ADU Builder in Tampa Bay.

If you’ve ever heard the term “in-law suite,” “casita,” “granny flat,” or “backyard cottage,” you’ve heard about an ADU. The label changes, the building doesn’t. It’s a fully legal second home on your property with its own entrance, kitchen, bathroom, and bedroom.

The three types of ADUs we build in Tampa

• Detached ADU — A standalone structure separate from your main house. Built from the ground up. Best for maximum rental income or full privacy.
• Attached ADU — Built as an addition to your existing home but with a separate entrance, utilities, and kitchen. Best for multi-generational households.
• Garage Conversion ADU — Converts your existing garage into a legal ADU. Fastest to build, lowest cost, uses the existing foundation and walls. Best when you don’t need the garage for parking.

For most Tampa homeowners considering an ADU for the first time, a garage conversion is the fastest, lowest-cost route to a legal ADU. We explain why in the section below.

ADU vs. EFR: what’s the difference?

An Existing Family Residence (EFR) is your main single-family home. An Accessory Dwelling Unit (ADU) is a legally permitted secondary unit on the same lot. ADUs share the lot with your EFR but are independently livable.

The biggest regret most ADU buyers report is that the finished build doesn’t match what they imagined. Cabinets are placed differently. The shower is smaller than expected. The window placement blocks the morning light. Once construction starts, every change costs thousands.

3D renderings eliminate that gap. Before any permits are pulled, before any concrete is poured, you see your finished ADU on screen, in 3D, from every angle. If something needs to change, it changes in the renderings, not in the build. That’s why we include them in every project.

What’s included in a CraftLine 3D rendering package

• Full floor plan showing room sizes, door swings, and window placement
• Exterior renderings from multiple angles so you see how the ADU sits on your lot
• Interior renderings of every room (kitchen, living, bedroom, bathroom)
• Material and finish previews (cabinet colors, countertop, flooring, tile, paint, fixtures)
• Furniture-scale layout so you can see how your couch, bed, and dining table will fit
• Lighting simulation showing where light fixtures and natural light fall
• Unlimited revisions until you approve every detail

How CraftLine 3D renderings work

1. After your free in-home site assessment, our designer drafts your floor plan based on your goals, lot, and zoning.
2. We render the build in 3D using professional architectural software. You receive a link to walk through your ADU on screen.
3. You review, mark up, and request changes. We revise the rendering until you sign off.
4. Only after you approve the rendering do we lock the fixed price, file for permits, and start construction.

What this saves you: A change order during construction costs $2,000 to $15,000 depending on what changes. A change in the 3D rendering costs nothing. Most CraftLine clients revise their renderings 3 to 5 times before approving the final design — and never request a change after construction starts.

If you have a garage you’re not using for parking, it’s the quickest path to rental income or in-law housing. We handle insulation, drywall, flooring, a full bath, a kitchenette or full kitchen, HVAC, electrical, plumbing, all permits, and the final certificate of occupancy so the unit is legally rentable.

Read our complete Garage Conversion in Tampa guide → — full pricing, what’s included, timelines, sizes, and permit details.

All pricing is a starting point. Your fixed price is finalized after the free in-home site assessment, which includes design direction, zoning review, and a written proposal. Financing from $499/month is available with $0 down and 0% interest plans, so you don’t need a lump sum to start.

Every ADU, garage conversion, and addition in Tampa Bay requires building permits. There’s no shortcut. The good news: as the holder of Florida Certified Building Contractor License #CBC1269114, CraftLine Remodeling handles every permit, every engineering submission, every inspection, and every plan review. You don’t have to learn the system, you don’t talk to the building department, and you don’t get stuck waiting for paperwork.

ADU sqft limits by Tampa Bay city

The maximum size of your ADU depends on which city or county your property is in:

• City of Tampa — Up to 800 sqft (general). Specific limits vary by zoning overlay including Seminole Heights, Tampa Heights, Sulphur Springs, East Tampa, Hyde Park, and Bayshore districts. Some historic overlays add design review requirements.
• City of St. Petersburg — Up to 800 sqft for detached ADUs. Garage conversions follow the original footprint.
• City of Clearwater — Up to 750 sqft for detached ADUs in eligible zones.
• Pinellas County (unincorporated) — Up to 1,000 sqft, with larger lots allowing larger units.
• Hillsborough County (unincorporated) — Varies by zoning classification, typically 800 to 1,200 sqft.
• Pasco County (Wesley Chapel, Lutz) — Larger lot allowances; up to 1,200 sqft in most residential zones.

What CraftLine verifies before contract

Before any contract is signed, we verify three things specific to your property:

• Zoning eligibility — whether your specific parcel permits an ADU and what type (detached, attached, garage conversion)
• Setbacks and dimensional limits — how far the new structure must be from property lines, height limits, lot coverage limits
• Rental eligibility — whether your city allows short-term rental, long-term rental, or only family use

Florida Building Code also requires ADUs to meet hurricane-resistant construction standards including impact-rated windows, HVHZ-spec framing in coastal zones, and elevated foundations in flood zones. We design and build every ADU to meet or exceed these requirements as standard.

For official planning information, the City of Tampa Construction Services and Hillsborough County Permits websites are the official sources. Rules can change, so we verify current requirements during your free site assessment.

CraftLine Remodeling credentials: The company holds Florida Certified Building Contractor License #CBC1269114, is fully insured, BBB A+ Accredited, NARI Certified Remodeler, TBBA Member, Houzz Pro, 5.0 average from 100+ verified Google reviews, 10 years in Tampa Bay, 50+ ADUs and additions built.

“We design and build every project the way we’d build it for our own family. One team, one contract, one fixed price. That’s the only way we know how to do this honestly.”
— Dan & Yuri, CraftLine Co-Founders