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 Aldine
Home additions and ADU construction in Aldine typically run between $45,000 and $130,000, with garage conversions starting around $30,000 and new detached ADUs falling between $90,000 and $220,000. Those numbers matter, but what matters more is knowing that Aldine has no city building department. Every permit, every inspection, every sign-off comes through Harris County. That changes how a project gets priced, scheduled, and finished – and we know the difference because we work here every week. If you’re weighing an addition, a garage conversion, or a backyard ADU, call Barrett & Sons Construction at (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate and a straight answer about what your property needs.
The biggest mistake we see in Aldine starts before a single nail moves. A contractor bids a room addition or ADU without walking the existing structure, misses an unpermitted pre-Harvey repair hiding behind drywall, and then hands the homeowner a change order after the wall is open. We do the hard part first: as-built assessment, Harris County permit review, and a written scope of work before you sign anything. That’s why our Home Additions & ADU team spends the first hour on your property looking at what’s already there, not measuring for what could be.
Why Barrett & Sons Construction Is Aldine’s Preferred Home Additions & ADU Company
Tom Barrett started this company in 1998, and his sons run the crews. We’re not a franchise dispatching strangers to your door. When we walk a job near Greens Bayou, we know what the humidity does to framing, what the clay does to slabs, and what the Harris County inspector expects to see on a rough-in. That local knowledge is not something you can download from a training manual. It comes from pulling permits on hundreds of jobs where the county – not a city – holds the clipboard.
Aldine homeowners have told us the same story for years: a national outfit quotes one number over the phone, then hands over a different bill when the scope changes. Our rule is simple: every price change arrives as a written change order before work moves. Every allowance is on paper. Every permit gets pulled and every inspection gets signed. And when the job is done, the 90-Day Done Right Promise is written on the contract. If something’s not right, one call brings Tom back.
We answer our own phone, our crew members are background-checked and uniformed, and you can verify Tom’s name, address, and license number before you sign a contract. Serving Home Additions & ADU in Aldine means knowing the difference between a job that will pass Harris County inspection and one that will be red-tagged. We know the difference.
Our Home Additions & ADU Services in Aldine
ADU Design & Permitting
Every ADU in Aldine lives under Harris County rules, and the permitting process starts with a site plan, a flood-plain check, and a structural review tied to your existing foundation. Because Aldine sits in the Greens Bayou and West Fork San Jacinto watershed, nearly every project needs flood-elevation verification before drawings go in. We handle the full Harris County package – application, drawings, flood certificate, and inspection scheduling – so you never play phone tag with the county.
Garage Conversion ADU
Garage conversions in Aldine run $30,000 to $80,000 depending on the condition of the existing slab, the age of the framing, and what’s hiding behind the drywall. Many Aldine garages were built in the 1960s and 1970s with undersized headers and no moisture barrier at the slab edge. We open the walls, replace what’s rotted or undersized, and write the change order before the rough-in. If the slab is cracked from Houston Black clay movement, we address that before framing goes up – not after the tile starts popping.
New Detached ADU
A new detached ADU in Aldine runs $90,000 to $220,000, and the spread comes down to foundation type, utility runs, and finish level. On expansive clay, a slab without proper reinforcement will crack within a few wet-dry cycles. We spec pier-and-beam where the soil demands it, run electrical and plumbing through Harris County approved methods, and build with moisture-resistant materials that handle Greens Bayou humidity. No mystery brands. Named materials you can verify.
Junior ADU & Interior Conversion
Junior ADUs – converting interior space into a separate living unit with its own entrance and wet bar or kitchenette – are a practical option for Aldine’s smaller lot layouts. These projects typically fall within the broader home addition range of $45,000 to $130,000 depending on plumbing proximity and whether we’re moving walls. The key is treating the conversion like a permitted dwelling unit, not a glorified bedroom. Harris County expects egress windows, smoke separation, and a proper kitchenette to code. We build it right, and the inspections prove it.
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 Aldine
We carry and install brands you can look up. Schluter waterproofing systems in wet areas because Aldine humidity will find any gap. Sterling vanities and fixtures for straightforward, proven performance. Grohe fixtures on higher-end ADUs where fixtures take daily use. These are not mystery brands off a van. We stock common parts locally so an Aldine homeowner isn’t waiting two weeks for a trim kit; if you need a fixture swapped or a waterproofing membrane checked after a rough-in, we can usually handle it fast.
Common Home Additions & ADU Problems We See in Aldine Homes
- Moisture-wicking slab edges on Houston Black clay. Room additions built tight to an original slab crack along the cold joint within two seasons, pulling tile and popping sheetrock seams. We install proper isolation joints and moisture barriers at every slab transition.
- Unpermitted pre-Harvey repairs hiding behind new drywall. Load-bearing headers undersized or missing entirely, so a second-story addition shifts and doors bind within a year. Harris County sees this regularly; as-built inspection is non-negotiable before we bid.
- Inland-spec fasteners on sunroom railings and patio roof clips. Zinc-plated screws and steel post bases corrode within five years of Greens Bayou humidity and flood exposure, and fail the Harris County wind-load inspection on a re-roof. We spec stainless or hot-dip galvanized hardware.
- Slab foundations that were never engineered for a second story. Many 1960s-1980s Aldine homes sit on slab-on-grade foundations with no structural provisions for vertical load. Adding a second story without a foundation evaluation creates a safety issue. We evaluate before we design.
Pricing for Home Additions & ADU in Aldine, TX
Here’s what we’re seeing in Aldine right now, spring pricing, Harris County permit fees included in our estimates:
| Project Type | Market Range in Aldine |
|---|---|
| Garage Conversion ADU | $30,000 – $80,000 |
| ADU Construction (detached) | $90,000 – $220,000 |
| Home Addition | $45,000 – $130,000 |
What moves the price in Aldine specifically: flood-elevation requirements near Greens Bayou, foundation condition on aging slab-on-grade homes, whether we’re doing electrical and plumbing utility work that triggers additional Harris County inspections, and whether you choose standard or premium finish materials. If an ADU is going in a flood-prone area, the flood-zone determination determines whether we’re building slab, raised slab, or pier-and-beam. Higher exterior grade, higher elevation, higher cost. We show you every line item in writing. No mystery allowances. If the scope changes, the change order gets signed before work proceeds. Call (877) 610-1318 for a free, written estimate.
We Also Serve Cities Near Aldine
Our crews work across the north and northwest Houston area. If you’re in Aldine, Jersey Village, Humble, Houston, or Bellaire, we’re within reach and know the different permitting and soil conditions in each jurisdiction. The same owner-operated team, the same written change orders, the same 90-Day Done Right Promise. Call (877) 610-1318 and tell us which municipality you’re in – we’ll tell you exactly what the permit and inspection process looks like there.
Serving Aldine, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Aldine area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Home Additions & ADU in Aldine
Yes, Aldine requires a Harris County permit for any detached ADU – there is no city building department, so the county handles every permit and inspection. A storage shed under a certain size can often go up without a permit, but a dwelling unit with plumbing, electrical, and living space is a different animal. The county will check setbacks, flood elevation, and structural plans. If you build without a permit, you’ll face stop-work orders and a failed resale inspection later. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll walk you through what the county expects before you spend a dime.
Humidity matters because Aldine’s climate can push unprotected steel-reinforced window frames to rust and warp within a decade, while wood frames can swell and bind if not properly sealed. On second-story additions, wind-driven rain hits harder, so we spec frames with marine-grade finishes or full fiberglass/aluminum frames rated for coastal Texas humidity. The cheap inland-spec frame costs less today and more within ten years. Call (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate with the right window package specified.
In many cases, no – a 1960s slab-on-grade foundation in Aldine was not engineered to carry a second story, and the Houston Black clay underneath compounds the risk. We bring in a structural engineer to evaluate the slab, the soil, and the existing framing before we ever sketch a second-story layout. If the foundation can’t take the load, we talk about pier-and-beam upgrades or a ground-floor addition instead. We don’t frame a second story on a foundation that can’t hold it. Call (877) 610-1318 for a straight answer on your specific slab.
A kitchen addition in Aldine is inspected by Harris County inspectors only, while the same project inside Houston city limits gets city inspectors. There’s no city building department in Aldine. The county’s process is not lighter or optional – it’s just a different office, different scheduling, and sometimes longer wait times for inspection slots. Contractors who know Harris County’s process get permits pulled and inspections signed faster. We work with the county every week. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll explain exactly what inspections your addition will require.
For an enclosed patio in Aldine, you need corrosion-resistant hardware – either stainless steel or hot-dip galvanized – because the humidity and flood exposure near Greens Bayou will eat zinc-plated fasteners within a few years. We see rusted post bases and failing clips on sunrooms and patio roofs regularly, and the Harris County wind-load inspection catches them on re-roofs. It’s not an upsell. It’s the difference between a patio roof that holds for five years and one that holds for thirty. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll show you the fastener spec difference on paper.
The 90-Day Done Right Promise covers any workmanship defect that shows up within 90 days of completion – if it’s not done right, Tom comes back and makes it right, one call. That’s written on every contract, not buried in fine print. For an ADU in Aldine, that includes things like sheetrock seams popping from clay movement, a door binding from minor settling, or a fixture leaking at the connection. One call to (877) 610-1318 puts us back on your property.
Call for a Free Estimate in Aldine Today
If you’re planning a room addition, a garage conversion, or a full detached ADU in Aldine, the first step is a free estimate with a real person who knows Harris County rules. We’ll walk your property, check the slab, check the flood zone, and give you a written scope with line-item pricing. No mystery allowances. No surprise invoices. Just a straight answer from Tom Barrett and his crew. Call (877) 610-1318 today.
Written by Tom Barrett, Owner at Barrett & Sons Construction, serving Aldine and surrounding north Houston communities since 1998.