Custom Arizona House Plans

Low, flat or low-pitch rooflines, deep overhangs and big shaded glass — the modern desert home that reads as Arizona and lives cool.

Thick-look walls, rounded parapets and warm earth tones — the Southwestern style that suits the landscape and shrugs off the sun.

The plan wraps around a private shaded courtyard, creating an outdoor room that stays usable far longer into the hot season.

A spread-out single level for lots outside the metro, with long covered porches and rooms oriented to the view and away from the west sun.

A detached or attached casita with its own entry — hugely popular in Arizona for guests, family or rental income.

For Flagstaff, Prescott and the rim, a plan built for snow load and cold nights instead of desert heat — Arizona is two climates.

In Arizona, cooling is the dominant cost. Putting the long glazing, porches and living rooms on the right side of the house — and shading the west face — is the cheapest way to cut cooling bills, and it costs nothing when planned from the start.

Caliche layers and expansive soils in parts of the state affect how you dig and found a house. The foundation has to be designed for your soil, not a generic slab.

Summer monsoons bring hard, sudden rain and wind. Roof pitch, drainage and overhang details have to handle intense storms even though the climate is dry most of the year.

Deep overhangs, ramadas and covered patios are not extras in Arizona — they make outdoor space usable and shade the house itself. They belong in the plan, not added later.

Phoenix and Tucson design for heat; Flagstaff and the high country design for snow and cold. Your elevation decides which set of rules your plan follows.

Rural lots need well and septic planned in; metro subdivisions often carry HOA design rules on height, color and roofline that the plan has to respect.