Fast, Reliable New Detached ADU Across Schertz
A new detached ADU in Schertz typically runs $190,000 to $340,000 all-in, drawings through final inspection, with custom built units at the higher end and compact studio or 1-bed plans starting lower. That’s a wide band because Schertz lots sit on some of the most aggressive expansive clay in the San Antonio corridor, and your specific subdivision, HOA, and county jurisdiction each move the number before a single footing is poured. We’ve designed and permitted detached ADUs across Northcliffe, the Schertz Parkway corridor, and acreage parcels near Cibolo Creek Ranch, so we know which conversations need to happen first. Call (971) 497-2402 for a written price, not a verbal range.
Why Ellery ADU Studio Is Schertz’s Preferred New Detached ADU Company
Ellery ADU Studio has operated as a design-build studio since 2015, and we hold drawings, permitting, and construction as one contract at one written price. That matters in Schertz more than most places. The designer-versus-builder blame gap is where detached ADU projects die here, because the HOA review is separate from the city permit, the soil engineering is separate from the framing, and the county line can move your entire permit path. Under The Haven Standard, Clause 1, every project carries a written price before any work starts. No door-side upsells. No scope creep at signing. No pointing fingers.
Our New Detached ADU team has scoped and built units across Schertz subdivisions for years, and we know which HOAs require 45-day design reviews, which ones restrict rear-yard setbacks beyond city code, and which side of a street falls into unincorporated Guadalupe County instead of Schertz proper. That’s not general contractor knowledge. It’s street-level permitting fluency that keeps your project from stalling after you’ve already paid for drawings.
Nadia Ellery leads every project scope personally. Every visit includes a documented photo record, so you see what we found and what we did, not a summary of how it felt. And if the finished ADU is not built to the permitted drawings, the 365-Day Done Right Promise says we make it right, in writing, before the project starts.
Our New Detached ADU Services in Schertz
Custom Built ADU
A custom detached ADU gives you full control over footprint, roofline, and interior layout, which matters on Schertz’s 7,000 to 10,000 sq ft subdivision lots where every foot of rear setback counts. We design for the lot you have, not a catalog plan forced onto it. Custom builds in Schertz run $230,000 to $340,000 depending on finish level and soil complications, and we lock that number in writing before design work proceeds.
Prefab ADU Installation
We specify and coordinate prefab systems from Abodu, Cover, and Dvele, which works well when you want a shorter on-site construction window or your HOA prefers a factory-built look. Prefab does not bypass Schertz’s soil requirements. The unit still needs a proper foundation beneath it, and the black clay still needs post-tension engineering or piers. We handle the site prep, utilities, and permitting as part of the same contract.
Modular ADU
Modular construction splits the difference between site-built and prefab: sections are built off-site, then assembled on your Schertz lot. We’ve seen modular work well on acreage parcels along FM 1518 and the Schertz Parkway corridor, where wide access makes crane placement straightforward. On tighter subdivision lots, we need to confirm access before quoting. That’s exactly the kind of thing we check during the first site visit, not after you’ve signed.
Studio ADU
A studio ADU is the most common choice for Schertz homeowners who want to rent to JBSA-Randolph airmen and contractors on short furnished terms. A 400 to 600 sq ft studio with a kitchenette and full bath typically runs $160,000 to $220,000 here, site work included. The rental math works because BAH-funded tenants cycle through constantly on PCS orders, so vacancy stays low if the unit is clean and furnished. We’ll walk you through the returns in writing alongside the construction cost.
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 Schertz
We specify and coordinate James Hardie siding, Abodu, Cover, and Dvele systems on detached ADUs throughout Schertz. When you’re comparing prefab vendors, know this: the manufacturer’s kit price is not your all-in cost. Foundation, site utilities, HOA fees, and county permit costs in Guadalupe, Bexar, or Comal county all stack on top. We coordinate those brands within a single written price, so the number on page one of your contract matches the number at final inspection.
Common New Detached ADU Problems We See in Schertz Homes
- HOA denial after the city permit is issued. Schertz subdivisions like Northcliffe often have stricter rear setback and height rules than Schertz city code. We secure HOA approval before we pull the building permit, so you’re not paying for redesign after the fact.
- Slab pours scheduled in July or August without post-tension engineering. Black clay expansion can crack a standard slab before framing starts. We schedule pours around the heat and spec post-tension or deep piers from day one.
- Assuming a Schertz address means Schertz permitting. If the lot is actually in unincorporated Guadalupe County, well and septic setbacks can shrink or kill a detached ADU footprint on an acreage lot. We confirm exact jurisdiction before any design work begins.
- Foundation bids that ignore soil conditions. Expansive clay in the San Antonio northeast corridor shrinks and heaves with the seasons. A foundation line item that looks cheap in a bid from a less experienced builder will cost you later. We engineer for the soil you actually have.
Pricing for New Detached ADU in Schertz, TX
Here are honest ranges for detached ADUs in Schertz, including drawings, permits, site work, and construction:
- Studio ADU (400-600 sq ft): $160,000-$220,000
- 1-Bed ADU (600-800 sq ft): $200,000-$270,000
- 2-Bed ADU (800-1,100 sq ft): $260,000-$340,000
- Custom Built ADU: $230,000-$340,000 depending on finish and footprint
- Foundation premium for post-tension slab on expansive clay: roughly $18-$22 per square foot on top of a standard slab
The soil under Schertz is the biggest local cost driver no one talks about during the first phone call. A slab on grade that works in a suburb with sandy soil will fail here without engineering. We name that line item in writing before you sign anything. Call (971) 497-2402 for a free estimate with the foundation work already factored in, not added later.
We Also Serve Cities Near Schertz
Our crews work throughout Schertz and the surrounding communities, including Cibolo, San Antonio, San Marcos, and Kyle. Each of those cities has its own permitting path, and we know which one applies to your address. Dispatch and scheduling are coordinated from our San Antonio office; crews serve Schertz locally.
Serving Schertz, TX - Our Local Coverage Area
We’re based in the Schertz 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 - New Detached ADU in Schertz
First, confirm your exact jurisdictional address through the county appraisal district, not the mailing address on your deed. Schertz city limits span Guadalupe, Bexar, and Comal counties, and your neighbor two lots over may be in a different county than you. The county line changes your permit path for septic, well, and slab engineering. We verify this before any design work begins. Call (971) 497-2402 and we’ll confirm your address on the first call.
Because Schertz HOAs like Northcliffe’s often enforce stricter rear setbacks, height limits, and design review timelines than Schertz city code, and HOA denial is not appealable through the permissive state ADU laws. The HOA approval is the real gate. We secure it before pulling the building permit, so you do not pay for drawings that the HOA later rejects. That sequence saves you money and months.
We engineer for expansive clay from day one with a post-tension slab or deep piers, and we schedule pours outside the hottest stretch of summer where possible. Standard slabs crack on this soil when it shrinks in 100°F heat and heaves when winter rains return. That line item is written into your price before you sign, not discovered mid-project.
Yes, if the property is in unincorporated Guadalupe County, you can build a detached ADU, but you’ll be dealing with county well and septic setbacks instead of city sewer and water. That’s a different permitting path, and it changes the footprint you can build on. Many acreage owners near Cibolo Creek Ranch rent to airmen on short furnished terms. We’ll scope the septic and well constraints before you commit. Call (971) 497-2402 for a written price that reflects your actual lot, not a generic plan.
Expansive black clay is prevalent across the entire San Antonio northeast corridor, so the foundation premium appears in both Schertz and Cibolo. The difference is often how a builder quotes it. We line-item the post-tension engineering or pier system in writing up front, generally adding $18 to $22 per square foot to the slab. Some builders quote a standard slab and add the upgrade later. That’s a pricing trick, not a savings. Call (971) 497-2402 and we’ll walk through the line items in writing.
Written by Nadia Ellery, Owner at Ellery ADU Studio, serving Schertz and the San Antonio corridor since 2015 with written pricing before any work starts.