In-Law Suites in Marietta & Cobb County

In-law suites in Marietta are the lawful answer to Cobb County's ADU limits. Multigenerational living is one of the strongest remodeling drivers in Cobb County. What we can build today is an internal in-law suite — inside your existing house or terrace level, permitted by the county or city. What we will not sell you is a detached backyard ADU that Cobb County does not currently allow.

In-Law Suites in Marietta & Cobb County

The ADU rule, as verified in October 2026 research

Detached accessory dwelling units are not currently allowed as-of-right on private residential properties in unincorporated Cobb County. A proposal — up to 850 sq ft or 50% of the main dwelling, single-storey, owner living on site, no short-term rental, at least one off-street parking space — was withdrawn in November 2024 after opposition and revived for October 2025 hearings. Until Cobb County Code is confirmed as amended, any contractor promising you a detached ADU in unincorporated Cobb is selling you a problem. City of Marietta ADU provisions likewise need parcel-level confirmation with Planning & Zoning.

What is possible today

  • A terrace-level / basement suite with bedroom (with legal egress), bathroom, and kitchenette — the Indian Hills and East Cobb pattern
  • A main-level suite conversion: primary suite + sitting room + accessible bath, see aging-in-place remodeling
  • A garage conversion to a suite or studio, where zoning and parking allow
  • An attached addition designed as a suite with its own entry

Each path is permitted work: egress, smoke/CO alarms, and plumbing/electrical to the 2024 Georgia-adopted code. Permits: City via SagesGov, unincorporated Cobb via the County — see the permit navigator.

Cost framing

An internal suite is priced like its components: basement finishing guides at $30–$95 per square foot (October 2026 Atlanta/Cobb guides) plus a bathroom at midrange Cost vs. Value levels ($25,304 modelled). Cost vs. Value 2025 also models a detached ADU nationally — context only, until Cobb law changes. Full background: in-law suites in Cobb County — what's legal.

Where this work happens

In-Law Suites in Marietta & Cobb County — questions

Still have a question?

Call us and talk through your project, your address's permit jurisdiction, and a realistic budget range.

(404) 594-2939

Not as-of-right today, based on our October 2026 research. A legalisation proposal was withdrawn in 2024 and revived for 2025 hearings; its final status must be confirmed in current Cobb County Code before anyone designs a detached ADU for you.

Yes — an internal terrace-level suite is a permitted renovation path, with a legal egress opening for the bedroom, a bathroom, and smoke/CO protection. Many East Cobb homes were built for exactly this.

Kitchen scope in an internal suite is a zoning and permit question that varies by jurisdiction. We confirm what your parcel allows before designing around a full kitchen versus a kitchenette.

A separate entry is common in terrace-level suites because the lower level already walks out to grade. Interior access usually remains — which matters for care and for how the space rejoins the house later.

Talk through your Marietta project

Call for a walkthrough, a written scope, and a budget range grounded in dated Marietta and Atlanta market guides — not a mystery number.

2575 Delk Rd, Marietta, GA 30067 · Monday–Saturday: 8:00 AM – 6:00 PM · Sunday: Closed

Contact Golden Hammer Home Renovation

Call (404) 594-2939 Monday–Saturday, 8:00 AM–6:00 PM. Tell us the room or project, your neighborhood, and whether your address is inside Marietta city limits or unincorporated Cobb County — that one detail decides who permits the work. Sunday: closed.