Women in Construction: My Life as a 4th-Generation Carpenter

Custom home builder, Grand Junction, Colorado, Women in Construction

When I tell people that I'm a 4th-generation carpenter, their reaction is usually a mix of surprise and curiosity. Add in the fact that I'm a woman in the construction industry and their eyebrows go even higher. They don't know whether to ask me about my favorite power tool or if I'm lost. But for me, the early mornings, the rough hands, the satisfaction of standing back and seeing something that I helped build with my own two hands, feels like home.

Cutting blocks for trusses. Running the saw is probably my favorite job on the jobsite.

Legacy Runs Deep

I come from a long line of Norwegian carpenters. My great-grandfather, who was a first-generation American, was a home builder in Minnesota. He had a stubborn work ethic that's been passed down through the generations. Swinging a hammer is more than just a job in my family, it's a way of life.

My Grandpa Minar in his workshop creating something beautiful no doubt.

Some of my earliest and fondest childhood memories involve going to work with my dad. We would stop at the local lumber yard, Bayview Building, to pick up materials and coffee. As my dad loaded the lumber and refilled his thermos, I would play with the nails in the bins, often mixing them up. I remember asking my dad about the 16 penny nail and why it was called that. Riding shotgun to a jobsite and passing nails to my dad are among my favorite childhood memories. As I grew up, my dad would show us houses he had worked on, and I didn't fully grasp his pride until now. We now live in different states, but we exchange pictures of our current projects via text, and I absolutely love it.

From Dental Office to Jobsite

What surprises people even more than my family's deep roots in the construction industry or my gender in this male dominated field, is that construction is my second career. Before I picked up a hammer full-time, I was a licensed dental hygienist. I spent well over a decade polishing teeth and helping people have healthier smiles.

My very last day as a hygienist, September 23, 2021.

And while I was good at it, I never felt at home in the dental office. I married a general contractor and I was always a little jealous of his work and accomplishments and the freedom that he had running his own business. When we moved to Colorado and Ben started his own business, I knew that I eventually wanted to join him. Making the jump from dental office to construction site was not easy. Trading my scalers and mouth mirror for a hammer was terrifying. But every challenge that we've encountered along the way has just confirmed what I already knew: this is where I belong.

My path to construction may have taken a detour, but I believe that every step has given me more strength and perspective to lead, build, and break down barriers for women in construction.

Finding My Own Footing

Breaking into the construction industry as a woman has not been easy. I've been doubted, second-guessed, and overlooked. I've walked onto jobsites and the men assume that I must be lost. Until I pick up a nail gun or step behind the saw or set a cabinet on my own. It used to bother me, but now I have embraced my shock value.

For me, construction is not only about tradition or heritage; it's about progress. I aim to not only uphold my family's legacy but also to expand upon it. I have many dreams for our business and our family, and I hope to keep growing and improving.

The first section of cabinets that I installed all by myself.

The Work is Worth it

Working in construction isn't always glamorous. It's physically demanding, it's dirty, it's sweaty, the weather doesn't always cooperate, and I often go home with more splinters than my utility knife can keep up with. But there's nothing more rewarding than driving by a house and thinking, "I helped build that."

As a woman in this industry, if I can show another woman that she belongs here, with mud on her boots, callouses on her hands, and pride in her craft, then I'm doing more than just honoring my family's history. I'm helping to create a new kind of future. I'm not just a carpenter, I'm a builder, a leader, and a woman who's here to stay.

And I'm just getting started.