Remodeling a Bathroom in an Older San Antonio House

Remodeling a bathroom in an older San Antonio house

Inside Loop 410, a lot of San Antonio was built before 1960. Those bathrooms have good bones and old guts. Expect tile set in thick mortar over cast iron drains, in rooms whose paint may hold lead. Here is what to plan for.

Updated October 29, 2026 · Sources listed at the end

A white bathtub below a white framed window

A tub under a window is common in older houses. Moving it to a shower changes where the water goes. Photo: Chastity Cortijo / Unsplash

How old the housing is

17% of homes in the 56 San Antonio ZIP codes we cover were built before 1960 and 38% before 1980 (Census ACS 2020-2024). In 10 city ZIP codes, most homes predate 1960.

When San Antonio's homes were built (56 city ZIP codes)

Share of 753,138 housing units. Source: Census ACS 2020-2024, table B25034.

Lead paint

Under EPA's lead renovation rule (RRP), anyone paid to do work that disturbs paint in a home built before 1978 must be certified. That includes plumbers and electricians. Minor work that disturbs 6 square feet or less of paint per room inside is not covered. Ask for the firm's certification, and expect plastic sheeting and a little more time on the schedule.

What hides behind old tile

A mortar-bed floor an inch or more thick. It is heavy and slow to remove, and the new floor height may not match the hallway.
Cast iron drains. Often still sound. Some are cracked or scaled inside. A plumber can look with a camera before you decide.
Galvanized supply pipe, which narrows with rust over time. Replacing it while the wall is open is cheaper than later.
Soft subfloor around the toilet and tub from slow leaks.
Old wiring without a ground, and no GFCI protection.

Plan for it with unit prices in the quote: per sheet of subfloor, per foot of pipe.

Historic districts

The city notes that a property in a historic district or a neighborhood conservation district may face restrictions on design and materials. Corridor districts can carry them too. Interior work is rarely the issue. Exterior changes, like a new window or a vent through a street-facing wall, may need review first. 898 of the city's residential repair permits since 2021 were flagged as historic district work. By ZIP code.

A white bathtub in a bathroom with natural light — A tub stays, a tub goes: decide based on who uses the bathroom, not resale rules of thumb. Photo: Jared Rice / Unsplash

Keep or replace the old tub?

A cast iron tub in good shape can be refinished instead of replaced, which saves the cost and mess of breaking it out. A chipped or rusted one usually goes. If you want a shower instead, see tub-to-shower conversions.

Questions San Antonio homeowners ask

How do I know if my house has lead paint?

If it was built before 1978, assume it may. A certified renovator can test the surfaces the work will disturb.

Is it worth keeping vintage tile?

If it is intact and you like it, often yes: matching it later is hard. A remodeler can sometimes keep the wall tile and replace the floor, or the reverse.

Will a remodel in an old house take longer?

Often, because of lead-safe setup, demolition of mortar beds, and repairs found behind the walls. Ask for a written schedule with room for those.