Behind the Gates of a Delray Beach Mega-Mansion: Our Structural Seawall & Dive Inspection Reveals Hidden Failures Beneath the Waterline

Published On - November 22, 2025

MyFloridaPros Seawall Inspections
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Behind the Gates of a Delray Beach Mega-Mansion: Our Structural Seawall & Dive Inspection Reveals Hidden Failures Beneath the Waterline

When a waterfront mega-mansion in Delray Beach, Florida contacted our team with concerns about subtle cracking along their dock and minor soil settlement near the seawall, they assumed it was just “routine aging.” But what our comprehensive Structural Seawall Inspection uncovered—both above and below the waterline—told a very different story.

This was not a basic visual inspection.
This was an engineered investigation led by Professional Structural Engineer J. Fernando Rodriguez, PE, with underwater dive support performed by our Certified Master Inspector Roger Morales, MS Eng, and our specialized team of certified seawall divers.

A Mega-Mansion With a Mega Problem

The property sits on one of Delray Beach’s most prestigious waterfront canals—deep water access, yacht-ready, and lined with multi-million-dollar estates. Everything looked perfect from the outside: lush landscaping, a 100-ft private dock, and a massive reinforced concrete seawall.

But the owners did the right thing—they called us after noticing small warning signs:

  • Minor cracking along the cap

  • Soft soil pockets near the turf

  • Dock-piling vibrations during wakes

  • Slight leaning at one corner of the seawall

These red flags are often the early symptoms of a deeper structural failure.

Phase 1: Above-Water Structural Inspection

Engineer J. Fernando Rodriguez, PE led a full evaluation of the seawall structure:

  • Seawall cap integrity

  • Tie-back/anchor alignment

  • Concrete spalling checks

  • Racking and deflection measurements

  • Soil settlement patterns

  • Dock-to-seawall structural transitions

The land-based inspection suggested possible undermining, but to confirm the extent of damage, we had to go underwater.

Phase 2: Professional Dive Inspection — The Real Story Revealed

Our dive team suited up with:

  • Underwater LED torch systems

  • High-resolution 4K dive cameras

  • Tactile probing tools for void detection

  • Depth gauges & footing measurement equipment

Under the supervision of Engineer Rodriguez and Inspector Morales, our divers began the systematic sweep.

What they found was severe structural undermining.

Underwater Findings:

✔ 18–24 inches of washed-out soil beneath the seawall
✔ Exposed rebar along multiple sections of the footing
✔ Deep voids forming tunnels behind the wall
✔ Horizontal cracking below the waterline not visible from land
✔ Evidence of long-term tidal scouring
✔ Several tie-backs showing corrosion at the anchor plates

This level of hidden deterioration is exactly why underwater inspections are critical in Florida’s coastal environment.

Why the Undermining Was So Dangerous

Undermining of a seawall means water has penetrated behind the structure, eroding the foundation soils that provide lateral support.

Left unaddressed, this can lead to:

  • Loss of land

  • Seawall rotation

  • Dock instability

  • Sinkholes

  • Catastrophic seawall failure

  • Damage to the home’s foundation

For a property of this scale, failure would be a multimillion-dollar disaster.

Our Professional Engineering Recommendations

After the inspection, our engineering team prepared a full structural report with:

  • HD above- and underwater photographs

  • GPS-tagged dive findings

  • Severity mapping of undermined zones

  • Load pathway review

  • Repair recommendations including:

    • Pressure grout injection

    • Seawall footing rebuild

    • Installation of new tie-backs

    • Riprap reinforcement for scour control

    • Potential future seawall replacement sections

All findings were signed and sealed by Professional Engineer J. Fernando Rodriguez, PE, with inspection data gathered by Roger Morales, MS Eng, Certified Master Inspector & Level II Thermographer.

The Value of True Expert Seawall Inspections

Most companies only perform visual surface-level assessments.
Very few firms in Florida have:

  • Licensed structural engineers

  • Certified Master Inspectors

  • Professional underwater dive teams

  • Marine-grade engineering equipment

  • Forensic inspection capabilities

This is what makes our seawall division uniquely qualified to diagnose the problems others never catch.

Serving All of South Florida’s Waterfront Properties

Our team provides full structural seawall inspections, dive inspections, engineering repair reports, and forensic marine evaluations for properties throughout:

  • Delray Beach

  • Boca Raton

  • Palm Beach

  • Boynton Beach

  • Highland Beach

  • Fort Lauderdale

  • Miami Beach

  • Jupiter

  • Lighthouse Point

Whether it’s a mega-mansion, a private dock, or a commercial marina—we deliver precise structural answers backed by engineering science.

If your waterfront property shows even minor cracking, soil settlement, or dock movement, do not wait. The damage beneath the surface may already be worse than you think.

Call us today for a professional above-and-below structural seawall inspection by Florida’s leading engineering and dive-inspection team.