Valdez Custom Builders is a licensed general contractor serving Tucson under Arizona ROC 341570. Projects inside city limits are permitted through the City of Tucson Planning and Development Services Department. We build accessory dwelling units, home additions, kitchen and bathroom remodels, and outdoor living spaces across the city. Call (520) 909-0866 for a free site consultation.
Permitting and zoning in Tucson
If your property sits inside Tucson city limits, your permits go through the City of Tucson rather than Pima County. That distinction matters because the two jurisdictions have different submittal requirements, review timelines, and inspection scheduling systems. Properties on the fringes of town can be confusing, since a Tucson mailing address does not always mean city jurisdiction. We confirm which authority governs your parcel before anything else happens.
Several Tucson neighborhoods carry historic overlays that add a design review step on top of the standard building permit. Areas including Sam Hughes, Armory Park, El Presidio, and Barrio Viejo have preservation requirements that can govern exterior materials, window replacement, rooflines, and how visible an addition is from the street. These reviews are entirely workable, but they add time and they constrain design, so they need to be identified at the start rather than discovered after plans are drawn.
Accessory dwelling units became substantially easier statewide after 2024 legislation required larger municipalities to permit them on single family lots. Tucson has adopted implementing rules. What your particular lot allows still depends on its zoning designation, size, existing coverage, and setbacks.
The homes we work on in Tucson
Tucson's housing stock spans roughly a century, and the era of your home predicts most of what a renovation will uncover.
Homes built in the 1920s through 1940s in the central historic neighborhoods are frequently adobe or burnt adobe with plaster. These are wonderful buildings, and they behave nothing like stick framing. Wall penetrations, load paths, and moisture management all require a different approach, and contractors unfamiliar with adobe routinely damage them by treating them like conventional construction.
The 1950s and 1960s ranch homes that fill midtown are the most common remodel candidates we see. They tend to have good structure and terrible layouts by modern standards: compartmentalized kitchens, small bathrooms, and closed off living areas. They also commonly carry galvanized supply piping that has corroded internally, undersized electrical panels, and original single pane aluminum windows. Opening up these homes is some of the most rewarding work we do, and it almost always involves a load bearing wall and a beam.
Homes from the 1970s through 1990s are generally straightforward, though some from the mid 1960s to mid 1970s contain aluminum branch wiring that requires specific remediation when circuits are disturbed.
Site conditions that shape a project here
| Condition | What it means for your build |
|---|---|
| Slab on grade foundations | Moving plumbing means cutting and repouring concrete, which needs to be in the estimate from the start |
| Older infrastructure | Galvanized supply lines, cast iron drains, and undersized panels are common in pre 1980 homes |
| Historic overlays | Design review in certain neighborhoods governs exterior materials and street visibility |
| Mature trees and tight lots | Central neighborhoods often have limited equipment access and root systems to protect |
| Alley access | Many older neighborhoods have rear alleys that can simplify ADU placement and utility runs |
| Sewer service | Most of the city is on sewer rather than septic, which simplifies adding a dwelling unit |
What we build in Tucson
ADUs and guest homes in Tucson
Rental demand from the University of Arizona, the medical sector, and Davis Monthan makes a permitted ADU a genuinely productive asset in Tucson. Alley access in many central neighborhoods simplifies placement and utility runs.
Kitchen and bath remodeling in Tucson
Midtown ranch homes are the most common remodel we do here. Opening a compartmentalized 1960s kitchen into the living space transforms how the house works, and usually involves a load bearing wall and a properly sized beam.
Home additions in Tucson
Primary suite and family room additions on established Tucson lots. Matching stucco texture and roofline on a fifty year old house takes care, and it is the difference between an addition that reads as original and one that obviously is not.
Outdoor living in Tucson
Covered patios and ramadas sized for the exposure your yard actually has. West facing Tucson backyards need a different shade strategy than south facing ones.
Neighborhoods and developments in Tucson
We work throughout Sam Hughes, Armory Park, Barrio Viejo, El Presidio, Old Fort Lowell, Blenman-Elm, and the midtown corridor.
Several of these carry historic overlays, so an addition or exterior change in Sam Hughes or Barrio Viejo may need design review on top of the building permit.
Areas we serve near Tucson
We work throughout the Tucson metro. If your property is outside city limits, the permit path changes, and these pages cover what to expect in each area.
- Tucson
- Oro Valley
- Marana
- Catalina Foothills
- Sahuarita
- Dove Mountain
- Vail
- Rita Ranch
- Tanque Verde
- Flowing Wells
Frequently asked questions
Do you work inside Tucson city limits?
Yes. Projects inside city limits are permitted through the City of Tucson Planning and Development Services Department, and we handle that submittal, plan review responses, and inspection scheduling. We also work in unincorporated Pima County, which uses a separate process. We confirm which jurisdiction governs your parcel during the consultation.
Can I build an ADU in Tucson?
In most cases yes. Arizona legislation passed in 2024 required larger municipalities to allow accessory dwelling units on single family lots, and Tucson has adopted implementing rules. What your specific lot allows depends on its zoning designation, size, existing lot coverage, and setbacks. We check your parcel before design begins.
Do you work on historic homes in Sam Hughes or Barrio Viejo?
Yes. Homes in Tucson's historic districts often require design review in addition to a building permit, which can govern exterior materials, windows, and how visible an addition is from the street. Many of these homes are also adobe, which requires different structural and moisture handling than stick framing. We identify both factors before design.
What should I expect to find in a 1960s Tucson home?
Commonly galvanized supply piping that has corroded internally, an undersized electrical panel, original single pane windows, and a compartmentalized layout. Homes from the mid 1960s to mid 1970s sometimes have aluminum branch wiring requiring remediation. We look for these during the walkthrough and build realistic allowances into the estimate.