Frequently Asked Questions

It starts with a free estimate call to (361) 309-9568. We visit your property, check lot dimensions, setbacks, existing utilities, and drainage. Then we deliver a written line-item quote. Once you approve, our team handles architectural drawings, submits permits to the City of Austin, and schedules inspections. Construction runs foundation to finish, with the site left clean at the end of every work day. Final walkthrough happens after the city signs off on the certificate of occupancy. Most Austin ADU projects run 6 to 10 months from first call to final inspection, with permitting timelines the biggest variable.

Austin ADU projects typically take 6 to 10 months from initial consultation to final inspection. Permitting alone runs 4 to 12 weeks depending on how backed up the City of Austin Development Services Department is at the time. Construction itself usually takes 4 to 6 months for a detached unit and 3 to 4 months for a garage conversion. Weather delays happen, especially during spring storm season, and limestone excavation can add time if you're building on a lot with heavy rock. We provide a written construction schedule with your quote and update you at each phase.

Yes. We pull all permits with the City of Austin and manage every inspection from foundation through framing, electrical, plumbing, and final occupancy. Austin has specific ADU regulations, including setback requirements, height limits of 30 feet for two-story units, and a 1,100-square-foot cap on detached ADUs. Our team knows these rules and designs accordingly. We also coordinate with Austin Energy and Austin Water for service connections. You won't be running to city offices or tracking inspection schedules. That's our job, and it's included in the written price.

Start with what the city allows. Austin permits detached ADUs up to 1,100 square feet, but your specific lot may be smaller, with setback rules limiting the footprint further. Then think about use. A 400 to 600 square foot studio or one-bedroom works for a rental or aging parent. A 700 to 900 square foot two-bedroom gives a family room to grow. Reed Calloway's team measures your lot, checks the plat, and shows you exactly what fits before you commit to anything. We'll give you a written quote for the size that works, not the size that pads our invoice.

We build ADUs throughout the Austin metro. That includes Georgetown, Pflugerville, San Marcos, Lakeway, Hutto, Buda, Manor, Brushy Creek, Lago Vista, Wells Branch, and Hornsby Bend. Each city has slightly different ADU ordinances. Georgetown and Pflugerville have their own permitting offices and setback rules. Hutto and Buda are updating their ADU codes as demand grows. Our team stays current on all of them and handles permits in whichever jurisdiction your property falls under. Call (361) 309-9568 and tell us your city; we'll tell you exactly what's allowed.

We spec materials that hold up to Austin's climate: hot, dry summers, flash-flood rains, and the occasional freeze. James Hardie fiber cement siding is our go-to exterior because it resists moisture, pests, and UV fading better than wood or vinyl. For structural framing, we use dimensional lumber engineered for Texas wind loads. Insulation gets upgraded for Austin's 100-degree July days. We don't cut corners on materials that affect the building envelope, because a Texas summer will find every weak spot. The written quote specifies every material brand and grade before work starts.

We build site-constructed ADUs rather than installing prefab units from companies like Abodu or Cover. Site-built construction lets us adapt to Austin's varied lot conditions, limestone soil, and existing utility locations without the constraints of a prefab module's set dimensions. That flexibility matters a lot in older Austin neighborhoods where lots are irregular and setbacks are tight. It also means you get a structure built to Texas wind and energy codes from day one. If you're weighing prefab versus site-built, call (361) 309-9568 and we'll talk through the tradeoffs honestly.

No. A Tuff Shed or similar storage structure doesn't meet Austin's residential building code for an accessory dwelling unit. ADUs require proper foundations, insulation, electrical systems, plumbing, and certificates of occupancy. A shed conversion might look like a cheaper path, but it won't pass inspection as housing, and renting it out would create serious liability issues. The honest math is that a code-compliant garage conversion or small detached ADU costs more upfront but gives you a real, permitted living space. We'll show you the numbers for both so you can decide with full information.

Every pro working under the Fielding ADU Austin name is required to hold the license and insurance their trade requires in Texas. That includes general liability coverage and workers' compensation for everyone on site. We carry the documentation and will provide it upon request before any work starts. The Garrison Standard, which every Fielding ADU location operates under, requires that each job be done by the book, and that includes proper licensing and insurance at every step. Call (361) 309-9568 and ask us for proof; we're glad to show it.

We pull every permit. The City of Austin requires building permits for ADUs, plus electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits depending on scope. Some work also requires an Austin Energy service connection application. Our team prepares all documentation, submits it, and tracks it through approval. We handle every inspection and we're present when inspectors arrive. You shouldn't be filing paperwork or chasing permit status. That's part of what the written price covers, and it's part of doing the job by the book the first time.

Austin requires your lot to be zoned for residential use and meet minimum lot size requirements, which typically means at least 5,750 square feet for a single-family lot. Detached ADUs must sit behind or beside the primary residence, not in front. Height is capped at 30 feet for two-story units. Setbacks generally require 5 feet from side and rear property lines. The quickest way to confirm is to call (361) 309-9568 with your address. We'll check the zoning map and tell you what's possible, then back it up with a free site visit and written estimate.

If you have an active leak in an existing ADU or garage conversion, call us at (361) 309-9568 during business hours and describe what's happening. We're open Monday through Friday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Sunday from 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, closed Saturday. We'll schedule a site visit, assess the damage, and give you a written quote for repairs before any work begins. Austin's storm season brings heavy downpours that expose roof and flashing issues quickly. Don't wait; water intrusion compounds fast in this humidity. Our team will get eyes on it and tell you exactly what needs fixing.

Call (361) 309-9568 and tell our team what's going on. We're open Monday through Friday 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Sunday 7:00 AM to 7:00 PM, closed Saturday. If the issue falls under our one-year written workmanship warranty, we'll make it right at no charge. That's the Garrison Standard: we stand behind the work for a full year. For issues outside warranty scope, we'll assess and give you a written quote before starting any repair. We answer during business hours and we show up inside the window we give you. Every time.

Once you approve the written estimate, we usually begin the permitting process within two weeks. Actual construction start depends on how long Austin's permit review takes, which currently runs 4 to 12 weeks. We don't promise lightning-fast starts because doing it by the book means waiting on the city, and the city moves at its own pace. What we promise is that once we say when construction starts, we show up on that date. Reed Calloway's team runs a disciplined schedule, and the written construction calendar you receive with your quote is the one we work to.

Every project is covered by our one-year written workmanship warranty. That's the Garrison Standard. If something fails because of our workmanship during that year, we come back and make it right at no charge. Manufacturer warranties on materials like James Hardie siding, roofing, windows, and appliances run separately and often extend 10 to 30 years, and we pass those documents to you at project completion. The warranty terms are written into your contract before construction starts, not promised verbally and forgotten. Call (361) 309-9568 with any warranty question; we answer straight.

The one-year written warranty covers workmanship defects: framing that shifts, drywall cracks from improper installation, plumbing leaks at our connections, electrical issues from our wiring, windows that leak at the flashing, doors that don't close square, and similar problems caused by how we built it. It does not cover normal wear, storm damage, or issues caused by neglect. The full warranty terms are in your contract, in plain language. If you're unsure whether something is covered, call (361) 309-9568. We'd rather inspect it and tell you than have you wonder.

We're still your first call. Austin is our home market, and the same team that built your ADU is the team that will come look at it. After the one-year written warranty period, repairs are quoted and priced in writing before any work starts, same as any other project. We don't disappear once the final check clears. The Garrison Standard says leave the site clean and squared away, and part of that is being reachable when you need us later. Call (361) 309-9568 and describe the issue; we'll schedule a site visit and give you honest options.

Because we run on a discipline most homeowners tell us they've been burned by. Price in writing before any work starts. Show up inside the window we gave you. Do it by the book, the first time. Leave the site clean. Stand behind the work for a full year. That's the Garrison Code, and it's not a marketing slogan; it's the standard every Fielding ADU location, including ours here in Austin, is required to meet. Reed Calloway leads our Austin team with that same plain-spoken, squared-away approach. We're not the cheapest bid. We're the bid that doesn't move.

Written by Reed Calloway, Owner at Fielding ADU Austin, serving Austin, Georgetown, Pflugerville, San Marcos, Lakeway, Hutto, Buda, Manor, Brushy Creek, Lago Vista, Wells Branch, and Hornsby Bend since 2006.