Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
Styles & brands we work with
See the difference
Before
After
Before
After
Before
AfterHow Much Does ADU Construction Cost in Jacksonville?
ADU construction in Jacksonville typically costs between $90,000 and $220,000 for a complete, turnkey unit in 2026. Most detached accessory dwelling units in the Jacksonville market land between $140,000 and $180,000 for a finished one-bedroom unit with a kitchen and bathroom. A garage conversion runs lower, generally $30,000 to $80,000, while a custom two-bedroom ADU with premium finishes can push past the $200,000 mark.
Those numbers come from what we see on real job sites across Duval County, from Riverside and Avondale to Mandarin and San Marco. The spread reflects real variables: unit size, site conditions, utility connections, and whether you’re building from the slab up or converting existing square footage.
If you’re considering an ADU on your property, start with our ADU construction in Jacksonville guide for an overview of the process, then come back here for the numbers.
ADU Construction Cost Breakdown (2026)
Here’s how a typical Jacksonville ADU project breaks down by line item. These ranges reflect market pricing we see in Duval County as of 2026:
| Line Item | Typical Range (Jacksonville, FL) |
|---|---|
| Site prep & foundation | $8,000 – $25,000 |
| Framing & structural | $25,000 – $60,000 |
| Rough-in (plumbing, electrical, HVAC) | $15,000 – $35,000 |
| Kitchen (cabinets, counters, appliances) | $14,000 – $45,000 |
| Bathroom | $9,000 – $28,000 |
| Roofing & exterior | $8,000 – $20,000 |
| Windows & doors | $4,500 – $15,000 |
| Flooring & finishes | $8,000 – $20,000 |
| Permits & drawings | $3,000 – $8,000 |
| Utility connections (sewer, water, power) | $5,000 – $15,000 |
For context, a kitchen remodel in Jacksonville runs $14,000 to $45,000 on its own, so the kitchen line item inside an ADU tracks that same market. The same goes for the bathroom, which mirrors what you’d expect from a bathroom remodel in Jacksonville.
What drives cost up or down? Three things matter most. First, whether you’re converting existing space (like a garage conversion in Jacksonville) or building new from the slab. Converting is cheaper because the structure, roof, and some utilities already exist. Second, site access: a tight backyard in Riverside with limited crane and equipment access costs more to build in than an open lot in Mandarin. Third, finishes. Stock cabinets, basic tile, and builder-grade fixtures sit at the bottom of the range. KraftMaid cabinets, Cambria countertops, and Kohler fixtures push toward the top.
What Affects ADU Construction Pricing in Jacksonville
Here are the factors that move the needle most on a Jacksonville ADU build:
- Foundation type. A slab-on-grade foundation is standard and least expensive. If your backyard slopes toward the St. Johns River or has expansive clay soil, you may need piers or raised footings, which adds $5,000 to $15,000.
- Flood zone and elevation requirements. Parts of Jacksonville in AE flood zones (think San Marco, Ortega, and areas near tributaries) require finished floor elevation above base flood elevation. That can mean fill dirt, raised slabs, or stem walls, any of which changes the structural budget.
- Utility connection distance. Running sewer, water, and electrical from the main house to the ADU is priced by the linear foot. A unit 20 feet from the main panel is cheap. A unit 150 feet across a Mandarin backyard is not.
- Detached vs. attached. A detached ADU needs its own four walls, roof, and utility runs. An attached addition shares one wall and often the roofline, which trims framing and roofing costs meaningfully. For a broader picture of the attached option, see home addition costs in Jacksonville.
- Size of the unit. Jacksonville’s zoning generally caps ADUs at around 700 to 1,000 square feet depending on lot size and zoning district. At $200 to $300 per square foot for a turnkey build, every 100 square feet adds roughly $20,000 to $30,000.
- Finish level. This is the line item homeowners control most directly. Stock cabinets and laminate counters sit in one bracket. Wellborn cabinetry, Caesarstone surfaces, and Moen fixtures sit in another. The structure costs the same either way; the finishes add $20,000 to $40,000.
ADU Construction vs. Other Jacksonville Remodeling Projects
An ADU is the most expensive single project most Jacksonville homeowners will take on, short of a full whole-home remodel. For reference, a home addition in Jacksonville runs $45,000 to $130,000, which overlaps the lower end of the ADU range. A full roof replacement in Jacksonville costs $8,000 to $20,000, which is roughly one line item inside an ADU build.
What you’re paying for with an ADU is a self-contained dwelling: its own kitchen, bathroom, sleeping area, mechanical systems, and utility connections. It’s a house in miniature, and the price reflects that.
What Does a Written Price Actually Cover in Jacksonville?
Most Jacksonville ADU quotes cover the obvious: framing, roofing, drywall, paint, flooring, kitchen, bathroom. What separates a disciplined written price from a handshake estimate is what it says about the things that go wrong.
At Bradford Remodeling Co Jacksonville, every ADU project starts with a written price before any work begins. That’s The Garrison Standard in practice: the number is on paper, the scope is in writing, and neither moves at the door. If the scope changes because you change the scope, we re-price it in writing before the change order is signed. If the scope changes because something on the site wasn’t visible during quoting, we document it and walk you through the real cost, not a surprise invoice.
What does “squared away” look like at close? A clean site. A documented scope that matches what was built. And a signed copy of the 365-Day Done Right Promise in your hand before the crew packs the last tool box. That promise means exactly what it says: if any part of our work fails within a full year of completion, we come back and correct it at no charge. Not a pro-rated credit. Not a callback queue. A return visit from Bradford.
Permits and Code Requirements in Jacksonville
Every ADU in Jacksonville requires City of Jacksonville building permits, and most require site plan review through the Planning and Development Department. Plan review alone typically runs $1,500 to $3,500 depending on the scope, and that’s before permit fees, impact fees, and inspections.
Jacksonville’s zoning code treats ADUs as accessory structures, which means setbacks, lot coverage, and height restrictions apply. Some neighborhoods, particularly in the older historic districts like Riverside-Avondale, add design review layers that don’t exist elsewhere in Duval County. That adds time and usually some cost. A contractor who has built ADUs in those districts knows what the review board will and won’t accept before the drawings go in.
Curtis Lane, who leads Bradford Remodeling Co Jacksonville, has walked ADU projects through the full Jacksonville permitting process, from initial drawings to final inspection. That experience shows up in a written price the first time, not a re-quote after the city sends comments back.
How to Save on ADU Construction
There are ways to trim the budget without cutting corners:
- Convert instead of building new. A garage conversion in Jacksonville runs $30,000 to $80,000, roughly half to a third of a detached new build. If the garage slab is in good shape and the roofline works, that’s real savings.
- Keep the footprint modest. A 500-square-foot ADU with a well-designed layout does the same job as a 750-square-foot unit for $50,000 to $75,000 less.
- Use stock cabinetry and standard fixture packages. You can always upgrade counters or fixtures later. The structure is what’s expensive to change.
- Plan utility runs during the design phase. A thoughtful site plan that keeps the ADU near existing sewer and electrical lines avoids thousands in trenching and conduit work.
- Build in the off season. Jacksonville’s contractor calendar is fullest in the fall and early winter, when mild weather makes outdoor work easiest. Late spring and summer tend to have more schedule openings.
One thing we won’t tell you to do: cut corners on the things that bite back. Cheap waterproofing in a bathroom, undersized HVAC, or a cut-rate electrical rough-in will cost more to fix than they saved. That’s the kind of failure the 365-Day Done Right Promise exists to prevent, and the kind of work we won’t do in the first place.
If you want a real number for your specific property, call (904) 337-5929. Estimates are free, the price comes in writing, and nobody pressures you to sign.
FAQs – ADU Construction Cost
How much does an ADU cost per square foot in Jacksonville?
ADU construction in Jacksonville runs $200 to $300 per square foot for a turnkey unit as of 2026. A 700-square-foot one-bedroom ADU at $250 per square foot lands around $175,000. A 400-square-foot studio at the same rate runs about $100,000. The per-square-foot number is most useful as a rough planning figure; site conditions and finish level can push it higher or lower. Call (904) 337-5929 for a written quote on your specific lot.
Is a garage conversion cheaper than building a detached ADU in Jacksonville?
Yes. A garage conversion in Jacksonville runs $30,000 to $80,000, while a new detached ADU runs $90,000 to $220,000. The conversion saves money because the foundation, roof, and framing already exist and utility hookups are closer. The tradeoff is size and layout flexibility: a converted garage is limited by its existing footprint, while a detached ADU can be designed from scratch. Call (904) 337-5929 to walk through which option fits your property.
Can you build an ADU in Jacksonville for under $100,000?
Yes, at the low end. A small, simply finished ADU of 400 square feet or less with stock finishes can run $90,000 to $100,000 if site conditions are favorable: flat lot, near utility connections, standard slab. The key savings come from keeping the footprint small, using stock cabinetry instead of custom, and choosing basic flooring and finishes. Every site is different, so that number needs a walkthrough. Call (904) 337-5929 and we’ll give you a real price in writing.
How much do permits cost for an ADU in Jacksonville?
Permits and drawings for a Jacksonville ADU typically run $3,000 to $8,000 combined. That includes architectural drawings, site plans, city plan review, permit fees, and inspection costs. Properties in historic districts like Riverside-Avondale can run higher because of design review requirements. The permit cost is included in the line-item breakdown on every Bradford written quote. Call (904) 337-5929 to get the full breakdown for your address.
How long does it take to build an ADU in Jacksonville?
A typical detached ADU in Jacksonville takes four to eight months from permit submission to final inspection. Garage conversions run two to four months. The variance depends on city review timelines, weather, and finish complexity. Bradford Remodeling Co Jacksonville provides a written timeline with the written price, so you know both before work starts. Call (904) 337-5929 for a project schedule specific to your build.
Does an ADU add value to a Jacksonville home?
An ADU typically adds $90,000 to $190,000 in appraised value to a Jacksonville home, depending on the unit’s size, finish level, and whether it’s detached or converted. Jacksonville’s rental market supports strong ADU demand, which appraisers factor in when comps are available. The value equation depends on your neighborhood: an ADU in Riverside or San Marco tends to appraise higher than one in a newer subdivision where ADUs are rare. Call (904) 337-5929 to talk through what makes sense for your property.
Get a Written Price for Your Jacksonville ADU
If you’ve been burned by no-shows, surprise invoices, and unfinished work, you already know why a written price matters. Bradford Remodeling Co Jacksonville is led by Curtis Lane and operates under The Garrison Standard, a framework that puts every price and every guarantee in writing before a single tool comes out of the truck.
Here’s what that looks like on your ADU project: a documented line-item price. A written scope of work. Background-checked, uniformed technicians on the job. Premium, traceable materials from manufacturers like KraftMaid, Kohler, James Hardie, and Therma-Tru. A live person answering the phone when you call, any hour of any day. And a full year of coverage under the 365-Day Done Right Promise: if our work fails inside that window, we return and correct it at no charge.
Pricing on this page reflects the Jacksonville market as of 2026. For a free, written estimate on your specific property, call (904) 337-5929. You’ll get a real number, on paper, before you commit to anything.
Pricing reflects the Jacksonville market as of 2026. Bradford Remodeling Co Jacksonville offers free estimates – call (904) 337-5929.
Written by Curtis Lane, Owner at Bradford Remodeling Co Jacksonville, serving Jacksonville since 2004.
What Our Customers Say
"Solid job. Small punch list items were done within a few days of the walkthrough."
- Beth K."Respectful crew. Covered the floors and swept every day."
- Jackie T."Kitchen remodel run by a veteran-owned crew. They started on the day promised, kept the site clean, and gave weekly updates. New cabinets and counters look great."
- Alan M.
