Women continue to make significant strides in the residential construction field, including positively impacting the growth of the labor workforce. The number of women employed in the industry reached 1.287 million in 2023.
This week, NAHB honors these skilled workers by celebrating Professional Women in Building (PWB) Week. Long gone are the days when women worked exclusively in offices; today, they serve as builders, carpenters, and remodelers, proving their effectiveness on job sites alongside male counterparts.
NAHB spoke with three PWB members who work in trades to learn about their inspirations for entering the field, challenges faced along the way, and how PWB has aided their professional growth.
**Elizabeth Bond: Lessons Learned Along the Way**
Elizabeth Bond was introduced to construction by her father. He taught her everything from hanging drywall to installing tile and fixing minor electrical and plumbing issues. Bond recalls him often reminding her: “Don’t let anyone tell you that you can't do something because you are female.”
Even as a child, Bond enjoyed conceptualizing designs using Tinker Toys, Lego building blocks, and Erector sets. By high school, she had decided to pursue design and construction fields. Bond graduated from The Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science with a bachelor's degree in interior design before opening a design and construction company with her father. Their first project involved renovating a foster home. “The joy in the parents’ and kids’ eyes forever stuck with me,” she said.
Owning her luxury cabinetry business—Dovetail Cabinetry based in Pittsburgh—came with lessons learned over a 30-year career. Chief among them is remaining committed to clients through open communication and top-notch customer service. In a male-dominated industry, proving herself capable was necessary early on for acceptance.
Despite challenges, seeing client satisfaction motivates her. Learning from other women through PWB also sustains her drive. For younger women interested in trades, Bond recommends classes in finance and business development to gain independence.
**Lita Dirks: Building Relationships and Her Career**
After several years working in retail design, Lita Dirks started her own business, Lita Dirks & Co., an interior design firm based in Greenwood Village, Colorado, in 1995. This marked her transition into residential construction.
Starting a new business as a single mom with an infant required extra effort but did not deter Dirks due to her passion for design.
“I didn’t mind because I was excited to be doing what I loved,” Dirks said.
Her professional shift led her to appreciate helping people discover their dream homes while collaborating with builders within budget constraints. Establishing positive relationships between builders and tradespeople proved advantageous for sustaining new business.
As an experienced woman in trades, Dirks felt the need to prove herself: “They want to know that a designer isn’t all fluff—that we understand construction and respect the total process.”
**Alexa Dack: Taking a Collaborative Approach**
Influenced by her structural engineer father, Alexa Dack developed an interest in building industries during high school due to her passion for math and design. She pursued architecture at California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo, graduating with a bachelor's degree in 2015.
Dack joined Pleasanton-based DAHLIN shortly after graduation where she now serves as senior associate and senior architect. Unlike others who faced sexism at work, Dack experienced support at DAHLIN over nine years.
Architecture being more balanced between genders influenced Dack’s collaborative approach at work.
“I tend to take a more gender-neutral view,” she said. “I think each person brings unique advantages based on their individual skill sets.”
Ensuring equal opportunities for other women remains important for Dack. Joining PWB broadened her network and understanding of this viewpoint.
“[PWB] has allowed me to interact with other passionate women leaders…when I otherwise may not have had the opportunity,” she said. She became president of BIA Bay Area PWB Council in 2021.
Visit the PWB Week toolkit for resources such as sample social media posts, Shop Talk registration links, marketing materials and more on NAHBNow blog featuring some of this year’s notable women professionals.
NAHB’s Professional Women in Building Week is sponsored by Andersen Windows & Doors.