An ADU builder in Nashville is a licensed contractor who designs and constructs accessory dwelling units — detached backyard units, garage conversions, attached additions, and junior ADUs (JADUs). Because an ADU is a complete second dwelling, the builder coordinates foundation, framing, plumbing, electrical, and HVAC work and pulls it through Nashville's permit process and utility connections. Not every general contractor has built one, so the right builder is one with ADU-specific experience in Tennessee.
What ADU Builders Cost in Nashville [11][12][13][14]
Based on our Nashville cost data, expect the following ranges from local ADU builders. Quotes for the same scope typically vary 20-40% between contractors, so getting at least three bids is the single best way to control cost.
| New Detached ADU (all-in) | $200,000-$300,000 |
| Cost per Sq Ft | $250-$475 |
| Garage Conversion | $70,000-$120,000 |
| Prefab / Modular ADU (installed) | $200,000-$400,000 |
| City Permit & Plan Review | $5.00 per $1,000 of construction value (Metro Code 16.28.110.A.1) plus a $25 zoning exam fee and a 10% Codes tech fee; no plan-review fee for one- and two-family work. A 700 sq ft DADU valued on the ICC table at $169.09/sq ft (about $118,000) comes to roughly $675 before trade permits |
| Impact Fees | No development impact fee appears in the Codes fee schedule, but Metro Water Services charges capacity fees of $1,375 (water) and $2,300 (sewer) per 350-gallon-per-day unit of flow, a stormwater capacity fee of $0.71 per sq ft of new impervious area, and tap fees if the DADU gets its own meter ($500 for a 5/8-inch water tap, $360 for a 6-inch sewer tap) (MWS Development Fee Schedule, Schedule 15.10.110, rev. January 28, 2025). Ask MWS how many units of flow your DADU is assessed |
For a full line-item breakdown, see our Nashville ADU cost guide. To confirm what you're allowed to build before you hire, review the Nashville ADU rules (max detached size: 700 sq ft of living space on lots under 10,000 sq ft; 850 sq ft on lots of 10,000 sq ft or more; never larger than the principal house (17.16.030.G.7.a, as amended December 4, 2025). The DADU footprint may not exceed the house footprint, and no other accessory building may exceed 200 sq ft once a DADU is on the lot (G.1.b); owner-occupancy: Required: the DADU must be owned by the same person or entity as the house and one of the two dwellings must be owner-occupied (17.16.030.G.3.d); a restrictive covenant saying so is recorded with the Register of Deeds ($12) before the permit issues (G.10)).
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How to Vet an ADU Builder in Nashville
- License: Confirm a current contractor's license in Tennessee and that it's in good standing. Ask for the license number and verify it with the state board.
- ADU-specific experience: Ask how many ADUs they've completed in or near Nashville and request addresses or photos. ADU permitting and setbacks differ from a kitchen remodel.
- Portfolio & references: Get references from recent ADU clients and, if possible, visit a finished unit.
- Insurance: Verify general liability and workers' compensation coverage. Ask for a certificate of insurance.
- Written, detailed bid: Insist on an itemized, fixed-price or clearly-scoped bid — not a verbal estimate. It should state whether permits ($5.00 per $1,000 of construction value (Metro Code 16.28.110.A.1) plus a $25 zoning exam fee and a 10% Codes tech fee; no plan-review fee for one- and two-family work. A 700 sq ft DADU valued on the ICC table at $169.09/sq ft (about $118,000) comes to roughly $675 before trade permits), plan check (The plans-examination fee is waived for one- and two-family permits (16.28.110.G.2). Codes does not normally require construction drawings for houses under 5,000 sq ft; a DADU still needs the site plan, four-corner elevations and floor plan for the zoning examiner, and building, electrical, plumbing, energy and gas/mechanical compliance is checked by field inspection), and impact fees (No development impact fee appears in the Codes fee schedule, but Metro Water Services charges capacity fees of $1,375 (water) and $2,300 (sewer) per 350-gallon-per-day unit of flow, a stormwater capacity fee of $0.71 per sq ft of new impervious area, and tap fees if the DADU gets its own meter ($500 for a 5/8-inch water tap, $360 for a 6-inch sewer tap) (MWS Development Fee Schedule, Schedule 15.10.110, rev. January 28, 2025). Ask MWS how many units of flow your DADU is assessed) are included.
- Permit handling: Confirm they manage Nashville's permit process ("A registered contractor must pull the permit; owners may not self-permit a new DADU or a garage-to-DADU conversion (Metro Codes DADU page, updated December 22, 2025). File the Residential Permit Application through Codes ePermits or the Zoning Help Desk with a site plan showing property lines, setbacks and easements, elevations from all four corners showing eave and ridge heights, and a floor plan showing the living-space area. A zoning examiner checks the 17.16.030.G conditions and issues a checklist of sign-offs: Metro Water Services (availability and capacity fees), Stormwater for added impervious area, the Historic Zoning Commission in a historic overlay, and Planning in an SP or UDO. Record the DADU restrictive covenant with the Register of Deeds, collect the sign-offs, pay the fees, then schedule inspections. Plumbing, electrical and gas/mechanical permits are pulled separately by licensed trades", typically Not published: Metro Codes posts no review-time target for residential permits. The permit issues once the zoning examiner's checklist of agency sign-offs is complete and the covenant is recorded; Codes says to allow plenty of time and to track the application in ePermits) and who is responsible if revisions are required.
- Payment schedule: Avoid large upfront payments. A reasonable schedule ties payments to completed milestones.
Questions to Ask Before You Hire
- How many ADUs have you built in Nashville in the last two years?
- Is your bid fixed-price, and what would trigger a change order?
- Are permits, plan check, and utility connection fees included?
- What's a realistic timeline, including permit review (Not published: Metro Codes posts no review-time target for residential permits. The permit issues once the zoning examiner's checklist of agency sign-offs is complete and the covenant is recorded; Codes says to allow plenty of time and to track the application in ePermits) and construction?
- Who is my point of contact and how are delays communicated?
- What warranty do you provide on workmanship?
- Can you share three recent Tennessee ADU client references?
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