is too small for your boat, replacement is often the better buy. Ask for both prices in writing.

HomeAdvisor puts most boat lift repairs at about $175 to $500. Motors, gearboxes and full cable sets cost more, and a new lift averages about $8,000 according to Angi figures cited by Boatzon.

Yes. Getting connected through this site is free, and the estimate is free with no obligation to hire.

Swapping a motor, switch, cable or pulley on an existing lift is usually service work. A new or replacement lift needs a building permit, and new wiring to the lift usually needs an electrical permit. Which office handles it depends on whether your parcel is in a city or the unincorporated county.

It depends on use and salt exposure, but stainless cables should be inspected at least once a year and replaced at the first sign of broken strands, kinks or rust. A cable that snaps under load can drop the boat.

On a four-post or elevator lift, one side lagging usually means a stretched or slipping cable, a worn pulley, a gearbox problem on that side, or a motor that is weaker than its partner. It should be checked before the boat is raised again.

Yes. Surge, wind and floating debris bend beams, flood motors and switch boxes, and loosen pilings. After a storm, don't run the lift until it has been checked, especially if the motors were under water.

Yes. Personal watercraft lifts and floating PWC docks are part of the service, along with boat lifts on docks and seawalls.

Yes. Canopy frames and replacement covers are part of maintenance and repair. Some cities limit canopy colors or sizes, so check before you order a new one.

No. They're illustrations made for this site, not photos of completed projects.