Stock photo (Unsplash), not a job photo.
Search “bulkhead cost Long Island” and you’ll get answers that seem to contradict each other. One Long Island marine contractor publishes $500–$1,500 a foot for full replacement. Another contractor’s blog says $150–$600. Some generic cost sites say $20–$45 a foot for vinyl. They can’t all be right for your wall, and they aren’t. Each number prices a different job.
The four numbers, decoded
| What you see | What it actually covers |
|---|---|
| $20–$45 / ft “vinyl bulkhead” | Generic web figures that don’t match any Long Island source. An installed wall also needs piles, wales, tie-backs, cap, backfill, demolition and labor. Ignore it for a real quote. |
| $150–$300 / ft | Repair or partial replacement, reusing some of the existing wall or anchors. |
| $350–$900 / ft | A full replacement wall by material: timber about $350–$550, vinyl $450–$700, steel $600–$900 (early-2026 North Shore ranges). |
| $500–$1,500 / ft | One contractor’s all-in range for full replacement. The high end covers steel, deep embedment in soft bog, difficult barge access and dredging. |
A worked example: 75 feet of vinyl on a South Shore canal
- Wall: 75 ft × $450–$700 = about $34,000–$52,500
- Permit preparation (survey, plans, DEC/town/Army Corps filings): $2,500–$8,000+. DEC’s bulkhead general permit itself has no application fee.
- Planning range: about $36,500–$60,500+ before extras like dredging, unusual returns or a deep bog.
Try your own numbers in the bulkhead cost calculator.
What pushes your quote up or down
- Bog depth. Soft bottom means longer sheets and anchors. The Town of Hempstead requires at least three probings with a bulkhead application for exactly this reason.
- Steel vs vinyl. Steel is the premium option for exposed water, at about $600–$900 a foot against $450–$700 for vinyl.
- Access. Narrow canals and low bridges limit barges and add equipment time.
- Height. Raising the wall (up to 18 inches under DEC’s general permit) adds material and backfill.
- Neighbors. Replacing together shares mobilization and simplifies the returns.
How to compare two quotes honestly
Put them side by side line by line: length and returns, material and sheet length, anchoring, finished height, demolition, backfill and fabric, dredging, permits, schedule and payments. The quote comparison checklist has all 12 lines. A bid far below the ranges above is almost always missing one of them.
Need it done? See bulkhead replacement on Long Island.
Sources
- Access Marine Construction — Bulkhead Repair & Replacement on Long Island
- Maison Pawli — North Shore bulkhead costs (early 2026)
- Pearce Marine — Understanding Bulkhead Construction and Cost (Jan 2026)
- Town of Hempstead — Structures in Waterways (bog probing requirement)
- Walden Environmental Engineering — New bulkhead permit for Long Island residents