Dock Cost - Southern California, California

Building a Dock

• Dock cost in $32 to $44 per square foot in Southern California, California.

Boat Dock Cost Considerations in Southern California, California

Methods Used to Prepare Dock Cost Estimates

Many dock projects are priced on a per square foot basis. This is a reasonable approach if you are building a simple dock with no stairs, boat house covers, wenches, water, or electricity. Because of these types of variations, it is most likely that the contractor will use a time and materials approach to developing a quote. They will ask what you want to include, and then prepare a quote based on the number of hours it takes to construct the dock and the price of the materials. If you are interested finding out how much it will cost to build a dock in your area, request a price quote.

Reasons for Dock Price Variances

Dock contractors use a combination of methods to evaluate and price projects. They take a number of factors into consideration that impact the cost of the project, including:

• The type of dock installed (floating vs permanent). Floating docks are typically constructed of modular metal panels. Permanent docks are typically constructed of treated wood. In general, permanent docks are more expensive. However, even though floating docks are generally less expensive to install, it is likely that you may not have a choice as to whether you install a permanent dock if you live in a cold weather climate where the body of water the dock is on freezes in the winter. In such cases, floating docks are often preferred.


• The type of decking used. Pine is less expensive than composite materials such as Trex.


• The location of the project. Some cities are more expensive than others.


• Electricity. Adding electricity to the dock increases the price.


• Water. Adding water increases the cost.


• Wenches and lifts. Adding wenches and lifts increases the cost.


• Covered boat houses. If you add a cover to your dock or boat house, costs will increase.


• Stairs and seating. Building stairs and seating areas will increase costs.

Questions to Ask Your Dock Contractor

• Does the contractor have appropriate licensing?


• Does the contractor have insurance (including workers compensation)?


• Does the dock project require a permit? If so, will they obtain it on your behalf?


• What materials will be used (wood, composite, etc.)? Ask for samples of wood materials or decking materials that the contractor proposes to use.


• What roofing materials are going to be used (asphalt shingles, metal roof)? Request to see a sample of the material that is going to be installed.


• If a wench or lift is going to be installed, request a name, brand and model number so you can research the quality of the equipment.