ADU and Carriage Home Builder in Pensacola and the Florida Panhandle
Rental income, guest quarters, or a private workspace built to the same standard as our custom homes
A Secondary Structure That Belongs on Your Property
A carriage home, guest house, or ADU done right adds functional value and market value to your Panhandle property. The Florida Panhandle short-term rental market is strong, and a well-designed unit with a private entrance and a full kitchen performs well on Airbnb and Vrbo. For families with aging parents or adult children, a separate structure gives everyone independence without putting anyone far away. For people working from home permanently, a detached office is a different category of space than a room inside the house.
Done cheaply, a secondary structure creates zoning problems, code violations, and a structure that looks like it was dropped on the property without a plan. We build ADUs and carriage homes to the same standard as our custom homes: engineered for the Panhandle climate, permitted correctly from the start, and designed to look like they belong on the lot.
The Process
ADU Permitting on the Panhandle Is Complicated But We Handle All of It
Escambia and Santa Rosa counties have specific rules around secondary structures: setback requirements, maximum unit sizes, utility connection requirements, and parking mandates. HOAs in communities like Holley by the Sea add another layer of design review and approval. Getting this wrong early means redesigns, delays, and permit rejections that cost real money.
We start every ADU project with a feasibility study on your specific lot to determine what can actually be built and what the county will approve. Once we know what's possible, our design team draws up a unit that works for your intended use, and we price everything before construction starts. You get JobTread portal access throughout the build with a live schedule, invoice approvals, and progress photos and videos at key phases.
Common Questions About ADUs and Secondary Structures
- Can I build an ADU on my lot?expand_more
- It depends on your county's rules, your lot size, setbacks, and whether your community has HOA restrictions. That's exactly what our feasibility review determines before any design work begins. We won't put you through a design process on a structure that can't be permitted.
- What's the difference between an ADU and a carriage home?expand_more
- An ADU is a secondary dwelling unit on the same property as a primary home, either attached or detached. A carriage home typically refers to a detached structure, often above or beside a garage. We build both and the permitting process differs slightly depending on the county and your lot configuration.
- Can I use an ADU as a short-term rental?expand_more
- In many parts of Escambia and Santa Rosa counties, yes. Short-term rental regulations vary by municipality and HOA, so we verify what's allowed on your specific property before you commit to a design built around rental use.
- How long does an ADU build take?expand_more
- From feasibility through move-in, most ADU and carriage home projects run eight to twelve months. Permitting timelines in Northwest Florida vary by county and project complexity. We build that into your schedule from the start.
- What does an ADU cost on the Panhandle?expand_more
- Our Cost Guide covers ADU pricing in detail. Because every lot has different site conditions, utility hookup requirements, and county rules, the range is wide. A feasibility review gives you a much clearer number than any general estimate.
How It Works
We Handle the Complexity So You Don't Have To
What our ADU and carriage home clients typically build in:
Our Work
Custom Homes Built Across the Florida Panhandle
ADU and Carriage Home Cost Guide
Get clear pricing on ADUs and carriage homes on the Panhandle.
- Clear pricing on ADUs and carriage homes by size, scope, and finish level
- What drives cost: setbacks, utility run length, HOA compliance, and finish level
- A realistic view of ADU and carriage home costs in Pensacola and the surrounding area
Building across the Florida Panhandle
We build custom homes throughout Escambia, Santa Rosa, and Okaloosa counties, from downtown Pensacola to the beaches of Gulf Breeze and Navarre, east through Fort Walton and Crestview. If you own a lot on the Panhandle, we can build on it.
Don't see your area?
Our Service Area
- Pensacola
- Gulf Breeze
- Navarre
- Fort Walton Beach
- Pace
- Milton
- Crestview
- Perdido Key
- Pensacola Beach
- Tiger Point
What Our Clients Say
"EZ Modern homes were great at communicating throughout the entire process of building my home. Any changes along the way by me were taken into account and adjusted accordingly without skipping a beat. Highly recommend EZ Modern Homes for your next building project, and I will not hesitate to use them again in the future."
Jeff McGlone
"These guys are easy to work with, very responsive to questions and can build your quality dream home. I’d highly recommend giving EZ Modern Homes a shot."
Steve Kerr
"Custom builders with great customer service before, during and after our build."
Patty Kerr
"We just closed on our home with Dennis from EZ Modern Homes, and if google would allow me to give them a 10, I would! The experience has been effortless and they have gone above and beyond to make this an enjoyable experience. They have expert attention to detail, even taking care of the small things before they are even mentioned, like noticing a build up of leaves in an area of the roof and placing a leaf filter without it ever being brought up. There were many instances where these gestures were made and it really showed their craftsmanship and interest in doing right by their potential buyer. I would highly recommend doing business with this company if you are in the market for new construction or a custom home!"
Amber Hall
"Dennis and John of EZ Modern Homes have been very responsive to my home issues as if I am included as a family member!"
Janice Quinn
"Great people to work with, nice, friendly, honest hard working type. I'd recommend you work with them also."
Tim Brown
"Great Company! They go above and beyond and do things many other builders don’t do kind of like the geotechnical soil sample. Which provides crucial information on compaction of soil and if you need to dig deeper. This simple step can help with foundation settling proper which helps with plumbing and alignment of doors etc which leads to less issues down the road. When builders don’t do this it leads to issues with foundation cracking, plumbing . Etc. As stated before EZ Modern Homes goes above and beyond with integrity and character. They build homes as if it’s their own."
Creole Cannon
our Associations and Credentials
Thinking About Adding a Secondary Structure?
We'll start with a feasibility review of your lot
Tell us about your property, what you want the structure to do, and where you are in the planning process. We'll review your lot against county and HOA rules and give you an honest picture of what's buildable and what it takes to get there.