Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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AfterFast, Reliable Home Additions & ADU Across Garland
Garland’s west and central neighborhoods are full of 1950s-1970s brick-veneer ranch homes sitting on Vertisol clay, and those slabs move every season. A home addition or ADU in Garland isn’t a simple framing job: it’s engineering for soil movement, bringing decades-old unpermitted work up to code, and respecting the original rooflines. We work in Garland weekly, across the 75043, 75044, 75045, and 75046 ZIPs. If you’re planning a room addition, second-story bump-out, or detached ADU, call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll walk your lot with you before we quote a number.
Why Barrett & Sons Construction Is Garland’s Preferred Home Additions & ADU Company
Tom Barrett founded Barrett & Sons in 1998, and his sons run crews across Garland today. That’s not a slogan; it’s who shows up. Homeowners in Garland have told us the same story more times than we can count: a national outfit quoted one price on the phone, then handed over a different bill after the slab was opened. We don’t work that way. Every allowance, every scope change, every price adjustment arrives as a written change order before a single nail moves. Permits are pulled and inspections signed on every eligible addition or ADU. The inspector works for you, not for me, and that’s why I like him.
When you call, a live person answers. Not a voicemail box, not an out-of-state call center. We’ll schedule a free estimate at your Garland property, walk the foundation with you, and talk plainly about what your addition needs. Our 90-Day Done Right Promise is written on every contract: if something isn’t done right, one call brings Tom back. Ask anyone on your street, or look up the license number yourself. Tom publishes his name, his address, and his license number. That’s how we’ve done it for 29 years.
Our Home Additions & ADU Services in Garland
ADU Design & Permitting
Garland’s planning rules for accessory dwelling units have tightened as the city’s housing stock ages. We handle the full design and permitting path, from first sketch to final inspection. On your lot, that means checking setbacks, the existing slab condition, and the location of sewer laterals before we commit to a floor plan. An ADU in the 75040 corridor often sits closer to property lines than people realize, and Garland’s code enforcement checks.
Garage Conversion ADU
Garage conversions in Garland are the most cost-constrained ADU route, typically running $30,000 to $80,000 depending on whether the original slab, electrical, and roof framing can be reused. Many of the mid-century garages we open in Garland were built as carports and enclosed later, often without permits. That means the framing may need structural upgrades, and the pour may need to be re-engineered for a conditioned living space. We tell you that before the first dumpster arrives, not after.
New Detached ADU
A new detached ADU in Garland usually runs $90,000 to $220,000. The single biggest cost driver under a Garland slab is the soil: Vertisol clay shrinks in summer droughts and heaves when fall rain returns. We specify pier depth and moisture-management details that a Dallas-Fort Worth-based engineer reviews, because a detached unit’s slab behaves differently than the original house slab. Seasonal movement doesn’t just crack drywall; it shifts door frames and pulls plumbing connections.
Junior ADU & Interior Conversion
For homeowners who don’t want a separate structure, a junior ADU or interior conversion uses existing square footage: a finished attic space, a large bonus room, or a closed-in patio. These jobs in Garland often run $45,000 to $130,000. The challenge with mid-century ranch interiors is that original mechanical chases were sized for one system, and adding a kitchenette or bath means reworking electrical and plumbing in walls that have settled for over five decades. We plan for that before demolition, not during.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Trusted Brands We Service in Garland
We install and work with premium brands across every trade, not mystery material off a van. On Garland ADU and addition jobs you’ll see Schluter waterproofing systems in new baths, GAF underlayment and roofing on attached or new structures, and Sterling or Grohe fixtures where the budget calls for names you can look up. We order directly and stage materials ahead of time so Garland customers aren’t waiting on a supply-house backorder halfway through framing. If a brand can’t be verified, we don’t put it in your house.
Common Home Additions & ADU Problems We See in Garland Homes
- Unpermitted prior work: Contractors working the 75040-75042 corridor routinely open walls and find room additions or garage conversions that were never permitted. Inspectors then require the old framing, electrical, and HVAC work to be brought up to Garland’s currently adopted codes before new permitted work can close. We quote for that reality up front.
- Slab movement from Vertisol clay: The Dallas Blackland Prairie’s expansive clay loses volume in summer and re-expands with fall rainfall. A home addition tied to an existing slab will move differently than the original footprint unless the connection point is engineered for it.
- Roof-line mismatches on mid-century brick veneer: Garage conversions and room additions on Garland’s ranch homes often create awkward rooflines where new framing meets 60-year-old rafters. Water intrusion at the tie-in is a common failure point we see and correct.
- Undersized electrical panels and unprotected pipe runs: Winter Storm Uri in 2021 exposed thin wall insulation and vulnerable plumbing in Garland’s housing stock. Many homes need panel upgrades and re-piping before an ADU or addition can pass inspection.
Pricing for Home Additions & ADU in Garland, TX
- Soil engineering: Pier depth and slab design for Vertisol clay add cost that newer suburbs with different soil profiles may not face.
- Code compliance on prior work: If unpermitted framing or electrical shows up, the inspector’s requirements become part of your scope. We write it as a change order before work proceeds.
- Material allowances: Every allowance in our contracts is a written line item. No surprise invoices, ever.
Call (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate. We’ll give you a written, line-item quote before you sign anything.
We Also Serve Cities Near Garland
Our Home Additions & ADU in Garland crews also take on work in Garland‘s neighboring communities: Sachse, Rowlett, Richardson, and Murphy. The soil conditions don’t change at the city line, and neither does our permitting process. If you need a Kitchen Remodeling in Garland or Bathroom Remodeling in Garland as part of a larger addition, our Home Additions & ADU team coordinates the whole scope so you’re not juggling contractors.
How much does a home addition cost in Garland?
A home addition in Garland typically costs $45,000 to $130,000. Detached ADUs run $90,000 to $220,000, and garage conversions run $30,000 to $80,000. The final number depends on soil engineering, permits, and the condition of existing unpermitted work. Call (877) 610-1318 for a written, line-item quote; the estimate is free.
Will the price change once work starts?
No, not without your written approval. Every scope change, allowance adjustment, or unexpected condition in Garland is issued as a written change order before work proceeds. If it’s not on paper, it doesn’t move forward. That’s been our rule since 1998.
Do you pull permits for additions and ADUs in Garland?
Yes. We pull permits and schedule inspections on every eligible addition and ADU in Garland. The permit inspector works for you, not for me. If an inspector requires unpermitted prior work to be corrected, we document it and walk you through the options before any new work proceeds.
How long does an addition or ADU take in Garland?
A typical room addition in Garland takes 10 to 16 weeks from first permit to final inspection. A new detached ADU usually runs 4 to 7 months. The timeline depends on soil engineering reviews, city plan check times, and weather windows around the clay’s seasonal movement. We give you a written schedule at contract and update it as inspections complete.
Do you offer a warranty on home additions in Garland?
Yes. Every addition and ADU we complete in Garland is backed by our written 90-Day Done Right Promise. If something isn’t done right, one call brings Tom Barrett back to make it right. That’s on every contract we sign.
Serving Garland, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Garland area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Contact Barrett & Sons Construction in Garland
Planning a home addition, garage conversion, or new ADU in Garland? Call (877) 610-1318. We’ll schedule a free estimate, walk your lot and slab condition with you, and give you a written line-item quote before you commit. No pressure, no hidden allowances, no unpermitted shortcuts. A live person answers 24/7.
Written by Tom Barrett, Owner at Barrett & Sons Construction, serving Garland since 1998.