Convert Your Garage into a Scottsdale ADU
If your 2-car garage is a storage graveyard, flipping it into a 400–600 sq ft legal ADU is the fastest route to cash-flow. We retain existing slabs, saving 15 % on build cost, while adding full insulation, new plumbing, and a private entry.
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Cost-effective, no new impervious surface, preserves yard.
Benefits
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Maintain 1 enclosed parking bay per SFD code; fire separation; new mechanical ventilation.
Compliance Checklist Highlights
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Starts at $165 per sq ft; typical $110k–$140k all-in.
Pricing Guidance
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Process Timeline (Short List)
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Garage Walk-Through & Feasibility (Day 1)
Measure existing slab, confirm ceiling height, locate utilities, and verify you still have (or can create) one enclosed parking space required by Scottsdale’s zoning rules for a single-family lot. -
Concept Design & Fixed-Price Bid (Week 1)
Draft layout, insulation package, and new exterior elevations; deliver a no-allowance contract with a locked construction calendar. -
Permit Submittal & Plan Review (Weeks 2 – 4)
We prepare structural details, energy calcs, and fire-separation notes, then e-submit the set. Scottsdale’s “all other plan types” review window is 10 days admin + 21 days substantive—about 3-4 weeks total. scottsdaleaz.gov -
Selective Demo & Slab Prep (Week 5)
Remove garage door, curb footing, and any non-bearing partitions; install moisture barrier and rough plumbing where needed. -
Build-Out & Rough-Ins (Weeks 6 – 8)
Frame new walls, add subfloor if raising to house level, run electrical/HVAC, and pass rough inspections. -
Finishes, Final Inspection & Move-In (Weeks 9 – 10)
Insulation, drywall, windows/doors, trims, paint, fixtures, and flooring; city final plus certificate of occupancy delivered under our 90-day guarantee.
FAQ's
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Can I convert an open carport instead of a garage? Yes. Scottsdale treats a carport enclosure as a structural conversion that requires a building permit. You’ll add framed walls, sheathing, fire-rated drywall along any house-shared wall, and a solid overhead door; electrical work also needs a permit. The city’s Carport-to-Garage Details hand-out is the checklist we follow. scottsdaleaz.gov
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Do I have to raise the garage floor to match the house? Often, yes. Most garage slabs sit 4–6 in. below the main floor. Raising with 2 × sleeper framing and rigid insulation meets energy code, eliminates step-downs, and lets us run new plumbing or radiant heat in the cavity. If ceiling height is limited, we can leave the slab and add an interior curb at the door threshold—both options pass code as long as finished ceiling height stays ≥ 7 ft-0 in. scottsdaleaz.gov
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How long will the permit take? Once plans are in, Scottsdale’s residential plan-review target is 10 days admin + ≤ 21 days substantive. First comments usually arrive in 2–3 weeks; with prompt resubmittals, we typically have the building permit in hand inside 4 weeks. scottsdaleaz.gov
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Will my existing framing need structural reinforcement? In many two-car garages the existing 4-×-12 header over the door and 2 × 4 walls meet ADU loading once the door is removed. If we widen openings or add a bathroom, we may upsize headers or add pony walls. The city hand-out for carport/garage conversions spells out minimum wall and footing specs; we engineer any beam or footing upgrades as part of the permit set.
