Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) - separate living quarters inside an existing home or as a converted garage - are growing fast in Brevard County. Aging parents moving in, adult kids returning, or homeowners building rental income are all driving demand. Done legally with the right zoning approvals and permits, a garage conversion to ADU adds $50,000-200,000+ in value and can generate $1,500-3,000/month rental income depending on location and size.
Is Your Brevard Property Zoned for ADU?
Brevard zoning varies by city and by parcel within each city. Unincorporated Brevard, Melbourne, Palm Bay, and other cities have different ADU rules. Some require minimum lot size (often 0.25 acre+), some require separate utilities, some require setbacks from the main house. We check your specific parcel's zoning before scoping ADU work.
If your zoning doesn't allow a legal rental ADU, you can still convert to an in-law suite or expanded living for your own family - just without the legal short-term/long-term rental component.
What a Full ADU Buildout Includes
Bedroom (egress window meeting code), full bathroom (3 fixtures), kitchenette (sink, counter, fridge space, possibly cooktop), separate entrance (often replacing the garage door with a real exterior wall + entry door), HVAC (dedicated mini-split most common), separate electrical circuits, possibly separate gas/water meters depending on zoning, and sound separation from the main house.
Brevard ADU Conversion Costs
Light ADU (studio-style with kitchenette + bath): $35,000-50,000. Full 1-bedroom ADU with separate entrance and full kitchen: $50,000-85,000. Larger ADU (1-bed + den, or full kitchen): $85,000-150,000.
Permitting and engineering add $2,000-6,000 for ADU work because of the additional code requirements (separate HVAC, egress, sound separation between units, fire code).
Rental Income Potential
Brevard ADUs in 2026 typically rent $1,500-2,500/month for a studio or 1-bed, depending on location. Coastal Brevard (Indialantic, Satellite Beach, Cocoa Beach) commands the higher end. Inland Brevard (Palm Bay, Melbourne, Viera) the middle range. Sebastian or smaller markets the lower end.
Short-term rental (Airbnb) often generates higher monthly revenue but with more management overhead and some Brevard areas have restrictions on STR. Always verify with your zoning before assuming STR is allowed.