St. Charles homes and this kind of project
A primary suite remodel in St. Charles means working in everything from 1800s brick to 1990s subdivisions, so on our first visit we look at the floor framing under the tub deck, plumbing routes and which walls between bath, closet and bedroom can move.
The housing stock here: nineteenth-century brick in the historic core, early twentieth-century bungalows and four-squares in midtown, postwar ranches, 1980s to 2000s subdivisions to the west and south, and New Town's neo-traditional homes.
Old houses have no primary suite, so creating one means combining two bedrooms or adding on.
What we find inside St. Charles homes
In pre-war houses, kitchens and baths are small and the walls hide plaster, old wiring and cast iron drains. We update the systems while preserving trim, doors and floors that give the house its value. In the newer subdivisions the work mirrors the rest of the county.
Bathrooms in pre-war St. Charles homes have cast iron drains, galvanized supplies and tile set in a thick mortar bed over sagging joists. Demolition is slow and heavy. We replace the old piping as far back as we can reach, reinforce the floor and rebuild with modern waterproofing behind a period-appropriate finish.
What is included
A St. Charles primary bath remodel from us covers design, engineering for any joist work, permits, full demolition, plumbing and electrical rework, a ducted fan, waterproofing, tile, custom or semi-custom vanities, stone tops, frameless glass, heated floors, paint and closet systems.
We take on primary suite remodel work across St. Charles, from Historic Main Street to Frenchtown and New Town at St. Charles.
What we watch for
Those big tub decks in St. Charles homes often hide an access panel, an abandoned pump and sometimes a slow leak. We expect to find some subfloor damage under them and carry an allowance for it.
St. Charles properties tend to be tight historic blocks near the river and ordinary suburban lots farther west, and that affects how we stage materials, where carpenters, a plumber, an electrician, tile setters, a glass installer and cabinetmakers park and how debris leaves the site.
Permits and approvals in St. Charles
In St. Charles, a primary suite remodel is reviewed by the City of St. Charles. What follows is framing, plumbing, electrical and final inspections.
Interior work like this normally does not involve historic preservation review in the old districts, though dumpsters and working hours sometimes do, and we check.
Schedule and getting to you
Plan on five to eight weeks of site work for a primary suite remodel in St. Charles, once permits and materials are in hand.
St. Charles is about half an hour east on I-70, or along Highway 370 to the north side from our Wentzville base. We plan crew days and deliveries around that drive so you get full working days on site.
What our primary bathroom & suite remodels looks like
Photographs from jobs we have built. We do not label photographs by town, so these may or may not be near St. Charles; they are here so you can judge the standard of finish before we meet.
What moves the price in St. Charles
We price primary bathroom & suite remodels in St. Charles from a site visit, not a square-foot figure. These are the items that change the number.
- Closet build-out and any bedroom work included.
- Moving the toilet or tub drain versus working around them.
More detail
Our step-by-step method for this work, and the factors that move its price, are laid out on the main primary bathroom & suite remodels page. More about the area is on our St. Charles page.
Primary Bathroom & Suite Remodels in St. Charles: common questions
How long does a primary suite remodel take in St. Charles?
Five to eight weeks on site. In St. Charles, permit review by the City of St. Charles and material lead times affect the start date more than our calendar does.
Who will be working in my St. Charles home during a primary suite remodel?
Carpenters, a plumber, an electrician, tile setters, a glass installer and cabinetmakers, scheduled and supervised by one Henry Hill project lead who is your single point of contact. Licensed trades are used wherever the City of St. Charles requires them.
How big should the shower be?
Forty-two by sixty inches feels generous for one person. At five by seven you can skip the door entirely with the right head placement and glass panel.