In short
- A seawall length calculator turns your frontage, side returns and any corner run into the one number every quote is built on: linear feet.
- Quotes that look far apart often differ because one counts the returns and the other does not.
- Enter your own tape or survey numbers. The tool adds them, applies a measuring margin you choose, and checks a quote against your range.
- It gives a length only: no prices, no design.
On this page
This seawall length calculator is for Cape Coral canal-front owners about to ask for quotes. It adds the waterfront run, the side returns and any corner run, so you can hand each contractor the same footage and spot a quote that counts something differently. It uses your own measurements and gives no prices. Read the guide to seawall returns and neighbor tie-ins and compare bids with the seawall bid comparison calculator.
En español: calculadora de longitud de muro de contención en Cape Coral
| Part | Feet | Share |
|---|
What it means
Example: 80 ft of canal frontage, a 15 ft return on both sides, no corner run, nothing kept, 5% measuring margin.
How the length is worked out
- Measure the main wall.
Along the canal side of the lot, end to end. The survey frontage is the cleanest source. Example: 80 ft.
- Add the returns.
Number of returns times the length of each. Two returns of 15 ft add 30 ft.
- Add any corner run.
A corner lot can have a second stretch of waterfront. Add it as its own number. Example: none.
- Subtract what you keep.
Sound sections you will not replace come off the total to leave the footage to quote. Example: none, so 110 ft.
- Apply the margin.
110 ft x 0.95 = 104.5 ft and 110 ft x 1.05 = 115.5 ft, shown as 105 to 116 ft.
Why the footage on quotes can differ
| Cause | What to ask |
|---|---|
| Returns left out | Are returns new, reused or repaired? |
| Corner run missed | Is the second waterfront included? |
| Face vs lot line | Where is the footage measured? |
| Partial scope | Which section stays? |
Watch out: two quotes with different footage are not comparable until you know why. Ask each bidder to mark the wall, returns and tie-ins on a sketch, as the returns guide suggests.
The City of Cape Coral's residential seawall guideline asks for a site plan with the seawall at the property line. Confirm the current checklist with the city. For the permit steps see seawall permits in Cape Coral.
Questions to ask each contractor
- How many linear feet is the quote for? Ask for the footage of wall, returns and any corner run, separately.
- Are the returns new, reused or repaired?
- Where is the wall measured? At the face, the cap or the lot line.
- Does any section stay as it is? And who is responsible for the join?
Next step: get a written quote
This tool checks a length, not the price or the job. We are a referral service, not a seawall builder; we connect visitors with independent local providers. Use the form below to ask independent local contractors for a written quote, and read how to choose a seawall contractor first.
Sources
- City of Cape Coral: Seawall Guideline, Residential (PDF): site plan with the seawall at the property line.
- Our returns and tie-ins guide, which cites the City's Notice to Industry on replaced portions.
Frequently asked questions
What counts as linear feet of seawall?
Linear feet is the length of wall along its face, measured end to end. For a canal lot that is the waterfront run plus any side return walls and any extra run around a corner. Ask each contractor to state the footage and what it includes.
Why do two quotes show different footage for the same lot?
Often one quote includes the returns and the other leaves them out or reuses the old ones, or one measures the wall face and the other the lot line. Write down your own number first, then ask each bidder to explain any gap.
Where do I find my frontage?
Your survey or recorded plat shows the waterfront length of the lot. A tape along the existing wall cap is a good cross-check. The City's residential seawall guideline asks for a site plan showing the wall at the property line, so the survey is also what the permit drawings start from.
Should the quote cover the whole wall or only part of it?
That depends on what is failing. If only a section is bad, enter the length of the good section you plan to keep and the tool shows the footage left to replace. The City says a replaced portion must meet current Engineering Design Standards, so ask how your project is classified.
Does this give a price?
No. It only gives a length to bring to contractors. Prices come from written quotes after an in-person inspection.