Frame 01OpeningDetached ADU construction

Chapter 01 — What "detached" actually means

It is not a conversion.

It is a second building, from the foundation up.

A detached ADU is new construction. Its own foundation, its own roof, its own utility connections, standing somewhere else on your lot rather than carved out of space you already have. That makes it the most flexible ADU type in layout and design, and the most involved in site work — because none of it exists yet.

It is also the ADU type most exposed to South Florida site conditions. A garage conversion inherits a slab; a detached unit needs a foundation sized and elevated for a high water table, for how the lot drains, and on some parcels for flood zone and base flood elevation requirements. That evaluation happens before a foundation is designed, not after.

The upside is that nothing is inherited. Because it is ground-up construction, the unit is built to full current code from day one — wind load, elevation and, in Miami-Dade and Broward, impact-rated windows and doors and HVHZ-compliant construction from the first stud. It is not retrofitting anyone else’s shortcuts.

Interior of a detached ADU looking toward the entry door, with a vaulted ceiling, skylight and an open living area
Vaulted ceilingSkylightSleeping loft overIts own entry doorFull kitchen
Frame 01 · inside unit 01Annotations mark what is visible in this frame. No city, client, cost or date is claimed for either unit on this page, and no exterior of unit 01 is published — the only frame of it carried a street number.
  • Vaulted ceilingvisible in this frame
  • Skylightvisible in this frame
  • Sleeping loft overvisible in this frame
  • Its own entry doorvisible in this frame
  • Full kitchenvisible in this frame
Shown
Completed detached accessory dwelling
Note
Two different units on this page
Photographed
Unit 01, 8 November 2021
100%

New construction

Foundation, framing, roof, envelope and systems are all new, so current wind-load and impact requirements apply throughout rather than being retrofitted.

SETBACKS

Placement is zoning first

How far from the main house and from side and rear lines a unit can sit is set by your zoning district, and it varies by city and county. There is no tri-county number.

CBC1265280

One licence, one contract

Licensed, bonded and insured general contractor. Site evaluation, design coordination, permitting, utilities and construction stay with one company.

Frame 02ScopeWhat is included

Chapter 02 — What a detached ADU includes

A second dwelling, not an extension.

Design, structure, services, approvals

Scene 01Site

Site, soil and zoning evaluation

Where a detached unit can legally go is decided by setbacks, lot coverage and sometimes tree preservation, and those vary by city and county. We confirm the buildable envelope on your specific lot before anyone designs around a location that may not be available.

Placement is a zoning exercise before it is a design one.

Scene 02Structure

Engineered foundation and frame

A permitted dwelling needs an engineered foundation, not shed-grade piers. Type and elevation follow the soil, the drainage and any flood requirement on the parcel — then framing, roof and envelope go on to current wind-load code.

The foundation is designed for your lot, not from a template.

Scene 03Utilities
ADU bathroom with patterned cement-look floor tile, subway-tiled walls and a walk-in shower

Utilities run from scratch

Electrical, water and sewer or septic all have to reach a building that has none of them. A full bathroom and a laundry in a detached unit mean real drainage and supply runs, and how far the unit sits from existing service drives both cost and sequencing — a short trench on one lot, a serious underground scope on another.

Trench length is priced up front, not discovered mid-project.

Scene 04Fit-out
ADU living area with a sofa, rug and bar seating at the kitchen counter

A complete, independent dwelling

Kitchen, bathroom, laundry, HVAC and storage designed for the unit’s own layout rather than adapted from an existing structure — because at the end of it this has to work as somewhere a person actually lives.

Small plans only work if they are designed as plans, not leftovers.

Scene 04 is an illustrative diagram. Permitting does not photograph well.

Not sure whether your lot can take a second unit? That is the first thing we check.

Schedule a Consultation Call (754) 236-0675
Frame 03Project 01, the unitOne visit · interior frames

Chapter 03 — Project 01, a completed detached unit

Inside a finished ADU.

One unit, photographed on one visit

Every frame in this sequence is the same completed unit. It is a detached building with its own entry, its own kitchen and bathroom, a laundry and a sleeping loft. Use the arrows, the frame ticks, or the left and right arrow keys.

Open-plan ADU interior showing the living area, kitchen, black steel stair to the loft and a stacked washer and dryer
01 · The plan

01 / 05

01 · The plan

The whole unit reads in one view: living area, kitchen against the far wall, a black steel stair to the loft and a stacked washer and dryer built into the plan rather than added to it.

02 · The kitchen

A full kitchen, not a kitchenette — range, full-height refrigerator, microwave, sink and worktop, with timber-fronted cabinets and a white subway-tiled wall.

03 · Stair and laundry

The steel stair rises directly past the laundry stack. In a small footprint the stair is not just circulation; the space beside and under it has to earn its place.

04 · The loft

Looking down from the loft onto the living area and kitchen. The vaulted ceiling is what makes the loft possible, and what stops the ground floor feeling like a box.

05 · Sleeping level

The loft in use, with an exposed beam running across the gable. Headroom, guard height and stair geometry at this level are code items, not styling choices.

Want to walk a finished ADU in person? We can arrange it.

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Frame 04Project 01, what the frames showObserved detail only

Chapter 04 — Reading the unit

What the unit frames show.

Observed on one visit, not reconstructed

It stands on its own

The exterior frame is the important one on this page. The unit has its own gabled roof, its own entry door, its own windows and its own walls, standing clear of anything else in the yard. That is what "detached" means, and it is why this type needs a foundation, a roof and utilities of its own rather than borrowing them.

It is a complete dwelling

Across the interior frames there is a kitchen with a range and a full-height refrigerator, a bathroom with a walk-in shower, a laundry, a living area and a separate sleeping level. Nothing here is shared with a main house. That completeness is what makes a unit independently habitable — and insurable.

The volume is doing the work

The ceiling is vaulted rather than flat, and there is a skylight in the main space. In a small footprint that vertical volume is what buys the loft and what stops the ground floor reading as a shed interior.

Materials and finishes visible

Timber-fronted cabinets with white subway tile in the kitchen; patterned cement-look floor tile and subway-tiled walls in the bathroom; a black steel stair with an open riser and a matching guard; wood-look plank flooring throughout the living level.

Storage is planned, not left over

The laundry is stacked and built into the stair wall, the kitchen runs full height, and the loft is used rather than decorative. In a unit this size the difference between comfortable and cramped is almost entirely whether storage was designed in at plan stage.

What is not claimed

No city, client, cost, timeline or permit history is attached to either unit on this page, because none of that is documented for these frames. The two units shown are genuinely different buildings, photographed 21 months apart, and they are presented separately for that reason.

Every ADU starts the same way — someone comes out and measures the setbacks.

Schedule a Consultation Call (754) 236-0675
Frame 05MaterialsIllustrative · not project photography

Chapter 05 — Systems for a small building

What goes into a unit this size.

And what each one asks of you later

Illustrative diagrams

System

Engineered foundation and slab

Sized and elevated for the specific site’s soil, drainage and elevation conditions rather than a standard template. On flood-zone parcels the finished floor is set above base flood elevation, which raises everything above it.

UpkeepKeep grade and drainage clear of the slab edge; that is where problems start.

System

Independent utility service

A new electrical sub-panel or service, water supply, and sewer or septic connection run from the main systems to a building that has none. Distance from existing service is one of the biggest single cost variables on a detached unit.

UpkeepKnow where the runs are before you landscape over them.

System

Impact-rated building envelope

Windows, doors and roof-to-wall connections built to current HVHZ or Wind-Borne Debris Region requirements from day one — not retrofitted later, because there is no existing structure to retrofit.

UpkeepRinse tracks and weep holes; salt air is the enemy of the hardware.

Material

Roof and exterior matched to the main house

Roofing and exterior finish are chosen for code compliance and for visual cohesion with the primary structure. Some jurisdictions and HOAs require compatibility; others do not regulate it at all.

UpkeepWatch for hairline cracking at openings; seal early rather than repaint late.

System

Site drainage and grading

A new building changes how water moves across a lot. Grading and drainage are managed as part of construction so the unit does not create runoff or standing water for you or for a neighbour.

UpkeepCheck falls and outlets after the first heavy season.

Upgrade

Full interior systems build-out

HVAC, plumbing and electrical designed for the unit’s own layout rather than adapted from an existing structure — including the small-footprint decisions like a stacked laundry and a stair that has to carry both circulation and storage.

UpkeepService the air handler on schedule; small units are less forgiving of neglect.

These panels are illustrative diagrams explaining the systems used in detached ADU construction generally. They are not photographs of Elbaz Construction work, and listing an option here does not mean it was used on the units shown above.

Small buildings punish the wrong system. We will tell you which ones we would use.

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Frame 06Project 02Different lot · 21 months apart

Chapter 06 — Project 02, a different unit

A second unit, on a different lot.

Photographed 21 months apart from Project 01

These three frames are a genuinely different accessory dwelling unit, not another angle on the one above. They are shown separately for that reason. Same idea, different building, different finish level.

Exterior wall of a second, separate accessory dwelling unit, with a dark-framed window, wall light and a paver terrace running up to it

01Outside

Its own outside wall

A rendered wall, a dark-framed window and a paver terrace running up to it. A detached unit has an outside of its own to detail, drain and finish — an expense a conversion inside an existing envelope simply does not carry.

Second accessory dwelling unit showing the kitchen cabinetry, media console and seating under a vaulted ceiling

02Kitchen

A different finish level

White cabinetry with a range, microwave and full-height refrigerator. Compared with Project 01’s timber-fronted kitchen this is a different specification at the same functional standard — which is exactly the lever most owners have on ADU budget.

Interior of a second accessory dwelling unit with a living area, bed and a compact kitchen against the near wall

03Living

The same volume idea

A vaulted ceiling again, with a wall-mounted air handler and a combined living and sleeping area. Two different units, two different finishes, and the same underlying move: buy the height, because you cannot buy the floor area.

Send us your lot dimensions and we will tell you what will actually fit.

Schedule a Consultation Call (754) 236-0675
Frame 07ProcessNine stages

Chapter 07 — Nine stages, in order

How a second dwelling gets built.

Consultation to certificate of occupancy

Consultation

What you want the unit to do — rental, family, office, guest — and what you already know about your lot. The intended use changes the plan more than the budget does.

You getA licensed contractor, not a call centre.

CheckNothing is designed before the lot is understood.

Site and soil evaluation

A survey of the lot, an assessment of soil and drainage, and the elevation question. On some parcels flood zone and base flood elevation decide how high the finished floor has to sit before anything else is decided.

You getA written summary of what the lot allows.

CheckSoil and drainage assessed before a foundation is designed.

Zoning and buildable envelope

Setbacks, separation from the main house, lot coverage and any tree preservation rules, confirmed against your specific zoning district — because these vary by city and county and they decide where the building can physically go.

You getA confirmed placement before design starts.

CheckBuildable envelope confirmed in writing.

Design and engineering

Layout, then foundation and framing plans engineered for the site conditions and current wind-load code. Small plans are harder than large ones; storage, stair and services get resolved here.

You getDrawings you can actually read, and an explanation.

CheckConstructability reviewed before the set is filed.

Written scope

What is included, what is allowance, what is excluded — including the trench runs, the finish level and what happens if the site throws up a surprise.

You getA line-item scope with allowances named.

CheckUtility runs quantified rather than estimated.

Permitting and utility coordination

Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits, plus coordination with the utility providers for the new water, sewer or septic and electrical service.

You getThe permit file handled, with status you can ask about.

CheckUtility coordination started early, not at connection time.

Foundation to finish

Foundation and slab, framing, roofing, impact-rated windows and doors, systems rough-in, then interior finishes. Genuinely new construction, sequenced start to finish.

You getOne point of contact and a site you are welcome on.

CheckMilestone walk-throughs recorded, not just held.

Inspections

Foundation, structural, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, envelope and final. Each gates the next stage of work.

You getInspections scheduled and attended by us.

CheckWork checked internally before an inspector is called.

Certificate of occupancy

Final inspections and a legal certificate of occupancy, so the result is a fully independent, insurable second structure on your property rather than an unpermitted outbuilding.

You getA finished unit and the paperwork that proves it.

CheckPunch list signed off item by item, with you present.

We pull the permits and close them out on your behalf.

Schedule a Consultation Call (754) 236-0675
Frame 08ApprovalsPlanning, permits, inspections

Chapter 08 — The part that decides whether you can build at all

Zoning, permits and utilities.

Answered before design, not after

On a detached ADU the approvals are not a formality at the end — they decide whether the building can exist, how big it can be and where it can stand. That is why they come first here.

Survey and lot plan

A current survey establishes boundaries, easements, existing structures and grade. Every placement question is answered off this document.

Zoning district and setbacks

Your district sets the required distance from side and rear lines and from the main house. These vary by city and county across the tri-county area and there is no single number that applies everywhere.

Lot coverage and size limits

Most jurisdictions cap how much of a lot may be built on and how large an accessory unit may be, often as a proportion of the main house. This frequently decides the footprint before design begins.

Tree preservation

Mature trees are protected in many South Florida municipalities. A unit cannot simply be sited where a protected tree stands, and removal — where allowed at all — is its own application.

Flood zone and elevation

On flood-zone parcels the finished floor has to sit above base flood elevation. That changes the foundation, the approach and often the whole ground-floor plan.

Utility capacity and routing

Water, sewer or septic and electrical service all have to reach the new building. Capacity at the main house and the distance to the unit both matter, and both are confirmed before the scope is priced.

HOA and architectural review

Where an association has jurisdiction its review runs in parallel with the building department, on its own calendar, and it may govern exterior materials or whether a unit is allowed at all.

Permit submission

Building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are filed together. A detached unit typically carries more zoning review than a conversion because the placement of a new structure is itself under review.

Inspection sequence

Inspections follow construction from foundation through to final, and each gates the next stage of work.

Certificate of occupancy

The unit is only legally habitable once a certificate of occupancy is issued. That document is the difference between a second dwelling and an expensive shed.

Setbacks, size limits and review timelines vary by municipality and are not promised here. Everything on this page describes general requirements; what applies to your parcel comes from the survey and the zoning check.

Zoning decides whether an ADU is possible at all. Let us look at your parcel.

Schedule a Consultation Call (754) 236-0675
Frame 09VariablesCost · programme · decisions

Chapter 09 — What moves the number

Cost, programme and the decisions behind both.

Lot, services, and the route to approval

Fewer variables

Close to the house

A compact unit near the main house on a level, well-drained lot with generous setbacks and easy construction access.

  • Short utility trench runs
  • Standard foundation, no elevation complication
  • Equipment can reach the build area
  • Straightforward zoning review
The usual shape of these jobs

Typical detached unit

A one-bed or studio unit at the rear of a suburban lot, with a real trench run and a finish level that broadly matches the main house.

  • Meaningful underground utility scope
  • Engineered foundation for site conditions
  • Impact-rated envelope throughout
  • Zoning review on placement and coverage
More moving parts

Constrained lot

A deep or tight lot, limited access, protected trees, or a flood-zone elevation requirement — the cases where feasibility work earns its money.

  • Long trenching, sometimes under hardscape
  • Elevated foundation above base flood elevation
  • Restricted equipment access raises labour
  • Tree preservation or HOA review alongside

Distance from utilities

Longer runs for water, sewer and electrical service add real cost the further the unit sits from the main house.

Site and soil conditions

Drainage, water table and elevation requirements affect foundation design and cost before framing starts.

Placement flexibility

Tight setbacks or limited buildable area can force a smaller footprint or a more complex foundation shape.

Size and layout

As full new construction, square footage scales cost across every trade — foundation, framing, roofing, systems and finishes.

Construction access

Lots without easy equipment access add labour and logistics cost to every stage.

Finish level

Builder-grade versus main-house-matched finishes is a real range across flooring, cabinetry and fixtures.

Elevation requirement

A flood-zone finished-floor requirement changes the foundation, the approach and sometimes the plan.

Tree and landscape work

Protected trees, removal applications and reinstating a yard after trenching all sit on the critical path.

We do not publish a square-foot price for detached ADU construction, because the two biggest variables — how far the unit sits from your existing utilities and what the ground and elevation require of the foundation — are properties of your lot, not of the building. Two identical units on two different lots are genuinely different jobs. What we will do is quantify the trench runs and the foundation before pricing, so the number has something behind it. Adding permitted square footage generally affects assessed value; we are not tax advisers and would point you to your county property appraiser for that.

For a number specific to your lot, we need the survey and the service locations.

Schedule a Consultation Call (754) 236-0675
Frame 10Sequence of workIllustrative diagram

Chapter 10 — The order of work

How a detached ADU goes up.

Site preparation to certificate of occupancy

Illustrative diagram

Stage 01

Site preparation

Clearing and grading the build area, protecting trees that stay, and establishing access and a staging area for equipment and material.

Stage 02

Foundation

Termite pre-treatment, vapour barrier, reinforcement and slab, set to the elevation the parcel requires.

Stage 03

Framing

Walls, floor and roof structure to the engineered plans and current wind-load requirements.

Stage 04

Roof and envelope

Roof assembly, waterproofing and exterior wall build-up, matched or complementary to the main house.

Stage 05

Openings and dry-in

Impact-rated windows and doors set, flashed and sealed. Once dried in, interior work can begin.

Stage 06

Utilities and rough-in

Trenching and connection of water, sewer or septic and electrical service, then mechanical, electrical and plumbing rough-in through the structure.

Stage 07

Interior finishes

Insulation and board, then paint, flooring, kitchen, bathroom, laundry and fixtures.

Stage 08

Inspections and CO

Final inspections, certificate of occupancy, handover documents and the reinstatement of anything the trenching disturbed.

An illustrative diagram of the general order of work on a detached ADU. It is not a photograph of a project, and the exact sequence varies with the parcel, the design and the authority having jurisdiction.

Most people call us at stage one. Some call at stage four. Both work.

Schedule a Consultation Call (754) 236-0675
Frame 11On siteWhat to expect while it happens

Chapter 11 — What building in your own yard is like

On the lot.

Assembled from the frames above

Frame 11 · on siteBuilt from the completed-unit frames used in the galleries on this page — genuine work, moved rather than invented. Nothing here is stock footage.

It is a building siteFor several months your garden is a construction site with a foundation, deliveries and trades in it. That is the honest version.
Access and stagingEquipment and material have to reach the build area. On lots without alley or rear access this is the single biggest logistical factor.
The trenchRunning services to the unit means opening ground between the main house and the build. Where it crosses lawn, driveway or paving is planned in advance, and reinstatement is part of the scope.
Living through itYou stay in the main house throughout. Utility connection is the one stage that may briefly affect service, and it is scheduled with you.
CommunicationOne point of contact, and scheduled milestone walk-throughs rather than ad hoc updates.
InspectionsFoundation through final, each one gating the next stage, scheduled into the programme.
HandoverCertificate of occupancy, closeout documents and warranties, plus the yard put back — handed over as a set.

Ready to see what a second unit would look like on your lot?

Schedule a Consultation Call (754) 236-0675
Frame 12QuestionsFAQ and credentials

Chapter 12 — Questions, and why us

What people ask before adding a unit.

Grouped so you can find yours

Placement

It depends on your zoning district’s setback and separation requirements, which vary by city and county — there is no single tri-county number. We confirm the exact buildable envelope for your lot before finalising placement.

Often yes, but construction access affects cost and logistics — equipment and material staging are more involved without it. We assess site access as part of the feasibility review, because it changes both price and timeline.

Usually not without an application, and often not at all. Mature trees are protected in many South Florida municipalities, so tree position is part of the buildable-envelope question rather than a landscaping detail.

Structure

It needs an engineered foundation appropriate for a permitted dwelling — not shed-grade construction. The specific type depends on your soil conditions and site elevation requirements, which are evaluated before design.

Yes. Because it is 100 per cent new construction, current wind-load standards apply throughout, and in Miami-Dade or Broward that means impact-rated windows and doors and HVHZ-compliant construction from the first stud.

Utilities

Every line has to reach the new structure. Depending on the design and the jurisdiction that can be a new sub-panel and branch services, or fully separate service. Distance from existing service is what drives the cost either way.

It matters a great deal. A sewer connection is a trench and a tie-in; a septic system may need capacity assessment and sometimes expansion to take an additional dwelling. It is confirmed during feasibility.

Permits

Generally longer than for a conversion, because the placement of a new structure is itself under zoning review in addition to the building, electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits. We give a project-specific view once the survey and zoning check are done — we will not promise a date the county controls.

Some jurisdictions and HOAs require exterior material or design compatibility with the main house; others do not regulate it at all. We check what applies to your property and can design to match or deliberately differentiate.

Cost and value

Generally longer, because there is no existing structure to build from — foundation and framing add real time a conversion skips, and permitting tends to involve more zoning review. A project-specific timeline comes once site and design details are set.

Adding permitted square footage generally does affect assessed value, since it is new taxable improvement. We are not tax advisers — your county property appraiser is the right source for exact numbers — but it is a real factor to plan for.

Completion

A legally permitted, independently habitable dwelling with a certificate of occupancy, its own utilities and its own entrance — plus the closeout documents and warranties.

Whether a permitted ADU may be rented, and on what terms, is set by your local ordinance rather than by us. It is worth confirming before you build if rental income is the reason for the project.

Maintenance

Less of it, but not less often. The envelope, the roof and the air handler need the same attention as a house — and a small unit is less forgiving when something is neglected, because there is nowhere for a problem to hide.

Still have questions? Talk to someone who has built these, not sold them.

Schedule a Consultation Call (754) 236-0675
Frame 13ReviewsGoogle

Chapter 13 — What clients said

Reviews, quoted as written.

Rated 4.8 from 343 Google reviews at the time of writing.

Frame R1ReviewGoogle
Asher was the best choice I have made. We love the outcome of the ADU . They showed up on time and did a great job, were friendly. No issues at all during the whole process. Very organized team . I would recommend them to everyone I know !

Robert BryanGoogle review

Frame R2ReviewGoogle
Really glad we went with Elbaz Construction for our ADU . They were in and out faster than we expected which I appreciated , and the price seemed reasonable. Overall great experience!!

Kirtsada ShearingGoogle review

Frame R3ReviewGoogle
Great experience! The team was professional, efficient, and delivered high-quality work on time. They communicated clearly throughout the project and exceeded our expectations. Highly recommend for any construction needs!

AndrewGoogle review

Read every review on Google, unedited.

See all Google reviews

Service Areas

Proudly serving homeowners across Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach

(754) 236-0675

104 municipalities across three counties — and we hold the licence to build in all of them. Not sure about your address? Ask us.

Schedule a Consultation (754) 236-0675
Preferred contact method

We use your details only to respond to this enquiry. No lists, no resale.

Thanks — that came through.

Your enquiry is with the Elbaz Construction team. A licensed contractor will call you back to ask about the lot, the drawings and your timing. If it is easier to talk now, call (754) 236-0675, Sunday to Friday 7am to 7pm.

Frame 14StartConsultation, not a sales visit

Chapter 14 — Start here

Start with the lot.

A feasibility conversation, not a sales visit

Almost every detached ADU question resolves to two things: where the building can legally stand, and how far it is from your existing services. Both are answerable early and cheaply, and both change the project completely. So that is where we start.

Request an estimate Call (754) 236-0675

What happens after you send it

01
We read what you sendYour address, what you want the unit for, and any survey or site plan you already hold.
02
We call you backA licensed contractor, to ask the questions that decide whether this is straightforward or constrained.
03
We walk the lotAccess, grade, drainage, trees, distance to services, and where the buildable envelope actually is.
04
You get it in writingA scope with the trench runs and the foundation quantified, and allowances named.

Useful to have ready

  • The property address
  • What you want the unit to do — rental, family, office, guest
  • A survey or site plan if you have one
  • Whether you are on sewer or septic
  • Whether an HOA has a say on your property