DFW's ADU Builder for Families Who Need More Space on the Property They Already Own
Detached guest houses, garage apartments, and multigenerational living units. Ground-up construction, fully permitted, built to last.
A detached ADU in Tarrant County typically costs between $120,000–$250,000+ depending on size, foundation type, utility connection distance, and finish level. Garage apartments and conversions start lower. Permitting in Fort Worth and Keller adds 4–12 weeks to the schedule depending on the city. All ADU builds in North Texas require a permit; we handle the full application and submittal as part of every project.
What a Full ADU Build Covers
An accessory dwelling unit is a fully independent structure on your residential lot, its own foundation, its own utilities, its own roof. It doesn't share walls with your primary home. The people living in it have a real separate entrance, a real kitchen, and a real bathroom. It's not a renovated garage with a hot plate. It's a properly permitted, properly built residence that happens to sit on the same lot as your house.
Dallas ADU Builder has been building detached ADUs across Tarrant, Denton, and Wise County since 2001. We know the permit requirements in Keller and Fort Worth, we know which city departments move quickly, and we know which lot configurations create problems before the first drawing is done. We find those problems on the site visit, not after construction starts.
Every ADU build includes:
Free site evaluation and feasibility review
Architectural drawings and structural plans
Full permit application, submittal, and follow-up
Foundation, framing, roofing, and exterior finish
Separate electrical service (separate meter where city requires)
Plumbing rough-in and connections
HVAC system installation
Interior finish: drywall, flooring, cabinetry, fixtures, paint
Final city inspection and certificate of occupancy
Full walkthrough with owner at project close
Four Types of ADUs — One Right for Your Property
Detached Backyard ADU
A standalone structure built on your existing lot, completely separate from the main home. The most privacy, the most flexibility, and the most common option for families creating space for a parent or adult child. Permitted as a separate residential structure in most Tarrant and Denton County municipalities.
Garage Apartment
A living unit built above or alongside a detached garage. Shares a foundation with the garage structure below, but functions as its own independent residence with its own entrance, kitchen, and bathroom. One of the most space-efficient ADU types for lots where a full detached structure isn't feasible.
Attached Guest Suite
An addition connected to the main home with a dedicated separate entrance. Lower per-square-foot cost than a fully detached structure. Ideal when lot dimensions or setback requirements make a standalone build difficult. Connected to the home's existing utilities in most cases.
Garage Conversion
An existing attached garage converted into a finished living space. The most affordable ADU path when a garage already exists, foundation and exterior structure are already in place. Requires careful planning around parking minimums and city requirements for habitable space standards.
The ADU Build Process, Start to Finish
Site Visit & Feasibility Check
We come to your property before anything is quoted or contracted. We check lot coverage limits, setbacks from property lines, utility connection distances, and HOA documents. In Fort Worth, we verify the accessory structure standards that apply to your district. In Keller, we check the guest house regulations for your specific zone. If there's a reason a project won't work, you hear it here.
Architectural Plans & Structural Drawings
Once feasibility is confirmed, we move to plan development. Drawings are built to meet your city's submittal standards, which vary between Keller, Fort Worth, and Denton County municipalities. We review final plans with you before submitting to the city.
Permit Application & Management
We handle the full permit package: site plan, foundation drawings, framing plans, electrical drawings, and any supplemental documentation your city's building department requires. We follow up. We respond to revision requests. We track the application so you don't have to.
Construction
Ground breaks when the permit is in hand. Foundation, framing, rough-ins, exterior finish, interior finish, in order, on schedule. You get weekly updates and direct access to the project manager throughout. If anything changes, you hear it immediately.
Inspection, CO & Walkthrough
Final city inspection is scheduled and attended by our team. Any punch list items from the inspection are resolved. When the certificate of occupancy is issued, we do a full room-by-room walkthrough with you before keys are handed over.
ADU Projects Built Across North Texas
Every project below was built in Tarrant, Denton, or Wise County. Permitted, inspected, and handed over to a family that uses it every day.
ADU Questions Specific to Fort Worth & Keller
A detached ADU in Tarrant County typically runs $120,000–$250,000+ depending on size, site conditions, utility distance, city permit fees, and finish level. Most DFW cities cap ADU size at 40–50% of the primary residence's square footage, or an absolute ceiling of 800–1,000 sq ft. A garage conversion costs significantly less than a ground-up detached structure. We give you a realistic range after the site visit, not a website estimate.
In most cases yes, but the rules differ between cities. Fort Worth permits ADUs as accessory structures under supplemental use standards. The unit must be smaller than the primary residence, and most properties must share the home's water and sewer tap. Keller allows detached guest houses but with strict setbacks and limited rental use in most residential zones. We verify your specific zoning and lot constraints on the site visit.
Keller typically moves faster than Fort Worth. Fort Worth's permit queue for residential ADUs can run 6–12 weeks depending on submittal completeness and current volume. We factor your specific city's timeline into the project schedule from day one, and we submit complete packages to minimize revision cycles.
In Fort Worth, ADUs are generally required to share the primary home's water and sewer tap. Separate metering for those utilities is not standard practice under current supplemental use standards. Electrical service requirements vary. We confirm utility requirements for your specific district on the site review.
A permitted, legally constructed ADU adds appraised value to your property. Unpermitted structures do not, and can create problems at sale when a home inspection uncovers them. In Tarrant and Denton County markets, a quality detached ADU typically adds meaningful value relative to build cost.
In most residential zones in Keller, ADUs (designated as detached guest houses) cannot be used as independent rental units. Long-term rental use may be permissible in some districts. HOA restrictions add another layer on top of city ordinance. If rental income is your goal, tell us before scope is defined.
Ready to Start Your ADU Project?
One call, no pressure. We'll tell you what's possible on your property.
Ready to find out what is buildable on your North Texas property?
Call (817) 372-0211 or complete the form below to schedule a free site visit. No obligation, no pressure, just a straight answer about what your lot can support.
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