A clear roadmap from start to finish with expert guidance at every stage. HeartLink Homes provides education and strategy, strategic partners manage construction, and HeartLink Homes handles real estate transactions.
Building a DADU involves multiple phases, from initial consultation to final activation. Understanding the process helps you know what to expect and when.
HeartLink Homes provides education and strategy upfront. Strategic partners handle feasibility, design, legal framework, permitting, and construction. HeartLink Homes steps back in for the real estate transaction — listing, marketing, negotiation, and closing.
Each phase has a defined scope, a responsible party, and a deliverable that unlocks the next stage.
The phase durations below are the timelines our building partner reports from their completed DADU projects, together with permitting periods set by local jurisdictions. HeartLink Homes is a real estate brokerage, not a builder — we do not set or guarantee these schedules, and they vary by property, jurisdiction, and project complexity.
Deliverable: Clear understanding of possibilities and next steps
Deliverable: Detailed project plan and agreement
Deliverable: Approved plans, legal structure in place, ready for permits
Timeline varies by jurisdiction
Your Role: Stay informed via regular updates
Deliverable: All permits approved, ready to break ground
Typically 6–9 months depending on size/complexity
Deliverable: Completed, permitted, move-in ready DADU
How the six phases group into four stretches of calendar time.
These durations are reported by our building partner from their own projects. Timelines vary by jurisdiction and project complexity, and your building and strategic partners — not HeartLink Homes — will provide accurate projections specific to your property and location.
Six things that stay true across every DADU project we guide.
Expert guidance at every stage from start to finish.
Provides education and strategy upfront.
Handle construction complexity and legal framework.
HeartLink Homes shines in transactions.
From vision through activation.
Know what to expect and when.
We'll walk you through what happens in every phase, introduce you to the building partner who carries out the work, and handle the real estate side when you're ready to sell.
Our role: HeartLink Homes is a licensed real estate brokerage. We are not a builder, a contractor, or a lender. Design, construction, and financing are handled by our building partner. Any construction cost, timeline, financing, or return figure on this page is reported by that partner from their own projects — it is not verified, offered, or guaranteed by HeartLink Homes, and it is not a projection of what your property will do. Our role is education, referral, and real estate representation if you later sell a DADU or your main house.
This process outline was created by HeartLink Homes at Keller Williams Realty Puyallup to show homeowners what a DADU project involves and roughly how long each stage takes. Information has been compiled from:
Important: All timeframes on this page are typical estimates, not guarantees. Permitting durations, construction schedules, legal structuring, and utility connection requirements vary by jurisdiction, property, and project complexity, and change over time. This page is general education, not legal, tax, or financial advice. Verify current requirements with your city or county planning department, and consult qualified legal and tax professionals for condominiumization, LLC, and HOA questions. Contact HeartLink Homes to discuss your specific property.