Florida-first · Escape tiny homes · ADUs & backyard builds · Communities · Homestead tools
Tiny homes, ADUs & backyard builds
You're in: Discovery hub
ADU feasibility checklist
Use this page as a working reference before you commit to a floor plan. Check each item below (progress saves in this browser), then walk the permitting timeline. Pair with the county rules directory and a parcel-level review — setbacks, ISR, and HOAs change outcomes fast.
10-point ADU feasibility checklist
Work top to bottom before you lock a floor plan or deposit. Frame this as a systemized guide to what to verify on your parcel — not a definitive statement of what is allowed in your jurisdiction.
Disclaimer: This checklist is educational only. It does not replace a survey, engineered plans, formal zoning determination, or advice from a land-use attorney. Outcomes depend on maps, overlays, HOAs, and staff interpretation.
Confirm your parcel’s zoning (and any municipal ADU program) allows an accessory dwelling on your lot type. Cross-check your county hub and /adu-rules — city and unincorporated rules differ.
Read recorded covenants before you size a unit. Private deed restrictions can prohibit a detached ADU even when local zoning allows one.
Total roofs, driveways, patios, pool decks, and walks against local ISR or lot-coverage caps. New footprint must fit what’s left under the limit.
Verify side and rear setbacks, easement lines, and minimum spacing between the primary home and a detached ADU. Flag any applicable county separation rules.
Confirm municipal sewer connection or adequately sized septic and drain field for added bedrooms and fixtures. Undersized systems are a common permit stop.
Check FEMA flood maps and local elevation or floodplain rules so finished floor and openings meet current requirements.
Locate utility, drainage, conservation, and access easements on the survey or GIS — they shrink where foundations and utilities may go.
Identify protected, historic, or specimen trees and root protection zones. Confirm crane or module delivery paths and staging won’t violate tree code.
Meet off-street parking and fire-access requirements. Some overlays waive parking for smaller units — confirm against your jurisdiction.
Align with homestead, single-ownership, or occupancy rules where they apply. Decide long-term vs short-term rental up front — many Florida jurisdictions restrict STR for ADUs.
The path to permitting
We underwrite and manage your project through a structured execution pipeline to keep the build code-compliant and on budget.
Zoning & site feasibility (weeks 1–2)
Parcel-level ISR mapping, setback analysis, utility location verification, and local code alignment.
Architectural engineering & approvals (weeks 3–6)
HOA architectural review (where applicable), Florida Building Code structural engineering, and site development planning.
County permit intake & build (weeks 7–16+)
County plan review, structural permits, foundation, plumbing rough-ins, and turnkey installation.
Disclaimer
All ADU projects require individual site evaluation, special exception zoning approval (where applicable), and county permitting. Following early 2026 state legislative tracking, statewide "by-right" mandates like SB 48 passed the Senate unanimously but stalled on the House floor over short-term rental rules; therefore, municipal and county codes remain the absolute governing authority on backyard builds. PreFabricated.co does not provide guaranteed legal, financial, or tax advice.