2026 National Cost Intel
ADU / Garage Conversion Cost
by City — 2026
A adu / garage conversion runs $48,041–$226,075 nationally, typically around $92,314. Pick your metro below for local 2026 pricing backed by live BLS labor data.
Low range
$48,041
Typical
$92,314
High range
$226,075
ADU / Garage Conversion cost in 152 US metros
San Francisco, CA
$84,778–$226,075
San Jose, CA
$83,648–$223,061
New York, NY
$81,952–$218,539
Honolulu, HI
$80,257–$214,018
Los Angeles, CA
$79,126–$211,004
Santa Cruz, CA
$77,996–$207,989
Santa Barbara, CA
$76,866–$204,975
San Diego, CA
$76,300–$203,468
Seattle, WA
$76,300–$203,468
Santa Rosa, CA
$74,605–$198,946
Washington, DC
$74,605–$198,946
Oxnard, CA
$73,474–$195,932
Riverside, CA
$73,474–$195,932
Salinas, CA
$73,474–$195,932
Boston, MA
$72,344–$192,918
Fairbanks, AK
$72,344–$192,918
Stockton, CA
$70,649–$188,396
Bridgeport, CT
$70,083–$186,889
Vallejo, CA
$70,083–$186,889
Denver, CO
$68,953–$183,875
Miami, FL
$68,953–$183,875
New Haven, CT
$67,823–$180,860
Portland, OR
$67,823–$180,860
Trenton, NJ
$66,692–$177,846
Worcester, MA
$66,692–$177,846
Boulder, CO
$65,562–$174,832
Sacramento, CA
$65,562–$174,832
Philadelphia, PA
$64,997–$173,324
Poughkeepsie, NY
$64,431–$171,817
Baltimore, MD
$62,171–$165,789
Bend, OR
$62,171–$165,789
Modesto, CA
$62,171–$165,789
Springfield, MA
$62,171–$165,789
Albany, NY
$61,040–$162,774
Allentown, PA
$61,040–$162,774
Bellingham, WA
$61,040–$162,774
Fresno, CA
$61,040–$162,774
Olympia, WA
$61,040–$162,774
New Orleans, LA
$60,475–$161,267
Reno, NV
$59,910–$159,760
Santa Fe, NM
$59,910–$159,760
Ann Arbor, MI
$59,345–$158,253
Austin, TX
$59,345–$158,253
Chicago, IL
$59,345–$158,253
Detroit, MI
$59,345–$158,253
Eugene, OR
$59,345–$158,253
Las Vegas, NV
$59,345–$158,253
Minneapolis, MN
$59,345–$158,253
Nashville, TN
$59,345–$158,253
Salem, OR
$59,345–$158,253
Hartford, CT
$58,780–$156,746
Providence, RI
$58,780–$156,746
Milwaukee, WI
$58,214–$155,238
Atlanta, GA
$57,649–$153,731
Charlottesville, VA
$57,649–$153,731
Duluth, MN
$57,649–$153,731
Fort Collins, CO
$57,649–$153,731
Harrisburg, PA
$57,649–$153,731
Madison, WI
$57,649–$153,731
Rochester, MN
$57,649–$153,731
Rochester, NY
$57,649–$153,731
Dallas, TX
$56,519–$150,717
Green Bay, WI
$56,519–$150,717
Lancaster, PA
$56,519–$150,717
Missoula, MT
$56,519–$150,717
North Port, FL
$56,519–$150,717
Orlando, FL
$56,519–$150,717
Pittsburgh, PA
$56,519–$150,717
Raleigh, NC
$56,519–$150,717
Salt Lake City, UT
$56,519–$150,717
Spokane, WA
$56,519–$150,717
Syracuse, NY
$56,519–$150,717
Tampa, FL
$56,519–$150,717
Boise, ID
$55,954–$149,210
Colorado Springs, CO
$55,954–$149,210
Albuquerque, NM
$55,388–$147,703
Asheville, NC
$55,388–$147,703
Buffalo, NY
$55,388–$147,703
Charlotte, NC
$55,388–$147,703
Greensboro, NC
$55,388–$147,703
Jacksonville, FL
$55,388–$147,703
Phoenix, AZ
$55,388–$147,703
Provo, UT
$55,388–$147,703
Richmond, VA
$55,388–$147,703
Scranton, PA
$55,388–$147,703
St. Louis, MO
$55,388–$147,703
Tucson, AZ
$55,388–$147,703
Virginia Beach, VA
$55,388–$147,703
Billings, MT
$54,823–$146,195
Cape Coral, FL
$54,823–$146,195
Charleston, SC
$54,823–$146,195
Des Moines, IA
$54,823–$146,195
Lansing, MI
$54,823–$146,195
Ogden, UT
$54,823–$146,195
Akron, OH
$54,258–$144,688
Cincinnati, OH
$54,258–$144,688
Cleveland, OH
$54,258–$144,688
Columbus, OH
$54,258–$144,688
Durham, NC
$54,258–$144,688
Grand Rapids, MI
$54,258–$144,688
Houston, TX
$53,693–$143,181
Kansas City, MO
$53,693–$143,181
Omaha, NE
$53,693–$143,181
San Antonio, TX
$53,693–$143,181
Toledo, OH
$53,693–$143,181
Appleton, WI
$53,128–$141,674
Cedar Rapids, IA
$53,128–$141,674
Deltona, FL
$53,128–$141,674
Indianapolis, IN
$53,128–$141,674
Lakeland, FL
$53,128–$141,674
Myrtle Beach, SC
$53,128–$141,674
Roanoke, VA
$53,128–$141,674
South Bend, IN
$53,128–$141,674
Dayton, OH
$52,563–$140,167
Gainesville, FL
$52,563–$140,167
Greenville, SC
$52,563–$140,167
Lincoln, NE
$52,563–$140,167
Savannah, GA
$52,563–$140,167
Winston-Salem, NC
$52,563–$140,167
Baton Rouge, LA
$51,997–$138,660
Columbia, SC
$51,997–$138,660
Fort Wayne, IN
$51,997–$138,660
Knoxville, TN
$51,997–$138,660
Lexington, KY
$51,997–$138,660
Pensacola, FL
$51,997–$138,660
Youngstown, OH
$51,997–$138,660
Chattanooga, TN
$51,432–$137,152
Evansville, IN
$51,432–$137,152
Huntsville, AL
$51,432–$137,152
Tallahassee, FL
$51,432–$137,152
Augusta, GA
$50,867–$135,645
Corpus Christi, TX
$50,867–$135,645
El Paso, TX
$50,867–$135,645
Fayetteville, NC
$50,867–$135,645
Lafayette, LA
$50,867–$135,645
Louisville/Jefferson County, KY
$50,867–$135,645
Tulsa, OK
$50,867–$135,645
Wichita, KS
$50,867–$135,645
Fayetteville, AR
$50,302–$134,138
Little Rock, AR
$50,302–$134,138
Mobile, AL
$50,302–$134,138
Shreveport, LA
$50,302–$134,138
Springfield, MO
$50,302–$134,138
Waco, TX
$50,302–$134,138
Amarillo, TX
$49,737–$132,631
Jackson, MS
$49,737–$132,631
Lubbock, TX
$49,737–$132,631
Memphis, TN
$49,737–$132,631
Montgomery, AL
$49,737–$132,631
Oklahoma City, OK
$49,737–$132,631
Birmingham, AL
$48,041–$128,109
McAllen, TX
$48,041–$128,109
Where the money goes: labor vs. materials
Across the 152 metros tracked, labor averages about 50% of a adu / garage conversion budget and materials about 50%. When you review a bid, judge its labor line against your metro's trade wages — the biggest source of overpricing we see — not a national average.
How we calculate these numbers
Every figure on this page is a blend of three independent cost sources — construction cost data (70%), homeowner-reported project spend (15%), and live U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics trade wages (15%) — localized to each metro with a regional cost factor and a current-year escalation index. Ranges refresh as the underlying wage and materials data moves, which is why they're dated 2026 rather than recycled from older surveys.
Full scoring methodology →Permits for a adu / garage conversion
Budget another 0.5–2% of project value for permit fees. Rules and turnaround vary by city.
Building permit fees by city →Compare before you commit
ADU / Garage Conversion costs: FAQ
How much does a adu / garage conversion cost in 2026?
A adu / garage conversion typically costs $48,041 to $226,075 in 2026, with a national median around $92,314. Actual pricing varies by metro — San Francisco runs highest and McAllen lowest among the 152 markets tracked here.
Which cities have the highest adu / garage conversion costs?
Among the 152 metros tracked, San Francisco, San Jose, New York carry the highest adu / garage conversion costs in 2026, driven by local labor wages and material logistics. McAllen sits at the lower end.
Why does adu / garage conversion cost vary so much by city?
The same adu / garage conversion scope is priced differently across metros because of local trade wages, permit timelines, and material delivery costs. RemodelerIQ localizes every estimate using live 2026 BLS wage data for each metro rather than a single national average.
How do I know if my adu / garage conversion bid is fair?
Find your city below for the local 2026 range, then compare your contractor's bid against it. RemodelerIQ analyzes your actual PDF estimate against live local labor and material data for free, flagging padded scope and inflated margins.
How much of a adu / garage conversion cost is labor vs. materials?
Across the 152 metros tracked, labor averages about 50% of a adu / garage conversion budget and materials about 50%. The split shifts with finish level and local wages — which is why a bid's labor line should be judged against local rates, not national ones.
Do I need a permit for a adu / garage conversion?
Most adu / garage conversion projects that touch structure, electrical, or plumbing require permits; purely cosmetic scopes usually don't. Permit fees typically run 0.5–2% of project value. See our city-by-city building permit guides for local fees, rules, and timelines.
Got a adu / garage conversion bid?
We audit your PDF estimate against live local wage data to flag padded scope and hidden margins — free.
Data sources: Zonda Cost vs Value 2025; Houzz 2024 Cost Guides; BLS OEWS 2023; FRED regional price indices; Reddit homeowner & contractor reports.
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