Cost to build a boathouse
If you’re looking to build a new boathouse, it’s best that you know the cost to build a boathouse. After all, it’s not cheap. It is important to come up with a good budget plan for the project. You have to know the things that must be prepared for the project. Before starting construction, make sure you have enough budget for the project. Start doing your research!
Cost to build a boathouse
This is a question we are asked every day at Lamulle Construction. There are many configurations and many are custom designed by us to meet the customer’s needs. To understand the cost we have to break down the different components that make up the boathouse and explain the costs associated with each design element. There are a lot of questions that you must answer for yourself as we discuss the different configurations and the things to watch out for. So, let’s get started.
What is a Boathouse?
A boathouse is designed to fully cover a boat and typically has a lift installed to raise the boat out of the water when not in use.
The first consideration in the design is how you will access the boat in the boathouse.
• Position to Shore
• Will it be positioned parallel to the shore against a bulkhead or will it be perpendicular to the shore?
• If it is parallel to the shore, will you be stepping off the land directly onto the boat?
• Is there enough water depth to allow the boat to float next to the bulkhead?
• Deck Access
If you need to have the boat out farther away from the bulkhead for water depth purposes, you may want to install a small deck area between the bulkhead and the boathouse. This might give you access to deeper water if the water bottom drops off quickly. This deck area will increase the total square feet of decking necessary to install your boathouse. If your boathouse is positioned perpendicular to the shore, then you will need decking on one or both sides of the boat slip to access the boat. Space and choice of decking materials will be the two considerations to the cost of the deck area.
- • Size of DeckPeople buy waterfront property because they have a connection with the water. They may enjoy the view, water sports, or fishing. In any case, the deck area of your boathouse is also the leisure area of your boathouse. How much space do you want? If you plan to spend time out by the water, other than just getting on/off your boat, then you might consider some covered deck area to give you a greater “connection” to the water. If you are just fishing and washing your boat, you do not need a ton of deck space. If you are hanging out by the water or having a crawfish boil, then you might want more.• Decking material will determine the cost per square foot.• Treated wood 2×6 decking material is the least expensive choice of decking and the cost ranges from $16-$20/sqft depending on the total area and shape of the deck. Treated wood decking exposed to sun will last 7-10 years, longer if protected from the sun and rain.
- • Composite decking, such as Azek, will last longer, require less maintenance, and maintain a better appearance. Its typical life span is 15-25 years in most cases, especially under a roof. But composite decking, which is not a ridged material and requires more joists installed for support, is much more expensive, ranging from $28-$32/sqft depending on specific material chosen and total area installed.
The next consideration is the roof style and type of roofing material. The roof is the single most expensive component of a boathouse. There are three basic styles of roofs that we commonly install on boathouses. Check with your home owner’s association for any restrictions that might apply.
• Hip Roof: First is the hip roof. This is a very common type of roof system installed on homes and consists of wooden rafters that rise on 4 sides together to form a peak. This is the most common type of roof we install as it most directly matches the residence the boathouse is built behind. Hip roofs can range from $12-$18/sqft depending on variation of roof design and decking choices. This is a great roof and meets most codes for wind resistance. If the final roof material will be metal, then there are two choices you can make on how this metal is installed on the rafters.
• The cheapest way to install the metal is to nail down wood stripping across the rafters that the metal is screwed down to.
• The next option is to deck the rafters with either oriented strand board plywood (OSB) or tongue and groove 2×6 lumber. Decking the roof before the final material is installed makes for a stronger roof system that is one solid unit. This system will exceed most building codes for wind resistance. Tongue and groove 2×6 decking is 1.5” thick and is installed when the customer wants a more appealing look to their boathouse. If you plan to entertain guests or sit on the deck at your boathouse and watch the sunset, this might be a great option for you. It is also incredibly strong and exceeds the 140mph rating.
• At Lamulle Construction we prefer to deck the roof prior to metal installation. This will meet or exceed the 140mph wind load rating required for our service area.
• Gable Roof: Second roof type is the gable roof, which consists of wooden rafters forming two sides which meet to form a peak in the middle. This roof abruptly terminates on each end of the boathouse and can be either left open or closed in with siding. Again, with this style of roof, the rafters can either be decked or stripped if metal R-panel will be applied. If the end is left open, this is a weaker type of roof installed in areas less prone to high winds. In high wind areas, the cable is most often closed with siding to prevent the wind from generating uplift on the roofing materials, stripping it away. If shingles are to be installed, the rafters must be decked so the shingles can be nailed to the decked surface. Lamulle Construction does not recommend an open gable design if the boathouse will be in the open coastal areas where trees cannot break up the wind to some degree. The cost of gable roofs is like that of hip roofs, ranging from $18-$28/sqft.
• Flat Roof: The third roof system is the flat roof which had no peak and only has a slight slope to the roof allowing the rain to shed. The flat roof is always made from metal roofing material called R-panel, never shingles. The metal R-panel is screwed down into wood purlins which are nailed down to joist which span across the boat slip. This is a weak roof system which cannot achieve the wind rating of hip roofs. But the low cost of the roof and easy construction of the flat roof, makes replacement of the roof easy should it be damage by storms. These roofs are typically only installed at fishing camp areas and not allowed in most subdivisions. Check your homeowner’s association to see if flat roofs are allowed in your area. Flat roofs typically range from $9-$11/sqft. depending on the size of roof (the larger the roof, the lower the cost).
Boat Lift
The next item for cost consideration is the boat lift. They come in many styles, materials, and weight capacities. Please refer to our article on boat lift choices for an explanation of these details. The cost of a boat lift will range from $6,000-$16,000 for a 6,000LB lift which will accommodate most center console bay boats under 30ft in length. Please contact Lamulle Construction to size the boat lift to your particular boat.
Pilings
The final component of the boathouse is the actual pilings that the boathouse sits on. Pilings are chosen for your project based on the following considerations: water depth, water type, size of boat, and composition of water bottom. This can be complicated so let’s ask a few questions:
• Do you have salt water? Then you need 2.5 CCA treated piles to resist wood boring marine animals.
• If you have freshwater, then you can go with .80 CCA treated piles.
• If your water is brackish, then we would recommend going with the 2.5 CCA piles.
• Next, how deep is the water?
• If it is shallow, 3-5ft, and the water bottom is hard clay, you might be able to go with 30 foot piles.
• If the water is deeper, 6-10ft, or the water bottom is silty or sandy, then you would be better with 40 foot piles for extra stability.
• If the water is very deep, 15+ feet OR the water bottom is very soft and loose, then you will most likely need 50 foot or greater piles.
• The cost of pilings is $13/ft for .80CCA piles and $16/ft for 2.5CCA piles up to 40ft in length. Piles larger than 40ft are special order and require us to check with our supplier. The size and shape of the boathouse will determine how many piles you will need to support the boathouse.
Now that you know all the variables that go into figuring out the cost of a boathouse, let me give you a rough idea of what a typical cost range is.
For a single boat slip boathouse with a shingled hip roof, the cost will range from $25-$30K depending on how much deck you add and boat lift. For a boathouse with two slips and a decent size deck down the middle, the range will be $60-$70K. Again, it depends a lot on what you choose for options. These ranges are just for budget purposes and can be higher or lower depending on your choices. Boathouses are often custom designed and can be difficult to determine the cost. I have seen flat roof single boathouse cost only $16,000. We hope that we shed some light on this topic for you and we hope you will contact us with any questions you may have.
Houseboat construction, building a houseboat on a barge
Houseboats are not as difficult to build as you might think. The only real difference between building a houseboat and building a regular boat is that the houseboat needs to be designed differently.
There are several ways to build a houseboat:
- Houseboats can be built from scratch. This involves constructing the frame for the boat and installing all of the necessary hardware such as wiring, plumbing and insulation. This is usually done by professional builders who also offer this service for sale in their catalogs or online. The cost of having someone else build your houseboat will vary depending on how much work they do themselves versus subcontracting out certain parts of construction such as electrical wiring or plumbing fixtures. It’s important to factor these costs into your budget before deciding whether or not it’s better to have someone else do the work for you or if it’s worth learning how to do it yourself so that you can save money later on when maintenance issues arise because you don’t know what you’re doing!
- You can purchase an already-built barge or pontoon boat, then add on your own decking or cabinetry inside and then convert it into
The cost to build a boathouse can vary depending on the type of boathouse that you want to build. If you are building a houseboat on a barge, then the cost of building a boathouse will be much higher than if you were just building a simple wooden structure on land.
In general, the average cost to build a boathouse is around $40 per square foot. This includes everything from labor and materials to architectural design and permits. The total amount of money that it will take to build your boathouse will depend greatly on how large your project is and what type of materials you use.
For example, if you are building a small wooden shed-like structure with no electricity or plumbing, then it shouldn’t cost more than $10,000 in total. However, if you want to add heating and air conditioning or even install solar panels for power generation, then expect your final bill to be anywhere from $50,000-$75,000 or more depending on location and size of the project space.
Building a houseboat can be a daunting task and requires the proper knowledge and tools. Building a boathouse does not have to be difficult, but it does require some basic knowledge about boats and the building process.
Boathousess are structures built on land that are used to store boats. Boathouses are most commonly used for mooring pleasure craft, such as sailboats, powerboats, canoes, kayaks and dinghies. They may also be available for rent or for sale to people who do not have access to their own waterfront property (e.g., people living in apartments).
Boathouses can be attached or detached from homes or other buildings. They can also be built on piers or over water.
Boathouse construction costs vary depending on the type of boathouse being built and the materials used in its construction. The cost of building a boathouse ranges from $10 per square foot up to $150 per square foot depending on the size of the structure and its amenities such as electricity, plumbing and insulation.[1]
A boathouse is a structure used by recreational boats and ships. It can also be an outbuilding on a property used for the storage of boats.
Boathouses are usually built near water, where the boat or ship can be kept safe from various weather conditions. The primary reason for building boathouses is to protect your boat or ship from the elements such as moisture and dust. Boathouses also provide security to your boat or ship as well as making it accessible when needed.
A boathouse can be built in many different designs depending on the needs of its users. For example, if you just want to store your boat or ship in one place then you do not need a very large structure but if you want to use your boat frequently then you need more space for it.
The cost of building a boathouse varies according to its size, location and design but generally it costs between $1000 and $5000 depending on its size and location. If you are going to build it yourself then it would cost less than if you hire professionals for this task because professionals will charge for their expertise as well as materials and labor costs involved in building a boathouse
Boathouses can be made from a variety of materials. Most are constructed from wood, but some boathouses are built with steel or concrete. The type of building you choose depends on how you plan to use your boathouse.
Boathouses can be used for many purposes, including:
Storage for boats and other small watercraft
A place to work on small crafts
A workshop for building, repairing or maintaining large vessels
A place to store equipment such as anchors, life jackets and fishing supplies
Houseboat construction
Building a houseboat on a barge is a great way to build your own boat. It’s also a great way to learn how boats are built.
If you want to know how to build your own houseboat, here are some things you need to consider:
Houseboat Construction Options
The first thing you need to decide is whether or not you want to build your own houseboat from scratch, or if you want to buy an already-built one and do some renovations. If you’re going the route of buying an existing boat and doing some renovations, then there are several options available:
The easiest way is to buy an old boat and fix it up. This usually involves replacing any rotten boards, re-shingling the roof and repainting inside and out. The disadvantage with this method is that it can be expensive because old boats often need many repairs before they can be used again. An advantage of buying an old boat is that parts are readily available for most makes and models if something breaks down along the way.
Another option is to buy a new one from a manufacturer such as Sea Ray or MasterCraft . These companies usually offer several models that range from 20-30 feet long with prices ranging from $20,000
Houseboats are often built on barges and can be moved from one place to another.
Houseboat construction is a great way to live on the water without having to spend a lot of money or get into the complexities of boat ownership.
There are three main types of houseboats:
Houseboats that are built on a barge.
Houseboats that are designed to be portable.
Houseboats that are built directly onto land.
The first thing you need to consider when building a houseboat is where you will build it. You can build a houseboat on land or on a barge. The choice of whether to build on land or on water is an important one that will affect the cost and time involved in constructing your boat.
Building on Land
If you want to build your dream houseboat in the middle of nowhere, then building on land is for you. The downside of building on land is that unless you have your own property or are willing to pay for storage space, you’ll need to find somewhere off-site where you can park your boat while it’s being constructed. This can be expensive and time consuming as well as inconvenient depending on how long it takes for the project to be completed.
Building On Water
If money isn’t an issue, then building your houseboat on water is probably the best option if at all possible. Building a boat at sea means there are fewer restrictions on what type of materials can be used and there’s no need for access roads, power lines or other services like sewage disposal systems because these things already exist at sea! Also, if you decide to hire out a crew
The cost of building a houseboat varies greatly based on the size, style and materials used. Building a houseboat on a barge is more expensive than building one on land.
The average price of a houseboat built on land is $120,000. This price can vary depending on the size and amenities included in the boat. For example, a small two-bedroom boat will cost less than a larger four-bedroom boat with all the same amenities.
The costs for building a houseboat on a barge are typically higher than building one on land because of the extra labor required to build it and the ability for you to choose from many different amenities. You also have the option to customize your own design so that it suits your needs perfectly.
Houseboat construction is a specialist area of building and houseboat builders have the skills and tools to build your dream home on water.
Houseboats are constructed from wood, fibreglass or steel. They are built to work on water, so they can be used as permanent residences or holiday homes.
The first boats were made from wood, which was plentiful in many areas of the world, including Scandinavia, Scotland and the eastern United States. These early boats were often called rowboats or skiffs. The first houseboats were built from wood as well.
In the 19th century, steel was introduced into boat construction and soon became popular for building houseboats because it was stronger than wood and less expensive than concrete. Today’s steel houseboats are reinforced with fibreglass to make them even more durable.