The structures of Clayton reflect both the city’s history and progress. There are historic homes, such as the Martin Frankline Hanley House, existing along with the city’s numerous mid-century modernist business structures. Clayton is also home to distinct and beautiful neighborhoods: Davis Place, Claverach Park, The Moorlands, Clayton Gardens, and Old Town Clayton.
So, to build a new home or remodel an existing one here, you need a general contractor that understands the qualities of your neighborhood. Fortunately, the top 15 general contractors on this list know how to do so. We ranked them based on work history, recognitions, and featured projects among others.
Mosby Building Arts
645 Leffingwell Ave. St. Louis, MO 63122
Mosby Building Arts stands strong as a reputable construction firm, serving in the St. Louis area for over 70 years. The history of this company traces back to Sam Mosby in 1947 and later handed on to his son, Scott Mosby, in 1983. Scott Mosby continued his father’s legacy and gained a name for himself. He is currently a known Home Improvement Answer Man for a radio station where he answers homeowners’ queries. At the same time, Mosby Building Arts is named among the “Top 10 Remodeling Firms” in the nation by Remodeling Magazine.
For the firm, maintaining reputation means maintaining workmanship integrity. Mosby Building Arts places great importance on long-lasting structures, professional craftsmen, flawless work, and following the NAHB Residential Construction Performance Guidelines. Along with its performance commitment, the firm also offers a long-term 10-year workmanship warranty on all completed remodeling projects for both repair or replacement.
R.E.A. Homes
R.E.A. Homes not only builds spectacular-looking houses, but it also builds what it calls High-Performance Luxury Homes. These homes are both family and environmentally friendly, having better air quality and more energy-efficient peformance. The firm’s principal Jeffrey Bogard has been building its High-Performance Luxury Homes for almost 15 years. He shares that the key to building a luxury home is to focus on one project at a time.
The projects of R.E.A. Homes usually range from $1 million to over $10 million. All of its homes include fine craftsmanship, spacious design, and elegant finishes. The firm is behind some of the most magnificent residences in St. Louis, including homes in Laude, Frontenac, Town & Country, Chesterfield, and Clayton. The company has also been distinguished by awards and press attention. One of its recent recognitions is the 2019 Architect & Designer Awards for Overall Home Design for a 7,400-square-foot home featuring a traditional French manor charm. Learn more about them at www.reahomesllc.com
Roeser Home Remodeling
301 Sante Ave., St. Louis, MO 63122
Roeser Home Remodeling can take care of an entire home—from the kitchen, bathroom, master suite, basement, and up to the entire house. This firm also handles the closets, attic spaces, garages, and even laundry rooms. Another advantage of choosing the firm is that it is a green building and aging-in-place specialist.
The primary goal of this family-owned company is to build quality remodels that the client would not have to worry about any replacement or repair for the following years. Roeser Home Remodeling does so by quality building coupled with work ethics. The company also ensures that the home remodel fits the daily activities of the homeowner. For the firm, each part of the home can be improved to better serve its purpose. The laundry room, for example, can be placed on the first floor so that the dirty clothes coming from the second floor do not need to be dragged down to the basement.
Lakeside Renovation and Design
139 Chesterfield Industrial Blvd., Chesterfield, MO 63005
Lakeside Renovation and Design specializes in three home aspects: sidings, windows, and interiors. All of these elements add value to the home in different ways. Using James Hardie siding products, the firm can elevate the home’s appeal making it more marketable in the future. Meanwhile, the company uses Infinity® from Marvin windows which are both stylish and efficient. These windows are made of Ultrex® Fiberglass—which is eight times sturdier than vinyl—and have argon gas insulation for less energy transfer. At the same time, the windows feature an exquisite look due to the rich wood finish.
As for the interiors, Lakeside Renovation and Design offers home additions and remodeling of the kitchen, bathroom, and basement. The firm also proposes season rooms, which are perfect for nature and outdoor lovers. A season room, like pictured below, is meant to function as both indoor and outdoor living—fit for all seasons of the year.
Benchmark Custom Home Builders Inc.
13281 Spindle Lane, St. Louis, MO 63122
For its 20 years of existence, Benchmark Custom Home Builders has toured around St. Louis County, completing more than a hundred homes in the upscale neighborhoods of Clayton, Crestwood, and Ballwin to name a few. Consequently, the firm has mastered adapting a home into its neighborhood, employing a variety of styles and customized design solutions. It also follows that the company has developed solid connections with realtors, suppliers, and homeowners.
With such dedication to its service areas, Benchmark Custom Home Builders has become a consistent contender when it comes to residential construction awards in the St. Louis territory. The firm currently holds nine HBA Homer Awards which recognizes the best home design, workmanship, and value. The company also proves to be a fan-favorite in the HBA Ultimate Homes Tour, having won two People’s Choice Awards.
Stockell Homes
201 Beverly Suite A, Eureka, MO 63025
The principle of Stockell Homes lies in providing the best craftsman, designers, materials, builders, and practices. The firm then combines all these aspects into efficient project management systems, resulting in faster completion and therefore lower costs. This strategy has been proven effective as the firm is now over 35 years strong and thriving in the industry.
Annual awards further attest to the consistent performance of Stockell Homes. The firm holds HBA Remodeling Project, Remodeling Design, and Outdoor Living Space of the Year awards. The business strategies of the firm have also been recognized; it won the 2020 Best of Wildwood Awards – Home Builders while the firm’s principal Donald Stockell is this year’s Local Business Person of the Year by Alignable.
Hamtil Construction
11155 S. Towne Sq. Suite E, St. Louis, MO 63123
Hamtil Construction greatly benefits from the 45 years combined expertise of David and Paul Hamtil. David can be seen in numerous news outlets and publications such as Fox News and Remodeling magazines. Meanwhile, Paul is a young achiever, having been recognized as one Professional Remodeler’s 40 Under 40 Class (2014) and deserving the reputed 2018 John Quaregna Achievement Award by the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI).
Together, David and Paul Hamtil curate a variety of design and construction services—from residential remodeling, interior design, architecture, historic renovations, and up to installations of custom millwork and cabinets. In all its remodeling projects, Hamtil Construction LLC employs a multi-pronged approach where solving project challenges is first and foremost.
J.T. McDermott Remodeling Contractors
222 S. Meramec Ave., Suite 202, St. Louis, MO 63105
J.T. McDermott Remodeling Contractors measures a successful project not by size or scope but by the evidence of client satisfaction: testimonials, repeat business, and referrals. Treating clients as friends, the firm’s owner, Josh McDermott even personally visits the clients’ finished homes. And as a relationship-based company, the firm’s website is filled with client testimonials and easy access to virtual chat and meetups.
One of the client-approved projects of J.T. McDermott Remodeling Contractors is this award-winning basement remodeling and finishing in Swansea, as featured below. The goal was to transform an unfinished basement into a fun family entertainment area, while still reserving some space for storage. The basement now features a full kitchen, an exercise room, a dry bar, and a bathroom. The firm also solved the initial challenge of designing the basement ceiling in harmony with the existing home design.
Amherst Corporation
7350 Forsyth Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63105
Amherst Corporation is among the top ten in-demand home builders, according to St. Louis At Home Magazine. One of the reasons is that the firm is flexible enough to cater to different clients is because of its different wants and needs. As seen in its portfolio, the home projects of the firm are diverse—varying in size, style, and grandeur. In over 30 years of building, many of these houses have been on the list of the most beautiful homes of reputable St. Louis publications.
The decades’ journey of Amherst Corporation can be attributed to the unchanging passion of principal Chuck Schagrin when it comes to design, construction, and client satisfaction. Having dependable education and experience with architecture and business, Schagrin knows the formula to a successful project—from availability, thorough details, and work ethics.
RCP Builders
7750 Maryland Ave. #50204, St. Louis, MO 63105
The projects of RCP Builders speak for themselves. The firm has numerous awards for its custom homes, total renovations, and works on home areas such as outdoor spaces, bathrooms, and master bedrooms. Some of the award-winning projects are in Clayton and one of these is a 7,500 square-foot house that is under the Register of National Historic Homes. The homeowner wanted to bring a new life to the historic home to fit for today’s living. The firm then completely refurbished the house by adding new mechanical systems, strengthening structural support, and adding square footage.
RCP Builders has many other impressive Clayton projects—from additions, full renovations, restorations, and up to new construction. A notable accomplishment is this 10,000-square-foot home that is built to blend with the classic English architecture-inspired Claverach Park Neighborhood. The firm was thorough in building the home’s striking “witch hat” roof. RCP Builders was also able to secure structural integrity despite poor soil conditions.
NJL Custom Homes
556 Leffingwell Ave., Kirkwood, MO 63122
NJL Custom Homes is built from the decade-experience of its owner, Nick Liuzza. Luizza worked as a project manager for the biggest home builder in Missouri. In his ten years of working there, he has mastered construction management, customer service, plan design, sales, marketing, estimating, and purchasing. With such expertise, Luizza has so far managed more than 700 home constructions in St. Louis.
But Nick Liuzza is not the only one holding the firm strong. He and six other full-time employees—two superintendents, two coordinators, an estimator, and an accounting professional—closely work together to produce truly stand-out homes. One of these is a newly constructed exquisite home in Clayton Road, as pictured below.
Aptitude Design & Build
4372 Green Ash Dr., Earth City, MO 63045
Aside from residential projects, Aptitude Design & Build is an expert in commercial construction, build-outs, and remodels. The company also offers solar upgrade services which include full consultations, home assessment, and solar panel installation. The firm always has a smart solution for every construction situation. This is especially true with the firm’s residential remodels—from the basement, bathroom, kitchen, and general home remodeling.
One of the recent and sharp-witted projects of Aptitude Design & Build is this kitchen and mudroom makeover, featured in this article. The kitchen and mudroom initially felt left out of the house’s open appeal due to walls and doorways enclosing the spaces. The firm then took out a whole wall and used a beam to create a seamless flow from the kitchen to the great room. The company also employed some budget-friendly moves by building a new island out of a typical cabinet island and adding new countertops coupled with overhead lights for ambiance.
DH Custom Homes
2055 Craigshire Road Suite 100, St. Louis, MO 63146
When Dennis M. Hayden, Jr. founded DH Custom Homes in 2009, the firm already had strong foundations. The Hayden family has been in the luxury home building business for over 60 years. In total, the Hayden family companies have built 4,000 single-family homes and villas and over 60 custom homes that range from $300 thousand to over $2 million worth. The Hayden homes can be seen in at least 26 areas and municipalities—almost 800 families have a Hayden home in Chesterfield alone.
The company consistently holds a spot among the best St. Louis home builders and has received over 70 Homer and 10 Bravo neighborhood awards. It also follows that DH Custom Homes has extensive offerings. The firm’s renovation and remodeling services, for instance, include design/build construction, outdoor living area, addition, kitchen and bathroom, and up to media room and home theater. The firm is also capable of adding energy efficiency, green construction, and accessibility to any home renovation.
Dana King Design Build Remodeling
10405 Baur Blvd. Suite H, St. Louis, MO 63132
Each project of Dana King Design Build Remodeling is under the accountability of two professionals: a designer and a carpenter. As the project leaders, the firm’s team of designers and craftsmen consistently undergo training and certifications, particularly on the trends in technology, lighting, styles, and materials. And the result: designers who are adept not only in design but also in construction and carpenters who are not only technicians but keen with visuals and details too.
The holistic designer-carpenter dynamics reflect on the portfolio of Dana King Design Build Remodeling, where homes appear to be both stylish and polished. The firm has a variety of project styles—modern, traditional, french country, and rustic ones. But our favorite projects are those with colorful styles, like the one featured here, as these works are striking perfectly.
More for Less Remodeling
9917 Gravois Rd., St. Louis, MO 63123
As its name suggests, More for Less Remodeling promises that clients will get more with less hassle and costs. From the beginning, the firm eases the selection and design process by having its Showroom and Design Center where designers will be ready to help. And when it goes to construction, the client can expect a sense of security since the crew who will work on the installation are employees of the firm itself. Another plus factor is that the company offers financing options.
The client satisfaction efforts of More for Less Remodeling pay off as it is a proud winner of the 2018 Better Business Bureau (BBB) TORCH Awards. This award attests to businesses that have shown the best treatment of customers, employees, and suppliers. As for its services, the firm focuses on three remodeling areas: kitchen, basement, and bathroom. Being a Turn-Key service provider, the company handles all remodeling aspects and is comfortable in doing any styles—contemporary, traditional, or transitional.
