Port Salerno, Martin County
Demolition in Port Salerno
Manatee Pocket made Port Salerno a fishing settlement in the 1920s, and fish houses and net racks once lined Dixie Highway. On October 9, 2024, two tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton, rated EF1 and EF2, struck here. A storm-damaged building in this community is a permit question before it is a demolition job.
Martin County's recovery guide says storm demolition still needs a permit, though post-storm fees are waived and review is expedited while those measures are active. Debris and tree removal need no permit under the same guide. If the owner hopes to repair instead, the substantial damage letter comes first: in a flood hazard area, damage of 50 percent or more of market value means bringing the building up to current flood rules.
The working waterfront sits at the south end of Manatee Pocket, and the Port Salerno Community Redevelopment Area, created in 1999, counts the commercial fishing docks among its focuses. Ground by the Pocket is tidal. Romco self-performs dewatering and deep foundations, so a cut below the water line is sequenced inside our own schedule.
Sources: Wikipedia: Port Salerno, Florida · Port Salerno commercial fishing history (TCPalm reprint) · Martin County: CRA annual report 2025 · Florida Division of Emergency Management: market value guidance
Who permits demolition in Port Salerno
Martin County Building Department
Port Salerno is unincorporated; the county issues the demolition permit. Substantial damage and substantial improvement letters come through the county's online permit system or a request for service to Public Works. Confirm the current recovery rules with the department.
Official pageSummary only, not legal advice. Once Romco is hired, the permit is filed in our name as contractor of record. Martin guide to demolition permits
What we quote in Port Salerno
Demolition quoted in this area
- Interior demolitionStrip-outs to the studs or the slab, with the survey and the floor plans settled first.Interior demolition in Martin →
- Selective demolitionOne part of a building comes off; the rest stays standing and in use.Selective demolition in Martin →
- Commercial demolitionPlazas, offices, restaurants and warehouses, sequenced around utilities and the next use.Commercial demolition in Martin →
- House demolitionTeardowns planned around what the lot may hold next and the steps the checklist skips.House demolition in Martin →
- Structural demolitionMulti-story and coastal buildings down to the foundation, with deep work self-performed.Structural demolition in Martin →
- Concrete removalSlabs, drives, patios and footings broken out, hauled and graded.Concrete removal in Martin →
- Pool removalPartial fill-in or full shell removal, with the access route and the permit settled first.Pool removal in Martin →
- Mobile home demolitionMobile and manufactured homes taken down, with the hookups and the pad dealt with.Mobile home demolition in Martin →
- Storm damage demolitionStorm-damaged buildings made safe and taken down under the county's recovery rules.Storm damage demolition in Martin →
- Site clearingLots cleared for building, in the order the county's tree and clearing rules set.Site clearing in Martin →
- Asbestos coordinationThe licensed survey, the FDEP notice and the abatement firm, coordinated around the work.Asbestos coordination in Martin →
- Accessory structure demolitionSheds, detached garages, guest cottages and outbuildings, permitted and hauled.Accessory structure demolition in Martin →
- Something else?Demolition of every type is quoted, large or small. Missing from the list? Call us and tell us what it is.Call (772) 310-3298 →
The sequence
Six stages, start to closed permit
Romco Builders is a licensed Florida general contractor, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. A carport and a commercial building follow these stages in the same order.
Describe the job
Phone or use the form. Tell us the address, what comes down and what stays. Photos or a survey help.
Site visit
We look at the structure, the live services, access for trucks, trees, the seawall or water's edge, and any association rules.
A written scope and quote
Removal, protection, hauling and anything that hangs on the asbestos survey appear as separate lines.
Notices, releases, permit
The licensed survey and FDEP notice where required, the utility releases, then the application to the correct office.
Demolition and hauling
Work follows the agreed order, and debris goes to the county transfer facility in Palm City or another licensed site.
Inspection and close
The final inspection passes and the permit closes, leaving a level lot or the shell you specified.
Questions
Demolition in Port Salerno
Can a Milton-damaged building in Port Salerno come down without a permit?
No. The county's recovery guide still requires a permit for storm demolition, although it waives post-storm fees and expedites review when those measures are in effect. Clearing storm debris and fallen trees needs no permit under the same guide. Confirm what is active for your parcel with the Martin County Building Department before anything is pulled down.
What drives the cost of a demolition?
Six things move the number most: the building's size and construction, what the asbestos survey finds, the utility and septic work to coordinate, site access, debris weight, and what the permit office requires. There is no published rate card, because a guess is worse than none. Send the property survey and photos, and we return a written number after we walk the site.
Is an asbestos inspection required before a Martin teardown?
For most buildings, yes. FDEP requires a thorough inspection by a state-licensed consultant before any planned demolition it covers, and a notice to its Southeast District at least 10 working days ahead, even when no asbestos turns up. We arrange the survey with an independent licensed consultant and bring in a licensed abatement firm if needed. Romco does not abate asbestos.
How long before the work can start?
We do not promise dates, because the lead items belong to others. FDEP needs its notice at least 10 working days ahead where it applies, Sunshine 811 needs at least 2 full business days, and FPL sets its own disconnect date. Permit review depends on the office. When each of those dates is set, the order of work goes to you in writing.
Other Martin cities: Stuart · Palm City · Jensen Beach · Hobe Sound · Hutchinson Island · Jupiter Island · Sewall's Point · Indiantown · Ocean Breeze · Unincorporated Martin County · Rio · Golden Gate · Port Mayaca
Every type and size, across Martin County
Send the address and the scope. We will quote it.
Romco Builders is a licensed Florida general contractor, headquartered in Fort Lauderdale. One wall or an entire building, every quote comes back as a written scope with a number attached.