The process at a glance
- Confirm zoning and feasibility. Check the district, setbacks, lot coverage, trees and utility access for your parcel.
- Survey the lot. A current boundary and topographic survey shows property lines, slope and trees.
- Design the ADU and site plan. Floor plans, elevations, a site plan showing setbacks and coverage, and structural drawings.
- Submit for the building permit. Plans go to the City of Atlanta's Office of Buildings for zoning and building review. Local builders report about two months of plan review.
- Address comments and pay fees. Plan reviewers often send comments; revisions go back for approval. Impact and permit fees are paid before the permit issues.
- Trade permits and inspections. Electrical, plumbing and mechanical permits are pulled by licensed trades. Inspections follow each phase: footing, framing, rough-ins, insulation and final.
- Certificate of occupancy. After final inspection the city issues the CO, and the ADU can be lived in.
What can slow a permit down
- Trees. Atlanta's tree ordinance protects many trees; removing or building near one can require a tree plan and recompense.
- Historic districts. Design review comes before the building permit.
- Setback variances. A Board of Zoning Adjustment hearing adds weeks or months.
- Stormwater. New impervious area may need a stormwater plan.
- Incomplete plans. The most common delay. A complete site plan with dimensions to every property line saves a round of comments.
How long it takes overall
The city doesn't publish an ADU timeline. A common pattern is a month or two of design, about two months of permitting, and several months of construction, depending on the size, the site and the season. Christina can walk you through what a realistic schedule looks like for your lot.
Who pulls the permit
In Georgia, residential construction of this kind is done by a licensed residential contractor, who typically pulls the building permit, while licensed electrical, plumbing and HVAC trades pull their own. Homeowners can pull some permits on their own homes, but an ADU is a full dwelling, and most people hand it to their builder.