Buyer's Guide · June 2026

How to Choose a Nashville DADU Builder: 10 Questions to Ask

Now that backyard homes are by-right in Nashville, a lot of contractors are suddenly "DADU builders." A backyard home is a real dwelling, foundation, utilities, permits, the works, so who you hire matters. Here are the ten questions that separate a real builder from a risky one.

1. Are you licensed, bonded, and insured, and where?In Tennessee a contractor must pull the DADU permit (you can't self-permit a new build), so licensing isn't optional. Ask to see it. Bonus points for depth of experience, for example, we're a licensed general contractor in both the US and Australia, building since 2001.
2. Will you confirm my lot's zoning before I pay for drawings?By-right applies inside Metro's Urban Services District, but every lot is different, size caps (700 / 850 sq ft), setbacks, overlays. A good builder checks your parcel first, free, before you spend a dollar on design.
3. Who actually handles the permits and Metro Codes?The right answer is "we do, start to finish." Permitting, engineering, and inspections are where DIY-ish builders stall. Make sure it's not handed back to you.
4. How do you price, and what's included?Beware a low "starting at" number that balloons later. Ask for a transparent, itemized quote after a site walk, and what's excluded (site work, utility runs, finishes).
5. Can you build the pool and backyard too, or just the structure?This is the big one. Most builders drop the box and leave you to hire a separate pool company and landscaper who don't coordinate. Because we build the homes and the pools, we sequence the whole backyard as one project, one crew, one schedule.
6. What's your timeline, realistically?After design and permitting, a backyard home is a few months. Ask what could delay it and how they keep the site clean and on schedule.
7. Can I see real, recent local work?Photos of actual Middle-Tennessee projects beat stock renders. Ask to see, or visit, a finished DADU.
8. Do you understand the rental and owner-occupancy rules?Long-term rental is allowed; short-term (Airbnb) is generally restricted on single-family lots, and Metro requires one of the two homes to be owner-occupied. Your builder should know this cold.
9. Is financing available?A backyard home is a big-ticket build. Ask whether they work with a financing partner so you can spread the cost (we do, checking your options won't affect your credit).
10. Who's on site, and who do I call?Will the owner be involved, or will you be handed to a salesperson? On our projects, Winston personally leads the crew.

If a builder answers these ten clearly and in writing, you're in good hands. If they get vague on permits, pricing, or who does the work, keep looking.

Or estimate the rental return with our DADU ROI calculator →

General guidance as of June 2026, not legal or zoning advice. We confirm the current rules for your specific lot at consult.