From garage conversion to fully detached accessory dwelling unit. Design, permits, construction, and certificate of occupancy — all under one licensed GC contract. Built for Broward County code.
Representative example finishes for illustration — not a specific completed project.
Our ADU & Garage Conversion Work
How it works
ADUs involve zoning review, architectural drawings, engineering, multiple permit departments, and a final CO inspection. We manage the entire process under one contract — you don't project-manage it.
We review your lot, zoning, setbacks, utility connections, and HOA restrictions before you spend a dollar on drawings. We tell you what's buildable before anyone gets excited about floor plans.
Architectural drawings, structural engineering, and permit submission. We manage the back-and-forth with the Building Division, Zoning, and any required HOA approvals. Permit fees included in written scope.
Foundation, framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, insulation, drywall, flooring, kitchen or kitchenette, bathroom — all trades coordinated under our GC license.
Final inspections across all trades, CO issued by the county. You receive a completed, legal dwelling unit with a certificate of occupancy — ready to rent or move family in.
What we build in Broward County
Garage conversions are the fastest and most cost-effective ADU option in Broward County. Detached ADUs on large lots offer more flexibility and rental income potential. We build both.
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 Broward County.
A standalone dwelling unit built on your lot — separate from the main house. New foundation, full mechanical systems, its own utility connections, kitchen, bathroom, and CO. Best option for maximizing rental income or creating a fully independent living space for family.
Already have a builder but need help getting through the Broward County permit process? We provide architectural drawings, engineering, HOA approval coordination, permit submission, and project management through CO — without doing the construction ourselves.
Honest pricing
ADU costs are driven by structural complexity, existing condition of the space being converted, utility connection distance, and finish level. 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. Fastest path to a CO'd unit in Broward County — existing structure, existing roof, existing footprint.
New detached ADU, 400–750 sq ft. New foundation, CBS or frame construction, full mechanical systems, kitchenette or full kitchen, bathroom, and independent utility connections.
750–1,200+ sq ft detached ADU with full kitchen, 1–2 bedrooms, 1–2 bathrooms, laundry hookup, and high-spec finishes. Designed for long-term rental income or a permanent family suite.
Broward County · What property owners need to know
Broward County amended its zoning code in 2023 to permit ADUs — but only in specific districts, with real size caps and an owner-occupancy rule. Getting it wrong at the zoning stage is the most expensive mistake on an ADU project.
Broward County Code §§39-4, 39-249, 39-263, and 39-272 permit accessory dwelling units only in Agricultural, Estate, and Rural zoning districts countywide — every single-family lot does not automatically qualify. Unit size is capped at 800 sq ft or 40% of the primary home's living area, whichever is smaller, and either the main house or the ADU must be owner-occupied. We confirm your parcel's zoning district before any design work begins.
Broward sits inside Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone, with ultimate design wind speeds running as high as 170 mph depending on exposure and distance from the coast. Every window, door, garage door, and roofing product needs a Miami-Dade or Broward County Notice of Acceptance (NOA) on file — a standard non-rated product isn't legal to install. We spec NOA-rated materials from the first drawing, not as a change order after a failed inspection.
Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, Davie, and Plantation each run their own building department, separate from unincorporated Broward County review — and condo/townhome HOA density is higher here than in Palm Beach County, which means more projects run into association restrictions on setbacks, exteriors, and rooflines. We review your city's code and your HOA's CC&Rs before you spend a dollar on design.
Detached ADUs need a new electrical sub-panel or meter, a water connection, and a sewer tap — and in Broward County that tap fee alone runs $3,000–$12,000 depending on which city's utility provider serves your address. We put the actual number in your written scope before you sign, not a rough estimate you discover at permit issuance.
An unpermitted "in-law suite" can't be legally rented, has no standing at resale, and can jeopardize your homeowner's insurance. We build every Broward County ADU toward a certificate of occupancy at close-out — the permit timeline is ours to manage, and the project isn't done until the CO is in your hands.
Zoning confirmation, architectural drawings, permit submittal, trade coordination, and the CO — all under one contract with one point of contact, instead of a separate architect, engineer, plumber, electrician, and framer you sourced yourself. That's the design-build advantage for a zoning-restricted project like this, now available across Broward County.
We bring the same feasibility-first ADU process we built in Palm Beach County to Broward. Here is what shapes every project in this county.
Broward's biggest trap isn't the building code — it's the zoning district. Because ADUs are only allowed in Agricultural, Estate, and Rural zones under §§39-4 and 39-249, the first question on every Broward inquiry is whether the parcel qualifies at all, not what it will cost. We run that check in week one, before a single drawing is started.
Once zoning clears, the HVHZ wind code and the municipal patchwork are what move the budget. NOA-rated windows and doors cost more than standard product, and sewer tap fees swing from $3,000 in some cities to $12,000 in others. We price both against your specific city — Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Weston, wherever — before you sign anything.
From Deerfield Beach to Miramar — Broward County is our newest market, backed by 10+ years of licensed GC experience in South Florida.
Verified reviews from ADU and garage conversion projects across South Florida.
"Dariceli told us upfront that our HOA would need to approve before any drawings were started. We got approval first, then permitted, then built. CO in hand 7 months after we first called. The process was exactly what she described."
"Garage conversion in Lake Worth. D&Co handled the drawings, the permit, all the trades, and the CO. My son moved in within 4 months. The biggest thing was knowing the full cost upfront — no surprises on impact fees or utility hookups."
"I rent the unit out for $2,100/month. The total project cost was $78,000. I had two other contractors tell me they 'couldn't guarantee a CO.' D&Co was the only one who built it into the contract. That mattered more than the price."
Common questions
The process, the cost, what needs a permit, and what makes an ADU legal to rent in Broward County.
ADU cost in Broward County ranges from $40,000 for a basic garage conversion to $180,000+ for a custom detached unit with 2 bedrooms and premium finishes. Our pricing includes design, permits, construction, and CO — not just construction labor. The most common detached ADU project (400–650 sq ft) runs $65,000–$110,000 all-in.
Only if it has a certificate of occupancy as a dwelling unit. An unpermitted conversion — even a beautifully finished one — cannot be legally rented. It also creates liability when you sell (must be disclosed) and may void your homeowner's insurance. We build every ADU through to CO so the unit is legal, insurable, and rentable from day one.
Design and drawings typically take 4–8 weeks. Permit review by Broward County Building Code Services or the relevant city takes 4–12 weeks depending on scope complexity and jurisdiction. Some municipalities like Fort Lauderdale have separate planning review before building permit submission. We manage this timeline and track the permit status — you're not waiting on hold with the county.
Depends on your CC&Rs or condo docs. Many HOAs and condo associations in Broward County restrict or prohibit ADU construction — either by requiring architectural committee approval, specifying exterior material requirements, or prohibiting external dwelling units entirely. We review your governing documents as part of the feasibility step before any money goes to drawings. Building without approval creates a covenant violation with real legal exposure.
Setback and size limits vary by jurisdiction and zoning designation. Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Coral Springs, Pembroke Pines, and other Broward cities each have different rules on lot size, setbacks, and maximum ADU square footage relative to the main dwelling. We review your specific parcel rules before quoting — not after you've paid for drawings.
ADU projects in Broward County typically include: impact fees ($5,000–$18,000 for new construction), sewer tap fees ($3,000–$12,000), permit fees ($1,500–$6,000), and architectural drawings and engineering ($6,000–$18,000). All of these are included in our written total project cost — no surprises at permit issuance. Contractors who quote "just construction" without addressing these fees are giving you an incomplete picture.
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 review zoning and give you an honest picture of what's buildable before you commit to anything.
Prefer email? office@dandcohomes.com
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