Female builders finish work inside dream house

A couple attempting to renovate their home using an all-female team said that women carried out about 90% of the work.

Kat and Fi Parsons started renovating their home in Gosbeck near Needham Market, Suffolk, at the start of 2025 and set a target to use only women for the construction.

In October they stated that they had struggled to find women for certain roles including a female glazier.

However, the main construction work has now finished and they said they were "proud" to have showcased women in the industry.

Kat said she was "really pleased" with the work, but they still had some work to do on the exterior.

"It was quite a long slog... we knew it would take time, everyone has seen Grand Designs," she continued.

"But it definitely took its toll with both of us having full-time jobs, two kids, one doing his GCSEs, and a dog, it was quite a tough journey.

"But now, being able to bed into this place and get the feel of it, it's exactly what we wanted."

She added the couple, who both have backgrounds within the construction industry, were "proud" of what they had done.

"We've been there on sites being sort of the token females, so to be able to walk in on the morning to the site and be surrounded by a team of women all sharing their experiences of the different trades and how they got into it has been really inspiring," Kat added.

Fi said it had been a "learning journey" and they would spend some time reflecting on the experience.

"It's well known in the construction industry that women are the minority," she said.

"It's probably about 13% overall and in the trades it's more like 1-2%.

"That's the bit that we found tricky, so we were really pleased in terms of the electricians, plumbers, heating engineers, the fact that we managed to get women on board for that has been brilliant."

She added that it had been important for them to show young female apprentices there was a broad spectrum of careers available.

"It's been a tough journey... but I think we need to shout out all the men and allies that helped us along the way as well because we couldn't have built this dream home without them," Fi said.

The couple welcomed West Suffolk College students who are studying construction down to their home.

Across the courses, there is a 50/50 split between males and females for this academic year.

One of those students, Lucy, said the home construction was "gorgeous".

"Everything I can see in the garden, the nice outdoor seating, you've got a firepit too and the kitchen, I love cooking and the kitchen is gorgeous.

"I can't imagine coming down here and having my cereal on that breakfast bar, it looks lovely.

"Everywhere is lovely."

One of her classmates, called Summer, said she was "very glad" to be in the industry and "wouldn't change it for the world".

"I think loads of females that want to do this should because it's very overlooked and a lot of women feel a bit scared to get into trades because they think it's a men's thing, but it isn't," she said.

"I think that women do a lot of things better than men because they have an eye for detail."

A third pupil called Beth is also working to become a painter decorator and said she wanted to do it for those who can't do it themselves.

"I want to provide a good environment for them to feel safe with me in their house decorating and make them feel welcome, comfortable."

Brenda Peaston, group head of faculty for construction crafts at the college, said there was "a space for everyone in construction".

"That's the important message we want to get across to anyone changing career, leaving school, or trying to change up what they understand and know about construction."

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