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Attached ADUs and in-law suites in Tampa

A suite built onto your house, with its own door, kitchen and bath. Family close by, with a door that locks.

What is an attached ADU?

A complete second unit that shares a wall with the main house. In Tampa's general standards, an ADU can sit inside the principal structure as long as it has a separate entrance. Families often call this layout an in-law suite.

What limits apply to an attached unit?

Tampa: the 950 sq ft cap and owner-on-site rule apply whether the unit is attached or detached.
St. Petersburg: the unit cannot exceed 800 sq ft or 67 percent of the existing home, and additions must match the home's architectural style.
Clearwater: attached units meet the main home's setbacks, and their entrance may not face the street.

Can it work for a parent who needs to age in place?

Yes, with planning. We can lay out a zero-step or ramped entrance, 36-inch doors, a curbless shower with blocking for grab bars and lever hardware. If the flood map requires a raised floor, the entry becomes a ramp or a short lift, and we show that on the site plan up front.

What about the shared wall?

The building code treats the ADU as a separate dwelling, so the wall between the units needs fire separation and the sound control that comes with it. The roof tie-in between the old house and the addition is where we spend extra detailing time, because it is where leaks and wind uplift start.

Attached suite or a cottage out back?

It depends on your plans for the next ten years. An attached suite is usually cheaper to plumb and quicker to permit. A detached cottage is easier to rent to a stranger later and keeps the households apart. If your lot allows both, we price both.

Find out what your lot allows

Tell us who the suite is for. We check the size cap and where it can attach.