Garage Conversions in Dallas
Estate ADU turns Dallas garages into garage apartments, in-law suites and home offices. We handle the permit, the parking rules and the upgrades an old garage needs to become a real home.
If nobody has parked in your garage in years, it's the easiest place to add a home. The walls, roof and slab are already there. That usually makes a conversion the fastest and least expensive way to get a parent, a grown kid or an office out back.
What a Garage Conversion Includes
A garage isn't built for living. To turn it into one, we typically:
- Level or raise the floor, and add a moisture barrier
- Insulate the walls and roof, and add heating and cooling
- Replace the garage door with a wall, windows and a real front door
- Run new plumbing for a kitchen and bathroom
- Upgrade the electrical
- Match the outside to your house
Dallas Rules for Garage Conversions
- Parking. Dallas requires off-street parking for every house, one or two spaces depending on your zoning. If the garage was your parking, we may need to add a space somewhere else on the lot.
- Kitchen = ADU. A converted garage with a kitchen follows the same rules as a new ADU. In the City of Dallas, that usually means a Board of Adjustment special exception. We file it and present it for you. More in our Dallas ADU permit guide.
- Highland Park. Accessory buildings can't have a kitchen, so a garage there usually becomes an office, studio or gym.
Garage Apartment, In-Law Suite or Office?
- Garage apartment. A full studio or 1-bedroom with a kitchen and bath.
- In-law suite. The same, designed for a parent: zero-step entry, wide doors, a curbless shower. See in-law suites.
- Detached home office. No kitchen, so in the City of Dallas it can often skip the Board of Adjustment. A good fit if you work from home and want a real door between work and family.
Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a garage conversion cost in Dallas?
Plumbing runs, foundation work and finishes set the final number. You'll get a real range after a free lot check.
How long does a garage conversion take?
The build itself is often shorter than a new ADU. We'll give you a timeline, including permits, at the lot check.
Can my garage handle plumbing and electrical?
Usually, with upgrades. We trench new sewer and water lines and add an electrical subpanel when needed.
Will my garage's foundation work?
Sometimes as is, sometimes with leveling or repairs. We check it at the lot check, so it's in your price.
Is a garage conversion cheaper than building a new ADU?
Usually, because the shell already exists. If the garage needs major foundation or framing work, a new backyard ADU can be the better deal.
Do I lose my parking?
You lose the garage spaces. If the city requires them, we add parking elsewhere on the lot.
Start here
Get a Real Number for Your Lot
Send us your address. We'll check your zoning, look at the site and give you a price range you can plan around.
☎ (214) 949-5192