Boat Dock: Are they worth more than a house?

Investing in a vacation property is a big decision, especially if you’re eyeing something along the waterfront. But the most valuable piece of a lakefront property isn’t always the home itself. In fact, a boat dock can really boost the value of a vacation property.

Depending on your needs and budget, you may want to consider whether an existing boat dock is worth the additional cost or if you’d like to save money now and invest in your own custom boat dock later. Keep reading to learn more.

Is an Existing Custom Boat Dock Worth the Cost?

Building a boat dock can be a great way to add value to your waterfront property—if you’re situated in a good area along the shoreline. On average, building a custom boat dock costs around $10,500, with an average range of $2,750 to $18,750.

But certain types of docks can reach upwards of $50,000—which can be much more than the value of some lakefront homes. If the property is situated along a particularly deep area of the lake, costs to build a boat dock will increase significantly as well.

So, if you’ve been looking at homes along a deeper area of the lake, you may want to go with a property that already has a dock built.

However, if you want to build a custom boat deck to your own specifications, it may not be in your best interest to purchase a home that features a brand-new boat deck.

In this situation, there’s a good chance that the boat dock has bumped up the price of the property and if you only plan to tear it down, you’ll essentially be paying twice over for the same feature.