Cardea Construction Co.

By Mary Runser

Patricia Harroun 

“I grew up in a middle-class family and had many wonderful opportunities as a child and teen-ager,” Patricia Harraoun of Cardea Construction Co. said. After graduating from high school, she went on to college. “I managed to graduate from college in four years while going to four different colleges,” she said. Her first and final years were the most memorable. “Albion, a small college, was a bit restrictive with its curfews, and on the other end of the spectrum was SUNY, a larger university, which was a hot-bed of feminism in my final year.” Well-rounded education notwithstanding, she was still left with the task of deciding what she wanted to do with the rest of her life.

She knew from her childhood that she enjoyed camping and being outdoors. “I wasn’t afraid of the outdoors. I was a Girl Scout Counselor for seven years; I knew how to manage people and I knew I wanted to do something that worked both my mind and my body,” she said. She and a friend went to Maine to attend a boat-building school, only to be denied entrance. “We were seriously told we were ineligible for enrollment because the school didn’t have a women’s restroom facility.” Disappointed with the denial, she worked with Thoroughbred horses in Ocala, Fl. for a time. “I cared for them on the ground rather than exercise them,” she explained. She realized that the horse business was not where she wanted to be, so she came back to Michigan and took a position as a Vet Tech with the Humane Society, with the intention of eventually becoming a veterinarian. Rather, her love for working with wood led her to the Comprehensive Educational Training Act, founded by President Jimmy Carter, where she enrolled in a carpentry program.

There weren’t many women in the carpentry business when Patricia began her career, and she had to face a couple of major issues along the way. Small in stature and weight, she was often forced to become creative on the job when lifting or safely passing objects off to another crew member. However, when it came to tight corners and small, enclosed spaces, her size was perfect. Her gender, on the other hand, was an entirely different issue. “People could get over my size,” she said, “because I worked just as hard as anyone else on the crew. I wasn’t afraid of hard work and I wasn’t afraid of getting dirty. My gender was the issue that people had difficulty overcoming.”

After years of losing jobs to lack of work or available work going to men, Patricia started Cardea Construction Co. in 1985. “Cardea is a Greek goddess who was capable of opening doors that others cannot,” Patricia explained. “She is the caretaker and guardian of all Artisans. I thought perhaps this association would help open minds to the idea of women in construction.” Specialists in remodeling and additions, their primary customers are homeowners who need updated kitchens, bathrooms, basements, or just need more space. Patricia is adamant about recycling, so during a renovation, counters, fixtures, appliances, metal, cardboard, really anything that can be recycled is recycled or reused whenever possible. With that said, it shouldn’t be surprising to know that Cardea Construction Co. is also gaining expertise in green construction. “Some focuses include offering sustainable green remodeling materials that can save money through reduced energy use, save owners time due to low maintenance, and bring comfort by reducing uncontrolled airflow.

Cardea Construction’s reputation and pride are built on quality workmanship, Patricia’s keen attention to detail, use of materials that demand the least amount of maintenance by the customer, finishing a project on time and within budget, and the trust she establishes with each of her customers. “Always, our customer is the boss,” she said. “Our mission is to improve your life while we’re improving your home. I’m simply the facilitator who removes stress by managing the details of renovating a space to fulfill my customer’s vision.”

Thank you to ABEC's Small Business Review for sharing interesting people in and around Washtenaw County. http://abecssbr.com