Fast, Reliable Garage Conversion ADU Across Hollywood
A garage conversion ADU in Hollywood, FL typically runs $120,000-$220,000 all-in, drawings through final inspection, depending on which side of Franklin Avenue your property sits on and what your existing slab and wiring condition looks like. That’s a wide range, but it’s honest. Hollywood’s flatlands and hillside zones have radically different code triggers, and a quote that ignores that distinction is a quote you should throw away. We’re Ellery ADU Studio, and we’ve designed, permitted, and built Garage Conversion ADU projects across Hollywood since 2015, every one with a written price before work started. Call (971) 497-2402 to schedule a free estimate, and we’ll tell you exactly which side of Franklin your garage sits on and what that means for your budget.

Why Ellery ADU Studio Is Hollywood’s Preferred Garage Conversion ADU Company
Hollywood homeowners do their research. They’ve read the three-star reviews, they’ve gotten quotes that swing $40,000 between contractors, and they’re tired of hearing “we’ll figure it out during construction.” We know because we meet those homeowners every week. Our Garage Conversion ADU in Hollywood work follows one rule that never changes: the drawings, the permit set, and the construction are a single contract at a single written price. There’s no designer blaming the builder and no builder blaming the designer when something goes wrong, because there’s only one entity accountable. That’s the entire point of our one-contract model.
Led by Nadia Ellery, our studio has completed 900+ ADUs since 2015. Every one of those projects included a documented photo record on every visit, a written scope locked before work began, and the 365-Day Done Right Promise in writing: if the finished ADU isn’t built to the permitted drawings, we make it right. We specify and coordinate prefab systems from Abodu and Cover where they fit, but we also do full stick-frame garage conversions when that’s the better answer for a 1920s Spanish Colonial. The point is that we’re not married to one method. We’re married to getting the permit set right before anyone swings a hammer.
We understand Hollywood’s permit landscape the way only a local design-build studio can. We know the Melrose Hill HPOZ review board’s concerns before they raise them. We know Hollywood’s noise ordinance hours and we schedule around them. We know which inspectors work the flatlands versus the hills and what they flag. And we know that on the tight alley-served lots between Santa Monica Blvd and Melrose Ave, staging materials wrong can shut down your entire block. That local knowledge is worth real money on your project.
Our Garage Conversion ADU Services in Hollywood

Detached Garage Conversion
On Hollywood’s flatland blocks, the detached one-car garage is the archetypal ADU candidate. These structures sit at the back of narrow alley-served lots, often built in the 1920s and 1930s with no perimeter foundation, just a floating slab. That slab matters more than almost anything else on the project. It satisfies no current habitable-space code, and if it hasn’t been properly inspected before you pull your change-of-occupancy permit, you’ll discover mid-project that you need full stem-wall underpinning at $15,000-$25,000 before framing can even begin. We pull up the slab corner and confirm bearing condition before we write your scope, so that number is in your written price from day one. A detached garage conversion in the Hollywood flatlands typically runs $130,000-$210,000, with HPOZ visual-compatibility review adding scope on the Melrose Hill blocks.

Attached Garage Conversion
Attached garage conversions in Hollywood bring a different wrinkle: the party-wall notice. When your garage shares a wall with a neighbor’s structure, Florida and local Hollywood code require formal written notice before work begins. Skip that step and you’ll stall your permit at exactly the wrong moment, especially on the dense bungalow court blocks where every foot of clearance matters and neighbors are close enough to hear your framing crew. We handle the party-wall notice as part of our permit set, not as an afterthought. Attached conversions in Hollywood typically run $110,000-$190,000, and the price depends heavily on whether the existing wall assembly needs fire-rated separation upgrades.

Garage Partition & Bathroom Add
Some Hollywood garages don’t need a full conversion. If you’ve got a two-car garage and you want to keep one bay for storage or a workshop, a partition and bathroom add creates a Junior ADU or efficiency unit without touching the rest of the structure. This is the most cost-effective ADU path on Hollywood lots where the garage footprint is generous and the existing slab is in reasonable shape. In the flatlands, a partition and bathroom add typically runs $75,000-$120,000 depending on plumbing rough-in distance and whether your existing panel can handle the added load. North of Franklin, you still need to account for VHFHSZ ignition-resistant requirements on any newly habitable space, which adds $20,000-$40,000 to that number.

Carport Conversion
Less common in Hollywood’s 1920s-1940s housing stock, but we do see carports on some 1950s and 1960s lots. A carport conversion means adding a full building envelope where one didn’t exist before: new walls, new roof assembly, insulation, the works. On flatland lots outside the HPOZ overlay zones, this is a straightforward build. Inside a Historic Preservation Overlay Zone, you’ll need visual-compatibility review for any new walls visible from the street. Carport conversions in Hollywood run $95,000-$165,000, and the foundation scope is usually lighter than a 1920s garage because carport slabs poured in the 50s and 60s were often built to a higher standard than their older garage counterparts.

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.
Trusted Brands We Service in Hollywood
We’re brand-fluent across the systems Hollywood homeowners actually consider. When a prefab approach fits, we specify and coordinate Abodu and Dvele units within the same single contract as the site prep and utilities, which means you’re not juggling a factory, a site contractor, and a permit expediter. When a conversion makes more sense on a tight alley lot, we work with James Hardie siding and trim to match the Spanish Colonial or Craftsman character your HPOZ reviewer expects to see. The brand isn’t the point. The point is a permitted, documented ADU that passes inspection and looks like it belongs in Hollywood. Call (971) 497-2402 and we’ll tell you which system fits your lot, and why.

Common Garage Conversion ADU Problems We See in Hollywood Homes

- Floating slabs with no perimeter footing. On the alley-grid blocks between Santa Monica Blvd and Melrose Ave, most detached garages from the 1920s and 30s have a slab poured directly on grade. It satisfies no current habitable-space code, and the city won’t sign off on a change-of-occupancy until you underpin. This is the single most expensive surprise in Hollywood garage conversions, and it’s entirely avoidable with a pre-permit slab inspection.
- HPOZ visual-compatibility stop-work orders. Melrose Hill and a few other flatland pockets sit inside Historic Preservation Overlay Zones. A new window pattern, a roof pitch that doesn’t match the original Craftsman lines, or siding that reads modern instead of Spanish Colonial can trigger a stop-work order mid-project. We match lath-and-plaster texture and original detailing as part of our scope, because the review board expects it.
- VHFHSZ fire-resistance requirements north of Franklin. A simple garage-to-studio conversion in the Hollywood Hills still needs ember-resistant vents, multi-pane windows, and Class A roofing. That’s $20,000-$40,000 of scope a flatland quote won’t include, and the Santa Ana wind season makes it non-negotiable. If your contractor hasn’t mentioned VHFHSZ and you’re north of Franklin, they haven’t done the homework.
- Blocked alleys and neighbor complaints. Hollywood’s narrow alley-served lots mean your dumpster and material staging live in a shared space. Block the alley and you’ll get a code enforcement visit before lunch. We stage in the alley only with a plan, keep the shared wall neighbor notified, and work within Hollywood’s noise ordinance hours so the block stays calm and your project stays moving.
Pricing for Garage Conversion ADU in Hollywood, FL
Here’s the honest range. In the Hollywood flatlands, a detached garage conversion typically runs $130,000-$210,000. An attached garage conversion runs $110,000-$190,000. A partition and bathroom add runs $75,000-$120,000. A carport conversion runs $95,000-$165,000. North of Franklin Avenue in the hills, add $20,000-$40,000 to any of those numbers for VHFHSZ ignition-resistant construction. If you’re in Melrose Hill or another HPOZ, add visual-compatibility scope: matching original window patterns, roof pitch, and siding character. Every price we quote is a written price, in your hands before any work starts, under Haven Standard Clause 1. No “call for a quote.” You’ll get a line-item number for your specific lot. Call (971) 497-2402 to schedule a free estimate, or bring us any written estimate you already have and we’ll give you a Free Second Opinion.
We Also Serve Cities Near Hollywood

We work across South FL, including Hollywood neighborhoods from Downtown to Emerald Hills and Hollywood Lakes. We also serve North Miami Beach, Fort Lauderdale, Miami Gardens, and Plantation. Dispatch and scheduling are coordinated from our Miami (South FL) office; crews serve Hollywood locally.
Serving Hollywood, FL - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Hollywood 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 - Garage Conversion ADU in Hollywood

Yes. If your property sits north of Franklin Avenue in the Very High Fire Hazard Severity Zone, any newly habitable space, including a detached garage conversion, requires ignition-resistant construction: ember-resistant vents, multi-pane windows, and Class A roofing. This adds $20,000-$40,000 to the project and is not required on flatland lots two miles south. Call (971) 497-2402 and we’ll confirm your VHFHSZ status and price those materials into your written quote before work starts.
A party-wall notice is formal written notice to your neighbor when construction touches or affects a shared wall. In Hollywood, attached garage conversions that share a wall with a neighboring structure require this notice before the permit moves forward. Skipping it stalls your permit and can trigger a dispute that costs you weeks. We include the party-wall notice in our permit set, not as a line item you discover later. Call (971) 497-2402 to discuss your specific lot and shared-wall situation.
Hollywood’s noise ordinance restricts construction work to 7 a.m.-6 p.m. on weekdays, which means your framing and demo crew is working a defined window. On tight alley-served lots, this also means scheduling material deliveries that don’t block the street or alley during peak hours. We plan around these hours in our scope, and we’ve never had a noise complaint on a Hollywood project. Call (971) 497-2402 for a timeline specific to your project and block.
Almost certainly not. Floating slabs from the 1920s and 30s, poured directly on grade with no perimeter footing, satisfy no current habitable-space code. The city will require stem-wall underpinning before it signs off on a change-of-occupancy, and that runs $15,000-$25,000. We pull up the slab corner and confirm bearing condition before we write your scope, so you know that number before permit. Call (971) 497-2402 and we’ll schedule a slab inspection on your Hollywood garage.
Yes. Properties within Melrose Hill’s Historic Preservation Overlay Zone require a visual-compatibility review for any new garage conversion ADU, and the reviewer will look at window patterns, roof pitch, and siding character against the original Spanish Colonial or Craftsman context. We’ve matched lath-and-plaster texture and original detailing on multiple Melrose Hill projects, and that experience goes into your scope from day one. Call (971) 497-2402 to find out if your property sits in an HPOZ, and what that means for your design.
If you’re weighing a garage conversion ADU in Hollywood, FL, call Ellery ADU Studio at (971) 497-2402. We’ll give you a written price, a documented plan, and an honest answer about which side of Franklin Avenue your budget lives on. Estimates are free.
Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio, serving Hollywood since 2015.