ZIP 32922 · 32926 · 32927
Kitchen remodeling in Cocoa, Florida
A Cocoa mailing address can mean a century-old cottage near the river or a newer house in Port St. John, and even the permit office changes. Call now to talk to a local kitchen remodeler about your kind of home, and ask about a free estimate.
First question: city or county?
The Cocoa mail area covers much more than the City of Cocoa, and it decides who issues your permit.
- Inside the city
- The City of Cocoa Building and Permitting office handles plan review, permits and inspections under the Florida Building Code.
- Port St. John and beyond
- Port St. John is unincorporated, so it falls to Brevard County Building Permits, along with other county land that has a Cocoa address.
- Not to be confused
- Cocoa Beach is a separate city with its own building division, across the river on the barrier island.
- Who sorts this out
- Your remodeler should confirm the jurisdiction for your parcel before quoting. Pulling a permit from the wrong office loses time at the start of a job.
Three kinds of Cocoa kitchen
Cocoa's housing runs across more than a century, and each era has its own kitchen problems.
Older homes near the river
Around Cocoa Village and along the river you will find older wood-frame cottages and bungalows. These kitchens are small, walls are rarely square, and plaster may hide surprises. Original wood windows and beadboard are worth keeping if they are sound. Plan for old galvanized or cast-iron plumbing and limited electrical service, and expect a bigger contingency.
Mid-century block homes
Much of central Cocoa looks like Titusville, with block ranch houses from the 1950s to the 1970s on slabs. The same rules apply. Drains run under the floor, walls are hard to rewire, and painted surfaces in pre-1978 homes fall under the EPA's lead-safe renovation rules for paid contractors.
Newer houses in Port St. John
Port St. John grew quickly in recent decades, and many of its kitchens are builder-grade from the 1980s and later. These rooms often have a sound layout with worn laminate and thin cabinets, so a refresh or mid-range remodel can do a lot without moving anything. Check your HOA rules, if you have one, for contractor parking and dumpsters.
Humidity in an older house
Older cottages were built to breathe, with cross-breezes and few sealed walls. When one gets central air and a tight new kitchen, moisture can behave differently. Cooking steam needs to leave through a ducted hood. Exterior walls behind new cabinets should be dry before anything is fixed to them, because a wall that stays damp will quietly feed mold behind the boxes.
The EPA suggests keeping indoor humidity below 60 percent, and a cheap humidity meter tells you where you stand. If yours reads above that before a remodel, raise it on your call so the remodeler can look at ventilation along with the cabinets.
Close to the river, salt air is also a factor, though it is milder than on the beach side. Stainless pulls and hinges cost little more at the planning stage and save replacing plated ones later. Ask for them to be written into the estimate, because hardware allowances are an easy place for a low bid to cut corners.
Finally, if you are near the Indian River, check your flood zone on the FEMA flood map before planning a large project. A cost close to half of the building's value can bring flood rules into play.
When you call, say which kind of Cocoa home you have. A remodeler who is happy rebuilding a builder-grade Port St. John kitchen may not want an old plaster cottage, and the reverse is also true. A few minutes describing the house saves you from booking the wrong person.
Cocoa kitchen questions
Is Port St. John covered?
Yes. Port St. John addresses use ZIP 32927, which falls in the Cocoa area covered here. Give your neighborhood when you call.
Can I keep the original features in an older Cocoa cottage?
Often. Beadboard, old windows and wood floors can usually stay if they are sound. Say so at the start, because not every remodeler enjoys older-home work, and the right fit matters more than the lowest price.
How do I know if my Cocoa address is in the city?
Check the property record with the Brevard County Property Appraiser, or call the City of Cocoa building office at the number on their site. Your remodeler should verify this for your parcel too.