What is a Casita?

Building a casita in your backyard can add to your home’s overall appeal, says Dan Schaefer, who is founder of Providence Renovation, LLC, a residential and commercial restoration and remodeling company based in Phoenix. Here, he explains how to build casitas – and what they can be used for…

A casita is like a guest room, a freestanding guest room that usually is in the back yard of a home. In order to build one, you have to check with local code. It’s rare that cities allow additional buildings to be built in the front lot, so that’s why usually these casitas are built in the back lot, in the backyard.

Within Building Code

To get permission to build a casita, first you will need to find out where the easement is, which is a line within which you cannot build. It is on the back of a lot and on each side of the lot. You also have to check whether sewer lines, gas lines or utilities are in these areas. For example, some properties have gas lines which you cannot build over as the city needs pole access, and they can actually tear down your structure if it is in the way.

Usually people build them in the back of the property, in the backyard, within code. On the positive side, once you get permission to build a casita, it can make a beautiful addition to your home. That is, if it is built properly and assimilates well throughout the rest of the property and the architecture of the home.

Gorgeous Addition to Your Home

If the casita has the same design of the home as the rest of the property, it can be a gorgeous addition. If not, the opposite is true. For example, it would not be wise to build a two-story casita when the main house is only one story. That will overpower the main home, making the main house look less grand and appealing.

People build casitas for a variety of purposes. They use them for mother-in-laws, for teenagers, home offices, and hobby shops. They also use them next to their outdoor swimming pool as a changing area and eating area. And some people use them to house their sick or elderly dogs.