What is an ADU?
An ADU — accessory dwelling unit — is a small, complete home on the same lot as your main house. It has its own kitchen, bathroom, bedroom, and entrance. People call them backyard cottages, in-law suites, granny flats, or garage apartments. The idea is the same: a second front door on land you already own.
Why Waldorf homeowners build them
- A parent moves closer, but keeps independence. Mom gets her own kitchen and front door, twenty steps from your back door — not twenty minutes across town.
- Rental income from your own land. A one-bedroom cottage in Charles County can rent for real money every month, paying down your mortgage while you sleep.
- Room for a grown kid or a caregiver. Cheaper than an apartment, closer than a facility, and it adds value to your property either way.
- A home office that is actually separate. Close the cottage door at 6pm and work stays at work.
What kinds of ADUs we build
- Detached backyard cottages — a brand-new small home in your backyard, from studio to two bedrooms.
- Garage conversions — your existing garage becomes a finished apartment with heat, plumbing, and a kitchen.
- Attached in-law suites — an addition connected to your house with its own entrance.
- Basement apartments — a legal second unit below your main living space, done to code.
- Above-garage units — living space over a detached garage, a smart use of a structure you already have.
ADU styles, up close
Every lot is different, so we build four ways. Here is what each one looks like:
Inside our builds
Small does not mean cramped. This is what the inside of a finished ADU looks like — real kitchens, real bedrooms, real daylight.
How the county side works
Charles County decides what you can build: how big, how tall, how far from the property line, and what permits you need. Maryland's 2025 ADU law pushed counties to make approvals simpler, but the local rules still matter lot by lot. We handle the zoning check, the permit drawings, and the county filings for you — it is part of the job, not an extra.
Built by a crew, not a call center
Framing day is the best day on any build — the day a flat foundation starts looking like somebody's home.
The same crew that frames your walls hangs your cabinets and sets your fixtures. Fifteen-plus years of remodeling know-how, one number to call, and a final walkthrough of every room before the last dollar changes hands.
What it costs (honestly)
A garage conversion usually costs less than a new detached cottage, because the walls and roof already exist. A new cottage costs more, but gives you a fully separate home. The range is wide, which is exactly why we do free on-site estimates: after we walk your lot, you get a written price for your project, not a national average from the internet.
A note on prices: any numbers you see on this website can change — lumber, concrete, and fixture costs move up and down, and no two lots need the same work. Treat them as starting points, not quotes. Your written estimate after the free lot walk is the real number for your project.
ADU rules are changing right now
Last updated: October 1, 2026. Three county decisions are in motion that could change what homeowners can build:
- Prince George's County voted October 1, 2026 on a bill to legalize ADUs (CB-092-2026). We are watching for the final result.
- Montgomery County is working through changes to match Maryland's 2025 ADU law (ZTA 26-06) — outcome still pending.
- Montgomery County, Bill 41-26 — a hearing on October 6, 2026 could remove the county's owner-occupancy rule, which would let a homeowner rent out both the main house and the ADU.
We update this page as each decision lands. Call us anytime and we will tell you where the rules stand for your lot.
Sources: Maryland General Assembly — Chapter 197 of the 2025 Laws of Maryland (HB 1466/SB 891); Prince George's County Council legislation (CB-092-2026); Montgomery County Council (ZTA 26-06, Bill 41-26).
What homeowners say
"They turned our unfinished basement into a real apartment for my mother. The crew was clean, the price never moved, and the county paperwork was handled start to finish."
"We added a master suite onto the back of our ranch. Fifteen years of remodeling experience shows — they caught problems our first contractor missed and fixed them without drama."
"Full kitchen and bath remodel. Done on the schedule they promised, and the final walkthrough caught every little thing before we paid the last dollar."