Dock Construction cost in St. Augustine, FL
St. Augustine, FL · updated August 2026
$27,200
Typical local cost
$9,400 – $89,100
Typical range
- per sq ft of dock
- $50 – $150
- Permit
- Yes
- Typical timeline
- 2-5 weeks of work
Installed, local pricing
$350 – $2,000 in fees
2-5 weeks of work, 4-12 months including environmental review
St. Augustine runs +5% against the U.S. average · data confidence Medium · modeled estimate, not a quote
The modeled midpoint for St. Augustine is $27,200. The local adjustment for this trade is x1.048 — driven mainly by St. Johns County labor rates and 90% exposure to local code requirements.
Estimate your St. Augustine job
Priced with this market's cost index, so the calculator, the size table and the ranges on this page all agree.
Deck area
320 sq ft
- Decking (linear feet)
- 696 lf
- 16 ft boards needed
- 44 boards
- Joists
- 16 at 16" o.c.
- Footings
- 8
- Installed cost estimate
- $12,828 – $20,373
Priced for St. Augustine (local adjustment x1.048).
Estimates only. Local pricing, site conditions and code requirements change the real number.
Cost by project size
Generated from the same unit pricing the calculator uses.
| Project size | Estimated range |
|---|---|
| 150 sq ft of dock | $7,500 – $22,500 |
| 200 sq ft of dock | $10,000 – $30,000 |
| 250 sq ft of dock | $12,500 – $37,500 |
| 325 sq ft of dock | $16,300 – $48,800 |
| 425 sq ft of dock | $21,300 – $63,800 |
Based on St. Augustine pricing of $50–$150 per sq ft of dock.
Where the money goes
- Labor
- $16,300
- 57% of median
- Materials
- $10,900
- 38% of median
- Permit & fees
- $1,175
- 4% of median
St. Augustine project costs+5% vs U.S. average
Based on St. Johns County labor rates, local material logistics and permit-fee posture for this trade.
What the project looks like start to finish
Typical sequence for this scope. Timing varies with contractor backlog and plan-review queues.
01
Planning & quotes
Scope, material choice, contractor selection
02
Permit application
Filed with City of St. Augustine building department
03
Materials & staging
Order lead time on non-stock materials
04
Installation
2-5 weeks of work, 4-12 months including environmental review
05
Inspection
Piling inspection, Framing inspection, Electrical inspection for dock power, Final inspection
06
Closeout
Final sign-off, warranty and documentation
St. Augustine labor intelligence
What the trade charges here, and how much of your price it is.
Loaded hourly rate
$77–$100
Waterfront crews in St. Johns County · 0% vs U.S. ($88/hr)
Typical crew
4 × 6 days
On-site time for a typical dock job here.
Labor in the price
$16,300
60% of the median — the rest is material, disposal and permit.
Because labor is 60% of this job, St. Augustine wage levels move the price far more than material prices do. A quote well under this labor figure usually means a smaller crew, a longer schedule, or unlicensed help.
Basis: Hometriva labor model: national waterfront crew rates adjusted by the St. Johns County labor factor (x1.000). · BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, Hometriva methodology
Why St. Augustine differs from the national average
The local delta, broken into dollars by driver.
Code and inspection load+$925
Dock Construction carries 90% exposure to local code requirements, and this jurisdiction's review load indexes at x1.04.
Material and delivery+$300
Materials are nationally traded, so they move less — but delivery into this market runs 3% over baseline because of coastal logistics.
Basis: Decomposition of the modeled St. Augustine median against the U.S. median for this scope. · City of St. Augustine building department, Hometriva methodology
St. Augustine vs Florida vs the U.S.
Change the inputs, see your number
The same local model, run against your job instead of the average one.
Simulated dock construction in St. Augustine
$28,375
Likely range $10,575 – $90,275
Simulated from the same local model as the numbers above — it changes the inputs, not the pricing method.
What makes the number move
- Dock square footage and walkway length
- Water depth and piling count
- Boat lift capacity
- Decking material: pressure-treated, composite or Ipe
- Seagrass surveys and mitigation requirements
Who issues each permit
Tracked per discipline — the building permit issuer is not always the body that reviews electrical, plumbing, zoning or fire.
| Discipline | Issuing authority |
|---|---|
| building | City of St. Augustine building departmentModeled estimate |
| electrical | City of St. Augustine building departmentModeled estimate |
| mechanical | City of St. Augustine building departmentModeled estimate |
| plumbing | City of St. Augustine building departmentModeled estimate |
| zoning | City of St. Augustine building departmentModeled estimate |
| fire | City of St. Augustine building departmentModeled estimate |
Permit requirement in St. Augustine
Yes — a permit is required for dock construction in St. Augustine, FL. The work must be inspected before it can be closed out, and a licensed contractor generally has to pull the permit.
- Permitting authority
- City of St. Augustine building departmentModeled estimate
- Permit fee
- Estimated allowance $350–$2,000Modeled from comparable fee schedules — not an official quoted fee.
Inspections
- Piling inspection
- Framing inspection
- Electrical inspection for dock power
- Final inspection
Local conditions that change this job
Only the exposures that materially affect dock construction.
Coastal / salt-air exposure
Severe82/100
Named-storm exposure
High66/100
Flood zone exposure
High74/100
Historic district properties face additional design review that can add weeks to exterior projects.
Nearby market comparison
| Market | Local factor | Median | Per sq ft of dock |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Augustine (this page) | x1.048 | $27,200 | $50 – $150 |
| Jacksonville | x0.982 | $25,500 | $50 – $150 |
| Daytona Beach | x1.017 | $26,400 | $50 – $150 |
| Gainesville | x0.942 | $24,500 | $50 – $150 |
What St. Augustine homeowners actually paid
Homeowner-reported invoices for this market. Nothing is published until enough reports clear review, so this section is often empty in newer markets — adding yours takes 20 seconds and no personal details.
Quotes homeowners were given in St. Augustine
Quotes run ahead of final invoices. Reporting yours shows the local spread and where there is room to negotiate.
How Hometriva estimates St. Augustine dock costs
Hometriva does not publish invented city prices. The St. Augustine estimate for dock construction is produced by this chain, and every input is stored separately:
- National baseline$26,000
Typical U.S. cost for dock construction on a single-family home.
- Local labor factorx1.000
St. Augustine-area trade labor rates, weighted at 60% of this job.
- Material factorx1.029
Material and delivery pricing into St. Johns County, weighted at 40%.
- Regulatory factorx1.040
Local code, product-approval and inspection load, applied at 90% for this project type.
- Applied multiplierx1.048
Blended St. Augustine adjustment specific to dock construction.
- Permit component$350 – $2,000
Budgeted separately from the contract price because it is paid to the jurisdiction.
Because labor, material and regulatory factors are weighted per project, dock construction in St. Augustine carries a different local adjustment than other trades in the same market.
Reviewed by
Hometriva Cost Data Desk
Maintains the unit-cost baselines, local adjustment factors and material pricing. Reviewed for dock construction pricing in St. Augustine, FL.
- • National unit-cost baselines against current trade pricing
- • Local labor and materials factors for the market
- • Material installed-cost ranges and service life
Last reviewed August 2026 · Editorial standards · Report an error
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a permit to build a dock in Florida?
Always. A residential dock requires a local building permit plus state environmental authorization, and most waterways also require federal Army Corps review. Exemptions exist for very small private docks but must be confirmed in writing.
Do I need a permit for dock construction in St. Augustine, FL?
In most jurisdictions this work is permitted and inspected. Requirements are set locally, so confirm the current application and inspection checklist with your building department before work starts.
How long does dock construction take?
2-5 weeks of work, 4-12 months including environmental review. Permit review and inspection scheduling are usually the largest source of variation.
What changes the price the most?
The largest cost drivers are dock square footage and walkway length; water depth and piling count; boat lift capacity.
Sources
Sources & verification
- City of St. Augustine building department
- St. Augustine permit portal
- Florida Building Commission
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
Model vintage August 2026. The links above are the issuing agencies' own pages — we publish them so you can confirm the current rule yourself, not as evidence that each fact on this page was re-checked with them today. Cost figures are modeled estimates based on national baselines adjusted for local labor and material pricing, not quotes. Permit rules change; confirm with the building department before starting work.