ADU & Garage Conversion · Orlando / Orange County FL

How it works

From idea to certificate of occupancy

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.

Feasibility & vision

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.

Design & permit

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.

Construction

Foundation, framing, roofing, electrical, plumbing, insulation, drywall, flooring, kitchen or kitchenette, bathroom — all trades coordinated under our GC license.

CO & handoff

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 Orlando

ADU types — from garage conversion to detached build

Garage conversions are the fastest and most cost-effective ADU option in Orlando. Detached ADUs on large lots offer more flexibility and rental income potential. We build both.

Garage conversion

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 Orlando.

Attached or detachedKitchenetteFull bathroomMini-splitCO included

Detached ADU

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.

New foundationFull kitchenIndependent utilitiesPermitsCO

Permit + design only

Already have a builder but need help getting through the Orange County or City of Orlando permit process? We provide architectural drawings, engineering, HOA approval coordination, permit submission, and project management through CO — without doing the construction ourselves.

Architectural drawingsEngineeringPermit managementHOA coordination

Honest pricing

ADU costs — Orlando 2026

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.

$40K – $65K

Garage conversion

Existing structure

Convert an attached or detached garage into a legal ADU. Fastest path to a CO'd unit in Orlando — existing structure, existing roof, existing footprint.

Design and permit drawings
Floor leveling and insulation
Plumbing rough-in + bathroom
Electrical and mini-split
Certificate of occupancy

Most requested

$65K – $110K

Small detached ADU

New stand-alone unit

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.

Full design + engineering
New CBS or frame structure
Full electrical and plumbing
Kitchen or kitchenette
Full bathroom
CO + all inspections

$110K – $180K+

Large or custom ADU

Full dwelling unit

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.

Up to 1,200 sq ft
1–2 bed / 1–2 bath
Full kitchen with appliances
Washer / dryer hookup
Premium finishes
Full CO and documentation

Orlando / Orange County · What property owners need to know

Why ADU permitting in Orlando requires a licensed GC

ADU projects in Orange County touch every trade and every permit department. The process takes months and requires coordination that a handyman or unlicensed contractor simply cannot legally perform.

Multiple Permit Types Required

An ADU typically requires a building permit, electrical permit, plumbing permit, and mechanical permit — all submitted and managed separately. Under a licensed GC permit, we pull all of these under one contract. The county inspects each trade separately. Without a GC managing this, homeowners end up coordinating 4+ separate contractor permits and inspections — and the CO doesn't issue until all of them close.

Dual Jurisdiction: City vs. County

The City of Orlando runs its own Building & Permit Services department — separate from Orange County's Building Division. Lake Nona, Dr. Phillips, and Windermere are unincorporated Orange County, not City of Orlando, even though people call the whole area "Orlando." Florida's Live Local Act gives ADUs by-right zoning approval, but the permit still has to go to the correct office. We confirm jurisdiction before we quote — not after you've paid for drawings.

HOA Restrictions

A significant share of Orange County homes — especially in Lake Nona, Dr. Phillips, Windermere, and Horizon West — are in HOA communities with restrictions on ADU construction, including setbacks from property lines, exterior materials, roofline requirements, and architectural review timelines of 30–60 days. We review your HOA or condo association documents and CC&Rs before any money is spent on design. Building without approval is a covenant violation with real legal exposure.

Utility Connection & Impact Fee Complexity

Detached ADUs require electrical service (new sub-panel or meter), water connection, and sewer tap. In Orange County, impact fees for new construction can run $8,000–$18,000 on top of utility connection costs — costs that have nothing to do with construction and everything to do with municipal infrastructure. We include a full fee assessment in the written scope — not a rough estimate. You know what it costs before you sign anything.

The CO is What Matters

The certificate of occupancy is what makes an ADU legal to rent or occupy. Unpermitted "in-law suites" have no legal standing and create serious liability when you sell or insure the property. Every ADU we build targets a CO at close-out. The permit timeline is managed by us, and we don't consider a project finished until the CO is in your hands.

One Contract, Soup to Nuts

We provide architectural drawings, manage the permit, coordinate all trades, and deliver the CO. You have one contract and one point of contact — not a separate architect, engineer, plumber, electrician, and framer you hired off Craigslist. That's the value of a design-build licensed GC for a project this complex, now available across Orlando and all of Orange County.

On the Ground in Orlando / Orange County

What ADU builders navigate in the Orlando market

We bring the same feasibility-first ADU process we built in South Florida to Orlando. Here is what shapes every project here.

Zoning by Jurisdiction

Orange County unincorporated (Lake Nona, Dr. Phillips, Windermere): ADUs allowed by-right under Florida's Live Local Act on qualifying lots
City of Orlando: separate ADU ordinance with its own design and setback standards
Winter Park: ADUs permitted; historic-district review adds another layer for some parcels
Kissimmee and Apopka: each run separate application processes through city planning

Typical Timeline

Feasibility + jurisdiction review: 1–2 weeks
Architectural drawings + engineering: 4–8 weeks
Permit submission and review: 4–12 weeks (varies by jurisdiction)
Construction — garage conversion: 8–14 weeks
Construction — detached ADU: 16–28 weeks
Final inspections + CO: 1–3 weeks after construction complete

Cost Variables to Know

Impact fees: $8,000–$18,000 for new detached ADU in Orange County
Utility connection (sub-panel, water, sewer): $3,000–$12,000
Architectural drawings: $4,000–$12,000 (included in our scope)
Structural engineering: $2,000–$6,000 (included in our scope)
Permit fees: $1,200–$3,500 (included in our scope)

Common Use Cases

Rental income unit — Kissimmee, Hunters Creek, Pine Hills
In-law or family suite — Windermere and Dr. Phillips primary homes
Short-term rental / investment ADU — common near the Kissimmee tourist corridor
Home office + guest space combo — Lake Nona and Horizon West

The most common reason an ADU project stalls in Orlando is a zoning or association issue discovered after the homeowner has already paid for drawings. We spend the first 1–2 weeks on feasibility — jurisdiction, lot coverage, setbacks, minimum lot size, utility capacity, and HOA or condo association review — before anyone draws a line. That's not extra overhead; it's the difference between a project that happens and one that dies after $15,000 in sunk design costs.

Impact fees and utility connection costs are the other surprise that low estimates omit. A detached ADU in Orange County can trigger $8,000–$18,000 in impact fees and $3,000–$12,000 in utility connection fees — costs that have nothing to do with construction and everything to do with municipal infrastructure. We identify every fee in writing before you sign, whether the project is in Orange County or the City of Orlando. No surprises at permit issuance.

Real Central Florida Clients

What property owners say about our ADU work

Verified reviews from ADU and garage conversion projects across Orlando and Orange County.

★★★★★

"Dariceli told us upfront that our HOA in Windermere 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."

Susan M.

Windermere — Detached ADU, 640 sq ft

★★★★★

"Garage conversion in College Park. D&Co handled the drawings, the permit, all the trades, and the CO. My mother moved in within 4 months. The biggest thing was knowing the full cost upfront — no surprises on impact fees or utility hookups."

George R.

College Park — Garage Conversion to ADU

★★★★★

"I rent the unit out near Kissimmee. The total project cost was $81,000. 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."

Nancy P.

Kissimmee — Detached ADU, 540 sq ft rental

ADU & Garage Conversions — Licensed GC, Fully Permitted

Projects across Central Florida

From idea to certificate of occupancy

Feasibility & vision

Design & permit

Construction

CO & handoff

ADU types — from garage conversion to detached build

Garage conversion

Detached ADU

Permit + design only

ADU costs — Orlando 2026

Existing structure

New stand-alone unit

Full dwelling unit

Why ADU permitting in Orlando requires a licensed GC

Multiple Permit Types Required

Dual Jurisdiction: City vs. County

HOA Restrictions

Utility Connection & Impact Fee Complexity

The CO is What Matters

One Contract, Soup to Nuts

What ADU builders navigate in the Orlando market

Zoning by Jurisdiction

Typical Timeline

Cost Variables to Know

Common Use Cases

ADU & garage conversions throughout Orlando and Orange County

What property owners say about our ADU work

What Orlando homeowners ask about ADUs

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