Female Contractors: Four Women Share Their Experiences In A “Man’s Business”

Women contractors describe the same trade everyone else works in, with a few extra hurdles: customers who expect a man to show up, networks built mostly by men, and safety gear sized for men. The ones who last tend to win people over by proving their skill on the job, following through with customers and getting their paperwork right from the start.

Women In Construction Have Spoken!

Let's get started...

I've talked to soooo many "male" contractors.

Why?

Because the contractor industry is dominated by men.

Then I talked to a few women and immediately noticed a huge difference.

Maybe it was because I am also a woman and I appreciated talking to another woman over the phone...

Or maybe not...maybe it is because women are better contractors than men?

Here is what 4 women contractors told us about what they think.

Stereotypes In The Contractor Industry

There are many stereotypical misconceptions that the general public usually hold when it comes to women in the construction industries.

(Now, as a disclaimer, these are general stereotypes. As I spoke with these women , we both came to a consensus that it’s not prejudice that leads to these stereotypes, it’s just the fact that there are few women in the industry.)

That includes administrative, professional, managerial, and production employees!

That seems like a small percentage, but OSHA says that those 9% make up about 800,000 workers! Now let’s see what that 9% have to say to the questions we asked about working among so many men. Just so you know, everyone we spoke with are business owners!

Here’s What Our 4 Women Think!

Do You Think There Are Stereotypes In The Industry?

Words from the Pros:

Connie with Precision Testing Inc. located in Minnesota.

“I don’t think there are stereotypes. I have been treated very fairly!”

Denise Volk with A Tree Service Inc. located in Minneapolis.

“This is a male dominated industry. People are really expecting a man when I come because they feel that a man knows more than a woman."

Tamelyn Holter with Exterior Building Services located in Bloomington, MN.

"Traditionally it’s a very male dominated industry. For many years, women weren’t involved at all in field or management positions. Thats really changing now. In the old days, project managers all came from the field, so they were actually construction workers/tradesman before they got into those roles. Most everyone in the field was male back then. Now, many project managers are coming straight out of college and many of those are women. You get a lot of women now that are project managers. However, a lot of the project managers coming out of college, both men and women, may not have ever actually had any field experience. In addition to project managers, there are now a number of women working in the field as well. That is a big change from years ago."

Get to know our professional contributors more by visiting our Resources section for this article.

What Challenges Do You Face Being A Woman In The Contractor Industry?

Words from the Pros:

Denise Volk with A Tree Service Inc. located in Minneapolis.

“We kind of take it on a case to case basis here. We have a family business so we send either my son or husband if we feel like a guy needs to be in any situation. It’s just part of being in business! It’s not prejudice. There just aren’t many women in the tree business.”

Kelly with Airfresh Industries Inc. located in Stillwater Minnesota.

“It’s different how men and women market and network. That affects how we work together. It even affects getting your foot in the door with other companies.”

Connie with Precision Testing Inc. located in Minnesota.

“You’re married to the business. Weekends. Nights. When they need assistance, you need to be there. It’s just part of the game. It takes dedication. Extreme dedication.”

Tamelyn Holter with Exterior Building Services located in Bloomington, MN.

"First of all, a lot of guys are great about working with women. It’s certainly not everyone you’re dealing with [that treats you differently for being a woman]. It tends to be the ones who have been in the industry a very long time, versus the ones who have just gotten into it. Sometimes you just have a hard time being taken seriously, but attitudes change! In the beginning, there is skepticism, but if you prove yourself to be competent, over time they will generally accept you."

Get to know our professional contributors more by visiting our Resources section for this article.

What Skills Or Specialties Do You Bring To The Table As A Woman In The Industry?

Words from the Pros:

Denise Volk with A Tree Service Inc. located in Minneapolis.

“I think I deal better with the customer or the public because I do it all the time. It’s easier for me to talk to a customer than a man, just because men are so used to working all the time”

Kelly with Airfresh Industries Inc. located in Stillwater Minnesota.

“I can help the contractor meet the targeted goals that go with certain projects, such as the federally funded projects”

Get to know our professional contributors more by visiting our Resources section for this article.

How Did You Get Started In The Contractor Industry?

Words from the Pros:

Tamelyn Holter with Exterior Building Services located in Bloomington, MN.

Connie with Precision Testing Inc. located in Minnesota.

I started out of high school working for Minnesota Department of Transportation as a seasonal employee on a highway project that was local in my hometown. They trained me on the basics. I got hired by other contractors for the next 7 years, then I finally decided to jump ship and do it myself! We now work for Minnesota Department of Transportation and other contractors all over the state!

Get to know our professional contributors more by visiting our Resources section for this article.

What Lead To Writing This Article?

As I wrote the articles How To Clean Vinyl Siding, and Best Vinyl Siding Cleaner I called and contacted many businesses from throughout the United States. Not once did I speak to a Woman! This called my attention, so I did some research on women in the contractor industry. Turns out, there are more than I thought there were, and they love what they do!

Resources

First photo of tradeswomen, thanks to Tim Curran of Mid-County Memo.

Second photo of tradeswoman, Thanks to Oregon Tradeswomen, Inc. and Dawn Jones Redstone

A big thanks to all those who helped and contributed to writing this article.

Denise Volk http://atreeservices.com/

Kelly Thommes http://www.airfreshindustries.com/

Connie Pearson http://precisiontestinc.com/

Tamelyn Holter http://www.ebs-mn.com/

The Association of Women Contractors

Women in construction: the jobs beyond the field crew

Construction work is much wider than swinging a hammer. A building or roofing business needs estimators who measure and price jobs, project managers who schedule crews and materials, safety coordinators, inspectors, salespeople who meet homeowners, office managers who keep the books, and owners who carry the whole thing. Women work in every one of those roles, and many owners started in one and moved into another.

The field trades are where women are fewest, and they are also where many contractors say they struggle to find skilled people. Roofing, electrical, plumbing, carpentry and heavy equipment all reward skill that is learned on the job, and a worker who shows up, learns fast and works safely gets noticed whatever her background.

The office and field sides feed each other. An estimator who has worked on a roof writes better estimates, and a crew lead who understands the numbers runs a tighter job. That mix is how many women build toward owning a business: learn the work, learn the money, then put the two together.

How women get started in the construction trades

Most tradespeople, men and women alike, come in one of three ways: an apprenticeship, a trade or technical school program, or an entry-level job with a contractor willing to teach. Apprenticeships combine paid work with classroom hours and end with a recognized credential, which makes them a solid path for someone starting from zero.

Pre-apprenticeship programs, many of them run specifically for women, teach tool basics, safety, construction math and what a job site expects, and they help place graduates with employers. Local women-in-trades groups, building trade associations and community colleges are the places to ask about them.

Once you are working, find a mentor, ideally someone a few steps ahead of you in the same trade, and keep a record of what you learn, the jobs you work on and the certifications you earn. That record turns into a resume, a portfolio that helps win customers and, later on, the experience a licensing board may ask you to document.

Female roofers: the work and the gear

Roofing is hard on anyone: heat, heights, steep pitches and heavy materials. Shingle bundles are heavy, and a full tear-off means lifting and carrying a great deal of weight over a working day. Crews that use ladder hoists, conveyors or boom delivery to land materials on the roof cut much of that carrying, and that is worth asking about when you choose where to work.

Safety gear that fits matters more than it sounds. Harnesses, gloves, boots and hard hats have long been sized around men, and a harness that is too big can let a worker slip out of it in a fall. Workplace safety officials have flagged poorly fitting protective equipment as a real problem for women in construction, and more makers now offer smaller sizes. Ask for gear that fits, and check it every time you put it on.

Roofing also has plenty of work off the ladder: estimating, inspections, insurance claim work, sales, supervising crews and running the company. Many roofing owners did a little of everything on the way up.

Certification for woman-owned contracting businesses

Some public agencies and large private buyers run certification programs for businesses owned and run by women. Certification can put a company on the lists those buyers search when they want to work with small or woman-owned firms, which is one way woman-owned contractors find work on publicly funded projects.

Each program sets its own rules. Most ask for proof that women own most of the business and actually control it, meaning they make the decisions, sign the contracts and know the work, not only that a woman's name is on the paperwork. Expect to supply ownership records, tax returns, licenses and a description of who does what. Who qualifies and what certification opens up differ from one program to the next and have changed over time, so read the current rules from the agency or organization that runs each one.

Certification does not replace the basics: a license where your state or city requires one, insurance, a clean safety record and references. Buyers check those first.

Questions people ask

Are there female roofers?

Yes. Women work as roofers, crew leads, estimators, inspectors and owners of roofing companies, though they are still a small share of the trade. Many start on a crew or in estimating and sales and move into running jobs or whole businesses.

How do women get into construction?

Through apprenticeships, trade or technical school programs, pre-apprenticeship programs aimed at women, or an entry-level job with a contractor willing to teach. Local trade associations, women-in-trades groups and community colleges can point you to programs nearby.

What challenges do women contractors face?

The ones women name most often are customers who expect a man, having to prove themselves before they are taken seriously, networks built around men, and gear that does not fit. Several say skill on the job and steady follow-through win people over.

What is a woman-owned business certification?

It is a status from a public agency or private certifier confirming that a business is owned and controlled by women. It can open doors with buyers who want to work with such firms. Each program has its own eligibility rules, so check the current rules with the program itself.

This guide was updated in October 2026 with new sections and the questions people ask most.