Richard Ashworth

Richard Ashworth grew up on job sites. His grandfather, Harold Ashworth, built ranch homes across the Salt River Valley in the 1950s, and his father, Thomas, transitioned the family trade into custom residential work during the Scottsdale building boom of the 1980s. By the time Richard earned his contractor’s license at twenty-three, he had already spent a decade absorbing the rhythms of construction, learning to read soil conditions, understanding how the desert climate punishes careless detailing, and developing the quiet confidence that comes from watching skilled tradespeople solve problems with their hands.

He founded Ashworth Custom Homes in 2004 with a clear conviction: that the Sonoran Desert demands a specific kind of building, one that respects the extremes of the climate, responds to the subtlety of the landscape, and rewards its inhabitants with spaces that feel both sheltering and connected to the world outside. Over nearly three decades, that conviction has guided every project the firm has undertaken, from intimate desert retreats to expansive estate compounds.

Richard’s approach to craftsmanship is rooted in the belief that quality is cumulative. There is no single detail that makes a home exceptional. Rather, it is the relentless accumulation of thousands of details, each one executed with precision and care, that separates truly fine construction from the merely adequate. He remains personally involved in every Ashworth project, walking job sites weekly, reviewing material selections, and maintaining direct relationships with the artisans and tradespeople whose skill ultimately determines the quality of the finished home.

His credentials reflect a commitment to continuous learning. As a LEED Accredited Professional, Richard has integrated sustainable building practices into the firm’s standard methodology, not as a marketing distinction but as a natural extension of the desert building tradition that prioritizes resource efficiency, thermal performance, and harmony with the land. He serves on the advisory board of the Desert Botanical Garden’s architecture program and lectures annually at Arizona State University’s Del E. Webb School of Construction.