Real Destin seawall prices from a public bid
The local benchmark: in 2019, two contractors bid the City of Destin's Clement Taylor Park seawall replacement. Per foot, the bids ran about $648 to $905 in vinyl and $716 to $1,182 in corrugated aluminum. Those prices included anchors, a cap, backfill and removal of the old wall. Destin bid comparison, RFB 19-17-REC
The job replaced a storm-damaged bay seawall in a city park. The bid form used 325 linear feet, and the specification describes a wall about 12 feet high. Destin bid comparison
| Bidder | Vinyl total | Vinyl per foot | Aluminum total | Aluminum per foot |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Live Flyer, Inc. (low bid) | $210,752 | $648 | $232,852 | $716 |
RBM Contracting Services | $294,000 | $905 | $384,000 | $1,182 |
The same plans drew bids about 40% apart in vinyl and 65% apart in aluminum. A gap that wide is a strong reason to get more than one itemized bid.
| Line item | Unit price | Quantity bid |
|---|---|---|
Vinyl sheet panels | $280 per linear foot | 325 LF |
Corrugated aluminum sheet panels | $348 per linear foot | 325 LF |
Fiber-reinforced plastic cap | $53 per square foot | As bid |
Deadman anchors | $232 each | 66 |
Aluminum tie rods | $518 each | 66 |
Backfill | $236 per cubic yard | 182 CY |
Removal of the existing seawall | $31 per linear foot | 325 LF |
The vinyl panels themselves came to $91,000, less than half of the low vinyl total. Anchors, tie rods, backfill, the cap and demolition made up the rest. Low bidder unit prices
Council awarded the aluminum option on January 6, 2020, even though vinyl was cheaper. FEMA's cost proposal had recommended aluminum to match the existing wall. Destin Council minutes The city's own property policy excluded the seawall, so it planned the work around FEMA Public Assistance with a state share. Destin staff memo
What those bids mean at 50, 75 and 100 feet
Here is what those 2019 per-foot bids come to at three common wall lengths. Use them as a yardstick, not a quote for your lot.
| Wall length | Vinyl, low bid ($648/ft) | Vinyl, second bid ($905/ft) | Aluminum, low bid ($716/ft) | Aluminum, second bid ($1,182/ft) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
50 feet | $32,400 | $45,200 | $35,800 | $59,100 |
75 feet | $48,600 | $67,800 | $53,700 | $88,600 |
100 feet | $64,800 | $90,500 | $71,600 | $118,200 |
Read these numbers as a starting point, not a forecast. They are 2019 prices for a 12-foot public wall. The bid items do not include design, surveys or permits, and they predate Hurricane Isaias. Destin bid comparison
Do not apply a replacement rate to a cap repair, a sinkhole or one cracked panel. Those jobs are priced by the item, not by the foot of new wall.
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The questions cover signs shown in the City of Holmes Beach seawall manual (pages 5–13): soil loss, wall movement, open joints and damaged concrete.
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Repair prices by type
These are repair estimates for one public shoreline in Shalimar, written by a contractor and attached to a July 2026 county agenda. They are lump sums for that site, not prices per foot.
| Work | Amount | What the price covers | Area and source |
|---|---|---|---|
Remove old pilings | $5,000–$10,000 | lump sum; contractor's rough estimate; no wall length stated | Shalimar county shoreline, July 2026 Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners |
Top-dress existing riprap | $5,000–$10,000 | lump sum; contractor's rough estimate; no wall length stated | Shalimar county shoreline, July 2026 Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners |
Excavate along the wall, new filter fabric and backfill | $20,000–$30,000 | lump sum; contractor's rough estimate; no wall length stated | Shalimar county shoreline, July 2026 Okaloosa County Board of County Commissioners |
What to include in your price
Ask for a written list of what the price covers. On the Emerald Coast, include these items when you plan the total budget.
- Survey with cap, yard and neighbor-wall elevations in NAVD88, soil probing and signed engineering plans.
- Water or land access: barge, crane, staging, and protection of the yard, dock and neighbor walls.
- Old-wall removal or cut-off, new sheets, tiebacks or deadmen, filter fabric, backfill and the cap.
- Riprap facing or toe stone where DEP or local rules require it on the bay, with tons and stone size.
- Dock and boat lift removal and resetting, plus dock wiring, water and lights.
- City or county permit, DEP and Army Corps applications and fees, Notice of Commencement, inspections and final survey.
- Lawn and irrigation repair, cleanup, warranty terms, and unit prices for extra anchors, fill or rock.
Why a park bid is not your residential quote
Public bids are the only verified per-foot bulkhead prices we found for this area. We found no Panhandle contractor that publishes per-foot bulkhead pricing. Still, a public job differs from a backyard wall in ways that move the price both up and down.
- Bonding and paperwork. Public contracts carry bid forms, bonds, insurance minimums and inspection by the owner's engineer. A private job may not.
- Scope. The Destin park job was a 12-foot-high wall with 66 deadman anchors and a 15-foot extension. Your wall may be shorter, lower or simpler.
- Mobilization. Getting a crew, barge and crane to the site is a fixed cost. Okaloosa's Veterans Park shoreline bid listed mobilization at $752,400 as its own line. On a short home wall, that cost spreads over fewer feet.
- Funding rules. The Destin job could not start until FEMA funding was obligated and the Army Corps permit was issued.
- Timing. These are 2019 prices. Storm repairs after Isaias may compete for the same crews.
Sources: Destin bid comparison Veterans Park bid tab Destin Council minutes
Other public seawall and shoreline numbers
Most local public records give a lump sum with no wall length. Those totals cannot be turned into a per-foot price, so this guide does not try.
| Project | Year | Amount | Length stated? | What the amount covers |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Destin, "Seawall at 1 Harbor Blvd" | FY 2027 budget | $125,000 | No | $6,250 construction management, $6,250 inspection and $112,500 permitting and construction. A budget, not a bid. Destin FY 2027 budget |
Destin, Gulf Shore Drive state park estimate | 2026 | $150,000 seawall stabilization; $500,000 dock retrofit | No | Lump sums in a planning estimate. Destin council packet |
Okaloosa, Veterans Park living shoreline | 2025 | About $4.6 million | Over 2,200 LF in the grant | 16 breakwaters, boardwalk, marsh and coir logs. About $2,100 per foot or less at award. Okaloosa agenda |
Okaloosa, Shalimar county shoreline | 2026 | About $50,000 | No | Touch-up repairs to riprap and fabric instead of replacement. Okaloosa agenda |
Walton, Grady Brown Park seawall renovation | 2018 | About $638,000 | No | Seawall, boat docks and piers together. Walton BCC minutes |
Walton, Legion Park seawall improvements | 2019 | Up to $388,228 | No | Seawall and drainage. Walton BCC minutes |
Walton, Kellogg Park seawall replacement | 2019 | $305,000 (estimate $367,000) | No | Seawall replacement. Walton BCC minutes |
The Walton park awards state no wall length, so no Walton per-foot figure appears anywhere on this site. The design fees are still useful: a 2018 county task order for Kellogg Park seawall design ran up to $26,917. Walton task orders
Riprap prices: cheap stone, costly placement
Riprap is loose rock placed at the toe of a wall or on a sloped bank. The stone is not the expensive part. Getting it to the water and placing it is.
| Item | Price | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
Riprap, picked up | $27 per ton | Okaloosa County aggregate contract, 2023, for ditch work. Okaloosa contract amendment |
Riprap, delivered | About $38 per ton | Same contract. Delivered, not placed. |
Marine armor stone, placed | About $248 per ton | Veterans Park shoreline bid, 5,000 tons, to an FDOT rubble spec. Veterans Park bid tab |
The two stones are not the same product, so the gap is not all placement. Still, it shows why barge work and marine-grade rock drive riprap prices. State rules for riprap at a seawall toe call for boulders or clean concrete rubble 1 to 3 feet across, with no rebar. DEP riprap general permit
See riprap and toe protection for when rock makes sense.
Permit fees in Destin, Okaloosa and Walton
Permit fees are small next to construction, but some local charges are not. The examples below use a $60,000 contract. We worked them out from each published schedule. The office sets the final fee.
| Office | Fee rule | At $60,000 of work |
|---|---|---|
City of Destin | $16.30 per $1,000 of construction cost for docks, boathouses, bulkheads or seawalls, plus a $33 planning fee and a $77 processing fee. State surcharges of 1% and 1.5% are added. Destin Resolution 25-10 | $978 + $33 + $77 = $1,088, before surcharges |
Destin marine application | $250 per residential application for Harbor Board and staff review. Destin Resolution 25-10 | Ask whether it still applies to staff-reviewed docks |
Destin Harbor and its canals | A Net Positive Environmental Benefit of 25% of construction cost for marinas, docks, piers or similar work in the harbor, paid before the permit issues. Destin LDC 11.05.02 | $15,000 if it applies. Ask Planning whether a seawall job triggers it. |
Okaloosa County (unincorporated, Shalimar, Cinco Bayou) | A $70 base fee plus the valuation table: $215 for the first $50,000 and $3 per $1,000 up to $100,000. Plan review is the greater of $25 or 20%. Docks are named; seawalls are not. Okaloosa building fees | $70 + $245 = $315, plus plan review |
Walton County | Seawalls and docks are priced on contract cost: $215 for the first $50,000 plus $3 per $1,000 to $100,000. Plan review is 10% of the permit fee, minimum $25. Walton Resolution 2025-70 | $245 + $25 = $270 |
Fort Walton Beach | $360.55 plus $5.25 per $1,000 for work valued at $50,001 to $100,000. Plan check adds 50% of the building fee. FWB fee schedule | Ask the city for the exact total |
Niceville | $75 plus $3.90 per $1,000 over $10,000, for work up to $75,000. Residential plan review adds 25%. Niceville fee schedule | $75 + $195 = $270, plus plan review |
Mary Esther | $95 plus $5.25 per $1,000 over $10,000, for work up to $75,000. Plan review is extra. Mary Esther Resolution 26-09 | About $358, plus plan review |
Walton County had set its building permit fees to $0 until September 30, 2026. We found no extension, so expect the normal schedule now. Walton fee abatement Walton Planning also lists a $45 coastal armoring permit and a $40 CCCL and DEP consistency review. Walton planning fees
| State review | Fee |
|---|---|
DEP: verify an exemption | $100 |
DEP: verify a general permit | $250 |
DEP: individual permit for a small project | $420 |
DEP coastal (CCCL): new Gulf-front armoring up to 100 feet | $3,000, plus $500 for each extra 50 feet |
DEP coastal (CCCL): minor reconstruction | $500, with 10% off if filed electronically |
Sources for state fees: Rule 62-4.050 Rule 62B-33.0085. Our permit guide explains which reviews your project needs.
What drives bulkhead cost on the Emerald Coast
Two walls of the same length can differ in price by tens of thousands of dollars. These are the local factors to ask about.
| Cost driver | Why it matters here |
|---|---|
Water or land access | A barge and crane cost more to bring in than a truck in the driveway. Tight lots, houses close to the wall and docks often force work from the water. |
Wall height and exposure | In FEMA's 1% storm, waves start at about 3 to 7 feet inside the bay, against about 12 to 22 feet on the Gulf. Okaloosa flood study Taller, more exposed walls need longer sheets and stronger anchors. |
Soil and embedment | Soft bottom means longer sheets. Probing or a soil boring answers this before the bid. |
Riprap facing | On the bay, DEP generally requires riprap facing on a permitted replacement, and Destin requires riprap in front of bay walls. Section 373.414(5) Destin LDC 11.01.10 That adds stone, fabric and placement. |
Dock and lift work | Removing and resetting a dock or lift adds labor. Some old docks will not survive removal. |
Permits and surveys | City, DEP and Army Corps review, plus surveys. Fort Walton Beach's Landing bid came in over the estimate, and the city blamed the long Army Corps wait. FWB staff report |
Few bidders | Niceville's Old Town Landing dock and pier drew only two bids, $2.85 million and $3.42 million. Niceville CRA packet |
Isaias demand | The preliminary NWS report lists seawall damage in Walton, Bay, Gulf and Franklin counties. NWS Tallahassee report Book early. |
Ask every bidder to mark how each item above is handled: included, an allowance or excluded. The budget planner helps you line them up.
Published dock and lift prices for the Destin area
One Pensacola-based contractor publishes 2026 dock prices by area. These are its marketing figures, with no stated method. They cover docks and lifts only, not bulkheads. [1]
| Area | Typical full dock project, as published |
|---|---|
Destin and Destin Harbor | $45,000 to $90,000 or more, dock and lift |
Fort Walton Beach and Okaloosa Island | $33,000 to $72,000 |
Niceville and Bluewater Bay | $30,000 to $57,000 |
Freeport | $24,000 to $48,000 |
The same page puts Destin and Fort Walton dock building at $45 to $90 per square foot. It predates Hurricane Isaias. We cite it as a price publisher only, with no partner relationship.
For a public example, Okaloosa County's 2020 contract for a 120-foot dock extension and wave fence at Poquito Bayou Park was $112,993.02. Okaloosa agenda See docks and boat lifts for how dock work ties into the wall.
How to compare two bulkhead quotes
A lower total often means a smaller scope. Put both quotes on the same lines before you compare.
| Line | What to confirm |
|---|---|
Measured length | Feet of wall, including the returns at each property line. |
Wall system | Sheet material and length, anchor type and spacing, cap type. |
Old wall | Removed, cut off, or left in place behind the new wall. |
Riprap | Tons or square feet, stone size and filter fabric. |
Access | Barge, land or both, and who restores the yard and dock. |
Permits and design | Who files the city, DEP and Army Corps applications, and who pays the fees. |
Allowances | Unit prices for extra anchors, fill or rock if conditions differ. |
Payment | Deposit size and milestones tied to inspections. |
Florida law sets rules on deposits, lien notices and licensing. Read our contractor check guide before you pay anything.
Local costs that change the math
A few local rules can cost more than the wall itself. Check yours before you compare bids.
- Destin Harbor & Holiday Isle: the 25% Net Positive Environmental Benefit can outweigh the permit fee many times over.
- Crystal Beach & Gulf-front Destin: FDEP's fee for new Gulf-front armoring starts at $3,000 for 100 feet.
- Fort Walton Beach: the city permit fee grows with the value of the work.
- Mary Esther: city fees are set below Fort Walton Beach's at every tier.
- Niceville & Boggy Bayou: expect few bidders. The city's Old Town Landing dock drew two.
Show sourcesHide sources
How to use these prices
Every number is copied with its source, year, unit and scope, and was checked on October 27, 2026. Per-foot rates come only from a public bid that states both a price and a length. That bid is the City of Destin's 2019 Clement Taylor Park seawall, 325 linear feet long. Public park bids carry bonding, mobilization and public-contract requirements that a home job may not. They also predate Hurricane Isaias. For both reasons, they are not residential averages. Public lump sums without a stated length are never converted into per-foot rates. We found no Panhandle contractor that publishes per-foot bulkhead prices.
Price and technical sources
- Florida Dock Builder (Gulf Coast Marine Construction), Pensacola. How Much Does a Dock Cost in Pensacola, FL? (2026 Pricing Guide). Okaloosa and Walton Counties, Florida (contractor service area). Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- City of Destin, January 6, 2020 City Council Meeting Packet, Item 2019-2043: Approval to award bid, RFB 19-17-REC Clement Taylor Park Replacement of Existing Seawall (bid comparison and bid forms)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Okaloosa County BCC Agenda Request: Review of Due Diligence Requirements for the Waterfront Property in Shalimar (July 14, 2026), with attached Seawall Inspection Report dated April 15, 2026Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- City of Destin, Minutes of January 6, 2020 Regular City Council Meeting, Consent Agenda item 6CSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Okaloosa County BCC Agenda Packet, February 4, 2025, Bid Tabulation Sheet, Veteran's Park Shoreline Restoration Project (packet p. 1020)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- City of Destin, September 8, 2026 Regular City Council Meeting Agenda Packet (FY 2027 Tentative Budget, CIP project 100098; draft Budget Workshop #3 minutes)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- City of Destin, September 23, 2026 Special City Council Meeting Agenda Packet (Norriego Point / Holiday Isle state park materials)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Walton County BCC Regular Meeting Minutes, October 15, 2018Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Walton County BCC Regular Meeting Minutes, March 12, 2019Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Walton County BCC Regular Meeting Minutes, June 10, 2019 (estimate from April 23, 2019 minutes)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Walton County BCC Regular Meeting Minutes, April 10, 2018Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Okaloosa County Contract C22-3258-PW Rip Rap Amendment (BCC June 20, 2023)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- 62-330.431 General Permit for Installation of RiprapSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Resolution 25-10, Schedule of Fees, Section 2: Building Permits and Developer FeesSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Destin LDC 11.05.02.N; also Resolution 25-10 fee schedule (324210/324220 and 341940)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Inspection & Permitting FeesSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Resolution 2025-70 Permit FeesSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- City of Fort Walton Beach Comprehensive Fee Schedule, November 18, 2025 (page 10, Building Permit Fees)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- City of Niceville - Community Development Fee ScheduleSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Agenda Packet, Special City Council Meeting, City of Mary Esther, May 18, 2026, Item 8.2 Resolution 26-09 (Exhibit A fee schedule)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Resolution 2025-58 Permit Fee AbatementSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Resolution 2023-26 Planning and Development Services Schedule of FeesSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- 62-4.050 Procedure to Obtain Permits and Other Authorizations; ApplicationsSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- 62B-33.0085 Application FeesSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Flood Insurance Study, Okaloosa County, FIS 12091CV000B, Table 16Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- 2026 Florida Statutes s. 373.414Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Destin LDC Sec. 11.01.10 Bay shoreline protection zoneSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- City of Fort Walton Beach City Council Regular Meeting, February 14, 2023, Item: Award of ITB 23-002 - Fort Walton Beach Landing Improvements - Phase I (agenda and minutes)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Niceville CRA Board Meeting Agenda, August 12, 2025 (with Procurement Services memo dated August 5, 2025)Source reviewed 2026-10-27
- Post Tropical Cyclone Report - Hurricane Isaias - NWS Tallahassee (updated 10/24/2026), with WaterLevel CSV and Impact NarrativesSource reviewed 2026-11-05
- Okaloosa County BCC Regular Meeting, November 17, 2020 (agenda outline)Source reviewed 2026-10-27