Bathroom renovation in Webster Groves, MO
Webster Groves homes were built before “primary suite” was a phrase. Most have one bathroom. The bigger ones have two. The pre-war bungalows and four-squares on Lockwood, Plant, Selma, and the streets around them were designed for a household where one full bath at the top of the stairs was sufficient. A Webster Groves bathroom renovation is usually less about replacing what’s there and more about creating space that wasn’t there to begin with.
Why Webster Groves homeowners trust us with their bathroom renovation
The architecture in Webster Groves is unusually consistent for an inner-ring suburb. Bungalows from the 1910s and 1920s. Four-squares from the same era. Tudor and Colonial Revivals from the 1930s and 1940s. A handful of mid-century ranches. What runs through all of it is a low original bathroom count. A two-story Webster Groves home built in 1922 typically had one full bathroom at the top of the stairs and maybe a half-bath off the kitchen, no more. Bedrooms were 10 by 11. Closets were 18 inches deep. The whole house was designed around different assumptions than the way a 2026 family lives.
Most Webster Groves bathroom renovations fall into one of two scopes. Either the existing single full bath gets a complete redesign (often with a small footprint expansion stolen from a closet, hallway, or adjacent bedroom) or the project adds an entirely new bathroom: a primary bath built into a third-floor dormer, a Jack-and-Jill between two upstairs bedrooms, a finished-basement bathroom, or a main-floor powder room where there wasn’t one. Either way, the work is constrained by old plumbing routes, plaster walls, original hardwood, and a desire to keep the home’s character intact.
Aleto Construction Group has been renovating Webster Groves homes for decades, including bathroom additions in dormer build-outs, Jack-and-Jill conversions between upstairs bedrooms, primary bath additions in attic conversions, and full original-bath redesigns throughout the community. 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 Webster Groves, MO can include
Every project is scoped to the home and the homeowner. Here are the areas we address most often in Webster Groves bathroom renovations:
Primary bath additions
Building a brand-new primary bath as part of a third-floor or dormer addition, since most Webster Groves homes never had one
Original bath redesign
Complete reworking of the home’s only existing full bath, often with a modest footprint expansion to accommodate a current layout
Jack-and-Jill conversion
Combining a small bedroom or hallway closet with the existing bath to create a Jack-and-Jill bathroom shared by two children’s bedrooms
Basement bathroom additions
Adding a full bath in a finished basement for guest quarters, exercise space, or general use, including ejector pump installation where needed
Powder room additions
Carving a half-bath out of an unused entry closet, under-stair space, or pantry corner, where most original Webster Groves homes lacked one
Period-appropriate finish work
Hex tile mosaics, subway tile, clawfoot tub restoration, beadboard wainscoting, and reproduction hardware that fits the home’s era
Plumbing replacement
Replacing original galvanized supply lines and cast-iron drains hidden behind plaster walls, since most Webster Groves homes still have at least some original plumbing
Original feature preservation
Refinishing original clawfoot tubs, repairing pedestal sinks, preserving original tile floors, and salvaging original hardware where it can be reused
What a bathroom renovation looks like in Webster Groves, MO
Webster Groves homeowners renovate bathrooms for reasons specific to early-twentieth-century housing on tight urban-suburban lots. Here are the scenarios we see most often.
Adding the primary bath you never had
The most common bathroom project in Webster Groves isn’t replacing the existing bath; it’s building a new one as part of a third-floor or dormer addition. A typical 1920s Webster Groves four-square has unfinished or under-finished attic space that, with proper structural and headroom work, can support a full primary suite: bedroom, walk-in closet, and a primary bath with a real shower, double vanity, and water closet. We’ve completed a number of these projects, and the design challenges are real (fitting plumbing into an attic, routing waste lines down through closets, managing roof slope on the bathroom side) but solvable. The result transforms a household that was sharing one bath into one with the primary suite the home should have had to begin with.
Stealing two square feet from the closet next door
When the existing single full bath has to stay where it is (often because moving plumbing isn’t practical), the project is usually about gaining a few feet of usable space from somewhere adjacent: pushing into a linen closet, absorbing a small portion of an adjacent bedroom, or extending into a hallway dead end. Two feet doesn’t sound like much, but in a 5-by-8 original bathroom, it’s the difference between a tub-shower combo and a real walk-in shower with a separate tub, or between one cramped vanity and two. We work through these inches with a tape measure during design, before anything is committed.
Working around plaster, original hardwood, and the home’s character
Webster Groves homeowners renovate bathrooms partly because they want to, and partly because the bathroom is the room most likely to have failed first. Tile installed over plaster has cracked. Original cast iron drains have rusted through. The grout in a 70-year-old shower has given up. The hardwood at the threshold has rotted from years of small leaks. Unwinding all of that without damaging the surrounding plaster, hardwood, and trim takes care. The right approach is selective demolition (taking out what has to come out, protecting what doesn’t), with respect for the materials the home is actually made of.
Designing a new bathroom that looks like it was always there
Adding a Jack-and-Jill between two upstairs bedrooms, or a powder room off the entry, in a Webster Groves home means making a new bathroom feel like part of a hundred-year-old house. The trim has to match, or be visibly inspired by, the rest of the home’s millwork. The flooring has to either pick up the period (hex mosaic, small subway, penny tile) or transition cleanly to the existing hardwood. The fixtures should feel timeless rather than catalogued. Done well, a visitor walking through couldn’t tell which bath was added in 2026 and which was original. That’s the bar we set.
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
Featured bathroom renovation project
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The third floor of this home in Webster Groves was transformed into three functional rooms for a growing family, including a bedroom for the boys and a home office for dad. The highlight is the modern bathroom, earning it a Home Builders Association Award.
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Frequently asked questions
How much does a bathroom renovation cost in Webster Groves?
Costs depend heavily on whether the project is renovating an existing bath, expanding it, or adding a new one. Renovations to an existing bath typically run from the mid-five figures upward, depending on scope and finish. Bathroom additions, particularly primary suite additions in attic or dormer build-outs, typically run from the high five figures into the six figures because they involve structural work, new plumbing routing, and full mechanical integration. We provide a detailed estimate with a clear scope before construction begins.
Can you add a bathroom in our Webster Groves attic or third floor?
In most cases, yes. The structural questions are: is the existing floor system rated for new live loads (it usually needs reinforcement), is there enough headroom for code (often requiring dormers), and where does the plumbing run down to existing waste and supply lines (typically through a closet or chase below). The design questions are: how does the new bath fit alongside the new bedroom and closet, where does the staircase land, and how does the overall addition look from the street. We work through both during the design phase before any framing changes.
Our existing bathroom has original tile. Can it be saved?
Sometimes. Original 1920s and 1930s hex floor mosaic and small subway wall tile can often be preserved if the substrate behind it is sound and the tile field is mostly intact. We assess the condition during the design phase. If the tile is in good shape and matches the renovation aesthetic, we work around it. If it’s failing or inconsistent with the new design, we remove it carefully and either reuse pieces decoratively or replace them with period-appropriate new tile.
How long does a bathroom renovation take in Webster Groves?
A renovation of an existing bathroom typically takes 6 to 10 weeks. A new bathroom addition as part of a dormer or attic build-out runs longer, usually 12 to 20 weeks for the full addition (of which the bathroom is one component). Older homes consistently produce more discoveries (deteriorated subfloors, hidden venting issues, plumbing routes that don’t match the original drawings), and the schedule reflects that reality.
Can you replace the original cast iron tub in our Webster Groves home?
Either replace it or restore it, depending on what you want. Original cast iron clawfoot and built-in tubs in Webster Groves homes are often worth keeping. They can be re-glazed in place, refinished, or removed and refinished off-site. If you want a modern soaking tub instead, we can remove and dispose of the original (or salvage it for resale) and install a current freestanding tub. Both paths work; the choice is aesthetic.
More home renovation services in Webster Groves, MO
Looking at a different room or scope? Explore our other services available in Webster Groves, MO:
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.
Learn more →
Ready to transform your Webster Groves 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.
A UNIQUE PARTNER FOR YOUR UNIQUE VISION
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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