What Does a Garage Conversion ADU Cost in Kendall, FL?
A garage conversion ADU in Kendall typically runs $30,000-$80,000 and takes 8-14 weeks from permit pull to final inspection. You’re keeping the existing slab and walls but adding a kitchenette, full bath, separate HVAC, and a legal egress window or door. Call (844) 665-0162 and we’ll walk your specific garage and give you a written estimate with line-item pricing.
Most Kendall homeowners we meet in neighborhoods near Dadeland or around Snapper Creek are sitting on 400-600 square feet of underused concrete-block garage space built in the 1970s or 1980s. The question isn’t whether the structure can become living space - it usually can. The question is what the existing slab, roof tie-downs, and electrical service can handle without expensive surprises.
We converted a two-car garage near Southwest 88th Street last spring where the slab had settled unevenly after years of parking heavy trucks. The homeowner didn’t know until we pulled the old door track and found a 2-inch dip across the center bay. We brought in a specialized mud-jacking crew - one of the realities of working over Miami Limestone where subsurface voids form - leveled the slab, then built the ADU. That project landed near the top of our range. A dry, level garage with 200-amp service already in place, like one we did off Kendall Drive, hit the mid-$40s.
This page is part of a full Home Additions & ADU in Kendall project. If you’re still weighing whether to convert the garage, build new, or add a room, our Home Additions & ADU crew can compare all three paths during one site visit.
How We Convert a Garage to an ADU - Start to Finish
We break every garage conversion ADU into five stages. Each has a clear deliverable and a decision point where you either move forward or adjust scope.
Stage 1: Site assessment and feasibility (3-5 days)
We measure every dimension, test the slab for level and load capacity, map existing electrical and plumbing locations, and photograph roof-to-wall connections. You’ll get a written feasibility memo with two or three layout options. This is when you decide: studio layout or one-bedroom? Kitchenette against the back wall or the side? We also flag early if your main electrical panel needs upgrading - common in 1970s Kendall homes with 100-amp service.
Stage 2: Design, engineering, and permit documents (3-5 weeks)
Our architect produces stamped plans showing the new kitchenette, bath layout, HVAC routing, and egress. For Kendall specifically, every window, door, and roofing product specified must carry a current Miami-Dade NOA for High Velocity Hurricane Zone use. We maintain standing relationships with HVHZ-approved suppliers - we don’t source from big-box stores where NOA paperwork is often missing or expired. You’ll approve every product spec before submission.
Stage 3: Demolition and rough construction (2-3 weeks)
The garage door comes out. We frame in the new wall, install the egress window or door, run new electrical and plumbing rough-in, and set the mini-split HVAC lines. If your garage shares a roofline with the main house, we inspect the existing tie-down hardware - pre-1993 homes in Kendall often have non-compliant clips or missing straps from hasty post-Andrew repairs. We replace anything that won’t pass Miami-Dade inspection.
Stage 4: Mechanical, insulation, and finishes (3-5 weeks)
Insulation goes in (we typically use closed-cell spray foam for the thermal barrier and air sealing), drywall, flooring, cabinets, countertops, fixtures, and appliances. This is where material choices drive your final number most directly. A basic LVP floor and stock cabinetry versus engineered hardwood and custom KraftMaid boxes can swing $8,000-$15,000.
Stage 5: Inspections and final walkthrough (1-2 weeks)
Miami-Dade requires rough electrical, rough plumbing, insulation, and final inspections. We schedule them sequentially and attend each one. Final walkthrough with you: we test every outlet, run the shower, dial in the mini-split, and hand over your certificate of occupancy and warranty packet.
The Choices That Shape Your Garage Conversion ADU
Every decision below moves your number and your living experience. We lay out the honest trade-offs so you’re choosing, not guessing.
- Foundation repair vs. overlay: If your slab has settled or cracked over Miami Limestone, mud-jacking or polyurethane injection runs $2,500-$6,000 but gives you a level floor for decades. An overlay with self-leveling compound costs less upfront but can telegraph cracks through finished flooring later.
- Kitchenette scope: Wet bar with mini-fridge and microwave ($3,000-$5,000) versus full cooktop, oven, dishwasher, and garbage disposal ($8,000-$14,000). The latter requires 240V service and grease-trap compliance in some Kendall unincorporated zones.
- Bath configuration: Wet room with curbless shower and wall-hung toilet saves square footage and feels modern. Traditional tub-shower combo with vanity is more familiar for rental tenants and easier to maintain.
- HVAC approach: Ductless mini-split is standard for garage ADUs - $3,500-$7,000 installed depending on BTU load. Extending your main house ductwork rarely works; garage spaces need dedicated dehumidification, and Kendall’s summer humidity will overwhelm a shared system.
- Egress path: Code requires two exits for sleeping areas. We typically install a legal egress window ($2,500-$4,500 with well and ladder) and use the former garage door opening as the primary entry. Some homeowners add a small covered porch or stoop.
- Exterior matching: New wall where the garage door sat must match existing stucco texture and paint. We send samples to the lab for color match and use the same aggregate size in the stucco coat. Mismatched patches are the telltale sign of a cheap conversion.
Many homeowners pair the interior finish with Cabinets & Countertops in Kendall selections from our full kitchen and bath showroom. Others extend the project to Backsplash, Tile & Flooring in Kendall continuity between the main house and new ADU.
What Garage Conversion ADU Costs in Kendall, FL
$30,000-$80,000 is the realistic range for a legal, permitted garage conversion ADU in Kendall. Here’s what pushes you to either end.
| Cost Driver | Low-End Scenario | High-End Scenario |
|---|---|---|
| Garage size and condition | 400 sq ft, dry, level slab, 200-amp service | 600+ sq ft, settled slab, 100-amp panel upgrade needed |
| Kitchen and bath scope | Wet bar, curbless shower, basic fixtures | Full kitchen, tub-shower, premium appliances |
| Structural work | Door-to-wall infill only | Roof tie-down replacement, wall reinforcement |
| Material grade | LVP flooring, stock cabinets, quartz-look laminate counters | Engineered hardwood, custom cabinetry, Cambria or Silestone quartz |
| Permit and engineering | Standard plan set, no variances | Engineering for non-standard conditions, multiple re-submittals |
What’s included in our written estimate: all labor, materials, permits, inspections, and project management. What’s typically separate: main electrical panel upgrade (if needed), well and septic modifications (rare in Kendall but possible on older parcels), and any required tree removal or setback variances. We flag these during feasibility so there are no surprise invoices.
Call (844) 665-0162 for an exact quote - estimates are free, and we’ll itemize every line so you know where your money goes.
What Kendall Homes Specifically Do to This Job
Kendall was ground-zero for Hurricane Andrew’s 1992 landfall, and that history lives in the walls of every pre-1993 garage we enter. The home you’re converting likely sits in Miami-Dade County’s High Velocity Hurricane Zone - the strictest wind-load jurisdiction in the continental U.S. Every structural component, from the roofing fasteners to the window glazing in your new egress opening, must carry a Miami-Dade Notice of Acceptance (NOA) for HVHZ use. Inspectors here will reject unlisted products on the spot. This isn’t Broward County. A contractor who sources from big-box stores and assumes “impact-rated” is enough will cost you weeks of re-submittals.
The housing stock tells its own story. West of the Florida Turnpike, we regularly work on 1970s concrete-block homes where the garage slab was poured as a non-structural element - thinner, unreinforced, sometimes sloped toward a center drain that no longer functions. Eastern Kendall near Dadeland has more post-Andrew construction, but even those homes may have garages built to older code standards since the garage wasn’t considered living space at the time.
Then there’s the rock. Western Kendall overlies the Miami Limestone formation, and solid oolitic limestone sits 6-18 inches below grade on many parcels. If your garage conversion requires any excavation - extending plumbing, adding a grease trap, or correcting drainage - the equipment rental and labor multiplier is real. We price this into our bids upfront, not as a change order.
The wet season shapes scheduling too. June through October, afternoon thunderstorms roll through reliably. We don’t pour exterior concrete aprons or stucco patches during those windows. Experienced Kendall crews build that contingency into the calendar.
Serving Kendall, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Kendall area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
Frequently Asked - Garage Conversion ADU in Kendall
Most projects run 8-14 weeks from permit pull to certificate of occupancy. The permit phase itself takes 3-5 weeks in Miami-Dade County, longer if plans need revision for HVHZ compliance. Call (844) 665-0162 and we can give you a tighter timeline after seeing your garage.
Yes - absolutely, and Miami-Dade enforces this strictly. You’ll need building, electrical, plumbing, and mechanical permits. The finished space must meet Florida Building Code for residential occupancy, including egress, ceiling height, ventilation, and HVHZ-rated openings. Unpermitted conversions can’t be legally rented and will fail inspection if you ever sell.
Sometimes, but rarely completely. Most Kendall garages have a single 20-amp circuit and no plumbing. At minimum, you’ll need dedicated circuits for kitchen appliances, bathroom GFCI outlets, and the mini-split. Plumbing for a bath and kitchenette almost always requires new supply and waste lines run from the main house. We map this during feasibility and show you the shortest, least invasive routing.
Garage conversion ADU is almost always cheaper - you’re keeping existing walls, roof, and slab. Detached ADU construction in Kendall runs $90,000-$220,000. The trade-off is size and privacy; a detached unit can be larger and fully separate, while a garage conversion is limited to your existing footprint and shares a wall with your home.
We warranty our workmanship for one year. Manufacturer warranties apply to products we install - windows, doors, HVAC equipment, cabinets, countertops. We register every warranty in your name and include the paperwork in your closeout packet. Specific terms vary by brand; we use only manufacturers with established service networks in South Florida.
Ready to Convert Your Kendall Garage?
Call (844) 665-0162 to schedule a free on-site estimate. We’ll walk your garage, check your slab and electrical, and return a written proposal with real numbers and a realistic timeline. No deposit required to get started - just a conversation about what’s possible with the space you already own.
Written by Raymond Estevez, Owner at Groundwork Construction Co., serving Kendall since our founding.