ADU Craft Houston
ADU builder · Houston, TX

A second home on your Houston lot, done by the rules.

Backyard cottages, garage apartments, garage conversions and attached units for Houston-area homeowners. We research your deed restrictions and flood zone, then design, permit and build. Licensed and insured.

Check my lot See Houston costs
Small backyard home (ADU)
Licensed & insuredProof of insurance and licensing details come with your quote.
Restrictions read firstWe pull your recorded deed restrictions before anyone draws a plan.
Written, itemized quoteEvery part of the job priced on paper before construction.

How much does an ADU cost in Houston?

As of October 2026, a 2026 Houston market guide puts a garage conversion at roughly $60,000 to $110,000 and a new 600 sq ft detached unit at about $140,000 to $220,000 all-in. Foundation and elevation work, utility runs and finishes move the number most. We price your lot in a written, itemized quote.

Read the full Houston ADU cost guide

What can I build behind a Houston house?

Houston has no zoning code, but that does not mean anything goes. As of October 2026, Chapter 42 of the city code lets a lot stay single-family with a second unit of up to 1,500 sq ft. Your deed restrictions can still forbid one.

Small backyard home (ADU): Modern turquoise shipping container home with large windows Backyard cottageA new, separate one-story home in the rear yard, built on its own engineered foundation. Detached garage Garage apartmentParking below, living space above. A long-standing Houston building type. Detached garage Garage conversionReuse a sound detached garage as a studio or one-bedroom unit. Small backyard home (ADU) Attached ADUA suite joined to your house, with its own door, kitchen and bath.

How we handle design and permits · Compare all ADU types

How does a Houston ADU project work?

  1. Lot checkSend your address. We look up deed restrictions, the flood map and your plat.
  2. Visit and designWe measure, check the panel and sewer, and draw a plan for your budget.
  3. PermitsWe submit plans, answer review comments and track approval.
  4. BuildFoundation to finishes, with city inspections at each stage.

Walk through every step of the process

Where do we build ADUs?

Inside the City of Houston and in three suburbs with their own zoning. The rules change sharply at each city line.

Houston

No zoning, but Chapter 42 lot rules, deed restrictions and floodplain elevation all apply.

Houston ADU notes

The Heights

Garage apartments on narrow lots, with historic district review on many blocks.

ADUs in the Heights

Bellaire

One accessory residence with a kitchen may be allowed, but city code bars renting it.

ADUs in Bellaire

Pearland

A conditional use permit and a council vote, with the code under review in 2026.

ADUs in Pearland

Sugar Land

Master-planned neighborhoods where HOA rules often decide first.

ADUs in Sugar Land

Check what your lot allows

Give us the address and a rough idea of what you want. We look up restrictions, flood zone and setbacks, then tell you which ADU types are realistic.

Serving Houston, the Heights, Bellaire, Pearland and Sugar Land.

Houston ADU questions

How much does an ADU cost in Houston? Can I build an ADU in Houston if the city has no zoning? Can deed restrictions stop me from building an ADU in Houston? How do Houston's floodplain rules affect an ADU? How much rent can an ADU make in Houston? Does Texas have a statewide ADU law?