Prior Lake and South Metro lakes
It's Time for Fall Dock Removal
Ice shoves a dock around all winter if you leave it in. Book fall removal and the owner is on your shore while your dock and lift come out, so it all goes back in straight next spring.
100+ customer reviews
Typical ice-in lands around Dec 1. It shifts every year.
What comes out, and where it goes
Tell us the lake and what you have in the water. A BigWave specialist talks it through with you and puts you on the fall schedule. Your equipment can winter on your own shore, or we can haul it off and store it.
- Docks Pulled and set on the bank.
- Boat lifts Out of the water before the ice gets to them.
- Lift canopies Taken off for winter.
- Transport and storage For owners who want it off the property.
Moving a dock or lift to a different lake? Minnesota has rules for that. Check the DNR's current guidance, or ask us before it moves.
Get a removal price instantlyFall removal, before ice-in
Dock and boat lift removal, before the ice does it for you
Ice moves anything left in the water. Docks rack and bend, and lifts get pushed off their feet. BigWave pulls both, in an order that keeps your equipment straight for spring.
- Canopy top comes off Fabric off and rolled before the lift moves. Nobody picks a lift up by its canopy frame.
- The lift rides the barge Raised off the bottom and carried in on the water, not winched up the bank.
- The dock comes out in sections End section first, working back to shore, with each section's legs and hardware kept together.
- Checked on shore Before we leave, Blake looks everything over and tells you what needs work.
Dock removal
A dock that sat level all summer can still come out bent if someone yanks it. BigWave takes it apart the way it went together, one section at a time with the legs pulled straight up. No chain drags across a finished frame. When it's out, it waits on your shore for spring, or it goes to winter storage with us.
- Sectional
- Roll-in
- Floating
Boat lift removal by barge
Lifts get hurt on the trip from the water to the shore. Drag one up the bank or lift it by the canopy frame and you bend what you paid for. BigWave raises the lift, sets it on the barge and brings it in on the water. Blake is the only one who runs the barge. It's heavy equipment working a few feet from your boat and your shoreline, and he doesn't hand the controls to anyone else. The canopy top comes off before any of that, so wind can't catch it on the way in.
- Boat lifts
- Pontoon lifts
- PWC lifts
Lift due for grease? Do it while it's already out.
Sticky legs or a winch chain that hasn't seen grease in a while? Add lubrication or screw jack service to your removal and it gets done on shore, with no second trip in the spring rush. See lift service prices
Price it yourself
Price your fall removal in about a minute
Tell us what's on your shoreline and the price adds up as you go, at Blake's real rates. Add your address and it goes straight to him. He confirms the number with you before anything gets booked.
While it's out of the water
Service your lift now, while it's already apart
Your dock is coming apart and your lift is coming out of the water anyway. That's the time to grease what's stiff and fix what's worn. It costs less now than it will in spring, and your equipment goes back in ready instead of sitting on the bank waiting for a part.
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Fall
Removal
Your dock and lift come out before ice-in.
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Fall
Lift service on shore
Winch, pulleys and legs serviced while the lift is already out, if you add it to your removal.
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Winter
Repairs on dry land
Fixed while it's out, with time to get the parts in.
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Spring
Ice-out
Most docks on the lake go back in within the same few weeks. Parts run short and crew time books up.
Rush job fee applies -
Spring
Back in, ready
Your equipment goes in fixed and leveled, on schedule.
Lift service, priced per lift
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At least twice a year
Lubrication of all major components
The chain in the winch box, the cradle pulleys and the other moving parts get cleaned and greased.
$50per lift
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Legs sticky or hard to crank?
Screw jack legs pulled and greased
Our barge holds the lift up so the legs can come out. They get cleaned, greased and put back. Plan on it every year or every other year, depending on your lake's water quality and zebra mussels.
$150 to $200per lift
Add either one in the price calculator. Blake confirms it with you before the crew is scheduled, and you decide what gets done.
Why now costs less
In the fall we're already taking your dock apart and pulling your lift out of the water. Service done while it's out costs less than the same work later.
Wait until spring and you're in line with every other lake owner. Parts get scarce, crew time books up, and repairs squeezed into that window carry a rush job fee. For a problem that can't wait until removal, see dock and boat lift repair.
Stay on the standing list
Each year you pick a time that works for you. After that, you get automatically reminded at the perfect time by BigWave, ahead of fall removal and ahead of spring install.
Spring installation
Dock and boat lift installation, set level the first time
Putting a dock back in is harder than taking it out. The lake bottom shifts over the winter, every leg needs new footing, and the whole run has to come out level. When you compare dock and boat lift installers, ask how they level. Here's how BigWave does it.
Set by eye
Every leg cut the same
The deck follows the lake bottom instead of the level line. You feel every dip, and the joints take the strain all summer.
Set to a level
Each leg set to its own footing
Measured with a level, and a laser check when the setup calls for it. The deck comes out flat end to end, and the lift is set so the boat sits straight.
The owner does the work, both seasons
Blake works every job, fall and spring, doing the same work as the crew he trained, and he's the one at the barge controls. They've already seen your shoreline, they know which section goes where, and they handle it the same careful way: sections set down, not dropped, and the lift carried in on the water.
Same risks as removal, plus one
Install has every way to damage equipment that removal has, like a dragged section or a lift set down hard. It adds one more: set it crooked and you live with it all summer. Putting in a new dock or lift instead? Start with new dock installation or boat lift sales and installation.
A lot of BigWave's regular customers first called after another company's install damaged their dock or lift.
Installation is the half of the job where careless work costs the most, because it's the setup you live with every day until fall.
5.0
103 reviews on Google
What lake owners say about Blake and his crew
Read them on GoogleProfessional and responsive throughout the entire experience of selecting our dock & its layout, the install, and its upkeep. Would recommend to anyone and will continue hiring going forward for annual necessities.
He took the time to come out in the winter on site. He drilled holes thru the ice and took measurements to ensure a proper fit. Delivery and install happened on time and it looks great.
Communication was excellent throughout the process and during install you can tell Blake and crew take pride in their work.
He made getting a lift and having it installed simple and fun. The barge he uses is impressive and allows him to do what most can’t.
Our lake water level fluctuates quite a bit from year to year and even within season… Blake and his crew were out within 1 day and helped us get our lift height adjusted saving our summer.
Service area
Dock and lift service within 30 minutes of Prior Lake
BigWave works out of a shop in Prior Lake. If your shoreline is about 30 minutes or less from there, the crew can get to it for fall removal and spring install. Farther out? Call and ask.
Prior Lake and Scott County
- Prior Lake
- Savage
- Credit River
- Spring Lake Township
- Shakopee
- Jordan
- Elko New Market
- New Prague
- Cedar Lake Township
South Metro
- Burnsville
- Lakeville
- Apple Valley
- Bloomington
- Eden Prairie
Carver County
- Chanhassen
- Chaska
- Victoria
- Carver
Lake Minnetonka, south shore
- Excelsior
- Shorewood
- Tonka Bay
- Greenwood
- Deephaven
- Minnetonka
Lakes BigWave has worked on include Prior Lake, Lake Minnetonka, Lake Bavaria, Cedar Lake and O’Dowd Lake. See every area we serve
Questions
Fall removal and spring install questions
Don't see yours? Call 952-687-1349 and ask Blake.
How much does dock and boat lift removal cost?
Docks are priced by the foot: $4.50 for a 4 ft wide sectional or roll-in dock, $5.75 for 5 ft wide, $4.50 for floating, with a $200 minimum. Boat lifts run $200 to $275 each depending on capacity, PWC lifts $75, and canopy covers, hydraulic boxes and batteries are priced per piece. The price calculator above adds it up for your shoreline, and Blake confirms the number with you before anything is booked. Some things nobody can see from a form, so a look at the dock or a photo makes it exact.
When should I schedule fall removal?
As early as you can. Removal has to happen before ice-in, and every lake owner is working toward the same deadline. Getting on the list early gives you more choice of dates. If you're on the standing list, you get automatically reminded at the perfect time by BigWave.
What's included in dock and lift removal?
The canopy top comes off first. The lift is raised and brought in on the barge. The dock comes out section by section, with each section's legs and hardware kept together. Before we leave, Blake looks everything over and tells you what needs work.
Who actually does the work at my shoreline?
Blake and his crew, and Blake does the same hands-on work they do. He is also the only one who runs the barge. It's heavy equipment working a few feet from your boat and your shoreline, so he doesn't hand the controls to anyone else.
Where does my dock and lift go for the winter?
On your own shore, set where you want it, or into winter storage with BigWave. See dock and lift transport and storage.
Can you fix problems you find during removal?
Yes, and fall is the time to find it. Repairs happen while the equipment is out of the water, so it goes back in ready. Waiting until spring means competing for parts and crew time, and paying a rush job fee. More on dock and boat lift repair.
What does boat lift maintenance cost?
Lubrication of all major components is $50 per lift. The chain in the winch box, the cradle pulleys and the other moving parts get cleaned and greased. Do it at least twice a year.
Sticky screw jack legs are $150 to $200 per lift. Our barge holds the lift up so the legs can come out, get cleaned and greased, and go back on. Plan on that every year or every other year, depending on your lake's water quality and zebra mussels. Both cost less in the fall, while the lift is already out of the water. See lift service.
Do you install docks and boat lifts in the spring too?
Yes. Blake and the same crew that pulled your equipment put it back in, with each leg set to its own footing and the dock leveled end to end. Putting in new equipment instead? See new dock installation and boat lift installation.
How does the standing list work?
Each year you pick a time that works for you, for fall removal and for spring install. You get automatically reminded at the perfect time by BigWave, so you are not the one watching the calendar. Check the box when you send your price, or call 952-687-1349.
What if ice or a storm already damaged my dock or lift?
Call before it gets worse. A bent frame or a lift that has shifted is storm recovery work, and it is better handled before anything else gets moved. See dock and boat lift storm recovery.
Are there rules about moving a dock or lift to another lake?
Yes. Minnesota has aquatic invasive species rules for docks, lifts and boats that come out of one lake and go into another, including how long equipment has to stay out of the water first. Check the DNR’s current guidance before anything moves between lakes. Our guide to Minnesota DNR rules covers the basics.
Book fall removal now, and spring install goes on the list with it
Price it in a minute or call Blake. Either way you're talking to the person who will be on your shore doing the work, and your dock and lift come out before the ice gets a say.