Free written scope consultation - allowances, timeline, and change-order rules on paper before a single trade is scheduled
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Before
AfterFast, Reliable Home Additions & ADU Across Fort Lauderdale
A typical home addition in Fort Lauderdale runs $45,000-$130,000, while ADU construction ranges from $90,000-$220,000. Most projects require six to eighteen months from permit application to final sign-off, with the calendar driven by long-lead materials and multi-agency review rather than construction labor. Call (754) 714-6540 to schedule your free estimate.
We serve Fort Lauderdale from our Miami (South FL) office, with crews working daily in Rio Vista, Seven Isles, Las Olas Isles, and throughout the canal-front neighborhoods where the city’s 300-plus miles of navigable waterways create site conditions no inland Florida market faces. Our Home Additions & ADU team has re-engineered additions on settled dredge-fill lots, coordinated seawall repairs with marine contractors, and pulled permits through the South Florida Water Management District and Army Corps of Engineers. We know the difference between a standard Florida Building Code submittal and the High Velocity Hurricane Zone documentation Broward County requires.
Why Rowan Construction Group Pompano Beach Is Fort Lauderdale’s Preferred Home Additions & ADU Company
Rowan Construction Group has delivered 4,000-plus projects since 2007, every one with a written price before work started and a documented photo record when the crew left. In Fort Lauderdale, that discipline matters more than in most markets - the city’s finger-island lots and HVHZ designation mean surprises in the field are expensive, and a handshake promise does not survive a six-agency permit review.
Our Fort Lauderdale customers find us the same way they research appliances: they read the three-star reviews, they screenshot the price ranges, and they want a text confirmation of what was agreed. We deliver written scopes, signed change orders before any deviation, and a 365-Day Done Right Promise backed by The Haven Standard - printed on every page, not an asterisk. Under Clause 1, the price is written before anyone starts. Under Clause 3, no work proceeds on a change until the change order is signed. That is how our projects finish within a few percent of the number the customer agreed to.
Calls are answered by a live person 24/7. Our technicians are background-checked, uniformed, and arrive with a documented photo record included as standard - not an upgrade. We offer a Free Second Opinion on any written estimate: bring a competitor’s quote and we will review it line by line at no charge.
Our Home Additions & ADU Services in Fort Lauderdale
ADU Design & Permitting
ADU design and permitting in Fort Lauderdale begins with a site analysis most contractors skip. On canal-front properties in Las Olas Isles or Seven Isles, the existing seawall condition and dredge-fill soil stability determine whether the foundation design needs pilings, grade beams, or conventional footings. We engage a structural engineer early, coordinate with marine contractors where seawall repair is concurrent, and submit to the City of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, and SFWMD simultaneously to compress the review timeline. The permit package includes HVHZ-compliant impact-rated openings, corrosion-resistant fasteners, and marine-grade coatings specified for salt-air exposure from both the Atlantic and the inland canal system.
Garage Conversion ADU
Garage conversion ADUs in Fort Lauderdale run $30,000-$80,000 and suit properties where the existing structure is sound and the setback allows the additional square footage under current zoning. In Rio Vista and surrounding mid-century neighborhoods, we see 1950s-70s CBS garages with settled slabs and inadequate ceiling height; our assessment includes soil borings where the original fill shows differential settlement, and we engineer slab leveling or replacement before framing. The conversion requires kitchen and bath rough-in, separate metering where the utility demands it, and impact-rated windows or shutters for HVHZ compliance. We fix the price in writing before ordering long-lead items - custom millwork, Cambria or Caesarstone slabs, architectural glass - so field measurements on a settled wall do not generate change orders.
New Detached ADU
New detached ADUs in Fort Lauderdale are the most complex residential construction we undertake, typically $90,000-$220,000, and the calendar is set by materials lead times rather than labor availability. On finger-island lots, the new foundation often requires auger-cast piles through dredge-fill to bearing strata, with the seawall condition reviewed by multiple agencies before the building permit issues. We coordinate the designer, structural engineer, marine contractor, and MEP trades in a single master schedule, with the draw schedule tied to inspection milestones. Impact-rated architectural glass, marine-grade hardware, and corrosion-resistant structural connections are specified from the first submittal - not value-engineered later - because standard Florida materials fail inspection sign-off in Broward County’s HVHZ.
Junior ADU & Interior Conversion
Junior ADUs and interior conversions in Fort Lauderdale work within the existing envelope, often adding a kitchenette and separate entrance to a portion of the main house. These projects avoid seawall and foundation complexity but still require HVHZ-compliant openings and proper egress. In aging CBS homes, we assess the electrical service capacity, the condition of cast-iron or galvanized plumbing, and the HVAC load before quoting. The price is flat, with a written scope and a written warranty, delivered before any work starts.
Second Story Additions
Second story additions in Fort Lauderdale demand structural analysis of the existing CBS walls and foundation, particularly on dredge-fill lots where settlement has occurred. We finished a second-story addition over an existing 1958 CBS home in Rio Vista where the load-bearing rear wall had settled unevenly on dredge-fill soil. Before we set the steel, our tech pulled the subfloor and found the original poured-concrete seawall was seeping; the addition’s plans had to be re-engineered with new pilings under the new footprint and impact-rated architectural glass specified for the rear elevation. We coordinated the designer and a marine contractor, sequenced the seawall repair and rough-in so the draw schedule held, and closed the punch list after a single combined inspection sign-off from the city and Broward County.
What happens when you call
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A real person answersNo phone trees - you reach a local pro.
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You get an upfront price rangeHonest numbers before anyone is dispatched.
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A background-checked tech heads outLicensed & insured, dispatched right away.
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You approve before work beginsNothing starts until you say go.
Before
AfterTrusted Brands We Service in Fort Lauderdale
We source across fifty-plus vetted brands, giving the written quote honest numbers rather than inflated ones. For Fort Lauderdale’s HVHZ environment, we specify Owens Corning roofing assemblies rated for the wind loads Broward County mandates, IKO architectural shingles where the designer calls for layered texture, and Atlas or Tamko underlayment systems tested for salt-air corrosion resistance. Impact window and door packages come from manufacturers with Miami-Dade and Broward County product approval, not just Florida Building Code listing. Cambria and Caesarstone countertops, KraftMaid and Wellborn cabinetry, Kohler and Toto fixtures - we stock relationships with these suppliers, not just catalogs, so lead times are confirmed in writing before the price is fixed.
Common Home Additions & ADU Problems We See in Fort Lauderdale Homes
- Ordering long-lead custom millwork, architectural glass, and Cambria slabs before the price is locked in writing. Then eating change orders when field measurements on a settled CBS wall don’t match the shop drawings. We measure twice, fix the price, then order.
- Treating the project as a standalone addition and skipping the seawall and dredge-fill soil review. This stalls permits for six to twelve months and blows the draw schedule before rough-in. Our site analysis includes seawall condition, soil stability, and agency jurisdiction before the first permit application.
- Specifying standard Florida materials instead of HVHZ-compliant impact openings, marine-grade fasteners, and corrosion-resistant coatings. This fails inspection sign-off on the barrier island and A1A corridor. We specify HVHZ-grade from the first submittal.
- Assuming the existing electrical service and HVAC can handle the additional load without engineered assessment. In 1950s-70s CBS homes, 100-amp panels and undersized ductwork are common; our quote includes the upgrade path before construction starts.
Pricing for Home Additions & ADU in Fort Lauderdale, FL
Home additions in Fort Lauderdale range from $45,000-$130,000 depending on scope, foundation complexity, and finishes. ADU construction runs $90,000-$220,000. Garage conversions are $30,000-$80,000. Impact window installation, often concurrent with addition work, is $8,000-$25,000.
| Service | Price Range in Fort Lauderdale |
|---|---|
| Home Addition | $45,000-$130,000 |
| ADU Construction | $90,000-$220,000 |
| Garage Conversion | $30,000-$80,000 |
| Impact Window Installation | $8,000-$25,000 |
What moves the number: foundation type (conventional footing vs. auger-cast piles through dredge-fill), seawall repair coordination, impact-rated glazing vs. standard windows, custom millwork and architectural glass lead times, and the complexity of multi-agency permitting. We deliver a flat written price with a written scope before any work starts - no “call for a quote,” no allowance games. Call (754) 714-6540 for your free estimate.
We Also Serve Cities Near Fort Lauderdale
Our crews work throughout Broward County, including Fort Lauderdale, Plantation, Pompano Beach, Coconut Creek, and Margate. Each city carries its own zoning, setback, and flood-zone considerations; we research the local requirements before quoting.
Serving Fort Lauderdale, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Fort Lauderdale area and know this community well. Use the map below to see our service coverage - if you’re nearby, we can almost certainly help.
FAQs - Home Additions & ADU in Fort Lauderdale
No, but the seawall condition and the multi-agency permitting process will add six to twelve months to your pre-construction timeline. On Fort Lauderdale’s finger-island streets, adding square footage pushes the project into seawall review by the City of Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, SFWMD, and often the Army Corps of Engineers. Many 1950s-60s CBS homes sit on failing poured-concrete seawalls, and you cannot pull a home-addition permit in those canal-front zones without addressing the seawall and the man-made, dredge-fill soil conditions beneath the existing structure. We assess seawall condition and soil stability in our initial site analysis, coordinate the marine contractor, and sequence the repair with the build so the draw schedule holds. Call (754) 714-6540 to schedule that analysis - estimates are free.
Custom millwork, architectural glass, and specialty finishes routinely carry sixteen-to-twenty-week lead times, while skilled framing and finish crews are available within weeks. On a high-end Fort Lauderdale addition, the designer’s specification of Cambria slabs, KraftMaid custom cabinets, or impact-rated architectural glass from European suppliers determines when the space is usable, not when the drywall goes up. We lock the price in writing before ordering any long-lead item, confirm lead times with suppliers in writing, and build the construction schedule around delivery dates rather than hoping materials arrive on time. Call (754) 714-6540 and we will walk through the realistic timeline for your specific finishes.
Broward County’s High Velocity Hurricane Zone (HVHZ) designation mandates the strictest wind-resistance construction standards in the United States, exceeding the Florida Building Code applied to Orlando, Tampa, or most other Florida markets. For an ADU on a Fort Lauderdale finger-island lot, this means impact-rated openings, engineered structural connections, specific roofing assemblies, and corrosion-resistant fasteners and coatings due to year-round salt-air exposure from the Atlantic and the inland canal system. Marine-grade materials that would be optional upgrades inland are functional necessities here. We specify HVHZ-compliant materials from the first submittal and document every specification for inspection sign-off. Call (754) 714-6540 for a written quote with the full spec list.
Yes, and it is often the most cost-effective ADU path in Fort Lauderdale’s mid-century neighborhoods. A garage conversion runs $30,000-$80,000 versus $90,000-$220,000 for new detached construction, and it avoids foundation and seawall complexity where the existing slab is sound. The project requires kitchen and bath rough-in, separate or sub-metered utilities where zoning demands it, impact-rated openings for HVHZ compliance, and ceiling height verification - many 1950s garages need slab lowering or roof raising to meet current code. We assess all of this in our initial site visit and fix the price in writing before work starts. Call (754) 714-6540 for a free evaluation of your garage.
Change orders derail projects when the price is not fixed in writing before work starts, when field conditions are not investigated before ordering long-lead materials, and when deviations proceed without signed authorization. At Rowan Construction Group, Clause 1 of The Haven Standard requires a written price before any work starts; Clause 3 requires a signed change order before any deviation from that scope. On Fort Lauderdale’s settled CBS homes, we pull subfloors, assess seawall condition, and confirm soil stability before the quote is delivered - so the number accounts for what we find, rather than generating surprises later. The documented photo record on every visit gives you evidence of what was found and what was done. Call (754) 714-6540 and we will review your project with that discipline from day one.
Written by Grant Rowan, Owner at Rowan Construction Group, serving Fort Lauderdale since 2007.