Waterfront owners call about these structures for a few reasons. A dock is rotted or storm-damaged. An old seawall is cracking, leaning or letting soil leak through. A house is being torn down and the new one comes with a new dock, lift and wall. In every case the first question is the same: what's allowed in the water, and in what order? Get that wrong and a simple job turns into a stop-work order or a washed-out yard.
What comes out
The waterfront structures we're asked about
Docks and piers
Wood or concrete decking on pilings. Decking, framing and stringers come off, and the pilings are pulled or cut, depending on what the permit allows and what's being built next.
Boat lifts
Lifts on their own pilings or attached to the dock. The motors, cables, cradles and any electrical work have to be disconnected and removed before the structure comes down.
Seawalls
Concrete caps, panels, sheet piles and the anchors behind them. A seawall holds the land up, so it's usually replaced, not just removed.
Davits, platforms and rip-rap
Boat davits, floating platforms and loose rock along the wall. These are small items, but they still sit in regulated water and need to be in the scope.
Approvals
Who has a say over work in the water
Your city or county building department
Demolition, docks, lifts and seawalls usually need a building permit, and electrical work for a lift needs its own approval.
The county environmental agency
In Miami-Dade, work in or over tidal waters generally goes through DERM. In Broward, the county's environmental permitting handles a general license for minor dock and seawall work and a full license for larger projects. Palm Beach County has its own review as well.
The state
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection regulates work in surface waters. Some repairs and replacements are exempt, but the exemptions have strict conditions, like how far waterward a new wall can go and whether seagrass is nearby.
The federal government
Structures in navigable waters can also need authorization from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Your marine contractor or engineer will know which applies to your site.
The big one
Why a seawall rarely comes out on its own
It's holding your yard
A seawall keeps the soil behind it from sliding into the water. Remove it without a new wall and the yard, the patio and sometimes the pool deck can erode into the canal.
Replace it in the right order
Often the new wall is built just waterward of the old one, within the limits the permits allow, and then the old cap and panels come out. Sometimes the old wall is removed in sections as the new one goes in. Your engineer decides.
Broward's height standard
Broward County has a minimum height for tidal flood barriers, including seawalls. When a property's seawall is substantially rebuilt, which the county defines as work along more than half of the shoreline, the whole shoreline has to be brought up to the standard. Cities enforce it through their own ordinances, so check yours.
Habitat on the face
Broward's standard also calls for natural limerock rip-rap or another approved habitat feature on the waterward face of a new wall. Plan for it in the design.
The process
How a waterfront demolition goes
Survey and design
A survey shows the property line, the mean high water line, the existing structures and any seagrass. If a new wall or dock is coming, the engineer designs it before anything is removed.
Permits
Building, county environmental, state and, when needed, federal approvals are lined up. The permits set the limits: what comes out, where the new work goes and what protections are required.
Disconnect the lift and dock power
A licensed electrician disconnects and makes safe any wiring for lifts, dock lights and outlets before the crew starts.
Set turbidity barriers
Floating curtains go into the water around the work to keep mud and debris in the work area. They have to be secured, monitored and kept out of the way of manatees.
Watch for manatees
Standard manatee conditions on permits commonly require stopping equipment when a manatee comes within 50 feet of the work, and keeping boats at idle speed nearby.
Take it apart and get it out
Decking, framing, lift parts and wall sections come out from land or from a barge, depending on access. Debris that falls in the water gets pulled out, not left on the bottom.
Build the replacement and close out
The new wall, dock or lift goes in under its permits, the barriers come out once the water clears, and the permits get their final inspections.
The price
What drives the cost of waterfront demolition
| Item | Factor | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Access | Working from the yard is simpler. When the only way in is by water, a barge and marine crew are needed | |
| Permits | Environmental approvals take time and design work, especially when a new wall or dock is part of it | |
| Pilings | Pulling old pilings is harder than cutting them, and the permit may decide which is allowed | |
| Seawall condition | A failing wall needs careful sequencing so the yard doesn't slide while the work is underway | |
| Protection | Turbidity barriers, manatee watch and protection of neighboring docks and walls add time | |
| Hauling | Treated wood, concrete and steel each go to a different place, and barge loads add cost | |
| What replaces it | A new wall built to today's height standard is a separate, larger project than the removal itself |
Ask whether the quote includes the environmental permits, turbidity barriers, piling removal and the hauling, and whether it's for removal only or removal and replacement.
Related
Keep reading
Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to remove a dock in Florida?
Usually, yes. Docks sit in or over regulated water, so removal can need a city or county building permit and, depending on the site, approval from the county environmental agency, the state or the Army Corps. Your marine contractor should confirm what applies before work starts.
Can I remove a seawall without replacing it?
Rarely. A seawall holds the soil behind it. Remove it without a new wall and the yard can erode into the water. In almost every case the old wall comes out as a new one goes in, in an order your engineer sets.
What is Broward County's seawall height requirement?
Broward has a minimum elevation standard for tidal flood barriers, including seawalls. When a seawall is substantially rebuilt, meaning work along more than half of the property's shoreline, the entire shoreline has to meet it. Check the current standard and your city's ordinance with your engineer.
Who handles dock and seawall permits in Miami-Dade?
Along with the building department, work in or over tidal waters in Miami-Dade generally goes through the county's environmental department, DERM. State and federal approvals can also apply.
What are turbidity barriers?
Floating curtains placed in the water around the work to keep mud and debris from spreading. Permits usually require them for in-water work, and they have to be secured and monitored so they don't trap manatees.
What happens if a manatee shows up during the work?
Standard manatee permit conditions commonly require stopping equipment when a manatee comes within 50 feet of the work, and waiting until it leaves on its own. Crews can't chase it away.
This article is general information, not legal or engineering advice. Environmental rules, exemptions and seawall standards vary by county and city and change over time. Confirm requirements with your building department, your county environmental agency and a licensed marine engineer before any work in or near the water.