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ADU types we build in Miami

Four kinds of unit, one team for design, permits and construction. What your lot already has usually points to the right one.

Small backyard home (ADU) Detached ADUA new freestanding unit in the yard. The most privacy, the most design freedom, and usually the highest price. Detached garage: A detached garage with a driveway in front Garage conversionReuses a garage you already have. Flood elevation of the slab decides whether it works. Small backyard home (ADU): Green trees near white house Attached ADU / in-law suiteAn addition sharing a wall with the house, with its own door and kitchen. Small backyard home (ADU) Efficiency apartmentA studio-sized unit, new or an existing one brought up to code and permitted.

ADU design and permits

Zoning review, wind and flood engineering, product approvals and the building permit, coordinated for you.

How design and permits work

How do I choose between ADU types?

Start with the lot. A wide rear yard with room for setbacks suits a detached unit. A garage in sound shape can be the fastest path, unless its floor sits too low for the flood rules. A house with a spare wing or a big side yard may suit an attached suite.

Then think about who will live there. A long-term tenant usually wants a separate entrance and some distance from the main house. A parent may prefer an attached suite with a short, level walk to the kitchen.

Do the rules differ across Miami-Dade?

Yes. As of October 2026, unincorporated Miami-Dade allows one ADU on single-family lots of at least 7,500 sq ft inside the Urban Development Boundary, sized 400 to 800 sq ft in RU-1 districts. The City of Miami regulates ADUs through Miami 21 zoning, and other cities write their own codes. We confirm the rule set for your address before anything else.

How do the types compare?

  • Detached ADU: new foundation, structure and roof, all designed for hurricane wind loads. Highest cost, most privacy.
  • Garage conversion: the walls and roof exist, but the opening, windows and insulation change, and the floor must meet flood elevation in a flood zone.
  • Attached ADU / in-law suite: shares a wall and sometimes utilities with the house; the addition must meet current wind code.
  • Efficiency apartment: the smallest footprint; often a question of legalizing an existing space rather than building new.

As of October 2026, from the Miami-Dade County ADU page and published summaries of Miami 21. Rules change; we check the current version for your lot.

Check what your lot allows

Send your address. We tell you which of these four types your zoning and flood zone make realistic.