A free site visit, a check of what your lot allows and a written, line-item price.
Get your free estimateTrusted ADU Builders for Houston Homeowners
Adding an accessory dwelling unit, a self-contained living space on your existing property, is one of the smartest ways to add square footage and rental income to a Houston lot without moving. But if you’ve been burned before, you already know the pattern: a contractor gives a low verbal number, work starts, and suddenly the price climbs. At Lodgewick ADU Houston, led by Russ Delmar, we put a written price in your hand before a single nail is driven. Since 2010, our crews have built garage conversions, backyard cottages, and home additions across Houston with Houston ADU Builders under The Kingswell Guarantee: a defined arrival window, a clean job site, and a written guarantee on every project, no exceptions. Call (361) 326-2313 and a live person answers, 24 hours a day.
ADU Construction
ADU Construction is the full process of building a permitted accessory dwelling unit on your Houston property, from foundation through framing, electrical, plumbing, drywall, and finish work. You need it when a prefab shell or a partially finished structure needs a licensed contractor to bring it to code and make it livable. Lodgewick ADU Houston handles the entire build, and homeowners in Houston typically pay between $180,000 and $350,000 for a complete custom ADU depending on size, site preparation, and finish level. Our crew handles the permits, the inspections, and the punch list, all with one written price before we start.
Foundation and Site Prep
Houston’s gumbo clay soil moves, and an ADU built on a slab without proper pier depth will show cracks in the drywall within two seasons. We evaluate the lot, test the soil bearing, and pour or set the foundation to handle Harris County’s expansive soils. The written price includes site prep, grading, and drainage, so you never get a surprise line item for “unforeseen soil conditions.”
Rough-In and Close-Up
Framing, rough electrical, rough plumbing, and HVAC are where unlicensed crews cut corners you cannot see. Our background-checked technicians run every circuit and supply line to code, then we walk you through the walls before they close, with photos so you know exactly what is behind the sheetrock. That walkthrough is part of The Kingswell Way.
Detached ADU
A Detached ADU is a standalone accessory dwelling unit built separate from your main home, usually in the backyard, with its own foundation, utilities, and entrance. You need it when you want true separation for a tenant, an aging parent, or an adult child, or when the main house layout cannot accommodate an attached addition. Lodgewick ADU Houston builds detached units from 400 to 1,200 square feet, and a typical detached ADU in Houston runs $200,000 to $400,000 depending on utility runs, foundation requirements, and interior finishes. We have built detached units in neighborhoods like The Heights with ADU Builders in Pasadena nearby, where the house sits close to the lot line and the build needs careful setback planning.
Utility Runs and Setbacks
A detached unit in an older Houston neighborhood often means trenching new water, sewer, and electrical lines from the main house to the backyard. We mark the utility path, pull the permits, and trench before we pour, so the new unit has its own metering and shut-offs where code requires. The price we write before starting includes every foot of that trench.
Foundation Choice
In Houston’s clay soil, a detached ADU on a slab needs deeper edge beams and proper steel reinforcement, and a pier-and-beam foundation needs treated lumber and moisture barriers against humidity. We evaluate your lot and recommend the right foundation for the soil, not the one that is cheapest to pour. You get the recommendation in writing, with the reasoning behind it.
JADU
A JADU, or junior accessory dwelling unit, is a smaller converted living space built within the footprint of your existing home, often from a spare bedroom, a garage bay, or an enclosed porch, with its own entrance and a small kitchenette. You need it when you want rental income or a family suite but do not have the yard space for a detached build, and Houston’s city code allows JADUs up to 500 square feet. Lodgewick ADU Houston converts existing rooms into JADUs for $80,000 to $150,000 depending on plumbing and electrical scope. Because the space already exists, a JADU is often the fastest permitted ADU you can add.
Kitchenette and Bath Conversions
A legal JADU needs a small food-prep area and its own bathroom, which means running new supply lines and drains through existing walls. We map the plumbing path, open the minimum wall area needed, and keep the disruption contained to the converted space. The written price includes all rough and finish plumbing, down to the fixture trim.
Separate Entrance and Egress
Houston code requires a JADU to have its own exterior door and a secondary egress window in the sleeping area. We frame the new opening, install the door and window to code, and handle the exterior siding and trim so the entrance looks original to the house. Our crew leaves the job site clean every day, not just at the end.
ADU Plans
ADU Plans are the architectural drawings, structural calculations, and permit documents required before any accessory dwelling unit can be built legally in Houston. You need them when you are planning a build, applying for financing, or deciding whether your property can physically support the unit you want. Lodgewick ADU Houston produces permit-ready ADU plans for $3,500 to $12,000 depending on the size and complexity of the design, and the cost is credited back to your build if you hire us for construction. Russ Delmar reviews every plan set personally before it goes to the city.
Site Feasibility and Zoning Review
Before we draw a single line, we check Harris County setbacks, lot coverage rules, flood-plain overlay maps, and HOA restrictions if your neighborhood has them. In Houston, a surprising number of lots in Meyerland or Braeswood Place sit in a flood plain and need elevation certificates before a permit will issue. We handle that research and tell you plainly what the lot will support.
Permit-Ready Documentation
The city wants structural calculations for Houston’s wind loads, energy compliance forms, and site plans with every setback dimension noted. Our plan sets include all of that, stamped by a Texas-licensed engineer, so the permit counter sees a complete package the first time. Fewer plan rejections means your build starts weeks sooner.
ADU Contractor
An ADU Contractor is the licensed general contractor who pulls permits, schedules trade crews, orders materials, and manages the entire accessory dwelling unit build from dirt to finished units. You need one when the project is too large for handyperson work and too regulated for a DIY job, which is every legal ADU. Lodgewick ADU Houston acts as your single point of contact, and our homeowner clients in Houston typically budget $150,000 to $400,000 total for a completed ADU including plans, permits, materials, and labor. We give you one written number for the whole job, and that number does not move unless you change the scope.
Single Point of Contact
On a build that runs three to eight months, a homeowner with six different trade numbers gets exhausted and the schedule slips. You deal with Russ Delmar, and he runs the electricians, plumbers, framers, and inspectors. The Kingswell Guarantee means a real arrival window for every crew, every day.
Change Orders in Writing
If you decide mid-project to upgrade the flooring or add a mini-split, you get a written change order with the new price and timeline before that work starts. No handshake agreements, no surprise invoices at final walkthrough. Our fixed-price model means the number at contract signing is the number at completion, unless you approve a change.
ADU Design
ADU Design is the process of planning the layout, systems, materials, and finishes for your accessory dwelling unit before construction starts, so the build matches how you will actually live in the space. You need it when a stock plan does not fit your lot shape, your family’s needs, or your rental goals. Lodgewick ADU Houston offers design services starting at $2,500 for a design-only engagement and up to $15,000 for full custom design with 3D renderings and material selections, which is credited toward construction if you build with us. We work with Dvele and Plant Prefab when you want a factory-built shell with a custom interior fit-out.
Layout for How You Live
A 600-square-foot ADU with a bad layout feels smaller than a well-planned 450-square-foot unit. We design around door swings, window placement for cross-ventilation, and storage walls, so the kitchen does not crowd the living area and the bedroom gets a real closet. Houston humidity means we also plan for a dedicated dehumidification strategy, either a mini-split with dry mode or a whole-unit ventilating dehumidifier.
Finishes and Material Selection
We walk you through finish options with real prices attached, from LVP flooring that handles Houston humidity to quartz counters and tile choices that fit your budget. The design package includes a material schedule, so you know the exact products going into your unit before the first order is placed. That schedule is part of your written contract.
Backyard ADU
A Backyard ADU is an accessory dwelling unit built in the rear yard of your existing Houston lot, either as a detached structure or a converted rear garage, and it is the most common ADU type for lots with usable rear space. You need it when you want rental income, a home office, or a multigenerational suite without giving up the main house. Lodgewick ADU Houston builds backyard ADUs from studio scale to two-bedroom units, and Houston homeowners typically spend $175,000 to $350,000 complete. In neighborhoods like Spring Branch and Oak Forest, where lots are deep but narrow, Channelview ADU Builders and our team design units that respect side setbacks and preserve usable yard space.
Access and Privacy
A backyard unit needs its own path from the street or driveway, its own entrance, and enough separation that a tenant does not walk through your family’s outdoor space. We plan the access route, fence lines, and landscaping buffer during design, not as an afterthought. The result is a unit that feels like its own address.
Rear Garage Conversions
If your lot already has a rear garage or workshop, converting it to a backyard ADU often saves $40,000 to $70,000 versus a ground-up build because the shell, slab, and roof already exist. We inspect the existing framing, upgrade the electrical panel, add insulation and HVAC, and bring the whole structure to current residential code. Some Houston rear garages need structural reinforcement, and we tell you that before you commit.
Brands We Service
Lodgewick ADU Houston works hands-on with several established prefab ADU manufacturers, and we know their systems from the foundation up. For Dvele units, we handle site prep, foundation, utility connections, and interior finish, because their panelized shell needs a contractor who understands the precision tolerances of factory-built walls. We have set Dvele units in Houston where the foundation flatness spec is tighter than standard slab work, and our concrete crews hit it.
We also install and finish Mighty Buildings and Boxabl units, which arrive as modular or factory-completed shells that need crane placement, anchoring to a Houston-suitable foundation, and full utility hookup. Plant Prefab units require careful sequencing because the panel delivery and the rough-in schedule must align, and our project managers handle that coordination. Whatever brand you are considering, or if you are building custom with James Hardie siding and conventional framing, we can manage the entire build. Whether you have Mighty Buildings or any other make, we can help.
Signs You Need a Pro Right Now
- Your current living space is overcrowded and you are circling moving costs. Houston home prices have risen sharply, and selling to buy a bigger house means closing costs, moving expenses, and a higher interest rate. A well-built ADU adds livable square footage to the lot you already own, often for less than the cost of trading up.
- You have a rear garage that is empty or full of storage. An unused garage is dead square footage sitting on a Houston lot where ADU demand is strong. Converting that structure into a permitted rental unit creates monthly income from space that currently costs you property tax.
- A previous contractor left a project unfinished or the city flagged it. If your ADU sits half-framed or the permit was pulled and abandoned, Houston code enforcement can get involved. We take over stalled builds, assess what was done correctly, and finish the work to pass inspection.
- You need space for an aging parent but the main house cannot accommodate them. A JADU or backyard ADU gives a parent independence with you nearby, and the accessible design features, wider doorways, curbless shower, blocking for grab bars, are planned from the start. We build for aging in place without making the unit feel institutional.
- You want rental income but do not know if your lot qualifies. Houston’s ADU rules have minimum lot sizes, setback requirements, and occupancy limits that vary by neighborhood. Before you spend money on plans, our feasibility review tells you plainly what your specific property can legally support.
Our Process, Step by Step
- 1
Free feasibility call. You call (361) 326-2313, a live person answers, and we talk through your lot, your goals, and your rough budget. We tell you honestly whether your project is viable before you spend a dime, and we set a date for an on-site visit.
- 2
On-site evaluation and soil check. Russ Delmar walks the property, measures the available build area, checks the existing electrical service, and evaluates the soil and drainage. In Houston, we look specifically for expansive clay, flood-plain proximity, and tree roots that will affect foundation and utility runs.
- 3
Written plan and written price. We deliver a scope of work, a material schedule, a timeline, and a fixed price in writing. This is The Kingswell Guarantee in action: the price you see is the price you pay, unless you approve a written change order.
- 4
Permits and construction. Our team pulls the permits, schedules the crews, and manages the inspections. Every technician on your Houston job site is background-checked and uniformed, so you always know who is on your property and why. We clean the site daily.
- 5
Final walkthrough and written guarantee. We walk the finished unit with you, test every system, and hand you a written guarantee under the 365-Day Done Right Promise. If something is not right within the guarantee period, we come back and make it right at no charge.
How Much Does ADU Builders Cost in Houston?
A complete accessory dwelling unit in Houston typically costs between $80,000 and $400,000 depending on the type. A JADU conversion of an existing interior space runs $80,000 to $150,000. A detached backyard ADU built from the ground up runs $200,000 to $400,000. A full custom ADU with high-end finishes can push toward $400,000, while a garage conversion usually lands between $120,000 and $220,000. Prefab units from Mighty Buildings or Boxabl can reduce on-site labor costs, but you still need foundation work, utility runs, and interior finish, which we include in your written estimate.
Several factors move the number. Houston’s expansive clay soils often require deeper foundation work than other regions. A lot in a flood plain needs elevation or drainage improvements. Utility runs longer than 50 feet from the main house add trenching cost. Finish selections, flooring, countertops, cabinetry, and HVAC type, swing the price too. To avoid overpaying, get every quote as a written line-item price from ADU Builders in Galena Park or your local contractor, not a verbal ballpark, and ask what is excluded. Our free estimates include the full scope, the permit fees, the material allowances, and the labor, with the Kingswell Guarantee attached. Call (361) 326-2313 for an exact quote on your Houston property.
Our Service Area Near Houston
Lodgewick ADU Houston builds across Harris County and the surrounding communities, including Spring, Katy, Sugar Land, Richmond, Missouri City, Jersey Village, Channelview, Friendswood, Deer Park, Alvin, and Dickinson. Most on-site evaluations near Houston are scheduled within a few business days, and we keep the same written-price and written-guarantee standards in every city we serve. If you are just starting your research, our home page covers the full Lodgewick approach to ADU construction and the Kingswell Guarantee in plain terms.
Serving Houston, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Houston area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions About ADU Builders in Houston
An ADU builder is a licensed contractor who designs, permits, and constructs accessory dwelling units, which are self-contained living spaces added to an existing residential lot. At Lodgewick ADU Houston, we handle everything from feasibility through final inspection, including foundation, framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, and finish work. Our written price covers the entire scope before any work begins.
A JADU conversion typically takes 8 to 12 weeks, while a ground-up detached ADU runs 4 to 8 months depending on size, weather, and permit review times. Houston’s permitting process and rainy season both affect the schedule, and we build realistic timelines into your written agreement. We give you a defined arrival window for every crew, every day.
Most ADU projects in Houston cost between $80,000 and $400,000, with JADUs on the low end and custom detached units on the high end. A standard backyard ADU typically lands between $200,000 and $350,000 complete. Call (361) 326-2313 and we will give you a written, line-item estimate for your specific lot and scope, free of charge.
Yes, we have hands-on experience installing and finishing units from Dvele, Mighty Buildings, Boxabl, and Plant Prefab, along with conventional custom builds. We handle the foundation, utility hookups, and interior finish for each system and coordinate the delivery and crane schedule. If you have already ordered a unit or are comparing brands, we can review your lot and tell you which system fits.
We regularly take over Houston ADU projects that were abandoned by other contractors, including half-finished garage conversions and permitted but incomplete backyard builds. We assess what was built correctly, correct what was not, and complete the project to pass city inspection. Your remaining work gets a written price and the same Kingswell Guarantee as a new build.
Every Lodgewick ADU Houston build carries the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If any work fails within the guarantee period, we come back and make it right at no charge. The written guarantee is delivered before construction begins, and the specific coverage is spelled out in your contract, not in a vague verbal promise.
Start by gathering your property survey, any HOA documents, and a list of your must-haves versus nice-to-haves for the unit. Think through how you will use the space, rental, family, office, because that changes the layout and the systems. Then call (361) 326-2313 for a free feasibility review and on-site evaluation, and we will handle the rest.
Schedule Your ADU Builders Service in Houston Today
Ready to add real living space to your Houston lot? Call (361) 326-2313 for a free, no-obligation estimate. You will get a live person on the phone, a written price before any work starts, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing. Russ Delmar and the Lodgewick ADU Houston team are ready to walk your property and give you a straight answer.
Written by Russ Delmar, Owner at Lodgewick ADU Houston, serving Houston since 2010.
