From garage conversion to fully detached accessory dwelling unit. We confirm what your specific jurisdiction actually allows before you spend a dollar on drawings — then handle design, permits, construction, and certificate of occupancy under one licensed GC contract.
Representative example finishes for illustration — not a specific completed project.
Our ADU & Garage Conversion Work
How it works
In St. Lucie County, the first real question isn't the floor plan — it's whether your jurisdiction allows an ADU by-right, requires a variance, or needs an RM rezoning. We answer that before anything else, then manage the entire process under one contract.
We confirm whether your property sits in Port St. Lucie, Fort Pierce, St. Lucie Village, or unincorporated county — and what that jurisdiction's code actually allows for a second dwelling unit before you spend a dollar on drawings.
Architectural drawings, structural engineering, and permit submission — including a variance or rezoning application where required. We manage the back-and-forth with the correct building department. Permit fees included in written scope.
Foundation, framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, insulation, drywall, flooring, kitchen or kitchenette, bathroom, and well/septic connection where applicable — all trades coordinated under our GC license.
Final inspections across all trades, CO issued by the correct jurisdiction. You receive a completed, legal dwelling unit with a certificate of occupancy — ready to rent or move family in.
What we build in St. Lucie County
Garage conversions are the fastest and most cost-effective ADU option in St. Lucie County. Detached ADUs on larger unincorporated lots — many on well and septic — offer more flexibility where zoning allows. We build both, and we tell you upfront which path your parcel actually supports.
Convert your existing attached or detached garage into a legal, permitted living space. We handle the floor leveling, insulation upgrade, mini-split HVAC, electrical panel sub-feed, plumbing rough-in for a kitchenette and bathroom, and CO application. Most efficient ADU path in St. Lucie County, where zoning allows.
A standalone dwelling unit built on your lot — separate from the main house. New foundation, full mechanical systems, independent utility or well/septic connections, kitchen, bathroom, and CO. Best suited to unincorporated St. Lucie County and larger Fort Pierce-area lots.
Not sure if your lot even qualifies? We review your zoning designation against your city or county's actual code — including whether a variance, special exception, or RM rezoning is realistically achievable — before anyone commits to a construction budget.
Honest pricing
ADU costs in St. Lucie County run lower than South Florida, and construction isn't subject to HVHZ product-approval rules — but jurisdiction complexity, well/septic connections in unincorporated areas, and possible variance costs change the math. These ranges include design, permits, and CO — not just construction. We quote the total project cost in writing before you commit.
Convert an attached or detached garage into a legal ADU, where zoning allows. Fastest path to a CO'd unit in St. Lucie County — existing structure, existing roof, existing footprint.
New detached ADU, 400–700 sq ft, generally on unincorporated county lots or larger Fort Pierce-area parcels. New foundation, frame or CBS construction, full mechanical systems, kitchenette or full kitchen, bathroom.
700–1,200+ sq ft detached ADU with full kitchen, 1–2 bedrooms, 1–2 bathrooms, laundry hookup, and quality finishes — well suited to larger unincorporated St. Lucie County lots.
St. Lucie County · What property owners need to know
St. Lucie County's ADU landscape is less standardized than South Florida's — and that's exactly why a feasibility-first, licensed-GC approach matters more here, not less.
The City of Fort Pierce operates its own zoning code and building department, separate from both unincorporated St. Lucie County and Port St. Lucie. Fort Pierce's code (Chapter 125) defines a dwelling unit as a separate, independent housekeeping establishment with its own sleeping, sanitary, and kitchen facilities — a distinction that determines whether a converted space legally counts as a second unit. We confirm your parcel's zoning district and the city's specific standards before any design work begins.
Fort Pierce's Planning and Zoning Department reviews ADU and dwelling-rental applications independently from St. Lucie County — a rule that applies in unincorporated county areas or Port St. Lucie may not apply inside Fort Pierce city limits. Florida Statute §163.31771 lets local governments adopt ADU ordinances — it doesn't require them to. We confirm the correct jurisdiction and Fort Pierce's actual rule before we quote.
Fort Pierce's historic downtown and river district carry distinct neighborhood character and, in some cases, additional design considerations beyond standard residential zoning. A garage conversion or detached ADU near the river district may face different design expectations than one further inland. We confirm your parcel's specific requirements before any design work begins.
Port St. Lucie's Neighborhood Services Code Compliance division enforces unpermitted second dwelling units with fines up to $250/day for a first violation and $500/day for a repeat violation. An unpermitted "in-law suite" also has no CO, can't legally be rented, must be disclosed at sale, and may void your homeowner's insurance. We build every ADU targeting a CO at close-out.
St. Lucie County is not in the High-Velocity Hurricane Zone that covers Miami-Dade and Broward — construction here falls under the standard Wind-Borne Debris Region, which is a different, generally less expensive approval pathway for windows, doors, and roofing. That doesn't mean lighter construction standards overall; it means a different, often faster, product-approval process that we manage so you're not paying for HVHZ-level products you don't need.
We provide architectural drawings, manage zoning review and any variance process, coordinate all trades, and deliver the CO. You have one contract and one point of contact — not a separate zoning consultant, architect, engineer, plumber, and framer you hired separately.
We bring the same feasibility-first ADU process we built across South Florida to Fort Pierce's city code. Here is what shapes every project in this city.
Fort Pierce's biggest trap isn't the building code — it's confirming which jurisdiction actually governs your parcel. Because the city runs its own zoning code separately from both unincorporated St. Lucie County and Port St. Lucie, the first question on every Fort Pierce inquiry is whether your property is inside city limits and what Chapter 125's dwelling-unit definition means for your specific project. We run that check in week one, before a single drawing is started.
From there, neighborhood character — especially near downtown and the river district — is what shapes the design. We identify every fee and every jurisdictional requirement in writing before you sign.
From downtown to the river district — Fort Pierce is part of our Treasure Coast market, backed by 10+ years of licensed GC experience in Florida.
Verified reviews from ADU and garage conversion projects across St. Lucie County.
"We're in Port St. Lucie and had no idea our zoning didn't automatically allow a second unit. D&Co explained the variance process upfront, handled the application, and we got approved. Would have wasted months without that first conversation."
"Garage conversion near Fort Pierce. D&Co handled the drawings, the permit, and the CO. My son moved in within 4 months. The septic review on our lot was something I hadn't even thought to ask about — they caught it early."
"Our lot is unincorporated county, well and septic. Total project cost was $71,000 and it included the septic capacity review we didn't know we needed. Straightforward process from start to CO."
Common questions
The process, the cost, which jurisdiction actually allows a second unit, and what makes an ADU legal to rent in St. Lucie County.
Yes. The City of Fort Pierce operates its own zoning code and building department, separate from both unincorporated St. Lucie County and Port St. Lucie. Fort Pierce's code (Chapter 125) defines a dwelling unit as a separate, independent housekeeping establishment with its own sleeping, sanitary, and kitchen facilities — a definition that matters for whether a converted space counts as a true second unit. We confirm your parcel's zoning district and Fort Pierce's specific standards before quoting.
ADU cost in Fort Pierce ranges from $35,000 for a basic garage conversion to $160,000+ for a custom detached unit with 2 bedrooms and premium finishes. Our pricing includes design, zoning/variance review, permits, construction, and CO — not just construction labor. The most common detached ADU project (400–700 sq ft) runs $55,000–$95,000 all-in.
No. Fort Pierce is not in Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) — that designation applies only to Miami-Dade and Broward counties. St. Lucie falls under the standard Florida Building Code Wind-Borne Debris Region, which generally requires impact-rated protection for openings but does not require the full Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) product-approval system. Construction still must meet Florida Building Code wind standards for the Treasure Coast, just under a different, less restrictive approval pathway than HVHZ counties.
An unpermitted dwelling unit in Fort Pierce has no certificate of occupancy, can't legally be rented, must be disclosed at sale, and may void your homeowner's insurance. Fort Pierce's own building and code compliance divisions handle unpermitted-structure complaints separately from the county. We only build to a CO, so your unit is legal and insurable from day one.
Only if it has a certificate of occupancy as a dwelling unit, and only where the zoning/jurisdiction allows it. We confirm feasibility in writing — including whether your property needs a variance or RM rezoning — before any construction begins, so you're not finishing a space that can't legally become a rentable unit.
ADU projects in Fort Pierce typically include: impact fees ($4,000–$10,000 for new construction, generally lower than South Florida counties), utility or well/septic connection fees ($2,500–$10,000, higher for unincorporated properties on well and septic), permit fees ($900–$2,500), and architectural drawings and engineering ($4,500–$13,000). Where a variance or rezoning is required, we add that process and its timeline to the written scope up front.
Yes. D&Co holds Florida Certified General Contractor license CGC1531095, which authorizes all phases of residential and commercial construction including ADU design-build projects. Dariceli Kunhardt has 10+ years in construction, development, and project management. All work is fully permitted and inspected under our GC license. Verify at the Florida DBPR website.
Ready to explore?
Tell us your lot, your goals, and your timeline. We'll confirm your exact jurisdiction and zoning path and give you an honest picture of what's buildable before you commit to anything.
Prefer email? office@dandcohomes.com
More from D&Co — Fort Pierce