Serving Windermere, the Lake District and surrounding areas
A jetty sits in water that rises after every storm and drops in a dry summer, in wind and in ice. We build and repair timber jetties, landing stages and lakeside decks that are made to stay put.
The lakes here rise after every spell of heavy rain – by a metre or more in a big storm – and fall back in a dry summer, and wind-driven waves on Windermere hit a jetty side-on. A jetty has to stand on piles driven deep enough to hold, at a deck height that works at both high and low water, in timber that will spend its life wet.
Hardwoods and pressure-treated softwoods rated for water contact are the usual choice, with stainless or galvanised fixings that will not rust out in a few seasons. The piles are the part that decides how long a jetty lasts, and the part hardest to fix later.
Jetties are also one of the more regulated things you can build. Work in or beside a lake usually needs planning permission from the National Park Authority, and depending on where it is may need consent from whoever owns the lake bed, from the Environment Agency, or from Natural England if the shore carries a nature designation. We find out which apply to your stretch of shore before the design is fixed.
New structures, and the repair of old ones.
Survey of the shore, depth and lake bed
Timber piles or steel posts
Hardwood or treated softwood decking
Landing stages and steps into the water
Lakeshore decks and boathouse platforms
Handrails, mooring rings and fenders
Repair and re-decking of existing jetties
Help with planning and the other consents
Depth, lake bed, access, water levels and what the jetty is for.
Planning and any other consents your location needs, identified and applied for.
The foundation of the whole structure, set for your lake bed.
Bearers, joists and decking in water-rated timber and fixings.
Handrails, steps, mooring points and a final check at the water line.
Usually, yes. A new jetty typically needs planning permission from the Lake District National Park Authority, and may also need consent from the owner of the lake bed, from the Environment Agency, or from Natural England where the shore is protected. We check which apply before design.
Often. If the piles are sound, re-decking and replacing the bearers can give a jetty many more years. If the piles have gone, replacement is usually the better money.
Hardwood or pressure-treated softwood rated for permanent water contact, with stainless or galvanised fixings. We discuss the options and their lifespans with you.
Water levels and weather both matter, so we plan lakeshore work around them. Low water in a settled spell makes piling easier.
Talk to Lakes Construction and arrange a free quotation.