ADU Before & After in San Antonio, TX
Anyone can talk about craftsmanship. We’d rather show you. The transformations below represent the kind of work we do across San Antonio: unused backyards turned into rental income, cramped garages converted into guest suites, and dated additions rebuilt into spaces families actually use. Each project started with a written price before any work began, and each one ended with our 365-Day Done Right Promise stamped on the final walkthrough. We let the photos do the talking, but we’re happy to explain every detail in person.
Recent Transformations
Detached Backyard ADU: From Bare Dirt to a 550-Square-Foot Rental
This homeowner had a 40-foot-deep backyard doing nothing but growing weeds and feeding mosquitoes after every Hill Country rain. We surveyed the lot, checked the setback requirements (the minimum distance a structure must sit from property lines, which varies by San Antonio zoning district), and designed a one-bedroom unit with a kitchenette and full bath. The result is a rented ADU that pays the owner’s mortgage, built with James Hardie cladding and a standing-seam metal roof that shrugs off Texas hail season.
Garage Conversion: From Overflow Storage to an Income-Producing JADU
The garage on this North Side property had become a black hole for holiday decorations and broken furniture. Converting it to a JADU (Junior Accessory Dwelling Unit, which is a compact unit under 500 square feet with its own entrance and kitchen) meant adding a doorway, insulation, and a split-system HVAC unit. We pulled the permits, re-ran the electrical, and finished the space in six weeks. The owner now rents it to a traveling nurse who appreciates being ten minutes from the Medical Center.
Room Addition: From Underused Patio to a Primary Suite
This family loved their Alamo Heights-area home but had outgrown it by two kids and one in-law. Instead of moving, they added 420 square feet onto the back of the house: a primary bedroom, walk-in closet, and a bathroom with a curbless shower. We matched the existing roofline and brick as closely as physically possible, which matters more than people realize, because a mismatched roofline is the first thing a future buyer notices. The addition passed final inspection on the first try, and the family stayed put.
Prefab ADU Assembly: A Dvele Unit Set on a Tight San Antonio Lot
Some lots in older San Antonio neighborhoods are narrow enough that a traditional site-built ADU simply won’t fit during construction. That’s why we’re authorized to build with Dvele, a prefab panel system that ships flat and assembles on site, which means fewer days of heavy equipment in your yard and fewer seams for air and moisture to sneak through. This project took nine weeks from permit to final, including site work, foundation, and utility hookups. The homeowner liked that they could research Dvele’s quality independently before signing anything.
Detached Office Studio: From Forgotten Corner to a Quiet Work Space
Working from home sounds great until the kitchen table becomes your desk and your toddler becomes your coworker. This homeowner wanted a dedicated office, not another bedroom. We built a 200-square-foot backyard studio with its own subpanel, dedicated internet line, and a mini-split for real climate control, because a San Antonio August will humble any box fan. Total build time was seven weeks. The owner reports that their Zoom calls are finally quiet, and their marriage survived the ordeal.
Add-On Bath Addition: From One Bath to Two for a Growing Family
One bathroom and four people is a scheduling problem that turns into a marriage problem by year two. This homeowner gave up a hallway closet and part of an adjacent bedroom to gain a full second bath with a 60-inch tub. We ran new plumbing through a crawl space (San Antonio slab foundations make this the trickiest part, and skimping here means leaks you won’t see until the ceiling below stains). The work took four weeks, passed inspection cleanly, and the morning routine at that house is no longer a contact sport.
Want Results Like These?
Every project above started the same way: with a phone call and a free estimate, followed by a written price before anything was signed. No vague verbal numbers, no mid-project surprises, no change orders nobody mentioned. If you’re thinking about an ADU, home addition, or room addition in San Antonio, call (430) 258-2928. We’ll walk your property, explain what’s possible, and put a number in writing. Troy Eastman and our crew would rather show you the plan than promise you the moon.
Written by Troy Eastman, Owner at Benson ADU San Antonio, building ADUs and additions across San Antonio since the company’s founding in 2006 as part of the Relay Home Co. family.
