One wall, 17 bids: what Bay County's 2026 seawall bids show
The same plans drew bids from $174,350 to about $998,000. The high bid was nearly six times the low one. That spread, not any single number, is the lesson for a homeowner. Bay County bid tabulation, ITB 26-55
Bay County opened 17 priced bids on September 9, 2026 for the Ira Hutchinson Park seawall replacement. Two more bids were rejected because they did not meet the bid rules.
The job is a new vinyl sheet pile wall (interlocking vinyl panels driven into the ground) with a concrete cap and two sets of stairs into the lake. The old wall is about 758 feet long, and about 130 feet of it sits on dry land and only needs to be torn out. The new wall is cantilevered: it holds itself up by how deep it is driven, with no tiebacks (anchor rods into the yard). Crews will build it from land, not from a barge. Bay County ITB 26-55 and addenda
| Bidder | Bid amount |
|---|---|
Gulf Coast Civil Services (low bid) | $174,350 |
Trinity Marine Construction | $350,000 |
Marshall Brothers | $354,959 |
BCL Civil Contractors | $358,970 |
Sea & Shoreline | $398,800 |
Florida Seawall Solutions | $450,675 |
Inland Construction | $472,868 |
Loftis Marine | $474,425 |
H. G. Harders & Son | $567,284 |
Earth Tech Enterprises (high bid) | $997,721 |
The county set aside $500,000 for the seawall part of the job. Eight of the ten bids above came in under that.
Treat these numbers as a range, not a price for your wall. This is a public park wall on a freshwater lake, the final award was not online when we checked, and the low bidder could still be disqualified. Your own price depends on access, soil, wall height and water depth.
What does a seawall building permit cost here?
Building permit fees scale with the value of the work. They are small next to construction, but they differ by who issues the permit. Check your parcel's jurisdiction first in the permits guide.
| Issuing office | Job valued at $60,000 | Job valued at $200,000 | Plan review |
|---|---|---|---|
Panama City Beach (residential table) | $300 | $760 | $25 |
Unincorporated Bay County | $325 | $1,050 | $75 residential, or a $90 minimum for unlisted work |
City of Panama City (residential) | $246 | $820 | $40 minimum; $80 at $200,000 |
Fee schedules: Panama City Beach, revised January 7, 2026; Bay County, 2026 tiers; Panama City, 2026 guide. Bay County 2026 fee tiers Panama City Beach fee schedule Panama City Beach review and penalty fees Panama City 2026 fee schedule
None of the three schedules has a seawall line. Bay County charges unlisted work on the applicant's declared value, and Panama City uses its own valuation of the permitted work. Ask which line staff will apply. Bay County fee rules
- All three add state surcharges of 1.0% and 1.5%, each with a $2 minimum.
- Panama City adds a $100 planning review for dock and boat structures. Panama City planning fee schedule
- Working without a permit costs double the fee or $100, whichever is greater, in Panama City Beach. In Bay County the penalty rises with each repeat offense. Bay County penalties
Port St. Joe and Gulf County fee schedules were not confirmed online. Call the office that issues your permit.
Worried about damage? Check the warning signs.Optional · 10 short questions · no contact details
Answer from what you already know. Stay on safe ground; do not go near the edge or into the water to check. You can choose “Not sure” for any question.
Skip this and go to the budget calculator
An inspection can help answer the questions you were unsure about.
An on-site inspection is needed to assess the wall’s condition. These answers help you explain what you have noticed.
Prepare for a professional assessment · Get help with this concern
Tell us about the concern and we’ll help you work out the next step.
Continue to the budget calculator. Your completed check will be included if you choose to download a budget brief.
What this check is based on
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.
Plan your seawall budget.
Three questions to get started. “Not sure” is welcome. No contact details needed.
Prefer to talk? Tell us about your projectTalk about your seawall project.
Tell us about the problem. We’ll call to discuss your options and help you plan the next steps toward getting it fixed.
You can ask for help with or without a calculator result.
What could your seawall cost?
No public record found in Bay or Gulf County shows what a private homeowner paid per foot for a seawall. This guide shows real public bids, FEMA worksheets and fee schedules instead, each with its year, place and scope.
Use the calculator below for a starting range, then price your own wall in writing, on one set of drawings, from at least three bidders. The closest local public example, a 2026 Bay County vinyl park wall, drew bids nearly six times apart on the same plans.
Repair prices by type
These are national ranges for small jobs. Structural repairs, such as panels, tiebacks or the toe of the wall, need an assessment and a written price.
| Work | Amount | What the price covers | Area and source |
|---|---|---|---|
Minor repair (not structural) | $100-$250 | per foot of wall; Repairs that do not touch the wall structure, such as small cracks and joints. Not based on Florida jobs. | United States (HomeGuide national guide, April 2023) [3] |
Tearing out an old wall | $50-$150 | per foot of wall; Removal and disposal of an old wall. Not based on Florida jobs. | United States (HomeGuide national guide, April 2023) [3] |
New-wall prices per foot
The local vinyl range comes from a public park wall that also included removing the old wall, a concrete cap and two sets of stairs. National guide ranges are not based on Florida jobs. Check whether removal, design, permits and cleanup cost extra.
| Material / work | Price per foot of wall | Area, included work and source |
|---|---|---|
Vinyl seawall, Bay County public bid | $560-$900 | Bay County (public bid, September 2026) · Bay County's 2026 Ira Hutchinson Park bids: the middle of the named bids ($350,000 to $567,284) divided by about 630 feet of new wall, rounded. Includes removing the old wall, a concrete cap and two sets of stairs; built from shore on a freshwater lake. The full spread of 17 bids ran from about $280 to $1,580 per foot. Bay County |
Vinyl seawall, national guide | $200-$550 | United States (HomeGuide national guide, April 2023) · Installed price for a vinyl seawall. Not based on Florida jobs. [3] |
Steel seawall, national guide | $200-$600 | United States (HomeGuide national guide, April 2023) · Installed price for a steel or concrete seawall. Not based on Florida jobs. [3] |
Concrete seawall, national guide | $200-$600 | United States (HomeGuide national guide, April 2023) · Installed price for a steel or concrete seawall. Not based on Florida jobs. [3] |
50-, 75- and 100-foot examples
Multiply the wall length by the price per foot. These examples use wall length to show construction costs. Add any work not included in the price per foot.
| Material / work | 50 feet | 75 feet | 100 feet |
|---|---|---|---|
Vinyl seawall, Bay County public bid | $28,000-$45,000 | $42,000-$67,500 | $56,000-$90,000 |
Vinyl seawall, national guide | $10,000-$27,500 | $15,000-$41,250 | $20,000-$55,000 |
Steel seawall, national guide | $10,000-$30,000 | $15,000-$45,000 | $20,000-$60,000 |
Concrete seawall, national guide | $10,000-$30,000 | $15,000-$45,000 | $20,000-$60,000 |
For example: 75 ft × $560-$900/ft = $42,000-$67,500. Check your wall length and what the price includes.
What to include in your price
Ask for a written list of what the price covers. Include the related work below when planning your total budget.
- Survey with NAVD88 elevations, soil information and an engineered, sealed seawall design.
- Removing the old wall, disposal, land or barge access and protection for the yard, dock and neighbors.
- Filter fabric, weep holes, backfill, tiebacks or deadmen, the cap, a riprap toe and dock or lift reconnection.
- DEP exemption or permit, Army Corps review, the local building permit, any CCCL permit, inspections and the Notice of Commencement.
- Lawn and paver restoration, cleanup, warranty terms, a reserve for hidden conditions and how long the quote holds.
State, federal and recording fees to add
| Item | Fee | Note |
|---|---|---|
DEP exemption verification | $100 | Optional confirmation that a repair qualifies Rule 62-4.050 |
DEP general permit verification | $250 | Same fee rule |
DEP individual permit, small project | $420 | Under 10 acres and under 1 acre of work in wetlands or surface waters |
CCCL permit for Gulf-front armoring | $3,000 up to 100 feet, plus $500 per added 50 feet | Return walls count toward length Rule 62B-33.0085 |
Recording a Notice of Commencement in Bay County | $10 for the first page, $8.50 for each added page | Bay County Clerk of Court Bay County Clerk fees |
Design is the larger soft cost. A 2026 Panama City Port Authority engineering task order for a wharf bulkhead listed hourly rates of $85 to $320. Port Authority agenda, June 2026 That is an industrial job, but it shows how one local engineering contract was priced.
Ask whether your bid includes the survey, engineering, permit fees and the Notice of Commencement, or whether you pay them directly.
What FEMA approved for public seawalls after storms
FEMA's public assistance records give real local amounts for storm repairs. They show estimated eligible cost, not bids, and they give no wall lengths.
| Project | Storm | FEMA project amount |
|---|---|---|
Parker, Cedar Avenue seawall and stairs | Michael, 2018 | About $92,000 OpenFEMA PW 756 |
Mexico Beach, wooden seawall at 36th Street North | Michael, 2018 | About $73,000 OpenFEMA PW 950 |
Panama City Marina bulkheads | Michael, 2018 | About $556,000, closed out OpenFEMA PW 1882 |
St. Andrews Marina bulkheads | Michael, 2018 | About $773,000 OpenFEMA PW 1971 |
Panama City access channel seawalls, two worksheets | Dennis, 2005 | About $81,000 and $238,000 OpenFEMA DR-1595 worksheets |
Treat these as public-facility figures with unknown scope. Even the small public seawall repairs after Michael ran well into five figures.
Heavy steel bulkheads: commercial context only
These are not home prices. They are tied-back steel walls for a marina and a shipyard, with deep piles, coatings and heavy anchors. They show the top of the local market, not a typical canal wall.
| Project | Wall | Price evidence | Roughly per foot |
|---|---|---|---|
St. Andrews Marina, Panama City | 2,644 feet of steel sheet pile with 25- to 50-foot piles, tie rods, concrete deadman piles (buried anchors) and a cap | $7.9 million in the 2024 budget; $9.9 million in 2026 proposed contractor costs | About $3,000 to $3,700 Panama City agenda, June 23, 2026 |
Eastern Shipbuilding Nelson facility, Bay County bid, March 2024 | About 924 feet of coated steel sheet pile with tiebacks and a welded steel cap | $7.1 million to $9.9 million in seawall lump sums | About $7,700 to $10,700 Bay County ITB 24-18 |
The wall is only part of a waterfront job. At St. Andrews, the 2026 pricing also carried railing, curb, a concrete deck, demolition and fill, for a total near $14.3 million before later additions. St. Andrews Marina pricing table
Prices also moved. The city's estimate rose from about $12.9 million in 2024 to $15.2 million once full plans existed and labor, concrete, steel and aluminum costs rose. Panama City memo, February 2026
Lowest price or proven experience?
Panama City's 2026 bid for 50 marina wet slips drew 14 bids, from about $2.9 million to $5.5 million on the same plans. Panama City bid tabulation, PC26-021
Staff and the engineer of record recommended a higher bidder at about $3.6 million. They found two of the three lowest bidders did not show the required five years of similar marine work. On August 25, 2026, the Commission voted 4-0 to award the job to the lowest bidder. Panama City Commission minutes, August 25, 2026
For a home seawall, ask every bidder for comparable marine jobs you can see and permits you can look up. Price alone does not show whether a crew has built a wall like yours. See how to verify a contractor.
Marine quotes expire
Mexico Beach's 2025 harbor jetty bids ran from about $4.3 million to $8.0 million. The approved FEMA amount at the time was between $2 million and $2.5 million. Mexico Beach weekly report, May 9, 2025
FEMA and the state later funded the project at the low bid. By then, the city noted, the contractor could hold prices for only 90 days and was re-pricing with suppliers. Mexico Beach weekly report, April 24, 2026
- Ask how long each quote holds.
- Ask what happens to the price if permits take longer than that.
- Ask which materials, such as steel or vinyl sheet, carry price-change clauses.
Dock costs: permit values and one published guide
Mexico Beach's weekly reports list declared values on residential dock and boat house permits. They are declarations on a permit, not verified prices, and the scope is not described.
| Permit date | Location | Declared value |
|---|---|---|
August 7, 2025 | A slip on Canal Parkway | |
August 25, 2025 | 35th Street North | |
October 20, 2026 | Boat Slip 38, Canal Parkway |
A Panama City cost page updated January 1, 2026 puts a standard wood floating dock at $25 to $28 per square foot installed. It excludes boat lifts, piling docks, electrical work and permit fees. [1]
That guide does not cover fixed docks on pilings, so ask for a separate price if that is what you have. Read docks and boat lifts for how dock work ties into the seawall.
National price guides: context, not local prices
National cost websites list prices per foot of wall. They are not based on Florida jobs and can be years old. Use them only as a rough check that a quote is not far off.
| Type of work | Price range |
|---|---|
Vinyl seawall | $200-$550 |
Steel or concrete seawall | $200-$600 |
Wood seawall | $150-$500 |
Riprap | $50-$200 |
Living shoreline | $50-$350 |
Minor repair (not structural) | $100-$250 |
Tearing out an old wall | $50-$150 |
Engineering plans | $2,000-$3,000 per project |
Commercial or high-erosion sites | $700-$2,000 or more |
The guide covers the whole country, including many lake homes. Skip its $100-$400 permit estimate and use the local and state fee tables above instead. [3]
Storm money does not pay for wear
After Hurricane Michael, Panama City received about $5 million in FEMA funding toward St. Andrews Marina, less than it claimed. FEMA cited deferred maintenance and non-storm wear. Panama City memo, February 2026
In December 2025, Mexico Beach reported that an insurance claim for its boat ramp and seawall was denied "due to erosion and runoff over time." Mexico Beach weekly report, December 5, 2025
Budget routine maintenance as your own cost. NFIP flood policies exclude seawalls and bulkheads, and My Safe Florida Home grants do not list shoreline work. NFIP seawall exclusion Section 215.5586, F.S.
Florida's PACE law lists seawall repairs and replacements as a qualifying residential improvement. Section 163.08, F.S. Ask whether a PACE program operates where you live and read the terms closely. See the seawall insurance guide and maintenance planning.
Local records that change the math
Fee schedules and public bids in a few areas show where money goes beyond the wall itself.
- Lynn Haven & North Bay: the city charges $1.00 per linear foot for a seawall permit, with a $50 minimum, and repairs pay half. Lynn Haven fee schedule
- Callaway & Parker on East Bay: Parker charges a $250 dock review fee that is not refunded, and every dock goes to a City Council vote. Parker dock form
- Grand Lagoon, Thomas Drive & Bay Point: ask bidders to price barge access on its own line. The State Road 392 bridge over the lagoon has 18 feet of clearance. Coast Pilot
- Southport, Bayou George & Deer Point Lake: the county budgeted $500,000 for the seawall portion of the Ira Hutchinson Park job, with about 758 feet of old wall in place. ITB 26-55 addenda
- Downtown Panama City, Massalina & Watson Bayous: the city rejected all downtown marina slip bids on October 13, 2026 and re-bid with a five-year marine history rule. Re-bid letter
Show sourcesHide sources
How to use these prices
Every figure on this page is copied from a dated public record or a labeled commercial guide, checked on October 28, 2026. The local vinyl range divides the middle of Bay County's named 2026 Ira Hutchinson Park bids ($350,000 to $567,284) by about 630 feet of new wall and rounds to the nearest $10. Steel, concrete, repair and removal ranges come from HomeGuide's 2023 national guide and are labeled as national. No private seawall contract prices were found in Bay or Gulf County records. Public marina and shipyard walls are shown separately as commercial context, with any per-foot figure labeled as rounded division by the stated length. No averages were computed.
Price and technical sources
- HomeGuide (Liaison, Inc.). 2026 Seawall Costs - Bulkhead & Lake Seawall Costs Per Foot. United States (national, not Panhandle-specific). Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- ProMatcher. Dock Cost - Panama City, Florida. Panama City, Florida. Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- 26-55 Solicitation TabulationSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- 26-55 Addendum 3 (Aug 31, 2026); also Addendum 1 (DocumentCenter/View/20819), Addendum 2 (View/21001) and ITB (View/20674)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- Building Safety Division Fee Schedule (2026 New Fee Schedule)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- City of Panama City Beach Building Division Fee ScheduleSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Permit Fee Schedule & Valuation Guide, 2026 Public ReferenceSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Fee Schedule (Planning and Land Use application fees)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- 62-4.050 Procedure to Obtain Permits and Other Authorizations; ApplicationsSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- 62B-33.0085 Application FeesSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Official RecordsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Panama City Port Authority board packet, June 18, 2026, Agenda Item 7Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- OpenFEMA Public Assistance Funded Projects Details (v2)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- OpenFEMA Public Assistance Funded Projects Details (v2)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- OpenFEMA Public Assistance Funded Projects Details (v2)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- OpenFEMA Public Assistance Funded Projects Details (v2)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- OpenFEMA Public Assistance Funded Projects Details (v2)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- City Commission agenda packet June 23, 2026, item 12.a (Cost Plus Contract for St. Andrews Marina; A103-2017 contract exhibits; Cost Control memo 6/16/2026)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- 24-18 Solicitation Tabulation; Exhibit 1 Scope of Work (DocumentCenter/View/13918); bid page bids.aspx?bidID=445Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- Memo: Revised Estimate of Probable Cost for the Upland Reconstruction of the St. Andrews Marina (2/2/2026), City Commission packet Feb 10, 2026 item 11.aSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Bid Tab PC 26-021 DT Marina First 50 Wet Slips (Attachment B) and Agenda Item Request (fileID 37336), Aug 25, 2026Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- City Commission Meeting Minutes, August 25, 2026, item 12.aSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- Administrator Weekly Report 5-9-25Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- April 24, 2026 Weekly ReportSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- August 8, 2025 Weekly Report (permits issued)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- August 29, 2025 Weekly Report (permits)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- October 23, 2026 Weekly Report (permits)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- December 5, 2025 Weekly ReportSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- FEMA Standard Flood Insurance Policy Commentary, January 2025 updateSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- The 2026 Florida Statutes, s. 215.5586 My Safe Florida Home ProgramSource reviewed 2026-10-27
- Section 163.08, Florida Statutes (PACE)Source reviewed 2026-09-05
- City Commission Agenda Packet, May 12, 2026 (Resolution 2026-05-554, Appendix A Fee Schedule)Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- City of Parker Shoreline Dock permit conditionsSource reviewed 2026-10-28
- U.S. Coast Pilot 5 (2026), Chapter 6Source reviewed 2026-10-28
- Letter: Suggested Scope of Work and Qualifications of Bidders for Panama City Marina Re-bid of ITB PC26-021Source reviewed 2026-10-28