From NYC Editor to North Country Contractor

It’s 2022 Women in Construction Week, and that means I’m shifting my role from behind-the-scenes at our company to the spotlight. If you know me, you know I love center stage ;). Even more so to empower women, promote construction, and keep pushing for inclusivity in our industry. I’m Darcie Burroughs, co-owner and backbone of Steel Pines in Edinburg, NY. Read on about my construction journey and where Steel Pines is today because of, well, girl power.

In 2015, Mark and I decided to start a business. Have you ever gone through the process of registering an LLC in NY State? I don’t recommend doing it alone lol. Thanks to LegalZoom and a lot of research (and cursing), we became Steel Pines, LLC. I was still living in Brooklyn working full-time in publishing, Mark was working full-time commercial construction in the Albany area, but we dipped our toes into some local sawmill and custom build work in our spare time.

Fast forward to moving upstate, getting married, having a baby, and oh, that two+ year pandemic that’s going on… our lives drastically changed. COVID-19 was the catalyst for us to go full-time with Steel Pines. Mark wanted to be closer to home, I was so happy to see him lose the three-hour commute, and honestly, there was (and still is) a lack of contractors in our area. The demand for Mark’s talent and my business mind was there. I knew I could learn as I went. So, we sent it.

My construction education started with Mark. He made sure I learned the best way possible, by doing. When building an addition on our home, I worked on foundation prep (on a ledge rock the size of our home), shoveling dirt, building wall footings, drilling rebar into rock. We installed the floor joists together, teetering 12ft above the ground like tightrope walkers. I remember the day after installing insulation in our new bedroom walls, I found out I was pregnant. Soon after I switched from labor (in the field, not the delivery room!) to office, taking Intro to Construction Estimating and Blueprint Reading courses to round out my new skills.

Being a woman in the construction industry is challenging. Truly, being a woman in any industry is challenging. We can face obstacles like gender bias, pay gaps, and lack of proper paid family leave. But I am seeing a huge cultural shift in our industry, and our rural area. I’m no longer “one of the guys” when I talk shop about joists or soffits. I am just Darcie. It doesn’t matter if I’m helping load a lumber order or running payroll, I feel respected by my peers, men and women.

I’m constantly inspired by women in the field and the office and want to help tell the story of how women can thrive in the construction industry. There are so many opportunities, find your niche in residential or commercial work, admin positions, project management, or skilled labor. The Hammerstone School near Ithaca, NY is a brilliant place for women to learn trades from other women. I’m currently in a full-time position at STACK Construction Technologies, a preconstruction cloud-based software company, working in marketing. You can be on the job site or in front of a laptop, or, like me sometimes, both!

Since July 2020, our Norwood Sawmill HD36 has sawed over 120,000 board feet, 200+ blade changes, an engine replacement, and about seven dump truck loads of sawdust cleared from underneath. We have upgraded our equipment with a Kubota KX40, flatbed equipment trailer, Honda Pioneer side-by-side, and Featherlite enclosed job trailer. Our carpentry tools got a facelift, and most importantly, we added two incredible employees who have grown and expanded their talents - Frank Agosta and Austin Bigec. We have built custom garages, decks, renovated kitchens, upgraded high-end bathrooms, and built timber frame homes. 2022 is lined up with new custom home builds and plenty of renovations. It feels damn good to be rich, not financially (as any contractor knows), but in the feeling of success and progress.

A part of me likes pushing boundaries. Making change. Being loud in an underrepresented industry. The other part seriously enjoys the work I’m doing, at Steel Pines, at STACK, as a wife, as a mom. We may have a son, but I sure as hell will teach him, and show him, that Mama can do anything Dad can.

#wicweek #wicweek2022 #womeninconstructionweek2022