Replacing a Seawall or Dock in Miami? Here Is the Dumpster You Need for the Old Concrete and Pilings
Published October 28, 2026 · Updated October 28, 2026
A single dock teardown or a modest seawall cap replacement on a canal lot usually fits a 20-yard dumpster; a full seawall replacement along longer bay or canal frontage, or a combined seawall-and-dock rebuild, usually needs a 30-yard or scheduled swap-outs, because broken seawall concrete is as dense as any demolition debris we haul. Tell us the linear footage and whether pilings are coming out too, and we size it before the marine contractor shows up.
What size dumpster do I need for seawall or dock demolition?
It depends on how much concrete is coming out versus how much is wood, because the two debris types fill a container at very different rates. A dock teardown alone, decking, framing, and a handful of pilings, is mostly wood and usually fits a 20 yard with room to spare. A seawall cap replacement is a different problem: broken concrete and rebar are dense enough that a 20 yard sized for a typical canal lot can hit its weight limit well before it looks full. Longer bay or canal frontage, or a job that tears out the seawall and the dock together, usually calls for a 30 yard or a same-day swap-out so the work doesn't stall waiting on a truck.
| Job | Size | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dock decking and a few pilings | Junk removal pickup or 20 yard | Mostly wood; limited volume |
| Full dock replacement (decking, framing, railings) | 20 yard | Wood and hardware, moderate volume |
| Seawall cap replacement, typical canal lot | 20 yard, sized for weight | Concrete and rebar are dense even in a small pile |
| Seawall replacement on longer bay or canal frontage | 30 yard or scheduled swap-outs | More linear footage means more concrete, fast |
| Combined seawall and dock teardown and rebuild | 30 yard with a swap-out | Two debris types and a longer job add up |
Why seawall concrete is some of the heaviest debris we haul
A seawall cap is poured concrete reinforced with rebar, built to hold back fill and take tidal pressure for decades, and broken up for removal it carries the same weight problem as any dense concrete debris: a container can look far from full and still be at the truck's legal road weight limit. Older seawalls along Miami's canals and bayfronts often come down in slabs and chunks rather than small pieces, which makes the weight add up even faster. We size seawall jobs by weight the same way we size driveway or patio concrete; see our dumpster weight limits guide for how concrete compares to other debris.
Getting a dumpster to a yard with no truck access
The seawall or dock is almost always at the back of a waterfront lot, on the water side, while the dumpster has to sit where a truck can reach it: the driveway or the street side of the house. On a canal lot with a narrow side yard, that means debris gets wheeled or carried around the house to the container rather than dropped straight in. We plan for that when we size the job: sometimes a smaller container close to a side gate works better than a larger one that has to sit further away. Boards go under the rails on a paver or stamped driveway regardless of size, so a loaded container doesn't crack the surface.
What to do with treated pilings and dock lumber
Dock pilings and structural lumber are almost always pressure-treated to survive years in saltwater, and older pilings on some canals were treated with creosote. Treated wood goes in the dumpster like any other demolition debris, just never burned, and it's worth keeping it in its own section of the load when you can: nails, brackets, and cleats are often still attached, and separating the wood from the concrete keeps the heavier material from driving up the whole load's weight class. If the dock rebuild is happening at the same time as the seawall work, tell us both scopes when you book so we size for the combined debris, not just the demo day.
Permits, DERM, and timing the dumpster around the marine contractor
Seawall and dock work over or adjacent to the water typically needs permits beyond a standard building permit, often including Miami-Dade DERM review, and that approval timeline can run longer than the construction itself. None of that affects a dumpster sitting on your property; a container on your own driveway or yard doesn't need a separate right-of-way permit the way one parked on the street does. What it does affect is scheduling: marine contractors often work around tides and barge availability, so the heavy debris day isn't always predictable weeks in advance. Call or text (305) 986-0692 once the contractor has a firm demo date, and we'll hold the size and swap in a fresh container if the project runs longer than planned.
FAQ
What size dumpster do I need for seawall demolition?
A 20 yard handles most seawall cap replacements on a typical canal lot, sized for weight rather than volume. Longer bay or canal frontage, or a job combined with a dock rebuild, usually needs a 30 yard or a scheduled swap-out.
Is seawall concrete as heavy as regular demolition concrete?
Yes. A seawall cap is reinforced poured concrete, and broken up it carries the same weight problem as driveway or patio concrete: a container can look half empty and already be at the truck's legal weight limit.
Can treated dock pilings and lumber go in a regular dumpster?
Yes, pressure-treated dock lumber and pilings go in with other demolition debris; just don't burn it. Keeping the wood separate from the concrete in the load helps control the overall weight.
Can you deliver a dumpster to a waterfront lot with no truck access to the back yard?
Yes. The dumpster sits where the truck can reach it, usually the driveway or street side, and debris gets carried or wheeled from the seawall or dock to the container. We size and place the container around that walk when you book.
Do I need a permit for a dumpster during seawall or dock work in Miami-Dade?
Not for the dumpster itself if it sits on your own property; that only applies if a container has to sit on a public street or right-of-way. The seawall or dock work itself typically needs its own permits, often including DERM review, separate from anything related to the dumpster.
Can the dumpster sit for the whole multi-week seawall project?
Most jobs only need the container heavy during the actual demo days. We typically schedule pickup once that debris clears and can bring a fresh container for a later stage, like a dock rebuild, rather than parking one container for the full project.
Get Your Free, No-Pressure Estimate
Call or text a photo of your junk to (305) 986-0692. We estimate it straight, you decide.
