From garage conversion to fully detached accessory dwelling unit. Design, permits, construction, and certificate of occupancy — all under one licensed GC contract. Built for Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach County
Garage conversions are the fastest and most cost-effective ADU option in Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach 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 Palm Beach 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.
Palm Beach County · What property owners need to know
Palm Beach County's ADU rules live in the Unified Land Development Code's Accessory and Temporary Uses chapter — and the coastal wind code, municipal patchwork, and HOA density here each add real cost and risk a handyman isn't equipped to manage.
West Palm Beach regulates accessory apartments under Chapter 94 of its own Zoning and Land Development Regulations — separate from the county's ULDC. Units are capped at 800 sq ft or 40% of the principal dwelling, whichever is less, and either the main house or the ADU must be owner-occupied. Eligibility and lot-width thresholds vary by single-family district. We confirm your district's standards before any design work begins.
Palm Beach County sits just north of Florida's High-Velocity Hurricane Zone but still falls in the Wind-Borne Debris Region, with ultimate design wind speeds reaching roughly 165–175 mph near the coast and tapering inland. Impact-rated windows, doors, and garage doors — or engineered shutters — are required by code, not a luxury upgrade. We size the correct product rating to your exact parcel, not a blanket spec.
West Palm Beach updated its ADU ordinance in 2022 and runs its own Planning Division review, separate from unincorporated Palm Beach County — minimum lot width (60 ft in SF14, for example) and setbacks (25 ft front, 7.5 ft side, 20 ft rear in SF14) vary by single-family district within the city itself. We confirm your specific district's standards before design begins, not after.
Detached ADUs need a new electrical sub-panel or meter, a water connection, and a sewer tap — and in Palm Beach County that tap fee runs $3,000–$12,000 depending on municipality, on top of $5,000–$18,000 in impact fees for a new detached unit. We put both numbers in your written scope before you sign.
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 Palm Beach 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.
ULDC review, wind-rated product specs, 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, built on our track record in this county since 2019.
We have been navigating ADU permitting in Palm Beach County since 2019, including West Palm Beach's Chapter 94 code. Here is what shapes every project in this city.
West Palm Beach's biggest trap isn't the building code — it's owner-occupancy. Because Chapter 94 requires either the main house or the ADU to be owner-occupied, the first question on every West Palm Beach inquiry is whether the property qualifies as a primary residence, not what the unit will cost. We run that check in week one, before a single drawing is started.
Once eligibility clears, the coastal wind code sets the material budget. Impact-rated openings are code-required at 165–175 mph near the water, and the 800 sq ft / 40% cap means the floor plan has to work hard within a tight footprint. We price the real number against your specific parcel before you sign anything.
From El Cid to Northwood — West Palm Beach is part of our Palm Beach County market, backed by 10+ years of licensed GC experience in South Florida.
Verified reviews from ADU and garage conversion projects across our home market.
"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 Palm Beach County.
ADU cost in West Palm Beach 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 the West Palm Beach Planning Division takes 4–12 weeks depending on scope complexity, including verification of owner-occupancy and district eligibility under Chapter 94. We manage this timeline and track the permit status — you're not waiting on hold with the county.
Depends on your CC&Rs. Many HOAs in West Palm Beach restrict or prohibit ADU construction — either by requiring architectural committee approval, specifying exterior material requirements, or prohibiting external dwelling units entirely. We review your HOA documents as part of the feasibility step before any money goes to drawings. Building without HOA approval creates a covenant violation with real legal exposure.
Under Chapter 94 of the City's Zoning and Land Development Regulations, West Palm Beach caps accessory apartments at 800 sq ft or 40% of the principal dwelling, whichever is less, and requires owner occupancy of either the main house or the ADU. Lot-width thresholds and setbacks vary by district — SF14, for example, requires a 60 ft minimum lot width with 25/7.5/20 ft setbacks. We confirm your district's standards before quoting.
ADU projects in West Palm Beach 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 in Palm Beach County. 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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