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 Iona
Adding square footage in Iona isn’t like adding it anywhere else in Lee County. Since Hurricane Ian carved through this stretch between the Caloosahatchee River and San Carlos Bay in September 2022, the rules changed under every foundation slab and roof truss. A straightforward room addition can trigger FEMA’s substantial improvement clause the moment the numbers cross 50% of the structure’s pre-improvement value, and sudden elevation mandates show up mid-permit. We know because we’ve navigated it. Barrett & Sons Construction handles home additions and ADUs in Iona with the paperwork and the price both set in writing before the first nail moves. Call (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate, and we’ll walk the property with you before we ask for anything.
Why Barrett & Sons Construction Is Iona’s Preferred Home Additions & ADU Company
Tom Barrett founded this company in 1998, and his sons run the crews. That matters in Iona, where the last contractor most homeowners used said permits were optional and then disappeared when the inspector showed up. Tom publishes his name, his address, and his license number. Look them up. When you call, a live person answers, 24/7, not an out-of-state call center routing you to a stranger.
We’ve rebuilt, raised, and expanded homes across the 33906 ZIP code since the recovery wave began. The work in Iona has a specific rhythm: wind-rated window assemblies, flood elevation certificates, and structural ties that inspectors now scrutinize line by line. Our Home Additions & ADU team handles these on every eligible job because skipping them isn’t cheaper; it’s a lien and a teardown order waiting on a letterhead. Every scope, every allowance, every price change arrives as a written change order before work proceeds. No surprise invoices at the end.
We back every Iona project with the 90-Day Done Right Promise, written on the contract, not buried in fine print. If something isn’t right, one call brings Tom back. That’s the deal, and we’ve kept it for over 29 years.
Our Home Additions & ADU Services in Iona
We don’t hand you a catalog and walk away. In Iona, the property dictates the plan: flood zone boundaries, set-back lines, existing slab condition, and whatever Ian left behind. Here’s what we build most often for homeowners across Iona.
ADU Design & Permitting
Most Iona lots were platted for single-family ranch homes in the 1960s through 1980s, which means an accessory dwelling unit almost always needs a variance or a conditional use hearing before the foundation goes in. We prepare the drawings, walk them through Lee County review, and pull every permit. You’ll know the fee schedule and the timeline before you sign. And if the property falls inside a revised FEMA AE zone, we’ll bring the elevation certificate into the plan from day one, not after the first inspection fails.
Garage Conversion ADU
Converting a garage in Iona is usually the least expensive path to a rentable unit or an in-law suite, and it’s the project where the substantial improvement trigger catches homeowners off guard. If the conversion pushes the total improvement past 50% of the pre-improvement market value, the whole structure has to meet current flood elevation code. We run that calculation before you commit, in writing, so the price you see is the price the permit department sees. A garage conversion ADU in Iona typically runs $30,000-$80,000, depending on whether we’re adding plumbing, a bathroom, and impact-rated openings.
New Detached ADU
Where the lot allows, a detached ADU in Iona gives you a separate address, separate utilities, and a clean boundary between your life and your tenant’s. Lee County’s post-Ian code demands poured tie-beams, engineered roof-to-wall connections, and impact glazing rated for the 130+ mph wind corridor that Iona sits in. We spec PGT and CGI impact windows on most detached ADUs here because the inspectors in this corridor know the difference between a sticker and a real Miami-Dade product approval. Budget $90,000-$220,000 for a full detached ADU in Iona, with site prep and utility work included.
Junior ADU & Interior Conversion
Sometimes the smartest addition is already inside the roofline. A junior ADU carved from an underused family room or a screened porch enclosure stays under the threshold that triggers full flood compliance in some Iona parcels, though we still verify against the latest FEMA map before drawing a line. These conversions typically run $45,000-$130,000 for a complete living space with its own entrance, kitchenette, and bath. We also handle Bathroom Remodeling in Iona when the ADU needs a full bath rather than a half.
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 Iona
We install materials you can look up, not mystery brands off a van. For Iona’s impact-rated requirements, we lean on PGT and CGI for windows and doors, and Simonton where the budget calls for a solid mid-tier option. Salt air and storm exposure here punish cheap seals and thin extrusions faster than most Florida markets, so we stock the brands that hold up. When a neighbor asks what you put in, you should be able to say the name and have them nod.
Common Home Additions & ADU Problems We See in Iona Homes
Iona’s housing stock and its post-Ian reality create a specific set of problems. We see these four more than any others:
- Flood elevation surprises. Homes built in the 1960s and 1970s often sit two to four feet below the revised Base Flood Elevation. A simple room addition can trigger a mandatory whole-home elevation if it crosses FEMA’s 50% threshold. We calculate this before you spend a dollar on design.
- Wind-load failures at the roofline. The storm chasers who patched roofs after Ian didn’t always add hurricane clips or proper tie-downs. When we add a second story or extend a roofline, we bring the connections up to the 130+ mph standard Lee County enforces now, not the 110 mph standard from twenty years ago.
- Concrete block corrosion from salt air. This stretch between the river and the bay eats rebar. On additions that tie into existing block walls, we inspect the existing steel before we pour, because anchoring new concrete to compromised block is how you buy a crack six months after the ribbon.
- Screened patios counted as living space. Plenty of Iona homes have enclosed lanais that were never permitted as conditioned space. Trying to convert one into an ADU without checking the original permit history leads to a stop-work order. We pull the property’s permit file first, every time.
Pricing for Home Additions & ADU in Iona, FL
Home addition costs in Iona run $45,000-$130,000 depending on whether you’re adding a ground-floor suite or a second story. A garage conversion ADU lands between $30,000-$80,000. A full detached ADU, with separate utilities and impact-rated envelope, runs $90,000-$220,000. The post-Ian factors push Iona’s numbers a bit higher than inland Lee County: elevation certificates, stricter wind-load detailing, and impact glazing aren’t optional here, and inspectors enforce them. We give you the line-item price up front, with allowances in writing, and any change arrives as a written change order before the work starts. No trip charge inside the county, and a permanent 10% Senior & Veteran discount applies. Call (877) 610-1318 for a free estimate.
If you’re already working on the kitchen before the addition, we also handle Kitchen Remodeling in Iona on the same permit where the scope allows.
We Also Serve Cities Near Iona
Our crews serve Iona and the surrounding communities including Cypress Lake, McGregor, Fort Myers Beach, and Villas. If you’re just across the bridge or a few blocks east, the same crew and the same written pricing apply. Call and we’ll confirm the schedule for your street.
Serving Iona, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Iona 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 Iona
Most Iona additions start with a permit file review and an elevation check, which takes a few days to a couple of weeks depending on Lee County’s current queue. We’ll give you a start window in writing before you commit. Call (877) 610-1318 and we’ll map out the timeline for your specific property.
Yes. We work throughout the 33906 ZIP code and the neighborhoods around McGregor Boulevard and the river side of Iona, from the older ranch-home blocks near the Caloosahatchee to the canal-front parcels closer to San Carlos Bay. Fully permitted, fully documented, every time.
Only if you change the scope. Every allowance and every price change comes to you as a written change order before any work proceeds. The allowance that isn’t on paper is a surprise waiting for a date, and we don’t run our jobs that way. Your original scope stays at your original price.
Iona sits in a higher-cost band than inland areas because of its flood-zone position and the wind-rating requirements inspectors enforce here. Expect to spend roughly 10-20% more for an addition in Iona than a similar project east of US-41, mostly in impact-rated materials and foundation detailing. We’ll show you exactly where the money goes.
Every job carries our 90-Day Done Right Promise in writing. If something isn’t right after we finish, one call brings Tom Barrett back to make it right. No phone tree, no claim form, no delay while corporate approves a fix.
Written by Tom Barrett, Owner at Barrett & Sons Construction, serving Iona and Lee County for over 29 years.