Home Remodeling
ADU Installation done properly
An ADU is a second small home on the property, and it gets treated like one by the building department.
What this work involves
ADUs come in two shapes: converting existing space such as a basement or garage, or building detached. Conversions are cheaper and constrained by what is already there. Detached units cost more and give you a free hand on layout.
Either way it is a full dwelling: kitchen, bath, egress, separate mechanical, and usually its own utility metering or subpanel. Zoning and setback rules vary by jurisdiction across the north metro and they decide what is possible before design does.
We work through what the local rules actually allow before drawing anything, because the difference between counties here is significant.
The sequence on a job like this
- Zoning, setback and occupancy rules confirmed for the specific jurisdiction
- Design and permitting for a full dwelling unit
- Foundation and framing, or conversion of existing space
- Kitchen, bath, mechanical, electrical service and all finishes
What we look at before quoting adu installation
Every adu installation job starts the same way: we look at what the new work has to sit on. We work through what the local rules actually allow before drawing anything, because the difference between counties here is significant.
Doing that early protects the number we give you. A quote built on a quick glance tends to grow once walls come down, and we would rather spend the extra time at the start than hand you a change order later.
Worth knowing
The thing that usually goes wrong
Designing before checking local zoning. Setbacks and maximum unit size vary enough across these counties to make a plan unbuildable.
You can only see about a third of a finished remodel. The rest is behind drywall and under tile, and that hidden two thirds is what decides whether the visible third still looks right in ten years. It is also where corners get cut, because nobody is going to check.
A free walkthrough is the easiest way to find out where yours stands. Book one at (678) 665-7771 or through our contact page. Igor does them himself and does not dress up the answer.
Other home work
All of it is on the home remodeling services page.
Where we do this work
Every city we cover is on the service areas page. The short version: Roswell is home base, and the work reaches across Fulton, Cobb, Cherokee, Forsyth, Gwinnett and DeKalb, from Alpharetta, GA and Woodstock, GA to Marietta, GA and thirty-nine more.
Have a look at the gallery for finished work, or call (678) 665-7771 and we will come out.
Where the money actually goes
Nobody likes a contractor who will not talk about cost. We will, in detail, at the walkthrough. What we will not do is quote from a phone call, because the number would be fiction.
The largest variable is almost always whether things move. Keeping the layout keeps the mechanical work small. Changing it means drains, vents, circuits and often framing.
What we uncover during demolition is the second thing that moves cost. We cannot see through drywall, but we look wherever we can get to before we quote.
The permitting side
We handle permits and inspections as part of the job rather than treating them as your problem.
The rules here are not uniform. Six counties means six sets of requirements, and on top of that individual cities within them have their own. We work out what applies before design gets far.
Inspections are useful. They catch exactly the details that cause failures later, and an inspector looking at a ledger connection or a rough electrical run is a second set of eyes we are happy to have.
How we think about materials
There is a version of every product at three price points and the differences are not always where the marketing says. Some of it is genuine performance and some of it is finish options.
The question we ask about every material is how hard it would be to replace. Visible hardware and fixtures are easy, so pick what you like. What sits under tile or behind drywall is not, so that is where we refuse to cut corners.
That means we sometimes talk clients out of upgrades. If a mid-range fixture performs the same as the expensive one, we would rather that money went into the part of the job nobody sees.
Looking after the work
A finished remodel is not maintenance free, but the list is short and most of it is easy.
In a bathroom or kitchen, the joint between materials is what moves, so its sealant is what needs checking. Siding, decks and roofing need clear drainage. Fans and anything with a filter just need cleaning.
When the work is done, we walk you through the upkeep in person. Later on, if a joint opens up or something behaves strangely, let us know and we will come look.
Questions people ask
Are ADUs allowed on our lot?
It depends on the jurisdiction, and the differences across these counties are significant. We check zoning, setbacks and maximum unit size before any design work, because those rules decide what is buildable.
Is converting cheaper than building?
Usually. Converting a basement or garage uses a foundation and roof you already have; detached means building both, and you pay for that before any finishes.
What does a full home remodel actually include?
Usually every finish surface, the kitchen and baths, often the flooring throughout, and whatever framing, electrical and plumbing corrections the house needs along the way.
Will we be able to live in the house during the work?
Most families stay put during a one-room job, a bathroom or a kitchen say. When the project covers the whole house or adds major square footage, staying gets harder, and we will say so plainly before you commit.
How do we get started?
Reach us at (678) 665-7771 or through the contact page. We will find a time to see the space in person. There is no charge for that visit and nobody will lean on you to sign.
What happens if you find something unexpected?
You get a call that same day, with photos. We explain what we found and how we want to handle it, and nothing gets covered up without your knowledge.
Let us take a look at your adu installation project
Call (678) 665-7771 or send a note through the contact page. Igor will come look at the space, talk through what you want, and give you a straight answer on scope. We are not the biggest shop in the north metro and have no interest in being. Fewer jobs at a time is the whole point.