Home Additions, Casitas & ADUs in Greater Phoenix

Build the Space Your Life Needs Next

Sometimes the house is still right.

It just does not have enough room anymore.

Parents may need to live closer.

Adult children may need their own space.

You may want a separate guest house.

A private home office.

A larger primary suite.

Another bedroom and bathroom.



An independent space that may generate rental income.

Or simply enough room to stay in the neighborhood and home you already love instead of moving.

RCS Builders constructs home additions, casitas, accessory dwelling units, multigenerational suites, and major residential expansions throughout Greater Phoenix.

From planning and preconstruction through foundations, framing, building systems, interior finishes, inspections, and turnover, RCS manages the project as the general contractor responsible for bringing the new space together.

More space for family. More flexibility. More ways to use the property you already own.

There Is More Than One Reason to Add Space

The Right Addition Depends on What You Want the Property to Do.

Adding square footage is not always about wanting a larger house.

Often, there is a very specific reason behind the project.

Multigenerational Living

Create private living space for parents, grandparents, adult children, or extended family while keeping everyone close.

Aging Parents

Build a bedroom, bathroom, private suite, or detached living area that allows a parent to remain near family without giving up all independence.

Rental Income

Where legally permitted, a properly configured ADU may provide the homeowner with the ability to rent a separate dwelling and create an additional source of income.

Adult Children

Create independent living space for an adult child who needs privacy and flexibility while remaining on the family property.

Guests & Extended Family

Give visiting family and friends their own bedroom, bathroom, living area, or detached guest space instead of giving up part of the main home.

More Living Space

Add the bedroom, bathroom, family room, primary suite, office, or combination of spaces the existing floor plan is missing.

Work From Home

Create a dedicated office, studio, consultation space, or flexible work area separate from the everyday activity of the house.

Future Flexibility

A well-planned addition or ADU can serve one purpose today and a different purpose later as the household changes.

The structure may be new. The reason for building it is personal.

Three Main Ways to Create More Space

Home Additions

When You Need More House — But Not a Different House.

Moving is not always the best answer to needing more space.

You may already have:

• The neighborhood you want.
• The school district.
• The yard.
• The neighbors.
• The location.
• The mortgage.
• The memories.
• The house may simply need to grow.
  

RCS can construct attached additions such as:

The addition should feel like it belongs to the home — not like a box that was attached afterward.



That requires attention to structure, rooflines, exterior materials, floor elevations, building systems, interior transitions, and finishes.

Casitas & Accessory Dwelling Units

A Second Living Space Can Change How the Entire Property Works.

A casita or ADU can create something an ordinary room addition cannot: separation.

That can be valuable whether the space is intended for family, guests, work, or potential rental use.

Depending on the approved design and local requirements, a casita or ADU may contain:

• Kitchen
• Bathroom
• Bedroom
• Living space
• Laundry
• Storage
• Private entrance
• Independent utilities or utility connections as required

Some are attached to the primary home.

Others are completely detached.

Some are built around family.

Some around income.

Some around flexibility.

The right configuration depends on the property and what the homeowner wants the new space to accomplish.

Multigenerational Living

Close Enough to Be Family. Separate Enough to Have Your Own Space.

More families are looking for ways to live together without forcing multiple generations into the exact same living arrangement.

• A thoughtful addition or casita can create a middle ground.
• Parents can remain close to children and grandchildren.
• Adult children can have greater independence.
• Grandparents can have their own bedroom and bathroom.
• Family members can share a property while maintaining privacy.

A multigenerational project might include:

• Private bedroom
• Full bathroom
• Sitting or living area
• Kitchen or kitchenette where permitted and appropriate
• Separate entrance
• Storage
• Laundry
• Wider doors
• Reduced thresholds
• Curbless shower
• Improved lighting
• Easier-to-use hardware
• Other universal-design features

For households planning around aging parents, RCS can also incorporate our Aging-in-Place & Universal Design approach into the project.

Additions for Aging Parents

Build the Space for What the Family May Need Five, Ten, or Twenty Years From Now.

A parent may be completely independent today.

That does not mean the space should only be designed around today.

A parent suite, attached addition, or detached casita can incorporate features that make the space easier to use over time.

That may include:

• Curbless or low-threshold shower
• Grab-bar reinforcement
• Shower seating
• Wider doorways where feasible
• Reduced flooring transitions
• Lever-style hardware
• Improved lighting
• Accessible storage
• Comfortable circulation
• Thoughtful entry conditions

The result does not need to look medical.



It can simply be a well-designed living space that works for more stages of life.

ADUs for Potential Rental Income

Build Flexibility Into the Property.

For some homeowners, the goal is not primarily additional family space.



It is creating a separate dwelling that may potentially produce income.

A properly permitted ADU may provide options for rental use depending on the property, jurisdiction, HOA restrictions, and applicable laws.

RCS can construct the physical space.

The homeowner remains responsible for determining the financial, tax, rental, HOA, and legal implications of operating the unit.

From a construction perspective, an independent dwelling may require:

• Kitchen
• Bathroom
• Living and sleeping space
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• HVAC
• Utility coordination
• Private entrance
• Fire and life-safety components
• Parking or site considerations where applicable
• Required permits and inspections

RCS does not promise rental income or return on investment.

We build the property.

How the homeowner ultimately uses it depends on applicable requirements and their own objectives.

Sometimes You Want People Close — Just Not in the Room Next Door.

A detached or semi-independent living space can be useful even when rental income is not part of the plan.

Homeowners may build for:

Parents visiting for extended periods.

Children and grandchildren.

Out-of-town family.

Long-term guests.

Caregivers.

Friends.

A private guest suite gives visitors their own space while allowing the primary residence to remain the homeowner's space.



That can include a bedroom, bathroom, sitting area, kitchenette or kitchen where allowed, storage, and private entrance.

More Space Without Moving

Sometimes Expanding the Property Makes More Sense Than Starting Over Somewhere Else.

A homeowner may love almost everything about the property.

Except the square footage.

An addition allows you to evaluate whether the house can be adapted around the life you already have rather than leaving it behind.

That may mean:

• One more bedroom.
• A real primary suite.
• Another bathroom.
• Room for a parent.
• A separate office.
• A family room.
• A casita.
• A complete independent dwelling.



RCS evaluates the construction required to make that additional space part of the property in a deliberate way.

What Goes Into Building an Addition or Casita?

A Real Addition Is a New-Build Project Connected to an Existing Property.

This is much more than interior remodeling.



Depending on the project, construction may include:

RCS coordinates the construction as the general contractor so the project moves as one build rather than a collection of unrelated trades.

The Existing House Matters Too

New Construction Still Has to Connect to What Is Already There.

An addition can affect more than the area being added.

The project may interact with:

• The existing roof.
• Exterior walls.
• Electrical capacity.
• Plumbing.
• HVAC.
• Floor elevations.
• Windows.
• Doors.
• Interior circulation.
• Exterior finishes.
• Structural components.

That connection between new and existing construction is one of the most important parts of an addition.

RCS evaluates the project with both sides in mind.

The goal is not simply to create additional square footage.



It is to make the additional square footage belong to the property.

Attached Addition or Detached Casita?

Neither Is Automatically Better.

The right approach depends on why you are building.

There is no universal answer.



The property and intended use should drive the configuration.

Feasibility Comes Before Construction

Not Every Lot Can Support Every Idea.

Before a homeowner gets too attached to a particular size or layout, the project needs to be evaluated against real property conditions.

Those may include:

• Jurisdiction
• Zoning
• Lot size
• Lot coverage
• Setbacks
• Existing structures
• Easements
• Utility locations
• Sewer and water conditions
• Electrical capacity
• Access
• HOA requirements
• Existing construction
• Required parking where applicable
• Design and engineering requirements
• Rules vary throughout Greater Phoenix.

A configuration that works on one Tempe property may not be the same configuration permitted on a property in Scottsdale, Phoenix, Chandler, Mesa, Gilbert, or another municipality.

RCS approaches feasibility before promising the finished project.

Why Use a Licensed General Contractor?

Additions Touch Too Many Parts of the Property to Manage Like a Small Remodel.

A home addition may involve:

• Architectural plans
• Engineering
• Excavation
• Concrete
• Framing
• Roofing
• Windows
• Doors
• Stucco
• Plumbing
• Electrical
• HVAC
• Insulation
• Drywall
• Waterproofing
• Tile
• Flooring
• Cabinetry
• Painting
• Trim
• Inspections

And all of those scopes have to connect to an existing home.

RCS manages the project as the general contractor responsible for coordinating the construction.

Where architectural design, structural engineering, civil design, specialty engineering, surveying, zoning determinations, or other professional services are required, the appropriate qualified professionals remain responsible for those services.

The RCS Process

Frequently Asked Questions

You Already Know the Property Needs the Work. Now Put a Real Scope Behind the Budget.

Your family may have changed.

Your work may have changed.

Your financial goals may have changed.

Your parents may need to be closer.

Your children may need more time at home.

You may want guests to have their own space.

You may want the flexibility of another dwelling.

Or maybe you simply need a house that has more room than it did when you bought it.

You do not always need a different property.

Sometimes you need to build more into the one you already have.

RCS Builders constructs home additions, casitas, ADUs, multigenerational suites, primary-suite additions, and major residential expansions throughout Greater Phoenix.

For family.

For independence.

For income potential.

For guests.

For more space.

For whatever comes next.

Call RCS Builders at (480) 204-9035.