Bathroom renovation in South City St. Louis
South City bathrooms are small, brick-lined, and usually one to a household. The original 1910s, 1920s, and 1930s brick two-stories on The Hill, in Tower Grove, in Holly Hills, and across the South Side were built around a single full bath at the top of the stairs and a half-bath in the basement if you were lucky. A South City bathroom renovation is usually about adding bathrooms that don’t exist, and rebuilding the one that does without erasing what makes it a South City home.
Why South City homeowners trust Aleto with their bathroom
South City covers some of the most architecturally distinctive housing in St. Louis. Brick two-stories on The Hill. Brick four-squares in Tower Grove South. Brick bungalows in Holly Hills, Princeton Heights, and St. Louis Hills. Row houses in Lafayette Square, Soulard, and Compton Heights. The brick exteriors are part of why these homes have held their value for a century. The interiors, particularly the bathrooms, are where the constraints of how they were originally built show up most.
A typical South City home has one full bathroom on the second floor, often 5 by 7 or 5 by 8, with a tub-shower combo, a single vanity or pedestal sink, and an original tile floor. There is no primary bath. There may be a half-bath in the basement, often added later in the home’s life. The plumbing is original galvanized supply and cast-iron drain in many homes. The walls are plaster on lath. The floors are original oak. Renovating one of these bathrooms means working inside those constraints. Adding a new one (a primary bath, a Jack-and-Jill, a basement bath, a powder room) means routing plumbing through century-old chases and walls and finding the structural and architectural fit.
Aleto Construction Group has been renovating South City homes for decades, including primary bath additions on second floors and in attic build-outs, original-bath rebuilds in The Hill and Tower Grove, and basement bath finishing across the South Side. As a design-build firm rooted in St. Louis since 1955, we know how these homes were plumbed, where the chases run, and how to add bathrooms in places they were never originally intended.
What a bathroom renovation in South City St. Louis can include
Every project is scoped to the home and the homeowner. Here are the areas we address most often in South City bathroom renovations:
Primary bath additions on second floors
Carving primary bathrooms out of existing second-floor space (often by absorbing a small bedroom, a sleeping porch, or oversized hallway depth) since most South City homes never had one
Attic and third-floor primary suites
Building full primary suites with primary baths in attic build-outs, with dormer additions for headroom and plumbing routed through closets below
Original-bath rebuilds
Complete redesign of the home’s only existing full bath, including selective preservation of original hex floor mosaic, subway wall tile, and pedestal or built-in fixtures where conditions allow
Basement bath finishing
Adding full or three-quarter baths in basements, including ejector pump installation where below-grade drainage is needed and waterproofing details that respect the original masonry
Powder room additions
Carving half-baths out of entry closets, under-stair space, or pantry corners on the main floor where most original South City homes lacked one
Period-appropriate finish work
Hex floor mosaic, small subway wall tile, beadboard wainscoting, clawfoot or built-in tub restoration, and reproduction or period-correct hardware that fits the home’s era
Plumbing replacement
Replacing original galvanized supply lines and cast-iron drains hidden behind plaster walls during renovations, since most South City homes still have at least some original plumbing
Historic district coordination
Where exterior work is involved (dormer additions, exterior windows, visible vent terminations), coordinating with City of St. Louis Cultural Resources Office review for homes in designated historic districts
What a bathroom renovation looks like in South City, St. Louis
South City bathroom renovations are shaped by century-old urban brick construction on tight lots. Here are the scenarios we see most often.
Adding the primary bath the house never had
The most common South City bathroom project isn’t replacing the existing bath, it’s creating a primary bath where the home never had one. The most common path is to absorb a small bedroom or sleeping porch on the second floor and convert it into a primary bath connected to the primary bedroom. The structural work is usually modest. The plumbing has to route down through a closet or chase to existing waste lines. The finish work has to match the home’s period without trying too hard. Done well, the new primary bath feels like it was always there. Done poorly, it reads as an obvious addition. The difference is in the design discipline more than in the construction.
Rebuilding the original bath without erasing it
When the home has only one full bath and it has to stay where it is, the renovation question is what to keep and what to replace. Original 1920s hex mosaic floors are often worth preserving if the substrate is sound. Small subway wall tile can sometimes be saved if the field is intact. Original pedestal sinks and clawfoot tubs can be re-glazed and reused. Plaster walls can be repaired rather than replaced. The decision on each element is partly aesthetic and partly practical, and it’s a conversation we have during design rather than a default rule. Some homeowners want a respectful restoration; others want a clean contemporary insertion that honors the home’s scale and proportion without copying its details. Both approaches work in South City.
Going up because you can’t go out
South City lots are narrow, often 25 to 40 feet wide, with neighbors close on both sides. Horizontal expansion is constrained. The space that exists in the attic and third floor is where most South City homes have room to add a primary suite, and adding a primary suite means adding a primary bath. The structural work involves reinforcing the existing second-floor system for new live loads. Dormer additions provide the code-required headroom. Plumbing routes down through closets to existing waste lines. We’ve completed attic conversions throughout South City and know how to fit a code-compliant staircase, full bathroom plumbing, and HVAC into the existing volume.
Working with historic district guidelines
Several South City neighborhoods (Holly Hills, Lafayette Square, Soulard, Compton Heights, Shaw, parts of The Hill, and others) are designated local or National Register historic districts. Renovations affecting the exterior of homes in these districts require review through the City of St. Louis Cultural Resources Office. Bathroom renovations that include dormer additions, new exterior windows, or visible vent terminations fall under that review. Interior work generally doesn’t. We confirm the home’s status during design, handle the review process, and design exterior changes to meet the guidelines from the start.
What our clients are saying…
“Aleto made our dream home come true and they made the four months renovation period smooth, pleasant, and seamless. Mike was a dream contractor – he kept in communication with us every single day. We received daily updates and he responded immediately to any and all messages we sent him. They hired the best workers, they worked with the best companies, and we could not be happier with our finished project. We recommend Aleto 100%.”
Mary – Houzz Review
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a bathroom renovation cost in South City St. Louis?
Costs depend heavily on whether the project is renovating an existing bath or adding a new one. Renovations to an existing bath typically run from the mid-five figures upward, depending on scope, finish, and how much hidden plumbing or substrate work is required. Bathroom additions, particularly primary bath additions in attic or second-floor build-outs, typically run from the high five figures into the six figures because they involve structural work, plumbing routing, and full mechanical integration. Older homes consistently surface more discoveries than newer ones, and we include a contingency for genuinely unforeseen conditions.
Can you add a primary bath in our South City home?
In most cases, yes. The path depends on the home: absorbing an adjacent second-floor bedroom or sleeping porch is common for two-story homes; attic and third-floor build-outs work for homes with the headroom or willingness to add dormers; converting an oversized first-floor room (a study, a back porch, an enclosed sun room) is sometimes possible. We assess the structural, plumbing, and architectural options during design and recommend the path that fits the home and the household.
Will a renovation void the historic character of our South City home?
Only if it’s done badly. A well-designed South City bathroom renovation preserves and often enhances the home’s historic character. The original tile is preserved or carefully matched. Plaster walls are repaired rather than replaced where possible. Hardwood floors are repaired and refinished. Trim is matched to the home’s existing language. The goal is a renovation that looks intentional and respectful, not one that strips the home of what made it worth renovating.
Do South City bathroom renovations need historic district approval?
It depends on the neighborhood and the scope. Interior bathroom work generally doesn’t trigger historic district review regardless of location. Exterior work (dormer additions, new windows, visible vent terminations, additions) on homes in designated districts (Holly Hills, Lafayette Square, Soulard, Compton Heights, Shaw, parts of The Hill, and others) does require review through the City of St. Louis Cultural Resources Office. We confirm the home’s status during design and handle the full review process where it applies.
What’s hidden in our walls, and how do we plan for it?
You don’t fully know until the walls come down. Common discoveries in South City bathroom renovations include knob-and-tube wiring still in use, galvanized supply lines that need to be replaced, original cast-iron drains that may or may not be sound, deteriorated subfloor under decades-old tile, asbestos in older boiler or pipe insulation, and previous-owner repairs done without permits. A pre-construction investigation, including selective demolition and inspection of accessible chases, helps us anticipate the most likely surprises. We also include a contingency for genuinely unforeseen conditions, so discoveries don’t derail the scope or schedule.
More home renovation services in South City St. Louis
Looking at a different room or scope? Explore our other services available in South City, St. Louis:
Kitchen renovation
We rethink how your kitchen flows, functions, and feels from layout to custom storage and premium appliances.
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Whole-home renovation
Full reimagining of your home from top to bottom, designed and built as one cohesive project.
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Additions & dormers
Room additions, second stories, dormers, and sunrooms that look like they’ve always been there.
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Ready to transform your South City bathroom?
A bathroom renovation starts with a conversation about what’s working, what isn’t, and what the space could become. Tell us what you’re thinking, and we’ll take it from there.
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For new construction, renovation, simple repurposing, or grand reimagining, Aleto brings decades of experience and creativity to every project, large or small. You have something special in mind, and we have a knack for helping you bring your vision to life with all the quality, personality, and professionalism it deserves.
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