Trusted ADU for Austin Homeowners
An accessory dwelling unit in Austin is typically a $180,000 to $350,000 investment depending on size, finishes, and site conditions, and most projects take 9 to 14 months from first call to final inspection. That’s a serious commitment, and the last thing you need is a contractor who goes quiet after the deposit clears. Relay Home Co. exists to change that experience. Since 2010, the family of brands under the Relay name has held every project, every trade, and every crew to the same standard: a written price before anything starts, a live arrival time you can track to your door, and photo documentation before and after the work. Led by Mitch Calloway, the Relay family operates across 41 states and DC through independent local businesses. In Austin, that means an ADU team that picks up the phone, shows up when it says it will, and never surprises you with a change order you didn’t approve. Call (361) 320-9467 to talk through your property.
What Our ADU Service Includes
Detached ADUs (Backyard Cottages)
A detached ADU is a standalone structure built in your backyard, completely separate from the main house. It’s the most flexible option for homeowners who want a full rental unit, a long-term spot for aging parents, or a private workspace with its own entrance. In Austin’s climate, we pay particular attention to foundation design for expansive clay soils and HVAC sizing for summer cooling loads. Our team manages the full scope from site survey to final inspection, with a written price agreed before any work begins.
Attached ADUs (Home Additions)
An attached ADU shares a wall with the primary residence but keeps its own entrance, kitchen, and bath. This option often saves money on utility connections and foundation work since part of the structure already exists. The trade-off is more care around sound separation and weatherproofing the connection point. We walk you through both options with real numbers for each path, not a vague range that shifts after you sign.
Garage Conversions
Converting an existing garage into an ADU is often the most cost-effective route in Austin because the shell is already standing. The work shifts to insulation, electrical upgrades, plumbing rough-in, and bringing the space up to current code for a legal dwelling unit. In older Austin neighborhoods like Hyde Park and Bouldin Creek, we regularly work with homes where the garage slab needs leveling before framing can start. The payoff is a rentable unit at a fraction of new-construction cost per square foot.
ADU Permitting & Plans
Austin’s permitting process for ADUs involves zoning checks, site plans, structural drawings, and energy code compliance. The city’s rules around impervious cover, setbacks, and tree protection can kill a project if they’re not caught early. Our planning phase includes a feasibility review before you spend money on full architectural drawings. That review flags the deal-breakers on your lot ahead of time, so you know whether your property can legally support an ADU before you commit.
ADU Construction & Project Management
This is where the daily work happens: foundation, framing, mechanical rough-in, finishes, and the long punch list at the end. Relay Home Co. coordinates every trade under one schedule and one point of contact. You get a live arrival time for every crew, before-and-after photos at each milestone, and a written change order for anything that deviates from the original scope. No gray areas.
ADU Utility Connections
Connecting an ADU to water, sewer, and electric service is one of the most site-specific cost drivers in Austin. Depending on where your existing lines run, trenching can be a few feet or across the whole yard. We quote utility work as a distinct line item after the site survey, not as a vague allowance buried in the contract. If Austin Energy or Austin Water requires a separate meter, that gets priced up front too.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Brands We Service for ADU
When projects call for specific hardware, we work with Craftsman and Chamberlain components for garage-door and access systems on detached ADUs. If your ADU includes a garage bay or workshop, we’ve installed and serviced Craftsman door systems for years and keep their common parts on hand, which saves a second trip when something needs adjusting mid-project.
For opener and smart-access integration, Chamberlain’s myQ platform is the one we recommend most often to Austin homeowners. It lets you control the ADU’s garage door from your phone, which matters when you’re renting the unit and want to grant or revoke access without handing over a physical remote. Whether your project ends up with Craftsman, Chamberlain, Raynor, or LiftMaster hardware, the rough-in and coordination are handled the same way: documented, scheduled, and priced before the work starts.
Signs You Need ADU Right Now
- Your household just grew by a generation. Aging parents moving in or adult kids returning to Austin both signal a need for space that a spare bedroom can’t fix. An ADU gives everyone a door that closes while keeping family on the same lot.
- Your property taxes keep climbing and the house isn’t earning. A rentable ADU turns unused yard space into monthly income. In Austin’s rental market, a well-built one-bedroom ADU near central neighborhoods consistently leases fast, and that income offsets carrying costs on the whole property.
- You work from home and the kitchen table isn’t cutting it. A detached ADU office separates work from home life without a commercial lease. The commute is 40 feet, and the utility bills stay in your name instead of a landlord’s.
- Your garage is a storage unit, not a car port. If the garage has become dead square footage, converting it into a legal ADU captures that value. The structure is already there, which means your budget goes further per finished square foot.
- You’ve been quoted 18-month timelines from other builders. Austin’s construction labor market is tight, and a slow timeline costs you carrying costs and lost rent. If another contractor can’t commit to a schedule, that’s a signal to get a second opinion fast.
Our ADU Process – Step by Step
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Property Feasibility Call. You call (361) 320-9467 and talk to a person, not a voicemail tree. We ask about your lot, your goals, and your budget range. If the project looks viable, we schedule a site visit at a time you can track to the minute.
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Site Survey & Zoning Check. We walk the property with you, measure setbacks, check utility locations, and review Austin’s zoning rules for your specific address. This is where we catch the issues that kill ADUs before you’ve spent a dollar on drawings.
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Design & Written Proposal. You get a line-item proposal with construction scope, material allowances, utility work, permit fees, and a project timeline. Every number is in writing before anything starts, and the price doesn’t change at the door or the job site.
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Permitting & Approvals. We prepare and submit the plans Austin requires, coordinate with city reviewers, and handle corrections. You get photo updates at each permit milestone so you know exactly where the project stands.
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Construction, Documentation & Done Right Walkthrough. Work proceeds on the agreed schedule, with live arrival tracking for every crew and before-and-after photos at each phase. When construction wraps, we walk the finished ADU with you against the written scope. If anything isn’t done right, the 365-Day Done Right Promise means we make it right.
How Much Does ADU Cost in Austin?
What moves the number most is site work. Clay soil in Austin means foundation upgrades on new builds, and tree protection rules in neighborhoods like Travis Heights and Zilker can add five figures to a project before framing starts. We also see wide variation in utility connection costs depending on where the existing sewer lateral sits. The way to avoid overpaying is to get a line-item proposal, not a per-square-foot ballpark. A free estimate from our team includes the feasibility review, the site survey, and a written scope with the price agreed before any work begins.
ADU Near Austin – Our Service Area
Relay Home Co. serves homeowners across Austin, including central neighborhoods like Hyde Park, Bouldin Creek, Travis Heights, Allandale, and Mueller, plus surrounding communities throughout Travis and Williamson counties. Typical response time for an initial site visit is two to four business days. If you’re exploring whether your lot can support an ADU, start with our home page to see how the full Relay family of services works together, or go straight to the ADU in Austin page for project-specific details.
Serving Austin, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Austin area and know this community well - see our ADU in Austin for an example of our local work. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked Questions – ADU in Austin
What is an ADU?
An ADU, or accessory dwelling unit, is a self-contained living space on a residential lot that includes its own entrance, kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping area. It can be attached to the main house, converted from an existing garage, or built as a detached backyard structure. In Austin, ADUs are legal on most single-family residential lots under the city’s current zoning code.
How long does an ADU take to build in Austin?
A garage conversion typically takes 5 to 8 months from permit submission to final inspection. A detached new-build ADU usually runs 10 to 14 months, with site work and foundation consuming the first third of that timeline. Austin’s permitting office has improved turnaround times recently, but we build schedule buffer into every proposal so the finish date you’re given is one we can stand behind.
How much does an ADU cost in Austin?
Garage conversions run $120,000 to $180,000, attached additions $180,000 to $260,000, and detached units $200,000 to $400,000 depending on size and finishes. Site conditions like soil, trees, and utility locations are the biggest variables. Call (361) 320-9467 for a line-item proposal on your specific lot, and the price is in writing before anything starts.
Do you service Chamberlain garage door openers on ADU projects?
Yes. We install and configure Chamberlain openers including myQ smart-access systems on ADU garage bays and workshops. Whether you’re renting the unit and need controlled access or just want to open the door from your phone, we set up the hardware and walk you through it before we leave.
Can you start an ADU project on short notice?
ADU construction isn’t an emergency trade, and we won’t manufacture urgency to pressure you into signing. That said, the site survey and feasibility review can usually be scheduled within two to four business days. If you’re trying to beat a rental season or a family timeline, call and we’ll tell you honestly whether the schedule works.
What warranty covers ADU work?
Every project delivered under the Relay name is covered by the 365-Day Done Right Promise. If any work isn’t done right within the first year, we come back and make it right. This applies across all trades and every phase of the project, from foundation to final paint.
How should I prepare for an ADU site visit?
Have your property survey handy if you have one, and know roughly where your sewer line runs if that came up during your home purchase. Walk the yard and think about where you’d want the unit and where you’d want access. The more specific you can be about how you’ll use the space, the sharper your proposal will be.
Schedule Your ADU Service in Austin Today
If you’re serious about adding an ADU to your Austin property, the first step is a conversation. Call (361) 320-9467 and talk through your lot, your budget, and your timeline with someone who actually understands Austin’s permitting and site conditions. You’ll get a free feasibility review, a written scope, and a price agreed before anything starts. That’s the Relay standard.
Written by Mitch Calloway, Owner at Relay Home Co., serving Austin and surrounding communities since 2010.