BOXABL Casita Cost and Rental Income Guide

BOXABL Casita cost and rental income math starts with one honest premise: the price on the order page is not your all-in basis. Factory pricing — verified on BOXABL product pages in September 2026 — runs $60,000 (Studio, 361 sq ft), $100,000 (One-Bedroom, 722 sq ft), and $110,000 (Two-Bedroom, 722 sq ft) for unit-only packages. Turnkey promo pricing is $140,000, $185,000, and $200,000 respectively (list prices $150,000, $195,000, $210,000). Investors who underwrite only the factory line item miss foundation, crane, utility taps, permit fees, interest carry, and vacancy — and then wonder why DSCR takeout fails.

Disclosure: Jaken Finance Group may earn a commission if you order a BOXABL Casita.

This guide rebuilds the deal from unit price to certificate of occupancy to rent roll. It is written for non-owner-occupied investors only. Jaken Finance Group does not finance Casitas behind owner-occupied houses. If you hold the primary as a rental in an LLC and add a permitted second dwelling, read on. For model specs and catalog detail, see our BOXABL Casita models investor guide. For the financing path after you pencil the numbers, see how to finance a BOXABL Casita.

Who this guide is for

• Buy-and-hold investors adding a second door behind an existing rental SFR or small multifamily lot
• BRRRR operators who want factory QA and a shorter vertical timeline than stick-built ADU construction
• Out-of-state sponsors comparing Casita all-in cost against Chicago coach house or DC English basement conversion economics

If you live in the primary and want a backyard cottage for family, BOXABL’s consumer financing examples on their site may apply — that is not this desk. We size ADU construction loans and construction-to-DSCR takeout on investment property when the Casita is a permitted second dwelling with a real exit.

BOXABL Casita prices verified September 2026

BOXABL publishes two purchase paths on every Casita model page. Re-fetch before you close — turnkey promos are labeled “limited time, limited quantity.”

Model	Sq ft	Beds / baths	Unit-only	Turnkey promo	Turnkey list
Casita Studio	361	0 / 1	$60,000	$140,000	$150,000
Casita One-Bedroom	722	1 / 1	$100,000	$185,000	$195,000
Casita Two-Bedroom	722	2 / 1	$110,000	$200,000	$210,000

Source: BOXABL Casita Studio, One-Bedroom, Two-Bedroom product pages, accessed September 2026.

Order flow deposits (all models): $250 order fee after initial property review, then $2,500 production deposit to enter the queue. Shipping on unit-only packages is customer-managed at roughly $8–$15 per mile from the factory — variable by route and crane access.

Ready to reserve a configuration? You can order a BOXABL Casita after you finish the feasibility math below.

What is the all-in cost of a BOXABL Casita?

All-in cost means every dollar from order fee to certificate of occupancy — not the factory sticker. Split the stack into factory, site, soft costs, and carry.

Factory and BOXABL-managed line items

Line item	Unit-only buyer pays	Turnkey buyer (BOXABL-managed)
Casita unit (kitchen, bath, HVAC, MEP)	Yes — $60K–$110K	Included in turnkey
Engineering prints	Often separate GC	Included
Permits and plan check	You or your GC	Included
Foundation (slab or stem wall)	You	Included
Utility connections (water, sewer, electric)	You	Included
Shipping and crane set	You ($8–$15/mi + set)	Included
Final inspection and certification	You coordinate	Included
1-year + 6-year extended warranty	Included both paths	Included

Site and soft costs investors still model (even on turnkey)

Turnkey simplifies coordination — it does not erase every off-invoice cost:

Cost bucket	Typical investor range	Notes
Feasibility and survey	$500–$2,500	BOXABL virtual site check; local survey if lender requires
Tree removal / grading beyond standard	$2,000–$15,000	Steep lots, rock, access roads
Utility upsize (200A service, sewer lateral)	$3,000–$25,000	Older urban parcels common
Temporary power / construction fencing	$500–$3,000	Unit-only path
Interest carry (construction IO)	4–9 months × rate × balance	8.99%–13.5% on qualified Jaken Finance Group files
Property taxes during build	Varies	Assessor may revalue on CO
Insurance (builder’s risk → landlord)	$1,200–$3,500/yr	Update replacement cost after set
Capitalized closing costs	1–2 points + fees	Construction loan origination

The American Planning Association ADU overview and California HCD ADU resources show why soft costs dominate stick-built ADUs nationally. Modular set compresses vertical time but not entitlement time — your city still signs the permit.

Unit-only all-in illustration (One-Bedroom, composite)

This is a labeled composite for a flat suburban lot with municipal sewer — not a quote.

Line	Amount
BOXABL One-Bedroom unit-only	$100,000
Shipping 400 mi @ $12/mi (midpoint)	$4,800
Foundation and stem wall	$18,000
Crane set and tie-down	$8,500
Utility connections	$14,000
Permits, engineering, inspections	$6,500
Site prep and driveway patch	$4,200
Order + production deposits	$2,750
Contingency (7%)	$10,878
Subtotal hard + soft	$169,628
Interest carry 6 mo @ 11% IO on $127K funded (75% LTC)	$6,985
All-in before permanent refi	~$176,600

Same footprint on BOXABL turnkey promo: $185,000 all-in per factory bundle — you trade margin control for speed and single-vendor accountability. Compare both paths in BOXABL vs site-built ADU vs manufactured home.

How long does a BOXABL ADU take?

BOXABL marketing cites as little as two months factory-to-yard and ~24 hours for delivery, unfold, and set. That is the set day — not the investor timeline.

Realistic investor phase map

Phase	BOXABL / sponsor action	Typical duration
1. Order and feasibility	$250 order fee; virtual site check	1–3 weeks
2. Production queue	$2,500 deposit; factory build	8–16 weeks
3. Permits	Plans, zoning, utility approvals	4–16+ weeks (jurisdiction)
4. Site prep	Foundation, utilities stubbed	2–6 weeks
5. Delivery and set	Crane, unfold, tie-down	1–3 days
6. MEP trim-out and inspection	Final connections, 99-point inspection	1–4 weeks
7. Certificate of occupancy	City final	1–3 weeks
8. Lease-up	Marketing, tenant placement	2–8 weeks

Composite total: 4–9 months from order to leased CO for many investors — faster than the 9–18 months common on stick-built ADUs cited by BOXABL, but not a two-month magic button. Permit phase is the gating item in Los Angeles ADU zoning, Chicago ADU ordinance districts, and Miami ADU rules.

Construction interest accrues from first draw through CO. On a $130,000 construction balance at 11% interest-only for 7 months, carry alone is ~$8,360 — model it on day one in your new construction pro forma.

Rental income: what Casita doors actually rent for

Do not paste BOXABL’s Los Angeles studio hypotheticals into your spreadsheet. Underwrite your market with your comp set.

Illustrative monthly gross rent bands (September 2026 — verify locally)

Market type	Studio 361 sf	One-Bed 722 sf	Two-Bed 722 sf
High-cost coastal (LA, SF, Seattle)	$1,800–$2,400	$2,200–$3,200	$2,600–$3,600
Sun Belt growth (Phoenix, Austin, Tampa)	$1,100–$1,600	$1,400–$2,100	$1,700–$2,400
Midwest urban (Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland)	$900–$1,300	$1,200–$1,800	$1,400–$2,000
Secondary South (San Antonio, Memphis)	$850–$1,200	$1,100–$1,600	$1,300–$1,850

Sources: investor comp pulls and listing aggregators — illustrative only. Pull RentCast, MLS, or appraiser 1007 rent schedules before you offer. See rent estimates for DSCR loans and how lenders underwrite Airbnb income — note most ADU ordinances require long-term leases, not STR.

Per-door economics favor One-Bedroom and Two-Bedroom models when rent premium exceeds the $10,000–$15,000 factory delta. Studio makes sense where land constraints cap size or zoning maxes at 500 sq ft ADU footprints.

Cash-flow underwriting: the investor spreadsheet

Gross rent → effective gross income (EGI)

1. Gross scheduled rent — monthly market rent × 12
2. Vacancy and credit loss — 5–10% (higher on single ADU doors)
3. EGI = gross rent − vacancy loss

Operating expenses (exclude debt service)

Expense	Rule of thumb
Property tax	County assessor — often step-up on CO
Insurance	Landlord policy; include ADU replacement cost
Maintenance / CapEx	5–8% of gross rent
Property management	0% self-manage; 8–10% if hired
Utilities	If landlord-paid; often tenant-paid on ADUs
HOA	If any — rare on detached ADU

Net operating income (NOI)

NOI = EGI − operating expenses. This feeds DSCR and cap-rate sanity checks.

Debt service

During construction: interest-only at 8.99%–13.5% on qualified ADU construction files, capped at 75% of as-completed combined value (primary + Casita).

After CO + lease: DSCR permanent at 5.75%–10.5%, same combined collateral. See how a DSCR loan works for the rent ÷ PITIA formula.

Worked example A: One-Bedroom Casita behind a Phoenix rental SFR

Setup (composite): You own a 3/2 SFR renting at $2,100/mo ($25,200/yr). You add a One-Bedroom Casita (unit-only path) on the same lot. Primary value before: $380,000. Combined as-completed appraised value: $520,000 (illustrative — appraiser must reconcile modular ADU comps).

All-in cost stack

Item	Amount
All-in Casita (from unit-only table above)	$176,600
Total project basis	$176,600 (incremental)

Construction phase financing

Input	Value
As-completed combined value	$520,000
Max LTC 75%	$390,000
Incremental construction loan (Casita scope)	$132,450 (75% × $176,600)
Sponsor equity in deal	$44,150
Rate	11% IO
Term	7 months
Interest carry	~$8,360

Stabilized rent roll

Unit	Gross rent/mo
Primary SFR	$2,100
Casita One-Bed	$1,650
Total gross	$3,750/mo

Vacancy 7% → EGI ~$3,488/mo ($41,856/yr).

Operating expenses (combined property)

Expense	Annual
Property tax (step-up modeled)	$4,200
Insurance	$2,400
Maintenance 6%	$2,511
Total OpEx	~$9,111

NOI ≈ $32,745/yr ($2,729/mo).

DSCR takeout (month 8)

Input	Value
Appraised combined value	$520,000
Max LTV 75%	$390,000
Payoff construction (~$132K + carry)	~$141,000
Cash-out to sponsor (optional)	Up to equity limits — model conservatively
Permanent rate	7.75% P&I, 30-year
Monthly PITIA (combined, illustrative)	~$2,950
DSCR	$3,750 ÷ $2,950 = 1.27

DSCR clears 1.0 with cushion. This deal pencils if the appraised combined value and rent comp hold. If appraisal comes in at $480,000, re-cut leverage — at 75% max loan $360,000, you still clear construction but lose cash-out.

Worked example B: Two-Bedroom turnkey vs Studio — same Dallas lot

Setup (composite): Existing rental duplex site (one building, one Casita pad). Compare Studio turnkey vs Two-Bedroom turnkey on promo pricing.

Metric	Studio turnkey	Two-Bed turnkey
BOXABL promo price	$140,000	$200,000
Extra site costs (minimal lot)	$8,000	$8,000
Carry 5 mo @ 11% on 75% LTC	$4,800	$6,900
All-in	~$152,800	~$214,900
Gross rent/mo (illustrative)	$1,250	$1,850
Vacancy 8%	$1,150 EGI	$1,702 EGI
OpEx/mo (tax, ins, maint)	$350	$420
NOI/mo	~$800	~$1,282
DSCR @ 7.5% PITIA on 75% LTV loan	Thin — often sub-1.0	~1.15+ on strong files

The Studio saves ~$62,000 all-in but may not clear DSCR on a standalone ADU loan without primary rent bundled. The Two-Bedroom earns ~$600/mo more gross — ~$7,200/yr — paying back the premium in roughly 8–9 years on NOI delta alone, faster if appreciation steps the combined value.

Investor takeaway: Studio is a land-constrained play. Two-Bedroom is the default cash-flow answer when zoning allows 722 sq ft.

Worked example C: Chicago coach house vs BOXABL One-Bed — basis check

You own a Chicago two-flat worth $450,000 with $3,400/mo combined rent. Alley coach house stick-built bid: $220,000–$280,000, 10–14 months. BOXABL One-Bedroom turnkey: $185,000, 5–8 months if RS district allows ADU (verify Chicago ADU map).

Path	All-in (illustrative)	Timeline	Gross new door
Stick-built coach house	$250,000	12 mo	$1,700/mo
BOXABL One-Bed turnkey	$195,000	7 mo	$1,600/mo

BOXABL wins ~$55,000 basis and ~5 months carry — roughly $12,000 saved in construction interest alone at 11% IO. Tradeoff: modular comp acceptance vs stick-built in some appraiser markets. Read code class comparison before you assume identical ARV.

What kills Casita cash-flow models

Mistake	Impact
Underwriting factory price only	Miss $40K–$80K site costs
Using BOXABL $895/mo consumer payment as DSCR rate	Wrong product — not Jaken Finance Group construction or DSCR
Ignoring combined appraisal	Lender sizes on whole lot, not Casita in isolation
STR income on ADU	Illegal in Chicago, DC, and many cities — no DSCR
Owner-occupied lot	Disqualifies Jaken Finance Group investor stack
No zoning letter	Construction draw denied
Baby Box RV in DSCR model	Personal property — different desk entirely

Property tax step-up after certificate of occupancy

Assessors treat a new permitted ADU differently than a vacant pad. When the Casita receives certificate of occupancy, the tax authority may revalue the entire parcel — not just add a flat improvement line. That step-up hits PITIA on DSCR takeout and shrinks nominal cash-on-cash if you ignored it in year-one modeling.

Scenario	Pre-CO assessed value	Post-CO assessed value (illustrative)	Annual tax delta
Phoenix SFR + Casita	$280,000	$365,000	+$650/yr
Chicago two-flat + coach Casita	$320,000	$410,000	+$1,400/yr
LA SFR + One-Bed ADU	$750,000	$920,000	+$2,100/yr

Pull the county assessor’s new construction or change of use policy before you close. Some jurisdictions phase in improvement value over three to five years; others apply full value on the January 1 lien date after CO. Underwrite the worst case in year one and treat any phase-in as upside.

Investors who already carry a low basis on the primary benefit from forced appreciation — the Casita adds appraised value that often exceeds incremental tax. The spread only works when rent clears the higher PITIA. Run the DSCR calculator with post-reassessment tax bills, not last year’s statement.

Insurance: builder’s risk through landlord policy

Insurance is two policies across the timeline — not one quote at order.

During construction: Builder’s risk or course-of-construction coverage names the Casita while it is in transit, being set, and awaiting CO. Confirm the policy covers modular transport, crane operations, and wind during the unfold window. BOXABL turnkey paths include manufacturer warranty coverage on defects — that is not a substitute for site liability during set.

After CO: Landlord policy must list replacement cost for both the primary and the Casita. Factory-built units still burn, flood, and hail. Carriers ask for photos of foundation tie-down, CO date, and separate entrance. Budget $1,200–$3,500 per year on the incremental ADU depending on market catastrophe exposure — higher in Florida hurricane zones per Miami ADU zoning flood and wind requirements.

Underwriters reject DSCR takeout when insurance dec pages still describe a single-family one-unit dwelling after the Casita is occupied. Update the dec page before you apply for permanent financing.

BRRRR application: forced appreciation on the combined lot

The Casita fits the BRRRR frame when you already own the primary rental:

1. Buy — you hold the SFR or small multifamily
2. Rehab / add — order and set the Casita (the “rehab” is vertical addition)
3. Rent — lease the new door; keep primary leased throughout
4. Refinance — DSCR on combined value at 75% LTV
5. Repeat — recycle equity into the next lot

Forced appreciation math: if you spend $176,000 all-in and the appraiser adds $140,000 to the lot value while gross rent rises $1,650/mo, you created ~$19,800/yr in new gross revenue. Cap-rate implied value at a 6% cap on incremental NOI might support $200,000+ in value creation — but only if comps exist. See mastering the BRRRR strategy for DSCR loan success for portfolio sequencing.

The Casita BRRRR is faster than gutting a stick-built ADU but still bound by permits. Do not skip the Rent step — DSCR without a lease forces market-rent qualification and often worse pricing.

Sensitivity analysis: what happens when inputs move

Use this table on every file before you order a BOXABL Casita:

Variable	Base case	Stress case	Impact on DSCR (Example A)
Combined appraised value	$520,000	$470,000 (−10%)	Max loan drops $37,500 — less cash-out
Casita gross rent	$1,650/mo	$1,450/mo	DSCR falls from 1.27 → ~1.11
Permanent rate	7.75%	9.25%	DSCR falls from 1.27 → ~1.18
Property tax post-CO	+$350/mo PITIA	+$550/mo PITIA	DSCR falls from 1.27 → ~1.19
Construction duration	7 months	11 months	+$4,000 interest carry — equity drain

If stress DSCR drops below 1.0, add equity, choose a cheaper model (Studio vs Two-Bed), or wait until primary rent rises. DSCR below 1.0 with market rent explains pricing add-ons — avoid them when possible.

Deposits, production queue, and capital timing

BOXABL’s $250 order fee and $2,500 production deposit are not lender draws — they are sponsor cash outlays before construction loan closing in many files. Budget $2,750 in liquidity plus engineering deposits that may precede the first draw.

Production queue timing is not guaranteed. Factory capacity, weather, and permit delays can desynchronize your IO term from CO. Pad construction loan maturity by 60–90 days or negotiate extension terms upfront. Every month of extension at 11% on a $130,000 balance costs ~$1,190 in interest alone.

Align your construction-to-DSCR takeout application timeline with realistic CO — not BOXABL marketing’s two-month headline.

Cap rate sanity check (not your exit, but your guardrail)

Cap rate = NOI ÷ value. On Worked Example A:

• NOI ~ $32,745/yr
• Combined value $520,000
• Implied cap rate ~6.3%

If your market trades SFR rentals at 5.5% caps but modular ADUs lack sales history, appraisers may land at 6.5%–7% implied caps — lowering value. That is why 75% leverage discipline matters. You are not flipping the Casita alone; you are financing a combined income-producing parcel.

Compare to using STR income to calculate DSCR only when STR is legal — ADU ordinances in Chicago and DC prohibit short-term use.

Partnership context and next steps

Jaken Finance Group announced a partnership with BOXABL to connect investors with factory-built ADU product and investment-property financing — construction IO, then DSCR takeout. BOXABL does not originate our construction paper; we do not sell Casitas. The referral link lets you order a BOXABL Casita; the newbuild application starts the construction file.

Checklist before you order:

1. Confirm non-owner-occupied hold and LLC vesting
2. Pull zoning letter — ADU allowed, setbacks, max size
3. Build all-in budget (unit-only vs turnkey)
4. Pull rent comps for your model and bedroom count
5. Model DSCR on combined rent at 75% as-completed value
6. Submit scenario: submit-scenario · (833) 264-7776

Sources

• BOXABL Casita Studio, One-Bedroom, and Two-Bedroom product pages (pricing and specifications), accessed September 2026
• American Planning Association — Accessory Dwelling Units
• California HCD — Accessory Dwelling Units
• Chicago ADU program
• Jaken Finance Group loan parameters: construction 8.99%–13.5% IO, DSCR 5.75%–10.5%, 75% as-completed cap on qualified investor files

BOXABL Casita Cost and Rental Income — next step

Model combined as-completed value and rent before you order a BOXABL Casita. Jaken Finance Group sizes ADU construction at 8.99%–13.5% IO and DSCR takeout at 5.75%–10.5% on qualified non-owner-occupied files.

Submit scenario · Pre-qualify · (833) 264-7776.