Separate entrance
Grade-level or below-grade entry with exterior-rated door and lighting.
ADU & In-Law Suite
Accessory dwelling units, built right the first time.
Separate entrance, kitchenette, full bath, dedicated electrical subpanel, and a Fairfax County zoning pre-check before design starts. Built for multigenerational living, rental income, or both.
At a glance
- Lead time
- 3–5 weeks
- Process
- Designer-led
- Materials
- Specified materials
- Service area
- DC, MD, VA
10+ years experience · across the DMV
Licensed & insured · certificates on request
Free estimates · itemized, in writing
In-house crews · no subcontractors on key trades
Accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and in-law suites are a core part of what Dzala builds. ADUs can take several forms in the DMV — a basement conversion with a permitted egress window, a rear addition with a separate entrance, or a converted garage where local zoning allows. Eligibility depends on lot zoning and HOA rules, and Dzala runs the zoning pre-check before any design work begins.
A well-designed ADU has sound isolation from the main house, a separate HVAC zone, its own electrical subpanel, a code-compliant kitchenette, and a permitted egress path. These are not nice-to-haves — they determine whether the unit functions as an independent dwelling and whether it appraises and refinances cleanly.
Why Dzala
ADUs that function as real, permitted dwellings
The difference between an ADU and a finished basement room is sound isolation, separate HVAC, dedicated electrical, a code-compliant kitchenette, and a permitted egress path. Dzala builds units that meet all five — because an ADU that fails any one of them does not appraise, does not refinance, and does not serve the family it was built for.
- Zoning pre-check before any design work
- Built to appraise and refinance cleanly
- Sound isolation, separate HVAC, dedicated subpanel as standard
- Multigenerational and rental-income ready
What you get
The details that separate a Dzala project from builder-grade alternatives.
Full kitchenette
Sink, refrigerator, range or cooktop, and ventilation — code-compliant.
Dedicated electrical subpanel
100-amp subpanel separate from the main house panel.
Sound isolation
Staggered-stud or resilient-channel ceiling between floors.
Separate HVAC zone
Dedicated mini-split or zoned system independent of the main house.
Egress window
Permitted egress for basement bedroom spaces.
Zoning pre-check
Fairfax County (and county equivalents) ADU eligibility reviewed before design.
Recent work
ADU & In-Law Suite we have shipped.
Reviews
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Frequently asked
Questions clients ask before booking.
Cannot find what you are looking for? Send a question.
Are ADUs legal in Fairfax County?
Fairfax County allows accessory dwelling units (ADUs) under specific zoning conditions, and the rules vary by zoning district, lot size, and setbacks. Every property requires a zoning review. Dzala runs the zoning pre-check before any design work begins, and we tell you upfront if your lot does not qualify.
What is the difference between an ADU and an in-law suite?
In Fairfax County and most DMV jurisdictions, an in-law suite is a permitted ADU when it has the required separate entrance, kitchen, bathroom, and egress. The terms are used interchangeably by homeowners — the legal classification is what determines whether it can be rented out, refinanced, or appraised separately.
Can the ADU be rented out?
Once permitted as an ADU and assigned a separate address (where the jurisdiction allows it), the unit can typically be rented under the local short-term and long-term rental ordinances. Dzala builds for both use cases, but the rental rules are jurisdiction-specific — we review them with you during the zoning pre-check.
Serving DC neighborhoods
ADU & In-Law Suite for the way DC houses are actually built.
Related programs
Service
Home Additions
Second-story additions, bathroom additions, in-law suites, and kitchen additions across the DMV.
Service
Basement Remodeling
Basement finishing and remodeling in the DMV — home theaters, in-law suites, recreation rooms, and wet bars.
Service
Bathroom Addition
Adding a bathroom where there was not one — full plumbing rough-in, structural framing, and finish.
Ready when you are
Talk through your adu & in-law suite project with a designer.
90 minutes in our DC showroom. Material samples on the wall, your room on the table, no quote until we draw it.
- · No charge for the consultation
- · No quote sent without drawings
- · Designer-led — not sales
Get a free estimate for your adu & in-law suite project
On-site consultation. Written estimate. No pressure.