What an ADU builder should do for you
An ADU is a full home on a small lot, so the builder you choose handles far more than framing. A good Atlanta ADU builder will:
- Check your lot first: zoning district, setbacks, lot coverage, trees, slope, drainage and access for equipment.
- Design or coordinate plans that fit the 750 sq ft and 20 ft limits in R-4, R-4A and R-5.
- Run the permit through the City of Atlanta, including the survey, site plan, plan review comments and impact fees.
- Build and inspect through foundation, framing, rough-ins and final, then close out the certificate of occupancy.
- Bring utilities across the yard: water, sewer and power, often the most underestimated part of the budget.
Some companies only sell plans or prefab shells and leave the permit and site work to you. Ask exactly what is included.
Check the license
In Georgia, residential construction work over $2,500 must be done by a contractor licensed by the State Licensing Board for Residential and General Contractors, and building departments won't issue permits to unlicensed contractors above that amount. A Residential-Basic license covers one- and two-family homes and their accessory structures, which includes a backyard ADU. Ask for the license number and look it up with the Georgia Secretary of State before you sign anything.
Questions to ask any Atlanta ADU builder
- How many ADUs have you completed in the City of Atlanta? Permitting and site work here have their own quirks, and recent local experience matters.
- Can I see one in person and talk to past clients? Photos are easy. Walking through a finished ADU and calling the owner tells you much more.
- What does your price include? Design, survey, permit and impact fees, utility runs, site work, appliances and landscaping are often where quotes differ.
- Who manages my project day to day? You want one named person who answers your calls.
- How do you handle plan review comments and inspection corrections? They happen on most projects. Find out whether they cost you extra.
- What is the payment schedule? Payments should follow completed milestones, not run ahead of the work.
- What warranty do you offer, and are you insured? Get both in writing.
Red flags
- A firm price before anyone has looked at your lot.
- No license number, or a license in someone else's name.
- A large deposit before permits are issued.
- "We don't need a permit for that." In Atlanta, an ADU always does.
- No finished ADU you can visit and no references you can call.
How Christina and Park Atlanta Homes work
Christina is a project manager at Park Atlanta Homes (Park Atlanta Construction), which has delivered residential and commercial construction across Georgia for more than 16 years. She has project-managed 10 completed ADU builds in Atlanta in the last year and was featured as ADU designer and project manager on This Old House.
- Free in-person site evaluation. She checks your zoning, then walks your lot with you to see where an ADU could fit and talk through budget.
- Design help included, so the layout fits how you want to live.
- One point of contact from the first sketch through permits, construction and the final inspection.
- See the work. Tour a finished ADU by appointment and ask for references from past clients.
Recent custom ADUs have typically cost $150,000 to $250,000 all in. The Atlanta ADU cost guide explains what drives the number.
Next steps
Compare at least two or three builders using the questions above. When you're ready to talk about your own lot, book a free site evaluation or ask to tour a finished ADU. For the rules themselves, start with the Atlanta ADU rules guide and the permit process.