From garage conversion to fully detached accessory dwelling unit. Design, permits, construction, and certificate of occupancy — all under one licensed GC contract. Built for Florida Live Local Act by-right ADU approval in Sarasota County.
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 Sarasota
Garage conversions are the fastest and most cost-effective ADU option in Sarasota. 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 Sarasota.
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 Sarasota County or City of Sarasota 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 Sarasota — 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.
Sarasota County · What property owners need to know
Sarasota's ADU ordinance caps unit size at 650 sq ft and bans ADUs outright on the barrier islands — two rules that catch homeowners off guard more than any permit paperwork does.
Sarasota's ADU ordinance caps unit size at 650 sq ft and height at 24 ft (2 stories in the Downtown Neighborhood district) — and ADUs are not permitted at all within the Coastal Islands Overlay District, which covers Siesta Key, Lido Key, and the other barrier islands. In RSF zones, the owner must also occupy either the main house or the ADU. We confirm your parcel falls outside the overlay before you spend a dollar on design.
The City of Sarasota runs its own Building & Permitting office — separate from Sarasota County's Building Division. Palmer Ranch and Fruitville are unincorporated Sarasota County, not City of Sarasota, and Venice and North Port are separate jurisdictions entirely. We confirm jurisdiction before we quote — not after you've paid for drawings.
Sarasota County's design wind speeds run roughly 155–165 mph near the coast on the FBC's Central Gulf Coast wind map, tapering inland toward Fruitville and North Port. Impact-rated openings are required by code on most ADU builds here. We verify the exact figure for your address before specifying materials.
Detached ADUs require electrical service (new sub-panel or meter), water connection, and sewer tap. In Sarasota County, impact fees for new construction can run $8,000–$18,000 on top of Sarasota County Utilities or City of Sarasota connection costs. We include a full fee assessment in the written scope — not a rough estimate.
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 Sarasota-area 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.
Overlay-district and 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, now available across Sarasota and all of Sarasota County.
We bring the same feasibility-first ADU process we built in South Florida to Sarasota. Here is what shapes every project here.
Before we talk cost, we check two things specific to this county: whether your ADU fits the 650 sq ft / 24 ft height cap, and whether your lot sits inside the Coastal Islands Overlay District — Siesta Key, Lido Key, and the other barrier islands, where ADUs aren't permitted at all regardless of lot size or budget. That filter alone rules out a meaningful share of inquiries we get.
For everything else, wind exposure and jurisdiction set the number. Coastal parcels run near 165 mph and need impact-rated product; City of Sarasota, Venice, and North Port each review permits separately from the county. We confirm both, then put impact fees ($8,000–$18,000) and utility costs in writing before you sign.
From Siesta Key to North Port — Sarasota County is our Southwest Florida market, backed by 10+ years of licensed GC experience in Florida.
Verified reviews from ADU and garage conversion projects across Sarasota County.
"Dariceli told us upfront that our HOA in Palmer Ranch 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 Gulf Gate. 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."
"I rent the unit out seasonally near Siesta Key. 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."
Common questions
The process, the cost, what needs a permit, and what makes an ADU legal to rent in Sarasota.
ADU cost in Sarasota 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 Sarasota County Building Division or the City of Sarasota takes 4–12 weeks depending on scope complexity and jurisdiction. 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 communities in Sarasota — especially in Palmer Ranch and gated developments near Lakewood Ranch — restrict or prohibit ADU construction — either by requiring architectural committee approval, specifying exterior material requirements, or prohibiting external dwelling units entirely. Florida's Live Local Act limits what local zoning can prohibit, but HOA covenants are a separate legal layer. We review your governing documents as part of the feasibility step before any money goes to drawings.
Setback and size limits vary by jurisdiction and zoning designation. The City of Sarasota, Venice, North Port, and unincorporated Sarasota County 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 Sarasota County typically include: impact fees ($8,000–$18,000 for new construction), utility connection fees ($3,000–$12,000), permit fees ($1,200–$3,500), 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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