Patricia Miller is the owner of Blue Diamond Construction. With more than 30 years of experience in commercial metal framing, working with general contractors, architects, engineers and developers, she helps design and build office buildings, apartments, supermarkets, restaurants, retail stores and medical and educational facilities.
At the same time, she has been blazing a path for women in construction. Recently, the Women Builders Council named her an “Outstanding Woman Builder.” She also added author to her accomplishments with the publication of her memoir, “Kicking Karma’s Ass: Unbelievable Stories of Strength, Resilience and Perseverance, All Told with a Twist of Humor.”
Tell us your story. How did you get started in the industry?
As a little girl, I always dreamed of owning my own construction company. No. Not really. The truth is, construction chose me. It was my husband’s career. Ray was a master carpenter and expert metal framer. Blue Diamond specializes in commercial metal framing. Nearly 30 years ago, we started the company as a home-based construction business with $100 in flyers and business cards.
We always worked as a team. Ray was very much liked and well-respected at job sites around New Jersey. He was out front, the face of the business, the builder on the job sites. I ran the back end. My background is in accounting. I did the books, ordered supplies, dealt with vendors, scheduled jobs. But Ray insisted I learn the business. Many nights after a long day of working and being a mom—cleaning, cooking, shopping, sports, dealing with teachers—he would make me sit down at the kitchen table and learn his craft.
It was like something in Ray just knew I would need to know every aspect of the business one day. And, of course, he was right. In 2016, Ray passed away. With his passing, I moved to the front. Anyone who knows me knows I’ve never been a shrinking violet, but having to become the face of the business was one of the most difficult things I’ve ever done. After Ray’s two-year illness and a number of other family deaths and misfortunes, I literally had to rebuild the business from the ground up.
The day after Ray’s funeral, I put my boots on and headed back out to the job site, all because of a general contractor who was playing games and trying to even an old score. Not very nice.
He actually did me a favor. His underhandedness got me out of bed and helped me begin the process of Phoenix-ing up out of the ashes and rebuilding my life.
What are some of the biggest changes you’ve seen in the past few years?
Times are certainly changing. I find that today the skill level and experience you find on job sites is not always what it should be. This pervasive idea that “Everybody Can Do Everything” is simply not true. Fewer and fewer people seem to know what a slap stud is or a cripple stud for that matter. Dealing with inexperience can result in cutting corners.
The idea of slapping things together any way you can in order to get the job done is just flat out wrong. We do it right the first time. Or we don’t do it at all. Doing things right might cost a little more—or at least seems to—upfront, but in the end, it saves developers money.
To determine someone’s experience and qualifications, you have to read between the lines and ask the right questions so you can sift out their knowledge of materials, of processes, of applications.
Speaking of materials, the other change I’ve seen is that clients are more amenable now to options. The gold standards for certain materials are no longer always the first choice. Take fiberglass reinforced panels. For years they were the go-to-choice for kitchens and bathrooms in eating establishments because of their superior sanitary quality. But they’re expensive. Today, retail chains that typically would have used FRPs now are considering less expensive options because the technology has advanced to the point where these options are now feasible.
What opportunities are out there for the industry and for women?
Like every other industry, technology is changing construction and with those changes come new opportunities. For example, increasingly architects are phasing out traditional hand layouts in favor of computer-generated layouts. A digital device that looks like a laser is put on a tripod, uploaded with CAD drawings, then spun around to produce laser lines of a building project.
Of course, you need a human being to operate the device and make sure it’s working properly. Right now, use of this device is not particularly widespread but soon it will be the industry standard.
Safety is another area that offers opportunity, specifically creating companies that are certified in safety adherence. The same with drones. Today, the biggest companies are using drones to document every aspect of the building project, from start to finish.
For women, these all represent excellent opportunities to become entrepreneurs and business owners.
Representation in the workforce is certainly important. But I’ll take that one step further. I firmly believe we need more serious women in construction who are founders. Women who own and lead their own companies. Women who are responsible for creating jobs and are experts in their respective fields.
What type of trends are you seeing today?
Today, so much in the industry is about money or cutting corners. This is something I have conversations about frequently with architects and construction management firms. We all agree that if the owners and developers analyze the project data upfront, they will often find the low-ball bid will actually cost them more in the long run.
Between down time, lack of knowledge and not knowing how to improvise onsite, costs can skyrocket. You know—change order, change order, change order.
It’s all pennywise and dollar foolish. An inexperienced, low bidder rarely offers the kind of deep knowledge and superior skills to a developer than a more seasoned pro can. That’s why it’s really important for developers to look at the entire package when hiring a contractor or a subcontractor. It’s not just a number. You’re not just hiring a dollar sign. You’re hiring the mind of experience as well. And, that my friends, will likely save you money in the end.
What is the best piece of advice you have ever received?
The best piece of advice I ever got came from Professor Jerome Gordon, who taught the Future Business Leaders of America course at Cedar Ridge High School. Best class I ever took. He gave us lots of great advice but the one above all others that has resonated for me all these years was this, “As business owners, the clock on the back wall will be your biggest enemy unless you learn how to use it properly.”
So true. He taught us time management is the key to success. And, boy, that has been true in so much of my life.
What’s the single best thing every woman can do to make sure they continue to get a seat at the table?
I’m not sure it’s one thing. First, I would say that women need to be confident and assertive. If you don’t stand your ground, the men on site—and it’s still primarily men—will think you’re there to deliver coffee or payroll.
The other thing is “Know Your Business.” Inside and out. Know your competitors. Understand what makes you different. Keep up with the changes and trends in the industry—the new products, materials and processes. If you have a question about a certain product, call the supplier. They’re your best source of information. Be a lifelong learner. Fortunately, today, we can be our own teachers. There’s so much information available at our fingertips.
And, finally, and this is kind of Business 101, get out there and network. Meet people. Show up. I close the deal when people meet me, face to face. When they see me, ask me questions and hear in my answers how knowledgeable I am.
What’s the biggest item on your to-do list?
I desperately need to hire a junior estimator. Someone who can provide a basic take off for a bid. If anyone out there knows anyone…
