COASTAL DESIGN'S "FOREVER" PROJECTS USE CCG

Coastal Design & Contracting dominates the luxury waterfront market in its 10-mile radius of Palm Beach and Martin Counties. Its clients desire results that can match their beautiful properties. From boat lifts to docks and retaining walls, Coastal Design focuses on perfection for its clients.

That’s hard to do with conventional concrete and wood materials. Wood pilings, long the standard, degrade in the salty seawater and the gnawing presence of shipworms in the tidal zone. Wood pilings often last only five short years, even with a tedious-to-add vinyl wrap. Concrete resists worms but still struggles with longevity, succumbing to spalling and rebar swelling. Precast concrete pilings are also extremely heavy 150 pounds per foot, meaning a full 30-foot piling weighs around 4,500 pounds. They’re difficult to transport and to place without heavier-duty machinery and higher safety risks, especially in tight property line installation zones. 

Coastal Design’s manager, Paul Jablonski, loves to try new things to find even better results. This pioneering spirit led him to Fiber Reinforced Polymer pilings. His research showed that FRP can deliver strength, longevity, extreme reliability and aesthetics plus a much lighter weight.

Jablonski chose 12-inch StormStrong® FRP pilings by Creative Composites Group for a luxury boat lift project in 2019. The resulting structure was attractive, durable and almost completely resistant to corrosion without a vinyl wrap. Jablonski explained to the owner that these pilings could potentially outlast them, unlike concrete and wood that need regular replacement. The FRP pilings were also much lighter to lift, jet and place, which sped up installation, improved safety and reduced inconvenience to the property owner.

Although the initial price tag was higher than wood, both Coastal Design and its customers wisely considered lifetime costs, choosing FRP for its “set and forget” qualities. 

Jablonski has integrated StormStrong pilings into most of his projects since the initial boat lift project in 2019, replacing wood in diameters ranging from 10 to 16 inches.

FRP has helped Jablonski come up with innovative solutions to meet the needs of Coastal Design’s customers. His use of FRP rebar has set the trend for other contractors in the area as customers now expect a solution that won’t spall and corrode.

Another Jablonski innovation is his use of FRP batter piles, which support and reinforce a seawall from the water side. Coastal Design drives the FRP pile in at a degree, the piling sits against the seawall panel itself, and the cap is then formed and filled with concrete and FRP rebar and integrated to hold the wall back. This approach has double benefits for the property owner: the StormStrong solution is significantly more durable than conventional materials, and the installation method eliminates tiebacks into the property that had to be dug into the already limited space at the property line.

In six years, customers have reported no issues. Jablonski credits the structures’ long-term success to long-term thinking. The higher-quality result is worth the cost, and Coastal Design’s business has only grown over the years.

The partnership with CCG has also grown. Jablonski values good service as much as quality materials, and he found both in CCG. He now buys CCG FRP pilings by the truckload and has found zero defects in over six years. The mutually beneficial relationship has been characterized by a responsive, collaborative supplier and a visionary who demonstrates, through real installations, what’s possible with FRP.

Coastal Design is beginning a new marina installation in March 2026 that will use all FRP pilings along the dock. The customer wanted a structure that would last nearly forever, and Coastal Design plans to deliver that with the help of composite waterfront materials.