Brandon David McSwain

Brandon David McSwain Queen City ADU founder and licensed General Contractor helping homeowners create more space, more function, and add value through smart ADU solutions.

09/17/2026

Tiny home. Big house energy. 🏡

call it an ADU. You walk in and forget the square footage exists.
Vaulted ceilings. Skylights pouring in light. A loft that adds a whole second life to the space. Sightlines that make every room feel like it belongs to a much bigger house. The footprint is small on purpose — everything else is very much not.

This is the Queen City ADU standard. Backyard homes in Charlotte built to live 2–3x bigger than their square footage, designed for how you actually want to use the space:

→ Rental income

→ Guest suite

→ In-law or aging parents

→ Home office or studio

→ A place for the kids when they come back home

Small lot. Full-size life.

Before you call a builder, price it out yourself. Head to queencityadu.com and run the free tools — feasibility check, rental income estimator, and build cost calculator. Ten minutes and you’ll know if your backyard can pull this off.

🔗 Link in bio → queencityadu.com

09/16/2026

One reason: change orders.

Here’s how every build is supposed to work — the builder sets the budget, the designer sets the plan, and once you sign off, the crew executes. Clean. Predictable. On schedule.

Here’s what actually happens on the projects that go sideways — the owner sees the framing go up and decides to move a wall. Then upgrade the cabinets. Then add a window. Then swap the flooring. Each “small change” isn’t small.

Moving one wall touches framing, electrical, plumbing, HVAC, drywall, and inspections. Six trades rescheduled, re-quoted, and re-sequenced — for one decision.

Ten of those decisions? That’s how a 90-day build becomes a 9-month nightmare. That’s how a $180k budget becomes $240k.

That’s exactly why we built Queen City ADU differently.

We walk you through every decision before the first shovel hits the ground — layout, finishes, fixtures, electrical, the small stuff most builders leave for “later.”

Later is where budgets die.

Our process:

✅ Feasibility and pricing upfront — no surprises

✅ Design and selections locked before permitting

✅ A clear 60-120 day build schedule you can actually track

✅ Value-engineered plans that maximize every square foot

✅ One team, one plan, one price

By the time we break ground, every decision is already made. That’s how our clients finish on time, on budget, and with the ADU they actually wanted — not the one they compromised on because changes got too expensive halfway through.

Ready to build the right way?

👉 Start at QueenCityADU.com

Decide before you build. Build what you decided. That’s the Queen City ADU way. 🏡

09/07/2026

The pain you survive can become the purpose you serve.

When I was 12, my family was technically homeless. We moved in with relatives—two families living in a two-bedroom, one-bath house. My sister and I slept in the living room.

My father battled mental illness and trauma, and for many years during my adult life, he walked the streets, homeless.

But before all of that, he was a minister.

He believed in taking care of people. He believed in opening the door, making room, feeding others, and helping provide for anyone who needed it.

That heart for people is something he planted in me long before I understood what it would mean.

Today, I get to continue that legacy.

I build homes. I’ve built all kinds of homes, but my greatest passion is helping create affordable housing for people who may not otherwise have a place to call home.

I don’t just want to build houses, I want to help build stability. Dignity. Safety. Hope. A fresh start.

And I’m just getting started.

This is not simply a project or a business idea for me. This is the work I believe I was called to do for the rest of my life: helping create homes, programs, partnerships, and practical pathways for people and families working to rebuild their lives.

Maybe the thing that nearly broke you is part of what prepares you to help someone else survive.
And maybe the legacy someone placed inside of you is meant to keep living through the work you do for others.

09/06/2026

Working from the kitchen island may have worked for a little while. But eventually, your “office” becomes the same place where breakfast happens, backpacks get dropped, homework gets done, snacks are made, and dinner is served.

@ you have kids at home, there is no real separation.

You’re trying to take an important Zoom call while someone is looking for a charger, making lunch, asking for help with homework, unloading groceries, or walking through the background.

That doesn’t mean working from home is the problem.

It means your home needs a better solution.

A detached ADU can create the dedicated office space your family—and your work—deserve:

• A quiet place for calls, meetings, and focused work

• A door you can close at the end of the day

• A short walk that creates a real “commute” without leaving your property

• A kitchen island that can go back to being the center of family life

• A flexible space that could later become a guest suite, rental, studio, or space for aging parents

Your home should support the way your family actually lives now—not the way it lived before remote work.

DM us to talk about designing a backyard office or detached ADU in the Charlotte area.

09/01/2026

CBS News recently highlighted what a lot of families, homeowners, and communities are already seeing firsthand: ADUs are changing the real-estate conversation.

When there are no vacant infill lots left to build on, the opportunity may already be sitting in your backyard.

An accessory dwelling unit can create room for family, provide housing for aging parents or adult children, generate rental income, or add long-term value to a property—without having to buy another piece of land. For many homeowners, that makes an ADU one of the most practical ways to make better use of the property they already own.

This isn’t just about adding a small home. It’s about creating more flexible, attainable housing options in areas where land is limited and affordability is becoming harder to find.

For the right property and the right plan, an ADU can be a smart investment in your family’s future, your property value, and your community.
Would you build an ADU for family, rental income, or both?

08/29/2026

Behind every business idea, every early morning, every late-night conversation, every project, and every dream we’re working toward—there’s Amy. ❤️

People may see the construction projects, the plans, the content, the travel, and the goals we’re chasing.

What they may not always see is the woman behind the scenes helping hold our family together, believing in every big idea, and bringing a whole lot of fun, energy, and volume wherever she goes. 😄

Amy is my wife, my biggest supporter, my voice of reason, and the life of the room. She is also building her own business as a professional interior designer—and one of the coolest parts of this journey is getting to work together. I get to build the spaces, and she gets to make them feel like home.

Building businesses while raising kids, chasing dreams, traveling, creating memories, and trying to enjoy the ride is not easy. But I truly could not do any of it without her by my side.

Here’s to dreaming big, working hard, laughing loud, raising our babies, and building a life—and businesses—we’re proud of together.

08/23/2026

Charlotte homeowners: if you’ve been thinking about building an ADU—whether for family, rental income, aging parents, or a flexible backyard space—this is something to watch.

The City of Charlotte’s ADU grant program is not taking new applications right now, but it is expected to reopen for additional applicants soon. These programs can be a major opportunity to help qualified homeowners move an ADU project from idea to reality.

Don’t wait until applications open to start planning. Understanding your lot, zoning, budget, design options, and construction timeline ahead of time can put you in a much better position when the next round becomes available.

Queen City ADU is here to help Charlotte homeowners navigate the process—from feasibility and planning through design and construction.

Comment “GRANT” or send us a DM if you want to start preparing for the next application round.

08/22/2026

Today what was supposed to be a simple day at the beach turned into one of those moments every parent hopes they never has to face.

My kids were swimming in the ocean when a drunk man came into the water and began harassing them. In the ocean, with waves moving everyone around and no easy way for kids to get distance, the situation became dangerous very quickly. He put his hands on my son, and that was the moment I knew I had to act.

I immediately went into the water, got between him and my children, and removed the man from the situation.

I didn’t want a confrontation. I just wanted my kids safe.

In that moment, I was deeply grateful for every minute of my training, every instructor who taught me discipline and control, every training partner who helped prepare me to stay calm under pressure, and every lesson that reinforced that strength is not about looking for a fight—it’s about having the ability to protect people when it truly matters.

Thankfully, my children are safe, and nothing happened to them.

To all of my teachers and training partners over the years: thank you. Your time, patience, and knowledge gave me the confidence to handle a difficult moment with a clear head.

Hug your kids tight. It is a dangerous world out there.

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Charlotte, NC
28201-28237, 28240-28247, 28250, 28253-28256, 28258, 28260-28262, 28265-28266, 2

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